Music Instruction Stays In Regular Intermediate School Day For Next Year

The Monday night sent a letter to parents detailing the final schedule for the upcoming school year which includes all music instruction within the regular school day, .

The announcement comes one day ahead of a Board of Education meeting, slated for 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Intermediate School and on the second full week of new 's tenure with the district.

Simon, who started on July 1, said in an interview late Monday afternoon that he was pleased with the schedule, which he said incorporates additional math and language instruction while keeping music instruction within the regular school day.

The schedule, , has received the blessing of both the Board of Education and the district's educational association, Simon Said.

"I think this demonstrates why community input is so critical,'' Simon said. "I think this is foreshadowing of the way I intend to go forward in the district.''

Major changes to the Intermediate School schedule include, according to the district's presentation:

• The number of periods in the school day will increase to 10 from the current 9 periods.
• Periods will be 38 minutes, down from 40 minutes.
• There will be 2 minutes between classes, down from 4 minutes
• Math and language instruction will increase to 76 minutes from 40 minutes each
• Spanish instruction will increase from a trimester to a full year
• Music instruction will remain within the school day
• School day will begin at 8:10 a.m., five minutes earlier
• School day will end at 2:50 p.m., one minute later

The parent letter, signed by Intermediate School Principal Gary Azzolini, says that changes were made to the original plan based on parent and community feedback following the announcement of propose schedule changes that would have punted some music instruction outside the regular school day.

"When the school year concluded, we took time to reflect upon your input, reconsider our modifications, and make some significant changes to the original plan," Azzolini says in the letter.

The new plan looks similar to a one put forward in June by parent Jim Boyle, whose email to district parents first alerted the public to proposed changes to the Intermediate School schedule.

Boyle also based his plan on a 10-period day, included expanded math and language periods and kept music instruction within the regular school day.

Boyle could not be reached Monday night.

There are three public meetings scheduled to explain the new changes, according to the letter.

The first, scheduled for July 17 at 2 p.m., is intended for parents of 6th grade students. The second, scheduled for July 18 at 2 p.m. is intended for parents of seventh and eighth grade students. And the third, scheduled for July 18 at 7 p.m. is open to all grades, according to the letter. All will be held at the Intermediate School.