New schedule adds hours to the academic year

SALISBURY — The 314 students at Salisbury Central School rolled in a little earlier than last year as the 2010-11 school year got started Monday, Aug. 30.

This year the school day begins earlier, with the middle school buses arriving at 8:25 a.m. and the elementary buses five minutes later.

The new plan adds 20 minutes of instruction time per day, which adds up to 60 hours of additional classroom time per year.

In the middle school, the daily schedule expands from seven to eight periods in the day. The additional period will be used for Spanish instruction four days per week and technology integration one day per week.

Instruction begins in the elementary school at 8:40 a.m., and at 8:35 a.m. in the middle school.

The end of the day remains unchanged (3:10 p.m. in the elementary school, 3:05 p.m. in the middle school), to accommodate sports and other after-school activities.

Total instructional time per day at both buildings will be six hours, 25 minutes.

Children, parents and teachers milled around outside on Monday, a warm August morning, and got themselves sorted out. Kindergartners looked on wide-eyed, and older students greeted each other with either excitement or a studied cool.

Principal Chris Butwill greeted students and new teachers at a quick assembly in the gym.

He urged the students to “take some time to think about what it takes to be successful at school.�

He dropped a few hints, such as being on time, with the homework complete and a pencil handy.

“And have a great attitude and a great smile.�