STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WSAU) – Classes in Stevens Point will start later than usual this Friday and on three other Fridays this semester.
The school district is trying out a pilot program that will give teachers and staff an hour-and-a-half of professional development time on four Fridays before the school day begins.
The late starts will happen this Friday and again on March 9th, April 13th and May 4th. On those days, school buses will run an hour later.
Students at the junior and senior high schools won't start class until 8:50 a.m. Their lunch periods will also be shorter and at different times.
Elementary students won't start school until 10 a.m. The district plans to offer a cold breakfast at 9:30 a.m. for elementary students. Their lunch time will stay the same.
The district has partnered with the local YMCA on a before school program for parents of kindergarteners through 6th graders who need to drop their children off earlier than the start of the school time.
The late start pilot program replaces early release days, an option unpopular with some parents where students got out of school early while educators stayed behind for training.
District officials have already built 10 late start days into next year's school calendar. The dates could be removed from the calendar if the pilot program this year does not work as planned.
