School Day Schedule Committee Update

The following information was presented at the March 24, 2021 School Board Meeting held at John Young Middle School.

The amount of quality instructional time is one of the most powerful variables in determining student learning. Indiana Academic Standards have raised the expectations for students and teachers. With increased expectations have come other challenges and barriers to student learning, making it increasingly difficult to meet grade level metrics of success.

We are committed to providing quality learning for all of our students, and we strongly believe that in order to deliver on this promise, we need to adopt alternate school day times that will provide adequate instructional time for our students and teachers to be successful. 

This issue was first brought to the Board of School Trustees on May 13, 2020. We explored parent feedback and teacher feedback through the Mishawaka Education Association. At the June 10, 2020 meeting, we informed the school board that we would not be adjusting school day schedules for the 2020-2021 school year, but rather we would study the issue further during the 2020-2021 school year and bring a proposal for the 2021-2022 school year. In November 2020, we launched a collaborative schedule committee made up of 32 SCM staff members from each building and multiple workgroups, including teachers, administrators, and support staff. Below you will find the scope and sequence of the committee work. 

We have begun collecting staff feedback on schedule options and will continue to work through committee feedback prior to the April 21, 2021 School Board meeting, where we will bring a recommendation for the 2021-2022 school year schedules.