UPDATE: This story has been updated to reflect discussion of eliminating one of Newtown's four elementary music teacher positions.

The Board of Education took up the topic of a possible schedule change for Newtown’s elementary schools at its meeting on February 4, following discussion at the board’s previous meeting.

Possibly rearranging the elementary schools to run on a six-day rotating schedule rather than the current Monday-to-Friday routine first came up when Dr Rodrigue presented her proposed 2020-21 budget on January 14. (A story on the school board’s approved 2020-21 budget is available in the print edition of this week’s paper.) She later explained, at the board’s January 28 meeting while discussing the proposed reduction of one of Newtown’s four elementary music teacher positions, that “discussion of a potential schedule change had really nothing to do with how we are rearranging music.”

At the February 4 meeting, Dr Rodrigue shared more details about how the schedule proposal came about.

“I wanted to mention again ... this schedule grew out of a discussion with the elementary principals and our assistant superintendent regarding the benefits we felt it would have for students and staff to have a common flexible schedule, not tied to the calendar days, mainly one that would allow the inclusion of science instruction, which is extremely important and Spanish in its own space...” Dr Rodrigue said.

A six-day schedule would also mitigate the “natural losses that occur over time” from missed school days or holidays as with the Monday-to-Friday schedule, according to Dr Rodrigue.

She highlighted that the Monday-to-Friday schedule results in lost instructional time each year and has little flexibility. The six-day schedule would result in fewer specials classes, but elementary school principals will identify four additional times for both art and music to meet during the school year.

“This schedule, we feel, is one that will benefit everyone,” said Dr Rodrigue.

Hawley Elementary School Principal Christopher Morretti, Middle Gate Elementary School Principal Christopher Geissler, and Sandy Hook Elementary School Principal Dr Kathy Gombos attended the meeting to speak to the six-day schedule.

Mr Morretti said the topic of a six-day schedule has been coming up at professional learning community administrator meetings “for quite a while” as elementary school teachers have more and more to fit in to a day “and it just doesn’t fit.”

“What’s been happening is teachers are starting on their own to say, ‘How do I fit this today?’” Mr Morretti said. “And decisions are being made to cut this back a little bit today so I can fit this in. But maybe this teacher cuts a little bit of this and this teacher cuts a little bit of that.”

With increased instructional demands, Mr Geissler said the district administrators needed to explore ways to support teachers and instruction.

The six-day schedule would allow some days to have larger blocks of time for different subjects, Mr Morretti explained, and it would allow a better way to track instructional time.

“With a rotating schedule, the biggest benefit is if today is day three and there is no school tomorrow than the next day is day four,” said Mr Morretti.

Dr Gombos said the planned extra art and music classes will not be random. She also said the administrators are trying to be as creative as possible and they are trying not to cut opportunities from students.

Board of Education member Rebekah Harriman-Stites said she appreciates how innovative the principals are being with the concept. Speaking about the proposed elimination of one elementary music teacher of Newtown’s four positions, she said, after seeing the proposal, there is not “enough time in the day, even with a six-day schedule” for four music teachers to work a full-time day.

“Nobody wants to reduce art and music, nobody wants to reduce the number of teachers that we have in the district, but it is just the reality of what we are given based on the reality of mandates that come down from the state,” said Ms Harriman-Stites.

Later she said, “I think that you have come up with a solution that at least goes a little bit of the way to make people feel their child is still getting an adequate amount of art and music.”

If a schedule change is implemented, the administrators assured the school board that “we’re going to help everybody get the hang of it,” as Mr Geissler said.

Assistant Superintendent of Schools Anne Uberti reminded the board it is still “early in the process” to speak to what a possible six-day schedule would be like, and she added, “There is a lot of work to be done.”