PLC-Late Start

Late Starts for Teacher Professional Development

In fall of 2023, FVL incorporated late starts on most Wednesdays to provide time for teacher professional development. This means that classes begin at 8:30 AM instead of at the normal time of 7:55 AM. Commons is open for students to study, eat breakfast, and wait until the academic wing doors open.

How often will the late starts occur, and when will they occur?

Each Wednesday throughout the school year that FVL would otherwise have in-person classes, we incorporate the 8:30 AM late start. All of the late starts are included in our online calendar and are also underlined on the downloadable one-page calendar (linked on the calendar web page).

Is Commons open before school if I drop my student off early?

Yes! Commons is available for students to study, eat breakfast, and wait until the academic wing doors open at 8:10 AM. The School Office will open daily at 7:00 AM.

Which FVL bus routes will accommodate the late starts?

The Green Bay and New London bus routes provide a later pick-up and drop-off on the late start days. Watch for information from those routes about any specific details.

Hortonville, Kaukauna, Oshkosh/Neenah/Menasha, and Appleton cannot adjust their routes due to commitments with other school districts. Students will be dropped off at their normal times and must wait in Commons until the academic wing doors open at 8:10 AM.

How do the late starts impact student instructional time?

With minor adjustments to our daily schedules that incorporate the late starts, instructional time will be reduced by only 30 minutes total per class per semester. By contrast, these changes provide over 22 hours of professional development time for teachers.

What do teachers do during their professional development time?

FVL has moved to a Professional Learning Community (PLC) model designed to allow teachers to collaborate specifically on student learning. Teachers engage weekly in conversations about student learning goals, how to measure their progress, and how to strengthen student learning. Increased collaboration also fosters a team-based approach to learning and instruction as teachers work to support each other while they serve students and their families.

Will the late starts be a permanent change to the school schedule?

FVL is committed to supporting teacher professional development. The goal is to strengthen student learning by providing quality time for teacher collaboration. The late start schedule and PLC meeting schedule will regularly be evaluated to determine whether to continue for the long term.