Professional Collaboration Time at High Schools

Similar to other area high schools, the four comprehensive MMSD High Schools, East, La Follette, Memorial and West, are proposing the implementation of Professional Collaboration Time to begin with the 2010-11 school year.

East, West and Memorial would have approximately 25 - 29 late starts per academic year. Because of the 4-block structure at La Follette, their time would look somewhat different with 16 late starts per academic year. Start times would vary but would range between 9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. depending on the individual school.

The purpose of Professional Collaboration Time for instructional staff will be to focus on instructional practice in order to enhance student achievement, develop curriculum, and work collaboratively within and across schools to promote consistency. All of these areas have been identified within the Strategic Plan.

All schools propose to use the time that is currently allotted for three afternoon in-services.

In addition, individual schools will still have to rearrange schedules to allow for this time by doing any combination of the following options:

Extending the school day by adding 1 - 2 minutes onto every school day, depending on the school, by starting earlier or ending later. (This is how snow days have been made up.)
Reducing lunch time by a few minutes but still providing a minimum of 30 minutes.
Reducing passing times.
Restructuring final exams week.

Each school, in conjunction with staff from the Assistant Superintendent’s Office, are in the process of reviewing the instructional minutes. All high schools will be within the parameters of WI Dept. of Public Instruction requirements and a waiver will not be needed.

High school staff including administration, teachers, student services and support staff have collaboratively planned and discussed this proposal. The majority of MMSD high school staff believe this would have a significant positive impact on improving instructional practice in order to increase student achievement.

The Madison School District is currently in the process of discussing this plan with Madison Teachers Inc. and in reviewing transportation impacts.