Brooksbank is one of a handful of schools that follows a non-standard daily schedule. Our schedule ensures students are provided the required instructional time, while accommodating the school district’s Staff Collaboration Time. The 2:00 p.m. dismissal enables our teaching and support staff to meet on Wednesdays. These meetings include:
- Primary and Intermediate Team meetings to plan and discuss upcoming and past events, review spending and budget needs, look at possible new teaching resources, and share resources and activities that are being used in the classroom.
- District Collaboration Times during which we discuss new district and school initiatives, plan school-wide events, reflect on school goals, and learn together as staff members provide in-service for colleagues.
- Staff Meetings provide means to engage in whole-staff planning and discussion regarding best ways to support our students’ learning, share district and school-based information updates, establish committees/working groups to plan and execute school initiatives, make group decisions, and prioritize spending.
- Small team collaboration meetings at which groups of staff members meet in self-selected groups to plan such things as outdoor learning opportunities, field trips, guided reading, and collaborative units.
Having this hour once a week is invaluable as it allows our staff members time together to plan, reflect, deliberate, and make decisions with a vision to provide rich and meaningful learning opportunities for all students.
