Parent-teacher conferences, delay days return to FWCS calendar

Press release from Fort Wayne Community Schools:

Parent-teacher conferences, delay days return to FWCS calendar

Parent-teacher conferences and delay days to allow for teacher professional development are back in the Fort Wayne Community Schools 2009-10 calendar after working out a schedule with the Fort Wayne Education Association.

The first parent-teacher conferences for elementary schools are scheduled for the week of Nov. 2-6 with most of them taking place after school on Nov. 3 and 4. The exact schedules will be determined by individual schools. The second conference day will be Monday, Feb. 8, a day originally set aside for professional development for staff. Conferences on Feb. 8 will be scheduled from 11:45
a.m.-7:05 p.m. Students will not be in school on that day.

Middle school parents and teachers will also be able to meet for conferences from 11:45 a.m.-7:05 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 8.

Teachers will continue to receive professional development throughout the year in the revised schedule. On Oct. 22, Dec.9, Jan. 27, Feb. 19, March 16 and May 12, elementary teachers will have professional development with students arriving later than usual. Elementary students will arrive at 9:35 a.m. on the delay days with the exception of Bunche Montessori Early Childhood Center and
Towles Montessori Intermediate School, which will maintain their regular schedules.

At Bunche, Towles and all middle schools and high schools, teachers will have professional development time during extended after-school staff meetings once a month. April 19, which was originally scheduled as a professional development day, will continue to be a professional development day for middle and high school teachers. Elementary teachers, as well as Bunche and Towles teachers, will have a non-work day on April 19.

“Returning parent-teacher conferences to the calendar was a priority for us,” Superintendent Dr. Wendy Robinson said. “We worked closely with the Fort Wayne Education Association to establish a calendar that worked favorably for students, parents and teachers while meeting the required 180 day schedule.”

The changes this year serve as a pilot year for adjusting the calendar. FWCS and FWEA officials will continue to talk about long-term solutions to create a calendar with 180 days for students and teachers together while still finding time for parent-teacher conferences and professional development.

Parent/Teacher Conferences and Professional Development
2009-10 School Year Summary

Parent Teacher Conferences
Elementary (including Bunche and Towles)

• Conferences will be held after students leave for the day on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 3:30-7 p.m. and Wednesday, Nov. 4, 3:30-6:30 p.m. (Hours may vary by school).
• Teachers will receive April 19 off in exchange for these November conferences. Students will not be in school on April 19.
• The originally scheduled professional development day on Feb. 8 will instead be a day for parent-teacher conferences; Students are not in school on Feb. 8.
• Elementary teachers not assigned students are expected to work during all parent-teacher conference hours.

Middle School

• The originally scheduled professional development day on Feb. 8 will instead be a day for parent-teacher conferences from 11:45 a.m.-7:05 p.m. Students are not in school on Feb. 8.

Professional Development
Elementary – six one hour delays for students (excluding Bunche and Towles)

• Oct. 22, Dec. 9, Jan. 27, Feb. 19, March 16 and May 12
• On delay days, student instructional day will be from 9:55 a.m.-3:20 p.m.
• On the six professional development days, teachers will arrive at 7:30 a.m.

Secondary (including Bunche and Towles Montessori)

• Monthly staff meetings will be extended to 3:45 p.m. (excluding Bunche).
• Bunche professional development will take place from 2:30-3:30 p.m.
• Feb. 8 will continue to be a PD day as originally scheduled for high school teachers. Students will not be in school.
• April 19 will continue to be a PD day as originally scheduled for middle and high school teachers (excluding Bunche and Towles).  Students will not be in school.

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