Teachers raise objections over shift from half-days to full days for the first week of school.
By:Aleen Crispino Special Writer
The Lawrence Township Board of Education adopted its 2006-07 calendar last week but not without some objections from teachers, who sought to have half-days scheduled for the first week of school.
Under the 2006-07 calendar, which was adopted by a 6-1 vote, students would report Sept. 7 for the first day of school. The first two days of school for students would be full days.
School board president Laura Waters and board members Ginny Bigley, Debbie Endo, Gerri Hutner, Leon Kaplan and Bill Michaelson all cast "yes" votes. School board vice president Michael Brindle cast the lone dissenting vote.
School board members Robin Bridges-Johnson, Mark Setaro and Michael Winka were absent.
Lawrence Township Education Association President JoAnn Lupo objected to scheduling Sept. 5 and Sept. 6 as professional development days and scheduling Sept. 7 and Sept. 8 the first two days of class for students as full days.
Ms. Lupo, who is a guidance counselor at Lawrence High School, asked the school board to reconsider and make the first two days of school early-dismissal days.
Teachers need time when students are not present so they can discuss special education students’ Individual Education Plans, for example, Ms. Lupo said. Teachers need to review medical reports in the school nurse’s office and to hold grade-level meetings, which can only be done after teachers have met the students, she said.
"We want to be able to meet the kids with all our professional cards stacked," Ms. Lupo said. "We can’t do that when the day ends at 3:05 p.m."
Ms. Lupo said early dismissal days do not mean teachers would leave school early. The teachers will put in a full 7-plus hour day during the first week of school whether they are with the students or not, she said.
Daisy Ponting, a fourth-grade teacher at Lawrence Intermediate School, also objected to the 2006-07 calendar. Planning is probably the most important part of teaching effectively, she said.
"We are looking out for what our students’ needs are," Ms. Ponting said. "I just think that you are doing us a disservice."
Ms. Waters, the school board president, said the decision to create the schedule the first week of school was driven by two factors professional development for teachers and provided as much instructional time for students as possible.
Ms. Bigley, who is chairwoman of he board’s Educational Policy Committee, said the school calendar was designed "to maximize classroom time with an emphasis on academic rigor."
Ms. Hutner, who is the chairwoman of the board’s Personnel Committee, also supported the proposed calendar. She pointed out that teachers would have two full days of professional development in the first week of school, as compared to one full day under previous calendars.
Superintendent of Schools Philip Meara offered to meet with Ms. Lupo to discuss her concerns.
The 2006-07 calendar calls for school to be closed Oct. 2 for the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, and Nov. 9-10 for the New Jersey Education Association convention. School also would be closed Nov. 23-24 for Thanksgiving.
The calendar calls for school to be closed Dec. 25-Jan. 1 for winter recess, and Jan. 15 for Dr. Martin Luther King Day. No classes are scheduled for Feb. 16 or Feb. 19 in observance of President’s Day. Spring recess is set for April 2-9.
School also will be closed May 28 for Memorial Day. The last day of class for students is June 15 if school is not closed for a snow emergency. Four snow days are built into the calendar. If the four snow days are used, school would end June 20.
Staff Writer Lea Kahn contributed to this report.