Did your principal designate your additional 35 minutes of planning?

Last year, we not only negotiated for Early Release Wednesdays but additional protected planning time. Article VI Section B Number 5 says:

“The principal will be provide an additional thirty-five minutes of protected planning time once a week. The day of the week will be at the principal discretion.”

In other words, your principal should provide the entire staff a weekly thirty-five minute slot that is a meeting free zone. Most likely this thirty-five minute protected time will not be during the student day. For instance, the principal at an elementary school might designate Mondays from 2:45-3:15 as the time or Thursdays from 7:15 –7:45 as the time. Did your principal designate your additional 35 minutes of planning?

We understand that this is a small chunk of time. However, when you’re up to your neck with papers to grade, emails to return, lessons to write, etc., this is there to make sure you have another protected time to do what YOU think needs to be done…a time each week that you can count on to get something done without interference.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Anthony S. Colucci, Vice President