Friday Early Release Update in the KPBSD
“Thank you to all of our staff and families who provided input regarding early release days. From the more than 1,800 survey responses, it is clear that the early release days provided benefit to our students by allocating time for our staff to plan, review data, and collaborate. The extra time has been much needed this year with all the disruptions caused by COVID-19. We also heard how it has been a hardship on many working parents who struggled to make arrangements for their childcare when school ended 90 minutes earlier than normal, and acknowledge that difficulty.
Given all the input, and with the impact of COVID in schools waning, the KPBSD will add three additional Friday Early Release days on March 18, 25 and April 1, 2022. On these three days, school will end 90 minutes earlier than usual, and buses will also run 90 minutes earlier than normal. Then for the rest of this school year, we will return to the regular weekly school schedule. Thank you for everything you do to support student learning.”
– Superintendent Clayton Holland
The primary purpose of the early release for students and maximum day for staff is to provide:
Time to plan instruction: the learning gap between students is larger and additional time is needed to plan to meet those needs.
Time for collaboration: grade level and subject matter teams, special education, intervention
Time to communicate with parents and other important stakeholders
Time to review student data in a manner that guides instruction
Time for secretaries to catch up on data entry
Time for nurses to input data without disruption
Time to clean buildings
Time for trainings that staff haven’t been able to engage in
Time available for students to address individual instructional needs (make-up tests, receive targeted intervention, etc…)
Review the KPBSD districtwide and the school variance calendars.
Early Release Survey
Dear KPBSD Parents, Guardians, and Staff, What do you think?
Please complete this brief, online Early Release survey open through noon on Tuesday, February 22, 2022.
For nine years, we have designated six school days a year as a minimum day — with a 90-minute early release for students, while staff works a maximum day.
To address the learning gaps many students are experiencing since the pandemic began, there is value and additional time needed to plan, collaborate, review data, and design targeted instruction to meet the individual needs of our students. This is largely why we added three additional early release days prior to spring break, and moved them all to Friday.
The shortened school days affects families, so through this survey, families and guardians can offer feedback to help us improve. Our nearly 1,200 school staff will also take a survey, and share their perspective and thoughts. All of your responses will help guide future early release days. Thank you in advance for your time, and the many ways everyone has needed to be flexible these past few years. My team and I would appreciate your thoughts.
Sincerely,
Superintendent Clayton Holland
Start Survey
12-16-21 Friday Early Release Day letter
Addition of Three Friday Early Release Student Days
Dear KPBSD Parents and Guardians,
I’m writing to give you advance planning notice about three additional early release days for students that will begin on Friday, January 21, 2022. In addition, previously scheduled Wednesday early release days will shift to Fridays.
While schools across the nation struggled to stay open this fall, I am extremely proud of our staff whose dedication kept schools open, buses running on schedule, and meals served, every day. More than 1,000 KPBSD employees continue to step up and help when we have staffing and substitute shortages. I am proud of everything we have accomplished together, and especially thankful to you as parents and guardians who made sacrifices to adapt, and keep our students learning.
This has been a heavy lift for everyone. I’ve found there’s a significant need moving forward to plan, collaborate, review data, and design targeted instruction to meet the individual needs of our students and address the learning gaps many are experiencing. We need to catch up with student contact updates and deep cleaning of our schools. Therefore, after talking with our principals, school board, and hearing from staff, KPBSD is adding three additional 90-minute early release for student days in the third quarter, and moving early release days to Friday from the previously scheduled Wednesday dates.
The first Friday early release day for students is Friday, January 21, 2022. From then until spring break, there will be a 90-minute early release student day every week, except for already scheduled parent-teacher conferences or inservice days. I know that childcare is a concern for some of you. Boys & Girls Club will open early during the afternoon on these Fridays. I’ve instructed principals to work with families who have no other options for childcare during the three additional early release days. Your school will have more information after we return from winter break.
Near Spring Break in March, we will evaluate the value of the student early release days through staff and parent surveys, and reviewing student data.
The primary purpose of the early release for students and maximum day for staff is to provide:
- Time to plan instruction: the learning gap between students is larger and additional time is needed to plan to meet those needs
- Time for collaboration: grade level and subject matter teams, special education, intervention
- Time to communicate with parents and other important stakeholders
- Time to review student data in a manner that guides instruction
- Time for secretaries to catch up on data entry
- Time for nurses to input data without disruption
- Time to clean buildings
- Time for trainings that staff haven’t been able to engage in
- Time available for students to address individual instructional needs (make-up tests, receive targeted intervention, etc…)
*The KPBSD districtwide calendar and the school variance calendars are available on the KPBSD.org website. The changes to the main KPBSD calendar are as follows:
KPBSD 2021-2022 Calendar Additions and Revisions
- Wednesday, 1/19/22, Early Release moved to Friday, 1/21/22
- Friday, 1/28/22, Early Release
- Friday, 2/4/22, Early Release
- Friday, 2/11/22, Early Release
- Wednesday, 2/16/22, Early Release cancelled; Friday, 2/18/22, is previously scheduled Parent–Teacher Conferences
- Friday 2/25/22, Early Release
- Friday 3/4/22, Previously Scheduled Inservice–no school for students
- Variance calendar for Kachemak-Selo, Razdolna, and Voznesenka schools
We recognize families will need to make arrangements on the additional three early release dates, and thank everyone for the willingness to help our KPBSD schools improve through these early-release dates. Kindly contact your school principal with questions.
Sincerely,
Clayton Holland
Superintendent of Schools
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Every Child Has a Right to be Safe, Seen, and Celebrated!