Early releases come to WWT

For the past few years, students in the Warren Woods district have had roughly one delayed start each month. This means that students started school an hour and ten minutes later than on a regular school day. This past school year though, Warren Woods Middle School started early releases. This way, students got out an hour earlier, they didn’t start an hour later. These releases happened simply because there was extra time in the calendar. They were a successful new way to give time off to students.

Next year, early releases will spread to the entire Warren Woods district. 18 early releases are scheduled to occur at the middle school and high school, roughly two every month. The first of these will be September 13th. Students at the elementary schools will have 6. Students will get out an hour earlier than normal during these days, at 1:20pm for high schoolers.

“Especially at WWT, we have more data [with tests such as the NWEA] to discuss with teachers,” Mr. Mackenzie, principal said. These early releases give time more frequently for staff to get together for professional development and training.

Teachers at Warren Woods Tower High School are required to have 5 professional days. Now, instead of just having 5 random days off of school (for students), the administration decided to split the days up so that a few hours off of school (for students) would take place more frequently. When the students get off of school, teachers and administration are meeting to go over data and ways to improve their students’ education.

Director of Curriculum in the Warren Woods District, Kristine Griffor, designed these early releases with union president for the district, Mr. Vukich. Teachers need more time to promote more relevant professional development in their classrooms.

“I’m excited to see the teachers make classes more successful for students,” Griffor said. Students are also excited to have this break every so often where they get to leave school early and enjoy more of their afternoon, or get more studying in.