Extended Learning Time Initiative

The North Adams School District Administration, the North Adams Teachers’ Association and the North Adams School Committee are recommending an Extended Learning Time Initiative for the 2008-09 School Year. We believe that the proposed Extended Learning Time would provide a better opportunity for our students to reach their academic goals, expose them to more enrichment activities and provide our teachers with much needed additional planning and professional development opportunities.

The plan incorporates more time for core subjects, extracurricular activities, lunch and recess (for the elementary students), as well as more professional development and cooperative planning time for teachers, and more opportunity for community partnerships.

The plan also develops considerable quality time by providing time for hands-on learning, more teamwork, individual teacher-student engagement, and time to accelerate the students who are doing well and support the students who are struggling.

This initiative is a cooperative effort of the North Adams School District Administration, the North Adams Teachers Association and the North Adams School Committee. We have been working together over the past several months to put together this plan. Ratification of a collective bargaining agreement between the North Adams Teachers Association and the North Adams School Committee is pending.

We welcome and encourage your input. Our plan will be submitted to the Massachusetts Department of Education on April 25, 2008 and the approved districts will be selected on May 23, 2008.

Click on the following links for more information:

Frequently Asked Questions

Extended Learning Time Video

The School Experiment That's Paying Off (From the Boston Globe)

Parent Forums

(Sent to the Parents from the North Adams School District)

Dear Parents/Guardians:

You are cordially invited to attend a public forum to discuss and explain an initiative to extend the school day at the middle and elementary schools for the 2008-2009 school year. Administrators, the North Adams Teachers Association and School Committee members have been diligently working to develop a proposal to submit to the Massachusetts Department of Education. We are seeking parent input and have scheduled a series of parent forums on April 16th and 17th.

The forum schedule is as follows:

Wednesday, April 16, 2008 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. Sullivan Elementary School
Wednesday, April 16, 2008 6:45 - 7:45 p.m. Conte Middle School
Thursday, April 17, 2008 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. Greylock Elementary School
Thursday, April 17, 2008 6:45 - 7:45 p.m. Brayton Elementary School

We are excited about our proposal and look forward to sharing the details of our expanded offerings. Your attendance is strongly encouraged.