[Apshpe] Expanded Learning Time (ELT)

[High Plain Elementary School Mailing List]

Dear High Plain Families,

 

            I hope you are enjoying a great week of vacation with family
and friends.  

 

I wanted to pass along to you the latest information regarding the
status of the ELT grant that we received earlier this year along with
Bancroft, Sanborn, Shawsheen, and South Schools. As you may remember, we
are participating in a feasibility study on whether Expanded Learning
Time programming would be something that would be a valuable opportunity
for our school community.  According to the Massachusetts Department of
Education, if our grant application is successful, the priorities of the
feasibility study would include:

1.      Explore the feasibility of school redesign by assessing need,
interest, readiness, and capacity of specific schools to increase the
school schedule by adding no less than 25% additional time to the
current schedule.

2.      Prepare a design for Expanded Learning Time in the identified
schools by offering additional instructional and integrated enrichment
opportunities as well as increased opportunities for teachers to plan
and receive training.

3.      Engage, as appropriate, in the design and implementation of the
Expanded Learning Time initiative the following entities: collective
bargaining representatives; parents; community-based organizations;
school-aged childcare agencies, including after school programs; and
universities and colleges. 

According to the educational non-profit "Massachusetts 2020" "The vision
of the ELT Initiative is to reshape the American school calendar and
provide all students with a well-rounded education that prepares them
for full engagement and participation in the economic and civic life of
our 21st century global society."  There are currently twenty schools
across the state that have already implemented ELT and we are one of
more than a hundred schools that will spend the next 12-18 months
researching ELT and deciding whether we want to consider expanding our
learning day.  I look forward to learning more about the "pros and cons"
of such an initiative.  If you would like me to add your name to our
volunteer list to join us on any upcoming ELT committee work, please
call or e-mail the school by the end of the day on 2/6/08. (If we have
numerous volunteers, we may have to decide via a lottery).  In the
meantime, more information about ELT can be found at the Massachusetts
2020 website: http://www.mass2020.org/

 

With warm regard,

            Brenda O'Brien

 

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