Oregon school district implements early-release Mondays

Albany, Oregon  schools eliminate late-start days at most secondary schools and put all early-release days on Mondays.

It’s too bad this school system  didn’t decide to give students full schooldays on most days of the school calendar.  “Starting this fall, the Albany school calendar puts most teacher planning days on Mondays.” the Albany Democrat-Herald reported. ” The change is in line with a request by parents who had asked for a more uniform calendar with fewer disruptions.”

The news report states, “The 2011-12 calendar attempts to standardize teacher planning time at schools that use “professional learning communities,” or PLCs.”

Parents should be wary of an emphasis on “professional learning communities.” The time demands on teachers of being part of “professional learning communities” can be used as another excuse to dismiss students early from schools.

In Fairfax County, Virginia, Superintendent Jack D. Dale is stressing the benefits of professional learning communities and he has not yet proposed any means of giving all elementary school students more time in school.