TPS plan for early-release day each month moving forward
BY ANDREA EGER World Staff Writer
Saturday, August 04, 2012
8/04/12 at 5:24 AM
Tulsa Public Schools is moving forward with a plan that could send kids home early one day a month to create more time for teacher collaboration and professional development.
Other local school districts have students come late to school some days for the same purpose, but 70 percent of Tulsa parents and teachers who responded to a summer survey favored early release days.
"We are excited at the opportunity to be able to give our teachers and principals more time together, as this will help put TPS on the road to improved student achievement," Superintendent Keith Ballard said.
The school board is being asked to approve a schedule for the last Friday of most months during the academic year that would have elementary school students dismissed at 1 p.m., middle school students at 1:20 and high school students at 1:50. The dates identified for early release are Sept. 28, Oct. 26, Nov. 30, Jan. 25, Feb. 22, March 29 and April 26.
School start times would remain the same on early release days, and all students would be served lunch before dismissal. Only sites that already offer after-school care would have that option for parents.
