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GOOD SUNDAY AFTERNOON. WELCOME
TO 22NEWS IN FOCUS, I'M LAURA
HUTCHINSON.
FEDERAL AND STATE OFFICIALS
ANNOUNCED MONDAY THAT
MASSACHUSETTS AND FOUR OTHER
STATES WILL BEGIN IMPLEMENTING
LONGER SCHOOL DAYS FOR SOME
STUDENTS NEXT SEPTEMBER, TO
PROVIDE EXTRA ACADEMIC TRACTION
AND ENRICHMENT FOR THOUSANDS OF
CHILDREN. SCHOOLS IN THE PILOT
PROGRAM WILL ADD 300 EXTRA HOURS
OF LEARNING EACH SCHOOL YEAR FOR
THE NEXT THREE YEARS. HERE IN
MASSACHUSETTS, SCHOOLS IN
LAWRENCE AND FALL RIVER WILL SEE
LONGER DAYS UNDER THE PILOT
PROGRAM AND DEPENDING ON HOW IT
GOES, IT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD
IMPACT MORE STUDENTS IN THE
FUTURE. THAT'S WHERE 22NEWS
INFOCUS COMES IN. TODAY WE'LL
TALK TO EDUCATORS ABOUT THE PROS
AND CONS OF A LONGER SCHOOL DAY
TO HELP YOU FORM YOUR OWN
OPINION ON THE ISSUE. WE'LL ALSO
TALK TO THE SUPERINTENDENT OF
SCHOOLS IN SPRINGFIELD ABOUT
THAT DISTRICTS EXPERIENCES WITH
AN EXTENDED LEARNING DAY. BUT
FIRST, WE BEGIN TODAY WITH STATE
SENATOR JIM WELCH WHO'S HERE TO
TALK TO US ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.
THANKS FOR JOINING US. THE PILOT
PROGRAM IS DUBBED THE TIME FOR
INNOVATION MATTERS IN EDUCATION
COLLABORATIVE MASSACHUSETTS WILL
RECEIVE FEDERAL, STATE AND
DISTRICT FUNDING FOR THIS. WHAT
DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE WHOLE
CONCEPT? DID THOSE COMMUNITIES
(FALL
RIVER, LAWRENCE) VOTE TO BE A
PART OF THIS OR DID THEY NOT GET
CONCEPT? DID THOSE COMMUNITIES
(FALL RIVER, LAWRENCE) VOTE TO
BE A PART OF THIS OR DID THEY
NOT GET A SAY?
WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARGUE THAT
KIDS ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH ON
THEIR PLATE? THE GOVERNOR HAS
ALWAYS TOUTED THE PROGRESS MADE
IN MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOLS - IS
THIS REALLY NECESSARY?
MASSACHUSETTS ALREADY HAS 65
SCHOOLS WITH EXPANDED LEARNING
TIME. HOW DID MASSACHUSETTS
BECOME ONE OF THE FIVE STATES?
THE STATE IS ALREADY SPENDING
MONEY TO SEND STUDENTS TO SCHOOL
LONGER. CAN YOU TALK TO US ABOUT
CONCEPT? DID THOSE COMMUNITIES
(FALL RIVER, LAWRENCE) VOTE TO
BE A PART OF THIS OR DID THEY
NOT GET A SAY? WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE
WHO ARGUE THAT KIDS ALREADY HAVE
ENOUGH ON THEIR PLATE? THE
GOVERNOR HAS ALWAYS TOUTED THE
PROGRESS MADE IN MASSACHUSETTS
SCHOOLS - IS THIS REALLY
NECESSARY? MASSACHUSETTS ALREADY
HAS 65 SCHOOLS WITH EXPANDED
LEARNING TIME. HOW DID
SCHOOLS - IS THIS REALLY
NECESSARY? MASSACHUSETTS ALREADY
HAS 65 SCHOOLS WITH EXPANDED
LEARNING TIME. HOW DID
MASSACHUSETTS BECOME ONE OF THE
FIVE STATES? THE STATE IS
ALREADY SPENDING MONEY TO SEND
STUDENTS TO SCHOOL LONGER. CAN
YOU TALK TO US ABOUT THE
MASSACHUSETTS 2020 PROGRAM? (((
IN JULY THE GOVERNOR SIGNED THE
MASSACHUSETTS ALREADY HAS 65
SCHOOLS WITH EXPANDED LEARNING
TIME. HOW DID MASSACHUSETTS
BECOME ONE OF THE FIVE STATES?
THE STATE IS ALREADY SPENDING
MONEY TO SEND STUDENTS TO SCHOOL
LONGER. CAN
TIME. HOW DID MASSACHUSETTS
BECOME ONE OF THE FIVE STATES?
THE STATE IS ALREADY SPENDING
MONEY TO SEND STUDENTS TO SCHOOL
LONGER. CAN YOU TALK TO US ABOUT
THE MASSACHUSETTS 2020 PROGRAM?
((( IN JULY THE GOVERNOR SIGNED
THE FY2013 BUDGET INCREASING
FUNDING FOR THE EXPANDED
LEARNING TIME INITIATIVE TO
$14.17 MILLION. HOW IS THIS
PROGRAM FUNDED? HOW MUCH MONEY
DOES THE STATE SPEND ON
INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS? HOW MUCH
LOCAL AID IS DEDICATED TO PUBLIC
EDUCATION?))) HOW IS THIS NEW
PROGRAM DIFFERENT FROM THAT? IF
THIS PROGRAM IS SUCCESSFUL, DO
HOW IS THIS NEW PROGRAM
DIFFERENT FROM THAT? IF THIS
PROGRAM IS SUCCESSFUL, DO YOU
THINK IT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED
STATEWIDE? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
KEY FACTORS YOU'D BE LOOKING AT
TO DETERMINE IF THE PROGRAM WAS
SUCCESSFUL? WHAT CONCERNS ARE
YOU AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE
STATE LEGISLATURE HEARING FROM
PARENTS AND EDUCATION
PROFESSIONALS ABOUT EXPANDED
LEARNING TIME? WHAT ABOUT THE
COSTS? BUDGETS EVERYWHERE ARE
STRUGGLING. DOES THIS SEEM
REALISTIC? MANY COMMUNITIES CUT
THE ARTS WHEN BALANCING THEIR
BUDGETS. SOME OF THE ARGUMENTS
ARE THAT LONGER DAYS WOULD GIVE
PEOPLE A CHANCE TO GET INVOLVED
INTHE ARTS. THE GLOBE REPORTED
IN 2009 THAT SCHOOLS
IN FRAMINGHAM AND SOUTHBRIDGE
HAD DROPPED EXTENDED DAY
PROGRAMS, AND SIX ANDOVER
SCHOOLS WENT THROUGH THE
PLANNING PROCESS DURING THE
2007-2008 ACADEMIC YEAR BEFORE
DECIDING NOT TO GO FORWARD. WITH
EVERYWHERE ARE STRUGGLING. DOES
THIS SEEM REALISTIC? MANY
COMMUNITIES CUT THE ARTS WHEN
BALANCING THEIR BUDGETS. SOME OF
THE ARGUMENTS ARE THAT LONGER
DAYS WOULD GIVE PEOPLE A CHANCE
TO GET INVOLVED INTHE ARTS. THE
GLOBE REPORTED IN 2009 THAT
SCHOOLS IN FRAMINGHAM AND
SOUTHBRIDGE HAD DROPPED EXTENDED
DAY PROGRAMS, AND
SIX ANDOVER SCHOOLS WENT THROUGH
THE PLANNING PROCESS DURING THE
2007-2008 ACADEMIC YEAR BEFORE
DECIDING NOT TO GO FORWARD. WITH
THIS TYPE OF HISTORY,
LEGISLATURE ON EXPANDED LEARNING
TIME FOR STUDENTS.
WHY IS MASSACHUSETTS STILL
CONSIDERING THE PROGRAM?
NEXT, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE
EXTENDED SCHOOL DAY FROM AN
YOU'RE WATCHING 22NEWS INFOCUS.
TODAY'S PROGRAM IS ABOUT
EXPANDED LEARNING TIME OR LONGER
SCHOOL DAYS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
FEDERAL AND STATE OFFICIALS
ANNOUNCED MONDAY THAT
MASSACHUSETTS AND FOUR OTHER
STATES WILL BEGIN IMPLEMENTING
LONGER SCHOOL DAYS FOR SOME
STUDENTS NEXT SEPTEMBER .
EXTENDING THE SCHOOL DAY IS A
CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC, SO THAT'S
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WE JUST
TALKED TO A STATE SENATOR ABOUT
THE PROSPECTS OF THIS BECOMING
LAW SOMEDAY. LATER IN THE
PROGRAM WE'LL HEAR FROM THE
SUPERINTENDENT OF A DISTRICT
THAT KNOWS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO
HAVE EXTENDED SCHOOL DAYS.
JOINING US NOW WE HAVE AIC
GRADUATE PSYCHOLOGY PROFESSOR
TONI SPINELLI-NANNEN. THANK YOU
FOR BEING HERE. AS SOMEONE WHO
PSYCHOLOGY PROFESSOR TONI
SPINELLI-NANNEN. THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE. AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS
WITH STUDENTS, WHAT ARE YOUR
THOUGHTS ON A LONGER SCHOOL
DAY/YEAR?
WHY IS THE ALOTTED CLASSROOM
TIME NOW, NOT ENOUGH? HOW DO YOU
THINK THIS COULD WORK BEST?
ADDING DAYS, EXTENDING THE DAY
OR BOTH? DO YOU THINK THIS WOULD
BEST? ADDING DAYS, EXTENDING THE
DAY OR BOTH? DO YOU THINK THIS
WOULD MAKE A SIGNIFICANT
DIFFERENCE IN ACADEMIC
ACHIEVEMENTS? WHAT ARE SOME OF
YOUR EXPERIENCES? DO THEY NEED
THINGS LIKE ART, GYM, LONGER
SOCIALIZING? DO YOU THINK
STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS WILL
DO THEY NEED THINGS LIKE ART,
GYM, LONGER SOCIALIZING? DO YOU
THINK STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL
NEEDS WILL BE IMPACTED MORE THAN
OTHERS? THINK THOSE WITH SPECIAL
NEEDS NEED MORE TIME? IS THIS
STUDENTS, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS
ON A LONGER SCHOOL DAY/YEAR? WHY
IS THE ALOTTED CLASSROOM TIME
NOW, NOT ENOUGH? HOW DO YOU
THINK THIS COULD WORK BEST?
ADDING DAYS, EXTENDING THE DAY
OR
BOTH? DO YOU THINK THIS WOULD
MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS? WHAT ARE
SOME OF YOUR EXPERIENCES? DO
THEY NEED THINGS LIKE ART, GYM,
LONGER SOCIALIZING? DO YOU THINK
STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS WILL
BE IMPACTED MORE THAN OTHERS?
THINK THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
NEED MORE TIME? IS THIS THE BEST
WAY TO CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT
GAP? IS IT DIFFICULT TO GET
THROUGH CURRICULUM IN THE TIME
ALOTTED? DO YOU THINK EXPANDED
LEARNING IS APPROPRIATE FOR ALL
SCHOOLS? WHICH IN PARTICULAR DO
IS IT DIFFICULT TO GET THROUGH
CURRICULUM IN THE TIME ALOTTED?
DO YOU THINK EXPANDED LEARNING
IS APPROPRIATE FOR ALL SCHOOLS?
WHICH IN PARTICULAR DO YOU THINK
CAN BENEFIT MOST?
YOU'RE WATCHING 22NEWS INFOCUS.
TODAY WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING A
NEW INITIATIVE THAT EXTENDS THE
SCHOOL YEAR BY UP TO 300 HOURS.
TWO MASSACHUSETTS COMMUNITIES
WILL TAKE PART IN THE PILOT
PROGRAM, BUT IT'S NOT THE FIRST
TIME MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOLS HAVE
TRIED THIS. IN JUST A LITTLE BIT
WE'LL TALK TO THE SPRINGFIELD
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT ABOUT THE
DISTRICT'S EXPERIENCE WITH A
LONGER SCHOOL DAY. BUT FIRST,
LET'S GET ANOTHER PRESPECTIVE
FROM A LONG-TIME EDUCATOR.
JOINING US, WE HAVE JEANNE
TRINQUE, A RETIRED SCHOOL
TEACHER AND COUNSELOR IN AGAWAM
AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
1. YOU'VE BEEN WORKING WITH KIDS
IN THE CLASSROOM FOR A LONG
TIME, TELL US ABOUT YOUR
EXPERIENCES. 2. WHY ARE YOU
OPPOSED TO A LONGER
SCHOOL DAY? -DO YOU THINK A
LONGER DAY WOULD DISCOURAGE KIDS
FROM PARTICIPATING IN
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES? -DO
YOU THINK ENOUGH PEOPLE FEEL THE
WAY YOU DO? OR DO YOU THINK THIS
COULD
EVENTUALLY GO STATE-WIDE? -WHO
IS STRUGGLING THE MOST IN
SCHOOL? -WHAT DO YOU THINK IS
THE BEST WAY TO CLOSE SOME OF
THE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS WE HEAR
ABOUT? -WE TALK ABOUT STUDENTS
IN THE CONVERSATION. WHAT ABOUT
TEACHERS? DO YOU THINK THEY
WOULD NEED TO ADJUST? ADDED
STRESS? PARENTS, FINANCIALLY?
-WAS IT HARD TO GET THROUGH THE
CURRICULUM IN THE TIME ALOTTED?
-DO YOU THINK THE EXTENDED
LEARNING DAY IS GOOD IN ANY
SCHOOL? 3. HAVE YOU SPOKEN WITH
OTHER EDUCATION
PROFESSIONALS/PAREN TS/TEACHERS?
WHAT ARE THEIR FEELINGS ABOUT
THIS INITIATIVE?
4.THE MCAS WAS CREATED TO
IMPROVE STUDENTS' ACADEMIC
SKILLS. MANY TEACHERS FEEL THEIR
HANDS ARE TIED BECAUSE THEY HAVE
TO TEACH TO THE TEST. PARENTS
AND STUDENTS VOICE CONCERNS THAT
FOCUSING ON MCAS HAS LEAD TO THE
LOSS OF MUSIC, ART AND OTHER
ACTIVITIES THAT REQUIRE OTHER
SKILLS AND ARGUE THAT ENGLISH,
SCIENCE AND MATH ARE TIED INTO
THOSE HUMANITIES TYPE SUBJECTS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE ANSWER
CONVERSATION. WHAT ABOUT
TEACHERS? DO YOU THINK THEY
WOULD NEED TO ADJUST? ADDED
STRESS? PARENTS, FINANCIALLY?
-WAS IT HARD TO GET THROUGH THE
CURRICULUM IN THE TIME ALOTTED?
-DO YOU THINK THE EXTENDED
LEARNING DAY IS GOOD IN ANY
SCHOOL?
3. HAVE YOU SPOKEN WITH OTHER
EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS/PAREN
TS/TEACHERS? WHAT ARE THEIR
FEELINGS ABOUT THIS INITIATIVE?
4.THE MCAS WAS CREATED TO
IMPROVE STUDENTS' ACADEMIC
SKILLS. MANY TEACHERS FEEL THEIR
HANDS ARE TIED BECAUSE THEY HAVE
TO TEACH TO THE TEST. PARENTS
AND STUDENTS VOICE CONCERNS THAT
FOCUSING ON MCAS HAS LEAD TO THE
LOSS OF MUSIC, ART AND OTHER
ACTIVITIES THAT REQUIRE OTHER
SKILLS AND ARGUE THAT ENGLISH,
SCIENCE AND MATH ARE TIED INTO
THOSE HUMANITIES TYPE SUBJECTS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE ANSWER
TO IMPROVING STUDENTS' ACADEMIC
SKILLS? WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH
NEXT, THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT OF
SPRINGFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
DANIEL WARWICK, IS HERE TO
YOU'RE WATCHING 22NEWS INFOCUS.
THIS WEEK'S TOPIC IS ABOUT
MAKING SCHOOL DAYS LONGER IN
SCHOOLS TO IMPROVE STUDENT
ACHIEVEMENT. WE'VE SPOKEN WITH A
STATE LEGISLATOR ABOUT THE LAW
AND TWO EDUCATORS WITH YEARS OF
EXPERIENCE TEACHING AND VERY
DIFFERENT VIEW POINTS. JOINING
US NOW IS DANIEL WARWICK,
SUPERINTEDENT OF SPRINGFIELD
PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE. YOU STARTED OUT AS A
SUBSTITUTE TEACHER 40 YEARS AGO
AND HAVE MOVED UP THE RANKS TO
THE TOP JOB. YOU OVERSEE A
DISTRICT THAT HAS ABOUT 26,000
STUDENTS, APPROXIMATELY 4,000
EMPLOYEES, 52 SCHOOLS (INCLUDING
EIGHT ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS) AND
AN ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET OF
MORE THAN $400 MILLION. THAT'S A
LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY.
1.YOU'VE HAD SCHOOLS THAT HAVE
TRIED EXTENDED SCHOOL HOURS, HOW
DID THAT
WORK OUT? HOW CLOSELY WILL YOU
BE WATCHING FOR THE RESULTS IN
LAWRENCE AND FALL RIVER? WHO DO
THE EXTENDED HOURS IMPACT THE
MOST? WHAT ARE YOUR OPINIONS ON
THE DETAILS? WE'VE HEARD PEOPLE
SAY LONGER SOCIALIZING TIME IS
NECESSARY AND A LATER START
TIME. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?
SINCE SPRINGFIELD HAS FIRST-HAND
EXPERIENCE IN THIS FIELD, WHAT
WOULD
YOU SAY THE PROS AND CONS ARE OF
EXTENDING THE DAY?
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE DIFFERENCES
ARE BETWEEN THIS PROGRAM AND THE
MASSACHUSETTS 2020? HOW ARE
STUDENTS CURRENTLY
PERFORMING? WHAT DO THE LATEST
MCAS SCORES REVEAL? WHAT DID THE
COSTS TO DO THIS LOOK LIKE? 2.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE
POSSIBLITY OF ADDING 300 EXTRA
HOURS TO THE SCHOOL YEAR
DISTRICT WIDE? HOW WOULD THAT BE
IMPLEMENTED? HOW WOULD IT BE
PAID FOR? 3.HOW MUCH DOES
SPRINGFIELD SPEND PER STUDENT
EACH YEAR? SPECIAL NEEDS
STUDENTS? 4.ARE YOU FAMILIAR
WITH MASSACHUSETTS 2020 AND THE
EXPANDED LEARNING TIME
INITIATIVE? 5.WHAT TO YOU ARE
THE PROS AND CONS OF EXTENDED
SCHOOL HOURS? 6. WHAT ARE YOU
HEARING FROM
WE'LL TAKE A SHORT BREAK HERE.
WHEN WE RETURN WE'LL DISCUSS
SOME OTHER ISSUES FACING
YOU'RE WATCHING 22NEWS IN FOCUS.
TODAY WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT
THE PROS AND CONS OF LONGER
SCHOOL DAYS. THE LAWRENCE AND
FALL RIVER SCHOOL DEPARTMENTS
WILL BE PART OF A 3 YEAR PILOT
PROGRAM THAT WILL LENGTHEN THE
SCHOOL DAY. WE'VE HEARD FROM A
LEGISLATOR AND EDUCATORS WITH
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND
DIFFERENT OPINIONS TO HELP YOU
UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE BETTER.
IT'S A CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECT BUT
ONE THAT SCHOOL DEPARTMENTS
ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH WILL BE
WATCHING CLOSELY.
THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR TODAY. IF
YOU'VE MISSED ANY OF IT YOU CAN
WATCH IT IN FULL ON OUR WEBSITE,
WWLP.COM. THANKS TO OUR GUESTS
FOR JOINING US TODAY, THANKS TO
YOU AT HOME FOR WATCHING. FROM
ALL OF HERE AT 22NEWS ... WE