Teaching a 4 Day Week The Bridge Alternative High School Nadine Clark Tara Richardson Colleen Deaven.

Teaching a 4 Day Week

The Bridge Alternative High SchoolNadine Clark

Tara RichardsonColleen Deaven

What are your personal perceptions or experiences with a 4 day school week?

Personal Perceptions

Cons★ "Special-Needs" and "At-Risk"

students may have retention difficulties

★ Athletic teams and extracurricular teams have one less day available to schedule games against schools on a 5-day a week schedule

★ Parents are unable to supervise their kids activities/choices on the "off-day"

★ The "Real World" is not run on 4 days a week, and students may develop patterns that impair "future success"/motivation

Sources:http://www.nbcnews.com/; www.uscranton.com; www.ssentinel.com; www.debate.org

★ Many students have disclosed they are not productive during their weekends and that they will not be productive on that Friday either

★ Students will have to learn at a much faster pace

★ Lowered test scores, due to less time spent=less funding for that school

★ One student stated, " It would be awesome, to have an extra day to play videogames and watch television."

Pros ★ Dropout rate declines★ Student disciplinary referrals decrease★ Student and teacher attendance improves★ Significant savings in utility and fuel bills, substitute

teacher pay, transportation costs, custodial pay, and building repairs

★ School Days Missed, due to weather, can be made up on Fridays

★ Students have more time available to volunteer at non-profit organizations and can earn elective credit

Sources:http://www.nbcnews.com/; www.uscranton.com; www.ssentinel.com; www.debate.org

Pros...★ Students have more time and flexibility available to work

(they can earn work experience elective credit, while earning an income!)

★ Students will have the opportunity to complete more online classes which will assist in credit recovery

★ Fridays can be used for students/schools to build relationships with the community and allow more service learning opportunities

★ Parents are able to schedule appointments for their kids that won't conflict with their school schedule

★ Students can assist/mentor middle school/elementary students in programs such as robotics, art, and sporting events

Sources:http://www.nbcnews.com/; www.uscranton.com; www.ssentinel.com; www.debate.org

Why a 4 day week?

• Generate revenue for the district

• Increase credit recovery opportunities

• Increase time for planning and professional development for teachers

Strategic Planning1. Implement a 4 day, Monday thru

Thursday trimester calendar, while still maintaining the efficacy of the curriculum.

2. Grant time for staff to plan and participate in Professional Development.

3. Offer credit recovery, vocation, tutoring, and enrichment opportunities to students.

4. Continue behavior intervention techniques.

Waiver

• Michigan Department of Education Approval Process Includes a Cover Letter sent to MDE Alternative Education Consultant (Mike Barber) along with the following:o Waiver Application Review Formo Alternative Education and Innovative

Program Assurances Form

New Program• Monday - Thursday (7:30am-2:30pm)

o Trimester calendar continued from 2012-2013

• New Attendance Policyo 5 unexcused and 3 excused absences

(2012/2013 school year 8 unexcused and 5 excused absences)

• *Enrichment Fridays* (10:30am-2:30pm)o Students must attend at least 1 Friday per

month.o Students sign-up for an AM and PM sessiono Staff meeting every Friday 7:30am-9:30amo IEP/504 meetings every Friday 9:30am -

10:30am

Enrichment Friday Structure• Academic Support available to students

o Math Lab (10:30am - 2:30pm)o PLATO Online Learning (10:30am - 2:30pm)o Science Club (10:30am-11:30am)o Science Lab (12:30pm - 2:30pm)o Art Club (10:30am-11:30am)o Art Drop In Clinic (12:30pm - 2:30pm)o Music Appreciation (1:00pm - 2:00pm)o English Tutoring (10:30am-11:30am)o Writing Center (12:30pm - 2:30pm)o Off campus lunch (12:00pm-12:30pm)

“Bob Ross Day” Art Club

Enrichment Friday Structure• Additional activities and resources

o Field Trips Gleaners Renaissance Festival Holocaust Museum Detroit Institute of Art Dearborn Truck River Rouge Plant Movie related to subject matter

o Service Learning and Work Experience Credito Career and Post-Secondary Education Planningo ACT/MME Test Preparation

Field Trip Fun

Enrichment Friday Snapshot• Consistently 35% attendance each Friday

• Math and Science support had the highest attendance each week

• Advanced Art students attended regularly

• 20% of students taking the MME utilized the test prep workshops

Sept 76.5% 2 FridaysOct 65.0% 4 FridaysNov 56.5% 4 FridaysDec 29.4% 2 Fridays

Jan 8.9% 2 FridaysFeb 70.5% 4 FridaysMar 19.0% 1 FridayApril 43.5% 2 Fridays

Enrichment Friday Adaptations

• Friday Enrichment Goal Sheet

• Students could stay for just the morning or afternoon session instead of the entire day.

• 5 Enrichment Fridays changed to regular school days to make-up snow days.

• “Regular Fridays” staff provided breakfast and lunch to students.

I feel that Enrichment Fridays....

➢ “Is a good thing. Some people need extra time and help.”

➢ “These extra days have allowed us to make-up all the snow days.”

➢ “Are fantastic and help students that struggle get more one-on-one assistance.”

➢ “Students can easily catch up on Friday if they missed a day that week.”

➢ “ I come to do work I missed and work on my personal portfolio.”

➢ “ I love being able to increase my number of hours at work.”

➢ “ I come in on Fridays to make sure I don’t have any missing work to keep my grades up.”

➢ “The Friday enrichment program is nifty. It’s great to have the opportunity to make up work and go on field trips.”

Teacher FeedbackHow have the students in your classes utilized Enrichment

Fridays?

• "Motivated students looking for more help have used these Fridays." Art Teacher

• "Students use this extra time to complete assignments and make-up work if they were absent during the week." Chemistry teacher

• "A majority of the students in my classes use enrichment Fridays to complete missing work. However, a large percentage of students use Fridays to re-take test/test concepts that they may have struggled with the first time around and feel that they can demonstrate better understanding a second time around." Math teacher

Teacher FeedbackFor those students who have attended, have their grades and

level of understanding in your classes improved?

• "The students who have attended have positively improved their grade by completing any missing work and using the time to clarify any questions they may have." Civics teacher

• "Comprehension and level of skill has been positively affected." Art teacher

• "The level of understanding has improved for... students who participate are earning better grades than they did before this program was implemented." Chemistry teacher

• "Student math grades have definitely improved.” 2012-2013: 2013/2014:

A's: 14% A's: 27%

B's: 35% B's: 28%

C's: 32% C's: 29%

D's: 7% D's: 13%

E's: 12% E's: 3%

Teacher Planning and PD• Weekly staff meetings

• Guest speakerso Assessment Literacy Trainingo Police Liaisono Multisystemic Therapy (MSTI)o Reaching Higher founder Susie Dolmano School Improvement Technology Presentationo Whiteboard Presentation - Director of Special Education in

Brighton Area Schools

• Reading Apprenticeship Training

• Thematic unit planningo “Binder Days”

Year in Review• Enrichment Fridays are a Success!!

• Out of district enrollment increasedo Fall 2012 - 2 out of district studentso Fall 2013 - 18 out of district students

• Increase in daily attendance

• Increase in student work productivity

• Significant grade improvement

• Increased opportunity for staff Professional Development and team building

I feel the 4 day week....

➢ "Allow students time for their jobs."➢ "Sometimes the 5-day a week schedule can become

stressful and overwhelming. Although you must learn the same material in less time, it helps in my mental health and my grades have gone up. I am now earning all A's."

➢ "Having a 4-day school week is less stressful."➢ “I think it allows impoverished students to save gas

money only going to school 4 days a week.”

Teacher Feedback about 4 Day Week• "We are able to offer field trips, science labs, make-up times, art

programs, clubs, etc...that students seem to be benefiting from. I think the positives outweigh the negatives." Civics teacher

• "The created Friday Enrichment Goal Sheet has been a good tool to keep students on task and do their work." Office manager

• "Students that have taken advantage of Enrichment Fridays have shown an increase in self-motivation. There has been more individual ownership of grades. I have seen some students put in greater effort over the 1st four days of the week knowing that they will have Friday off if they have no missing work." Math teacher

• "Staff communication has improved a lot. We have an opportunity to problem-solve and get feedback/ideas on helping students achieve, and opportunity for more PD time." Art teacher

• "Attendance has improved during the week. It seems students can handle 4 days better." Chemistry teacher

Questions…

[email protected] - Nadine [email protected] - Colleen Deaven