Milton schools consider late start
IF YOU GO
What: Milton School Board discussion of a proposal for starting school at 10 a.m. one Monday a month.
When: 6:30 p.m. Monday
Where: Milton High School Library, 114 W. High St., Milton.
Photo 
Michael S. Garrow
MILTON — Milton students could see a late start one day a month if a district plan gains traction.
Superintendent Mike Garrow said the district’s administrative team is studying the option of changing when and how often teachers and school staff would meet for curriculum development.
Under a tentative plan, teachers and staff would meet for curriculum development before school one Monday each month. On those days, students in kindergarten through high school would start the day at about 10 a.m., Garrow said.
The Milton School Board will consider the change Monday, and it would go in effect next school year.
The change, Garrow said, would allow teachers and staff more time and opportunities during the school year to improve how they approach instruction, learning and student services. He said it also would save on substitute teachers needed to fill vacancies for teachers who now get pulled out of the classroom for in-services.
But the plan could require working parents to find a way to keep an eye on younger students while they wait for a late start to the school day.
Garrow said the district hasn’t decided whether it could offer day care services or supervised activities at school for younger students on late-start days. Under the tentative plan, the busing schedule would be altered those days to pick up all students late.
He suggested the change would allow students extra time to do homework or to sleep in once a month.
“It would essentially extend the weekend a little bit,” he said.
Under the current school year calendar, the district has planned five half-days during which teachers spend afternoons in curriculum and staff development in-services, said Garrow.
On those days, students are bused home around the noon hour, leaving some parents with younger students responsible for taking off work early. A switch to late-start days would “add convenience” for those parents, Garrow said.
Garrow said the current system leaves large gaps between times when staff can work on ways to better teach students.
“You certainly lose some steam through that process, and it's hard to continue an initiative,” he said.
Also, some staff are pulled out for other in-services during other school days on a “regular basis,” and then require substitute teachers, an added expense, Garrow said. Those in-services could be lumped in with the new system, he said.
The district had no estimates on what it now spends for those substitutes, or how much it could save through the proposed change.
Other regional districts such as Cambridge School District, are considering late-start days once a week, Garrow said. The Evansville School District has late school starts twice a month at grades K-5 and at the high school for curriculum planning.
In Evansville, buses on late-start days run on normal schedules. The district has free supervised activities at school for elementary school students.
Evansville Superintendent Heidi Carvin said the system, which is in its second year, works well.
“Parents were appreciative that the district made efforts to not interrupt their normal routine,” she said.
Milton’s proposed late-start days would mean less shortening of periods for students on late-start days, and would have no impact on the length of regular school days, Garrow said.
He said administrators are working to address the possible impact on district specialists and other staff that are shared between school buildings.
Under the district’s contract with its teachers union, the school board can make changes to many working conditions as long as changes that affect student instruction time are within guidelines imposed by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, district officials have said.
Dec 9, 2011 at 11:46 p.m.
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Freebird, I am not a teacher. I have owned my own business for 10 years and I know lots of teachers in the local districts. Very hard working people who don't just put in the 9 months of 7.5 hour days that everybody here says they do. Not to mention the never ending schooling and grading papers, report cards, calling parents before school, during lunch and after school. Oh yeah, and teaching our children with every decreasing support and supplies from their districts. I wouldn't last a week in an elementary school, and many other non teachers should spend one day volunteering in a school to see the daily work a teacher puts in, all while you people bash them.
Dec 9, 2011 at 9:22 p.m.
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Wow - freebird just turned a 40k salary into 80k, just by using math.
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With math skills like that he should be a politician.
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And lighten up people, some districts have late start once a week. Get over it.
Dec 9, 2011 at 5:15 p.m.
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Plenty of schools nearby for the teacher haters to actually go get a degree and become a teacher. Probably easier just to sit here and type venom however
Dec 9, 2011 at 5:10 p.m.
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'Let's stay focus on this'
wait...what?? that has NOTHING to do with the story here. focus?? I see why the contempt for teachers, they obviously failed you
Dec 9, 2011 at 4:36 p.m.
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I guess I don't get how "little" they keep complaining that they make when you say they make $40,000. It does go up from there every year. $40,000 for 40 weeks of work doesn't sound to shabby to me which is 9.30 months based on 4.3 weeks in a month.
I think this is why us trolls wont stop because they wont stop.
I heard a guy on WCLO saying he is a teacher and "doesn't get paid" in the summer. I would assume you can dived by 12 and that is what you can spend each month. If you don't "get paid" in the summer it is your own fault budgeting your money. I don't want to hear your boo hoos. Lots of people make $40,000 OR LESS and live just fine. That is a very nice income and NOT a "poor person's" income. Soplease stop talking about how "little" you make and soooo many hours you work. We all work a lot of hours to get buy now adays.
My hubby works about 80 hours a week in the summer. He makes a good salary but according to the teachers he doesn't make any more for the hours he puts in. That is correct but where is the Gazette article about him or others like him??? No overtime for him either because of "salary" guess they know what they are doing when they put him on salary huh? Works about 50 the rest of the year. So much work to do this year couldn't even take his third week of paid vacat. So hire somebody you say? Why when they can work him to death and notpay another employee they cannot afford. So teachers wil pick up three kids per class- this is reality- we all have to deal until this economy turns around. I bet he would like 2 1/2 months off for 9 months of pay.
Dec 9, 2011 at 4:22 p.m.
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I guess I am tired of hearing it becasue all we hear is about teachers and poor GM employees. It is the two of you vs the rest of the population and never hear about their jobs and pay or no jobs and no pay or their benefits etc. It seems you are the only important ones in the workforce worth writing about ???
Yes you are the future of these kids but what about everybody else that keeps this world turning in the economy presently?
Dec 9, 2011 at 4:13 p.m.
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How long are you trolls going to keep repeating the same lies. Plenty of people have demonstrated quite clearly that teacher may only be contracted for 40 weeks, but work as many, or more, hours than most other professionals over the course of a year. As has been said before - do you pro-rate a nurse's salary because his or her full-time schedule is only 4 days per week? Of course not. Counting days or weeks is a simpleton's method. Look at what they do - how much time it takes to do it, and then decide. I'm sorry - I shouldn't feed the trolls, but I'm just so sick of the same lies on every post in education.
Dec 9, 2011 at 4:12 p.m.
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okay 2 months of a year. I would say more like 2 1/2 months because I heard a week before and after. That would be cool. Then XMAS break, Spring Break, ALL holiday off plus a day with it. No Sat or Sundays. I am sure you get a paid vacation in there someplace.
Do all teachers actually have 7 classes throughout the day? I bet not. Cant they do some work then as kids do in study hall?
You know what if there is extra work to do or you have to stay late to get it done. This is NOT the only place this happens. Salaried people other than teachers are ALWAYS putting in extra time to get the job done.
Yes quit whining is right!
Don't forget that sweet pension you'll receive when you retire. I sure you will still sub because "we still don't make enough"
Yes you are appreciated but tired of thinking the world is owed to you because you teach.
Now holy crap you have to put YOUR OWM money into 401k
Thisis how life is. Everybody else puts their OWN money into 401k and some have an emplyer match of a small % IF they match and you think it should all be givin to you. I am done now.
This does mess up schedules of working families. If you have more work to do then go after work or before work. There are meeting that I have attended on my days off so it wouldn't interfere with the work week.
Dec 9, 2011 at 3:57 p.m.
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Stout66-- You answered your own question, you do not work the whole year but you base your pay as a whole yr. So, I was off 4 weeks, I think not. Stout66, what is sad is that you try to make me the bad guy but in reality you are the one pulling a fast one on the tax payer. What is even more funny is that you think you are smarter than me and everybody else. We have your number and you do not like it.
Dec 9, 2011 at 3:44 p.m.
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I love how people like Freebird think that teachers only work for 36 weeks. That is enough for anybody who knows the truth to laugh like crazy. Let's break it down. They get out of school around the 15th of June. Most teachers are required to begin showing up before school starts around the 15th of August. As crazy as that seems but there are things that get done over the summer. I know many teachers that go in to school around early August to get their class rooms and themselves set up for the school year. They do get two more weeks during the school year for Christmas and Spring Break. So at best they get 10 of 52 weeks off. Oh, and for all that cash they get for coaching. The average coaching postion pays about $2500. For three months of practice, games, travel and dealing with parents. You know you don't have to be a teacher to apply for these jobs you know!!!
Dec 9, 2011 at 2:42 p.m.
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Let's stay focus on this, avg wage for teachers is around 40k now include ins and pension +10k = 50k. Now take in consideration of this pay at 9 months or 36 weeks, 50/9=5,500 a month or 50k/36= 1,388 per week. Now take 1,388 times 52 weeks and that is what your avg teacher makes in the janesville school district,--$72,176. Now include the summer jobs at school and the extra they do as coaches and such. You are looking around $80,000 per teacher. Now let me ask you all this, what % in janesville makes this kind of income. Not many, so the teachers are classified as the 1% here.
Dec 9, 2011 at 1:13 p.m.
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Diverdown...the reason the water is warm is because you keep p***ing in it.You complain about everything being so hard in your life.You complain about people that make more money than you,that live in better houses than yours, that drive better cars than yours.If your that unsatisfied with your life, get off your butt and better yourself.You need a whole wheel of cheese with all the whining you do. Grow up !
Dec 9, 2011 at 12:55 p.m.
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I don't understand why, if there is a late start, the parents have to take off of work? I'm not suggesting leaving the little darlings at home alone - but surely there is a neighbor, or relative, or even a local teenager looking to make a few bucks, who can babysit for a couple hours. Or form a co-op with some other parents and only watch kids one day per year for this. C'mon people...think outside the box for once!
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Oh- and the "bashers' can just be ignored. Stupid is as stupid posts.
Dec 9, 2011 at 12:51 p.m.
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The teacher bashers just don't get it.
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Yesterday, I was listening to the Vicki Macena (sp?) on 1310a. She had a guest that actually argued high school teachers teaching 6/8 hours per day would improve education compared to when they taught 5/8 hours/day.
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So less prep time, less time to help students individually, less time to grade essay tests and papers is going to improve education.
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Seriously, if a high school teacher moves from 5 classes * 25 kids to 6 classes * 22 kids (125 v 132 total) and has less prep time how does that improve anything. Anybody would reduce the number of written assignments and increase the number of T or F and Multiple Choice assignments. Not a complete shift because teachers are professionals but certainly that would be the movement. Oh, and BTW, this comes with a PAY CUT!
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The teacher bashers are simply ignorant to what teachers do. They do not get it.
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Now, I am not holding teachers up higher than anyone else...but I REFUSE TO SIT BACK WHILE OTHERS (WITH NO KNOWLEDGE) LOWER THEM TO SECOND CLASS CITIZENS.
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RE: Milton. As a parent I dislike this but I also understand that professional educators need to have time to work cooperatively to improve the education in Milton. A school or private business is going to improve when there is a team approach versus each teacher being on an island.
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Therefore, because my son and daughter come before my convenience, if this is the best way...I support you. I am willing to trust the professional educators even if it is an inconvenience.
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Dec 9, 2011 at 12:26 p.m.
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As a parent of Milton school students, please cut out the teacher bashing,the usual suspects are here doing it....again. Teachers DID not ask for this, teachers DONT have 3 months a year off, that is an absolute falsehood, they dont go back to school when the kids do. They ALL work FAR above and beyond the required hours, and NONE of them complain about it, so grow up.
I would also like to point out that parents (including myself) should not be looking to the district as daycare for their kids!! Do you really work for that much of a tyrant that if you know MONTHS ahead of time then you can't come in an hour late once a month? Really? This is supposed to be a cost savings measure for the district, so please stop talking like you want schools to save money out of one side of your mouth then pissing and moaning about your own situation out of the other. Cant have your cake and eat it too?
All of that being said this isn't really that good of an idea. I would rather the kids have a decent schedule to keep, and a consistent one at that. In-services I believe are imoratnt and there needs to be time alotted for development, just don't see this as the way.
The comparisons to teachers being exactly like "every other job" is silly, and apples to oranges, they don't have the same job its different. The day that swome start realizing that then maybe the respect for them can begin. Until then it will be this game of back and forth that makes almost no sense.
Dec 9, 2011 at 11:49 a.m.
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Wow, didn't take very long for the teacher bashing to begin on this issue. This isn't even something the teachers asked for. Dr. Garrow is trying to find ways to save the district money and make it easy for bus routes and required training. Some of the things that they are trying to do are going to inconvience you once a month. Maybe you could find another family throught the parents group and they could have a rotation of people who could help people who can't come in 2 hours late. And if that's the case, your boss is terrible!
Dec 9, 2011 at 11:18 a.m.
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maybe the teachers and staff can do it on the weekends, they are salary are they not, alot of salary people work weekends.Why should they be different, that's right they are the 1% here in wisconsin.
Dec 9, 2011 at 10 a.m.
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Maybe the teachers could just use the first day of scheduled breaks to do their inservice?
They already get 3 months off a year anyway.
Alternatively, the 1/2 days or early releases are killers. Why not schedule a whole day every 3 months and not inconvenience the parents (I love 3 day weekends!)
Dec 9, 2011 at 9:46 a.m.
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Perhaps the teachers could do like everyone else in the world does. Take care of their work on work time, and if they need to work longer to complete their jobs, so be it. Anytime they need to do something beyond their contract, they make the public accomdate them, rather than the other way around. Once again, it's the school district giving the general public the finger. Now, let's hear from the teachers on how they work so many hours, and have to take extra classes every year. Then the old "we're treated like glorified babysitters" line never gets old. Once again, I challenge those that can't hack the grind of teaching to come on over to the private sector, the water's warm.
Dec 9, 2011 at 8:40 a.m.
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And, I forgot to mention, why does he think this will "add convenience" for working families?
Dec 9, 2011 at 8:37 a.m.
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I have already sent the superintendent an email that this is a terrible idea for working families. Why do they think that it is easier for a working parent to deal with a late start than an early release? I can take half days of vacation but not a couple of hours here and there, and my husband has to take whole vacation days. I have to get the kids on the 8 am bus and get right to work. What will we do if the bus doesn't come until 9? I don't get to just not show up to work on time. In our area, there is nowhere else for them to wait, and they are in gradeschool, so I am not leaving them alone. The cost for before and after school care offered by Lutheran Social Services in the Milton School district is obscene - costs more than many people make working the same amount of time. This is NOT the time to create financial and other hardships for families just because it would be "nicer" for the teachers. Once again, here is an example of people in power fixing what is not broken at the expense of the rest of the population.
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