Revere students, teachers approve of extended school day

REVERE – Superintendent Paul Dakin says “all the feedback is coming back very positive” from teachers and students attending the Whelan and Garfield Middle school extended day programs.Extending the two schools’ days by an hour and 45 minutes makes lesson planning “more manageable” for teachers, Dakin said.Under the extended day plan both schools dismiss students at 3:45 p.m.”The kids don’t seem to be fazed by it at all,” Dakin said.State educators in June picked eight schools across the state, including Whelan and Garfield Middle, out of a pool of 37 applicants seeking to extend school days.The state gave Revere $1.5 million to pay the added costs of a longer school day, including teachers’ pay.Teachers spend the extra time tutoring students, helping them with homework and providing extracurricular activities like arts and music.Advocates of a longer day say it helps students who need extra assistance and makes all students more competitive globally.The state Department of Education began offering school districts $25,000 in 2005 to help local educators plan and prepare for longer school days with the goal of helping students to “meet higher performance standards.”State officials instructed local educators to focus the added hours on English language and mathematics instruction as well as tutoring and experimental learning.Dakin envisions Revere’s other five elementary schools adopting extended day and using the time to offer music, art and physical education programs and provide homework time for students.Lengthening the school day allows students to complete the school day and attend after school programs offered in the elementary schools before going home by 6 p.m.”This is a function of the new way schools have to do business along with changes in the school funding structure,” Dakin said.