The number of instructional minutes for students at Martin
Murphy and Britton middle schools next year will be discussed by
School Board trustees at their regular meeting Monday night. The
topic has been considered by the Middle School Restructuring
committee for some months now, in light of the projected opening of
the new Sobrato High School in August.
The number of instructional minutes for students at Martin Murphy and Britton middle schools next year will be discussed by School Board trustees at their regular meeting Monday night.
The topic has been considered by the Middle School Restructuring committee for some months now, in light of the projected opening of the new Sobrato High School in August.
The opening will remove ninth graders from the middle school to the high schools. The middle schools have been going longer hours each day, according to Martin Murphy Principal Rhoda Wolfskehl and Britton Principal Jim McDonald, in order to meet the state’s requirement for high school instructional time.
The topic received public attention when it was announced during registration for middle schools that students would be attending school one hour less per day next year. The students currently attend 6.75 hours per day.
McDonald said after the topic came to light that the restructuring committee was considering cutting perhaps 45 minutes off of the school day for next year’s 7th and 8th graders, which would work out to approximately seven or eight minutes per class.
The decision to cut instructional minutes, if at all, is one the board would make, Wolfskehl and McDonald said.
The board will also consider the district’s report on last year’s average daily attendance, an update by Deputy Superintendent Bonnie Tognazzini, head of business services department, in response to the annual audit presented at the Jan. 12 meeting and modernization of San Martin/Gwinn Elementary.
Trustees will take action to approve or reject a change order for $78,142 for additional work in the modernization of Los Paseos Elementary.
The board is scheduled to hear a report on the status of Machado School, which was closed last year.
The Board of Education will hold its meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday in the District Office, 15600 Concord Circle. Details: 201-6000.
