PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Parents are getting their first look at next year’s Philadelphia School District calendar, and many are vocalizing concerns with the way the school district is scheduling teacher training.
The proposed calendar presented to parents Monday included four full days and ten half days of schools being closed for professional development for teachers, as the district said it wants more time to train its teachers.
Parents at an online school district forum Monday said that didn’t provide enough consistency.
“I just think this schedule is going to be really disruptive for working parents. Because we’re talking about every other week. Either it’s going to be a full day off or a half day off," one parent said.
“My kids don’t learn anything on half-days. They get to school, they get settled, and then it’s time to go home.”
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One day later, the draft calendar on the district's web site didn't include any half days. District spokeswoman Monica Lewis told KYW Newsradio it remains a work in progress.
"The calendar that is being discussed at this point is a draft, so it could very well change," said Lewis.
She added that the district wants more professional development days for teachers because research shows it leads to better student performance.
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"Professional learning time for staff has a direct input on the learning and comprehension of our students," Lewis said.
The school board is expected to vote on the calendar on March 24.
Not considered in the calendar discussion were individual school bell schedules, which were shifted during the current year to address a bus driver shortage.
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