District implements PLC/Late Start days

Nina Luo, Co-Editor in Chief • August 22, 2012

Students wait in the Commons before school starts on Monday, Aug. 27. Students weren’t allowed to go into the hallways until 8:30 a.m.

Some mornings, students will be able to sleep in for an extra 20 minutes. On nine Mondays, Professional Learning Communities (PLC) will meet through the beginning of school, pushing the start of first hour from 8:16 a.m. back to 8:40 a.m.

Principal Dr. Greg Mathison said the idea of having PLC Late Start days came from the PLC Coaches Academy that took place during the summer.

“We did a survey at the end of the training,” Dr. Mathison said. “And many teachers said they didn’t have enough time to look at student data. They needed more frequent meetings.”

Teachers can now meet in their PLC groups both afterschool on half-days and before school on Late Start days. On these days, teachers will be in PLC meetings from 7:45 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Dr. Mathison said students who arrive at school before 8:30 a.m. must stay in the Commons.

“We’re also asking upperclassmen who drive to arrive about 15 or 20 minutes later,” Dr. Mathison said.

On PLC Late Start days, each class is shortened by four minutes.

“Overall, that means each class will lose 36 minutes over the year due to PLC Late Start,” Dr. Mathison said. “This is pretty good considering it gives teachers nine opportunities total to have PLC meetings.”

At the end of the year, a committee will evaluate the PLC Late Start days’ effectiveness and whether the model should continue to be used.

Kelly Dunlap, senior, said she wants to experience the first PLC Late Start day before passing judgment on the idea. Still, she is worried about traffic.

“Juniors and seniors that are driving to school and students that are being dropped off will experience rush hour even more,” Dunlap said. “This later start means we’ll be getting to MHS right in the middle of heavy commuter traffic.”

Dunlap said she plans on arriving at school at the normal time anyway because she wants to avoid traffic.

The first PLC Late Start day will be Monday, August 27.

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