Clarification of Brophy School Hours:
There has been some confusion about the hours of operation for Brophy School in the 2009-10 school year. As Interim Principal for this year, I apologize for any inconvenience and/or anxiety created by the different messages that went out to the public.
Fortunately, our wonderful Office Manager, Sharon Silverman, gave me the school calendar for 2009-10 that went home with all Brophy families in June of 2009. At the top of the calendar it states: “School Hours: 8:05 a.m. – 4:05 p.m.” I assume that most families used this for planning purposes.
Indeed, the school hours for 2009-10 are 8:05 - 4:05 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Every Thursday is an Early Release Day (starting with September 3) and the hours are 8:05 – 1:00. Buses will begin to unload at 7:55 and students will file directly into the school either to classrooms or to the cafeteria for breakfast. Walkers and “drop-offs” can also enter at 7:55. Students arriving after 8:10 will be considered tardy.
I look forward to meeting with all of the Brophy families very soon.
Charles McInnis, Ed.D.
Interim Principal
Hours of Brophy School
Hi Brophy Families,
We received the following question over the course of the past week.
Can you please let me know if the Thursday 1/2 day schedule starts the first week of school.
Yes, the first Thursday of the school year (Sept 3rd) is early release. Thank you and enjoy the rest of your summer.
Your ELT Parent Committee
We received the following question over the course of the past week.
Can you please let me know if the Thursday 1/2 day schedule starts the first week of school.
Yes, the first Thursday of the school year (Sept 3rd) is early release. Thank you and enjoy the rest of your summer.
Your ELT Parent Committee
Letter to Brophy Families
August 19, 2009
Dear Brophy Families:
Welcome back to Brophy School and the Expanded Learning Time program! We havehad a busy summer preparing for our second year of ELT.
Our state legislature voted to award Brophy School the ELT grant for 2009-2010 in the amount of $617,500, based on our projected enrollment. We are one of twenty-threechools in Massachusetts to continue with this initiative. Chris Gabrieli, chairman of the National Center on Time and Learning, and co-author of the book, Time to Learn, said in a recent Boston Globe article, “Winning enough funding to continue the (ELT) program at all the schools that wanted to is a vote of ringing endorsement from state government, given the weak economy.”
In July, Jenn Hendry and I joined Chris Gabrieli and a panel of educators in Newton to discuss the ELT initiative. Newton 2020 is a local group interested in exploring the benefits of a longer school day. They were very impressed with all that we have accomplished at Brophy, and plan to visit our school this year.
Brophy’s ELT program will have a similar structure to last year, along with some important additions, many as a result of parent feedback. One major revision is that the first hour of each day will be devoted exclusively to reading instruction. There will be no Music, Art or Gym and no special services outside the classrooms during that hour. All staff will be working directly with children on reading activities. We hope that all students will arrive on time so that they can benefit from this important school-wide intensive reading initiative.
During the 8th hour, we will continue with Core Rotations on Monday and Tuesday. Many of the topics remain the same, with some modifications. The staff has worked hard to identify and strengthen areas that needed improvement. Wednesday will continue to be Kids’ Club Day, with the first meeting of clubs on Wednesday, September 16.
Last spring, the Brophy teachers and support staff enthusiastically voted to continue the ELT program at our school for this year. They are demonstrating this enthusiasm by “opting in” to teach many ELT hours. During the first hour, we have one hundred percent of our classroom teachers working with many specialists who will be lending support to all grade levels. In the 8th hour, over ninety percent of classes and clubs will be staffed by Brophy classroom teachers and specialists. More specific information regarding teachers, rotations and clubs will be shared soon with the Brophy community.
We look forward to another successful year of ELT with your children. Brophy School is proud to be part of such a progressive, educational initiative.
Enjoy the rest of the summer!
Sincerely,
Kath Reilly
ELT Facilitator
Dear Brophy Families:
Welcome back to Brophy School and the Expanded Learning Time program! We havehad a busy summer preparing for our second year of ELT.
Our state legislature voted to award Brophy School the ELT grant for 2009-2010 in the amount of $617,500, based on our projected enrollment. We are one of twenty-threechools in Massachusetts to continue with this initiative. Chris Gabrieli, chairman of the National Center on Time and Learning, and co-author of the book, Time to Learn, said in a recent Boston Globe article, “Winning enough funding to continue the (ELT) program at all the schools that wanted to is a vote of ringing endorsement from state government, given the weak economy.”
In July, Jenn Hendry and I joined Chris Gabrieli and a panel of educators in Newton to discuss the ELT initiative. Newton 2020 is a local group interested in exploring the benefits of a longer school day. They were very impressed with all that we have accomplished at Brophy, and plan to visit our school this year.
Brophy’s ELT program will have a similar structure to last year, along with some important additions, many as a result of parent feedback. One major revision is that the first hour of each day will be devoted exclusively to reading instruction. There will be no Music, Art or Gym and no special services outside the classrooms during that hour. All staff will be working directly with children on reading activities. We hope that all students will arrive on time so that they can benefit from this important school-wide intensive reading initiative.
During the 8th hour, we will continue with Core Rotations on Monday and Tuesday. Many of the topics remain the same, with some modifications. The staff has worked hard to identify and strengthen areas that needed improvement. Wednesday will continue to be Kids’ Club Day, with the first meeting of clubs on Wednesday, September 16.
Last spring, the Brophy teachers and support staff enthusiastically voted to continue the ELT program at our school for this year. They are demonstrating this enthusiasm by “opting in” to teach many ELT hours. During the first hour, we have one hundred percent of our classroom teachers working with many specialists who will be lending support to all grade levels. In the 8th hour, over ninety percent of classes and clubs will be staffed by Brophy classroom teachers and specialists. More specific information regarding teachers, rotations and clubs will be shared soon with the Brophy community.
We look forward to another successful year of ELT with your children. Brophy School is proud to be part of such a progressive, educational initiative.
Enjoy the rest of the summer!
Sincerely,
Kath Reilly
ELT Facilitator
Brophy ELT Information
This blurb was taken from the Framingham Public School Website
Cameron and Brophy ELT 2009-2010
For the school year beginning September 2009, there will not be Expanded Learning Time (ELT) at Cameron Middle School. Brophy Elementary School will continue ELT for the school year beginning September 2009. At this point, the hours of operation for both schools has not been finalized.
It is anticipated that Brophy Elementary School schedule will be 8:15 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. and Cameron Middle School schedule will be 7:40 a.m.- 1:50 p.m. Both schools start and stop times are currently being reviewed in light of bus transportation. We will make every effort to finalize this as soon as possible. Please keep reviewing this site for the latest information.
Letter to parents
Dear Brophy Families:
The Legislature released their FY10 conference committee budget late lastweek . The full legislature voted to pass it. The ELT number is the Senatenumber: $15,672,375, which is about a 1.8 million reduction from the currentschool year. The final step will be for the governor to sign this budget andshortly thereafter DESE will be notifying schools. We anticipate sufficientor close to sufficient funding for the 23 remaining schools (three less thanthis year.)
The Brophy Parent Survey showed strong parent support for ELT (see the blogfor specific results.) The staff vote at Brophy had similiar results. Wefully anticipate that Brophy will be going forward with ELT for the 2009/2010 school year. The official school hours will be 8:05 AM to 4:05PM.
We will keep you informed as details develop. Thank you for your support.
Margaret & Kath
The Legislature released their FY10 conference committee budget late lastweek . The full legislature voted to pass it. The ELT number is the Senatenumber: $15,672,375, which is about a 1.8 million reduction from the currentschool year. The final step will be for the governor to sign this budget andshortly thereafter DESE will be notifying schools. We anticipate sufficientor close to sufficient funding for the 23 remaining schools (three less thanthis year.)
The Brophy Parent Survey showed strong parent support for ELT (see the blogfor specific results.) The staff vote at Brophy had similiar results. Wefully anticipate that Brophy will be going forward with ELT for the 2009/2010 school year. The official school hours will be 8:05 AM to 4:05PM.
We will keep you informed as details develop. Thank you for your support.
Margaret & Kath
ELT Spring 2009 Parent Survey Summary Results
The results of the ELT Spring 2009 Parent Survey are in --- a summary and graphics are available for your review. If you have any questions, please do not hestitate to contact Margaret Doyle, Kath Reilly, or us at the ELT Blog.
Information on 2009-2010 Kids Club Plans
We received the following blurb from Kath Reily, ELT Coordinator @ Brophy School. She would like to share the following with respect to Kids Club for the 2009-2010 school year.
* Data regarding Clubs for next year has been gathered from parents, kids and staff
* Final decisions on the Clubs will be made early this week by committee
* A Kids Club Cover Contest will be open to all students until the end of the day on Wednesday (info in mailboxes)
* Typing, translation and printing will be done so brochures can go home on Monday, 6/15
* Choices are due back by Thursday, 6/18. Teachers will complete choices with any student who does return the form.
As always, please contact us if you have any questions/comments. Thank you!
* Data regarding Clubs for next year has been gathered from parents, kids and staff
* Final decisions on the Clubs will be made early this week by committee
* A Kids Club Cover Contest will be open to all students until the end of the day on Wednesday (info in mailboxes)
* Typing, translation and printing will be done so brochures can go home on Monday, 6/15
* Choices are due back by Thursday, 6/18. Teachers will complete choices with any student who does return the form.
As always, please contact us if you have any questions/comments. Thank you!
Senate Budget Update
The following paragraph is taken from a Massachusetts 2020 email distribution list.
Thanks to a great effort from ELT supporters and communities across theCommonwealth, Senators increased funding for the Expanded Learning Time Initiative to over $15.6 million in the fiscal year 2010 budget they passed last night. The Senate took many difficult votes this week, and the increased funding clearly demonstrates their commitment to ELT. This vote in favor of ELT shows the Senate's continued support for innovation in education despite the ongoing fiscal challenges the state faces. The next step in the budget process is the Conference Committee in which Senateand House members will reconcile the differences in their budgets. The goal remains level funding for the ELT Initiative for the FY 2010 budget so that ALL ELT Schools are able to continue with their redesigned and expanded school days for the 2009-2010 school year. Massachusetts 2020 will keep up our efforts with the Legislature to reach full funding and to ensure that ELT schools are able to continue their pioneering work on building a betterschool day.
ELT Parent Survey ... part II
Hello Brophy Parents,
Be on the look out for your copy of the ELT Parent Survey. If you requested email please check your inbox. If you requested a paper, they were handed out at Open House tonight. If you have not received a copy, please email us and we will send you link to SurveyMonkey.
Remember, this is your time to have your opinions heard. As always, we thank you for your support!
Be on the look out for your copy of the ELT Parent Survey. If you requested email please check your inbox. If you requested a paper, they were handed out at Open House tonight. If you have not received a copy, please email us and we will send you link to SurveyMonkey.
Remember, this is your time to have your opinions heard. As always, we thank you for your support!
ELT Parent Survey
ELT Parent Survey
On Thursday at Open House, parents will receive the ELT Parent Survey. This is your chance to have your opinions considered so please take the time to complete this survey.
Teachers will ask parents to complete the survey in the classroom at Open House. Each family will receive "one" survey and the survey will be distributed in the oldest child's classroom. Those of you who requested to take the survey via Survey Monkey will receive an email with directions on Thursday.
There will be a raffle for all surveys returned by the deadline, Thursday, May 28th. The Raffle Prize is “Breakfast With the Principal
On Thursday at Open House, parents will receive the ELT Parent Survey. This is your chance to have your opinions considered so please take the time to complete this survey.
Teachers will ask parents to complete the survey in the classroom at Open House. Each family will receive "one" survey and the survey will be distributed in the oldest child's classroom. Those of you who requested to take the survey via Survey Monkey will receive an email with directions on Thursday.
There will be a raffle for all surveys returned by the deadline, Thursday, May 28th. The Raffle Prize is “Breakfast With the Principal
President Obama's Landmark Education Speech Calls for Expanded Learning Time
This article was submitted to the ELT Blog from Kath Reilly, Brophy ELT Coordinator. Information from Mass2020.
President Obama's Landmark Education Speech Calls for Expanded Learning Time
This week, President Barack Obama charged the country to expand learning time to help America's students compete in the world: "We can no longer afford an academic calendar designed when America was a nation of farmers who needed their children at home plowing the land at the end of each day. That calendar may have once made sense, but today, it puts us at a competitive disadvantage. Our children spend over a month less in school than children in South Korea. That is no way to prepare them for a 21st century economy. That is why I'm calling for us not only to expand effective after-school programs, but to rethink the school day to incorporate more time - whether during the summer or through expanded-day programs for children who need it...the challenges of a new century demand more time in the classroom. If they can do that in South Korea, we can do it right here in the United States of America."
To watch President Obama's speech in its entirety, click here.
Express Your Support for ELT!
It's time for your voice to be heard on Beacon Hill in support of ELT! The Massachusetts Legislature is currently considering its budget and it is crucial that your legislator understands the importance of ELT to your school and community. Contact your representatives and senators and ask them to maintain Governor Patrick's funding for ELT at $17.5 million in his budget. Find your legislators here or by contacting Blair Brown at Massachusetts 2020.
Massachusetts ELT Initiative Leads the Nation
Massachusetts' Expanded Learning Time Schools are leading the nation in getting results as they redesign and expand the school day. And now leaders from around the country are taking note of Massachusetts' success and are following our lead. Both the President and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan are calling for an expanded school day. You can watch Secretary Duncan on CNN talk about the need for more time here or read the related article here.
In addition, Jay Mathews, an education columnist with the Washington Post, features the Massachusetts ELT Initiative as an innovation that is getting results in his column on Monday, March 2.
Following the lead of Massachusetts, Ohio's Governor Ted Strickland has proposed an initiative to expand the school year and Oklahoma's State Superintendent of Public Instruction Sandy Garrett is proposing to expand learning time.
More Time Critical for Well-Rounded Education
Two recent studies show that students thrive when they have well-rounded education. With all the demands put on schools, it is clear that expanded learning time is necessary to incorporate both the arts, identified as critical by a recent report by The Boston Foundation, as well as physical activity, as the Pediatrics Journal report shows is necessary for students' success.
Hear directly from students on the impact ELT has had.
Third trimester ELT Schedule
Interested in knowing who is teaching one of the CORE rotations, Wed Kids Club or the Studdy Buddies partnerships for the third trimester? Please refer to this document for your answers.
- Pages 1-2 address CORE rotation #5 -- March 24th through May 5th
- Pages 3-4 address CORE rotation #5 -- May 6th through June 22nd
- Page 5 shows the Study Buddies Partnerships
- Page 6 lists information for the Wednesday Kids Club
**NOTE** the third trimester began Tuesday, March 24th.
Thank you and have a great evening!
5th Grade Broadway Pops Show (and ELT)
Were you at Brophy School, Thursday night March 19th or at ASM Friday, March 20th? If so, you saw an amazing performance from the 5th Grade ... "Broadway Pops". Rumor has it atthat at ASM there were many big smiles across the room and the children kids were singing along in their seats! Kudos and a loud round of applause for the 5th Graders!
Did you know this spectacular show could not have been made possible without Extended Learning Time? ELT allowed students to work on the show during the 8th hour Performing Arts Rotation on Mondays and Tuesdays for 12 one hour sessions. ELT has provided the 5th grade to have an incredible experience which totally integrated all the Areas of Art as stated in the Masssachusetts Curriculum Frameworks (dance, music, theater and visual arts) As a result, almost no classroom curriculum time was lost to practices!
ELT Expo
Come one, come all! Another ELT Expo is planned for Friday, March 27th in the school cafeteria. Drop by between 7:30 and 11:00 AM to view the projects done during the 8th hour, photographs of students work, descriptions of enrichment activities, samples of Kids Club projects, materials that are used during the 8th hour and more!
Message from Blooger to you!
Info taken directly from Blogger:
Blogger Status
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Blogger will be unavailable Wednesday (3/25) at 4:00PM PDT for about 10 minutes for maintenance.
Update: This maintenance has been moved to tomorrow, Thursday (3/26), at 4:00PM PDT.
Updated documents available
We have added several new documents to the ELT website, as listed below:
** A description of each grades current CORE rotation (K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th).
** Brophy Illustrator Volume 1 Issue 1 , published by 4th and 5th grade students who participated in the first trimester Wednesday Kids Clubs. Kudo's to Cheryl Gronberg for her hard work that trimester.
Happy reading!
** A description of each grades current CORE rotation (K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th).
** Brophy Illustrator Volume 1 Issue 1 , published by 4th and 5th grade students who participated in the first trimester Wednesday Kids Clubs. Kudo's to Cheryl Gronberg for her hard work that trimester.
Happy reading!
Upgrades to Blog
We have added the Yahoo Babel Fish (TM) utility to our blog, allowing this website to be translated into several different languages of your choosing. That tool can be found underneath the Posting labels.
Student Survey and Quotables
Another student survey was performed within the past several weeks. Students were asked to gauge their happiness level with ELT, ranging from 1 (dislike) through 5 (very happy). While going through the survey, the parent volunteers captured several comments from each grade.
Kudos to the parent volunteers who prepared the results ... thank you!!
Kudos to the parent volunteers who prepared the results ... thank you!!
Brophy Parent Focus Group
Hello Brophy Community,
Did you know the Abt Associates Inc will be at Brophy School tomorrow (Feb 10th)? Abt Associates was hired by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to discuss ELT and conduct focus groups with parents, staff and students. There are two Parent Focus Groups scheduled: one from 9-10:30 AM and another from 12:30-2PM (for Spanish speaking parents). We thank you for volunteering for one of these focus groups and look forward to your feedback (if you were selected via lottery to participate).
Don't forget questions/comments/feedback can be emailed to brophyeltinfo@gmail.com.
Happy Monday!
Your ELT Parent Committee
Did you know the Abt Associates Inc will be at Brophy School tomorrow (Feb 10th)? Abt Associates was hired by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to discuss ELT and conduct focus groups with parents, staff and students. There are two Parent Focus Groups scheduled: one from 9-10:30 AM and another from 12:30-2PM (for Spanish speaking parents). We thank you for volunteering for one of these focus groups and look forward to your feedback (if you were selected via lottery to participate).
Don't forget questions/comments/feedback can be emailed to brophyeltinfo@gmail.com.
Happy Monday!
Your ELT Parent Committee
Article in the Metrowest Daily News
Hello Brophy Community,
Did you read the article "Framingham parents split on extended learning time" in this weekends Metrowest Daily News? Brophy and Cameron parents were interviewed for this piece -- many thanks to those who were interviewed and to John Hilliard for writing the article.
Regards,
Your ELT Parent Committee
Did you read the article "Framingham parents split on extended learning time" in this weekends Metrowest Daily News? Brophy and Cameron parents were interviewed for this piece -- many thanks to those who were interviewed and to John Hilliard for writing the article.
Regards,
Your ELT Parent Committee
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