Latest proposal for Falls High School would roll back start times, add early release

Staff with the Menomonee Falls School District have brought yet another proposal to the board for a 2012-13 school year calendar.

After a host of previous suggested schedules were met with opposition both from staff and the community, Human Resources Director Christiane Standlee says this latest proposal manages to accommodate everyone’s goals.

This plan, which will likely be up for approval at the Feb. 27 meeting, would roll back start times just 10 minutes for high-school students and will include an early release on Wednesdays to accommodate professional development. On Wednesdays, class would start at 7:50 a.m., but end at 1:55 p.m. instead of the usual 3:05. Standlee says the instructional time over the course of the year will remain at the required levels and extra time in case of a snow day is already built in.

Initially, it appeared Falls would significantly push back start times at the high school, returning to the old 7:20 a.m. start time in order to prevent athletes and students involved in extra-curriculars to missing class time at the end of the school day.

There was also momentum behind a suggestion to follow a model in place at some area schools where students who missed class would have a special block of time to meet with teachers to make up work. Students who hadn’t missed class wouldn’t have to be at school until after that block.