Early release question settled

The Tumwater School Board unanimously approved increasing the number of early release days for the next school year after a short debate.

The school board settled on 16 days; district officials had proposed sending students home two hours earlier than usual on 18 Wednesdays.

The motion passed 4-0, with board member Janine Ward absent.

The two-hour early-dismissal days will replace the district's five half-days, in which students are dismissed three and a half to four hours early.

On the current half-day schedule, students are released between 10:15 and 11:55 a.m.

Teachers will use the two hours for training and collaboration, said Suzanne Hall, executive director of student learning.

The 18 days would have been nearly every other Wednesday, which would have given families a predictable schedule, she said.

Board members Chris Reykdal and Bob Barclift supported the early-release days, saying they would benefit students by giving teachers a chance to become better trained and better prepared.

Board President Jay Wood, who wanted to decrease the number of early-release days to 12, said that parents he talked to weren't sold on the idea, and he worried that 18 days was "too big a bite to take all at once."

Board member Rita Luce introduced an amendment that would decrease the number of early-release days to 16, because she was concerned about decreasing teachers' contact with students during months with a holiday.

The proposal passed with Luce's amendment, and Superintendent Terry Borden said that the district will work with the staff to finalize the early-release schedule.

Venice Buhain covers education for The Olympian. She can be reached at 360-754-5445 or vbuhain@theolympian.com.