Teacher Collaboration Time

Every Friday, classes will Start at 9:55 a.m.

Friday's Teacher Collaboration Time:
Because research and experience have shown that teacher collaboration time improves student learning and achievement, the Jordan School District is implementing collaboration time in all middle schools starting this year. South Jordan Middle School will have its teacher collaboration time from 7:30-9:30 a.m. every Friday. If students need to come earlier, a supervised study hall will be provided in the school's cafeteria.

Jordan School District posted the following information about
Middle School Collaboration Time during the spring of 2009.

Dear Parents:
As you may be aware, on Tuesday, March 10, the Board of Education for the new Jordan School District on the west side announced that all District middle schools would be permitted to implement a "late start" schedule to accommodate collaboration time for teachers beginning with the 2009-10 school - year. The faculty at South Jordan Middle School has worked very hard to prepare for the use of collaboration time and we are very excited to begin to plan for the 2009-10 school year and use collaboration time effectively to benefit SJMS students. We are pleased to have the support of the School Board on this important matter, and feel this will significantly benefit students next year and for years to come.

In order for parents to better understand matters associated with the “late start collaboration time," the Jordan School District office has prepared this question/answer document to help provide additional information on this change and to give parents time to appropriately plan for the next school -year.

Frequently asked questions:
• What is collaboration time and how does it benefit students? Why is the late start scheduled for Friday morning? Why not an “early out” day like some of the schools have already been experiencing?
Because research and experience have shown us that collaboration time improves student learning, middle schools, the District administration, and the Board of Education have been seeking collaboration time in schools since 2001. The schools in the District have been implementing many of the philosophical components associated with the middle school concept such as teacher advisory, student-led parent conferences, and team teaching. Next year, for the first time, the transportation department has managed to make the bus schedule work to accommodate collaboration time at all District middle schools. Because each bus serves at least two, and often three or four schools, schedules must be carefully coordinated to maximize the limited resources available while still serving the needs of all schools and meeting beginning and ending times of the school day. After years of reviewing the feasibility of providing collaboration time to more and more schools, the transportation department has been able to make this work for all nine middle schools in the remaining Jordan School District by providing a late start on Friday mornings. The late start schedule for middle schools coordinates with the already existing early day that elementary schools have in place. Implementing collaboration time for teachers is a fundamental component of exemplary middle schools. It will allow teacher teams at the schools to work together on contract time to coordinate curriculum, provide interdisciplinary instruction, and assess student needs for higher student achievement.

• What if I work and I am unable on rare occasions to accommodate the late start schedule and need to drop off my child at school on Friday mornings?
This is the main concern we have heard from parents. We are discussing plans for providing supervision Friday mornings in each school for students who still need to be dropped off before school begins on Fridays in emergency situations. We know that schools will work with parents in these occasional situations and may be able to provide students with a study hall that would allow for proper supervision and an effective use of student time.

• Will busing still be provided on Fridays?
Yes. Buses will run the same routes on late start Fridays as they do on other weekdays. The only change is that they will pick students up later in the morning.

• Will this late start schedule reduce time in the classroom?
Although this new schedule may reduce overall time in the classroom in the five schools that have not been on a collaboration schedule previously, all schools will exceed minimum state requirements for instructional time. In addition, we are confident that allowing all teachers time to collaborate will improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of instruction, thereby providing
students with an even better school experience.

• To whom should I direct questions or concerns?
We are eager to hear your questions or concerns. We understand that a significant schedule change such as this has a direct impact on every family with a middle school student. Your feedback will help us as we try to implement the change in a way that minimizes logistical concerns or other difficulties. Please contact your school's administration to share comments or questions. School principals will then be meeting with District administration to discuss the feedback they have received and to generate ideas for helping families adjust to the collaboration time schedule change.

Thank you for your support of Jordan School District. We believe your concerns and questions are important and we are confident that as you learn more about school collaboration time and interact with your school administration, you will see how it benefits all of the students and teachers in the District.