Greencastle adds 10 minutes to school day for 2012-13

Increased demands and decreased funds from the state have school corporations scrambling for any advantage they can gain. The challenging environment makes even an additional 40 minutes of school each week of great help to educators.

The Greencastle School Board approved a proposal on Wednesday to move up the start time at each school by 10 minutes for the 2012-13 school year. The change will be in effect on Tuesdays through Fridays, as Mondays will still have late starts for staff professional development.

"This will give us a little more flexibility at the buildings," Superintendent Lori Richmond said.

Under the new schedule, Tuesday through Friday school days will begin at 7:50 a.m. at the high school, 8 a.m. at the middle school and 8:10 a.m. at the three elementary schools.

Monday start times will remain the same, 8:35 a.m. at the high school, 8:45 a.m. and GMS and Tzouanakis and 8:50 a.m. at Deer Meadow and Ridpath.

The plan received unanimous approval from the building administrators, who said most teachers have also been positive about the change. The additional instruction time seems to outweigh the additional work time.

"A teacher just gaining two minutes of class time (per period) -- that would be huge," GMS Principal Tamra Walker said.

The board received another piece of scheduling news Wednesday. With no snow days used, there will be no school on Friday, March 23, giving students and staff an additional day of spring break.

Provided there are no cancellations, there will also be no school on Friday, April 20.

Friday, May 11 had been built in as another flex day, but Advanced Placement exams take place on this date and cannot be moved to another. The date in April will take its place.