Bartow Schools Plan Schedule Changes

CARTERSVILLE, GA — The Bartow County School system will make some changes to its schedule to support its plan to roll out professional learning communities throughout the district.

Starting in the 2019-2020 school year, elementary teachers will start their contractual day at 7:15 a.m. while middle and high school teachers will start at 7:30 a.m. All educators will now collaborate two days a week for 45 minutes, hold office hours two days a week, and supervise children who arrive at school early one day a week. Individual planning time remains priority and will be protected.

"This is a monumental commitment for our school system,” says Bartow County School System Superintendent Dr. Phillip Page. “Our three-year plan to implement professional learning communities will provide an environment for learning that will maximize our impact on student achievement.”

BCSS's plan began in July 2018 with its roll out of a system-wide coalition to help all 20 schools develop their own professional learning communities. These communities allow educators to "build a collaborative culture focused on ensuring high levels of learning for all students," the school system said.

(For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here)

"Proven, effective research from top educators around the world shows the number one impact on
student achievement is collective teacher efficacy," BCSS added. "When teacher leaders meet regularly, take ownership of their school’s mission, and feel empowered to make a difference, students can experience more than three years of growth over the course of only one school year."

Bartow County students and families will need to make minimal adjustments next school year to accommodate uninterrupted collaborative team time. Elementary schools will start at 8:05 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m. Middle and high schools will start at 8:30 a.m. and end at 3:20 p.m. Student supervision is provided at the school approximately 30-45 minutes prior to your school start time.

Transportation provided by the school system will also be adjusted according to the shift in start times. Bus pick up is anticipated to begin 10 minutes later. Afternoon dismissal will result in students returning home 5 to 15 minutes earlier than their current drop off time.

Bartow County School Board member Anna Sullivan said time is one of educators "most precious resources," and allowing time for collaborative working will provide teachers a chance to reflect on their own strategies and focus on the needs of their students.

"When we support teachers by providing this valuable resource, I believe we not only recognize their professional status, but we honor our commitment to academic excellence through collaborative investment," Sullivan said. "The adjusted schedule provides a bold, and well-deserved, statement of confidence in our teachers. It provides clear evidence of our determination to engage our entire system in learning together. As we do this, we unite our teachers, our students, our families, and our community in succeeding together."

Page said this process will produce the "greatest results" from teacher and students. While it's a new process for BCSS, this system has been vetted locally by teacher, executive cabinet and parent advisory committees over the last six months.

For Hamilton Crossing Elementary School teacher Drew May, the decision to adjust the schedule "did not come lightly." The tweak was a well-researched decision made by a group of vested stakeholders.

"I believe wholeheartedly that this new schedule can work and will be the best thing for our students," May added. "I’m very excited about this change and I’m even more excited to see the results of it on student achievement here in Bartow County. If it is what is best for our students, then it is what is best for our community.”

Image via Shutterstock