Comments on: First grade off to a good start

By: CPS Dad

CPS Dad — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:11:59 +0000

“the 8:00-2:30 school. It the only CPS school in the city with that schedule”

Bell is 8:15 to 2:45, w/o any nonsense of the last 15 minutes being “get out the door” time.

Also, Bell KDG has homework 4 days a week, and it starts the first day–i.e., there is homework due the first *real*, full day of school.

By: CPS Mom

CPS Mom — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 04:47:26 +0000

My second grade classical son’s teacher ate us alive today for homework and it’s for the rest of the week. After a lot of threatening no video games my son was tamed into the child I knew he could be. He finished his homework quickly! My other child’s magnet school seems to be a little slower with homework vigor. Should I stay out of it or ask what’s up with the homework!?

By: also obsessed

also obsessed — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 01:32:53 +0000

to curious:
My son also attends the 8:00-2:30 school. It the only CPS school in the city with that schedule I believe. So, I asked the teacher about it last week, as regular CPS hours are 5:45 hours (i.e. 9:00-2:45)

First off: (she didn’t say this, I am): I pick my son up at “2:30″ but he is out there at about 2:23. I believe instruction, or the school day there, ends at 2:15 and the last 15 minutes is getting everyone out the door.

SO, that being said, school runs REALLY from 8:00-2:15, exaclty a half hour more than a regular CPS schedule.

SO, she told me that the teachers voted to stay the extra half hour…they all had to agree on it. THEY DO NOT GET PAID FOR IT, she said, they decided they just wanted to make sure the students got enough recess (they get 2 per day). I thought that was quite admirable. I wish other schools would do that too, but, unless all the teachers on staff vote yes, you run into Union issues with hours and what not. And I am sure it is a very touchy subject.

Alcott, for instance, had enough surplus budget this year to pay for one extended day (Tuesdays). They had to meet Union pay standards to do it to make sure the teachers got compensated. That is admirable too, but not many schools have that kind of money coming in from parents.

I met with Mr. Huberman on a auction-won lunch a few months ago, and that same question came up, about extending the school day. He said to extend the regular CPS schedule 15 minutes for each school would cost like 4.5 million dollars….or something like that..it was an outrageous amount…but it was based on Union salaries…..15 minutes more each day for every teacher, and there are what 400 elementary schools in the city and how many teachers at each school?

Anyway, that is why our school has longer hours…and it was soley because of recess, at least that is what I understand.

By: chicago parent

chicago parent — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 22:30:50 +0000

Do both schools have the same amount of recess? This could account for the difference.

By: curious

curious — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 13:34:48 +0000

Okay, explain this to me. My KDG son attends school from 8:00 until 2:30. My second grade daughter attends a different school from 9:00 to 2:45. I don’t get it. Why is her school day 45 minutes shorter? I’m surprised all of the teachers don’t shorten their day like this. Besides, it really messes up the pick-up schedule.

By: the heckler

the heckler — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:09:13 +0000

my 3rd grader has no homework this week, is totally ecstatic about school and her teacher and the first words out of her mouth when I picked her up on Tuesday were “it was awesome mom”

oh, neighborhood school by the way

(I’m resorting to the money for when homework does start which will be on Monday. It’s just one of 6 things she needs to do for allowance and I simply stated it as “no complaining about homework”. She’ll do most anything for CASH)

By: kr

kr — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:03:37 +0000

No homework yet in kindergarten at Decatur…unless I missed something in his backpack. Quite possible since I’m rather out of it after the HORRIBLE commute there and back!
My son does seem to be having fun though.

By: aevans

aevans — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:42:50 +0000

CPSobsessed, the first night we had to do a projecty page that was titled “all about me” with pictures of meaningful people/things and captions–both sides of the page. Mommy realized the second side needed to be done after re-reading the directions.

The other two assignments have been relatively easy; however, I did receive a note home that stated he must read forty books this year and twenty of those must have a book report.

By: cpsobsessed

cpsobsessed — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 03:55:37 +0000

So for all us inquiring minds, what is the Kindergarten homework for the first week in a Classical school? I remember being scared at Decatur when they said the kids needed to be ready to do 1st grade work right from the beginning.

By: aevans

aevans — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:59:13 +0000

My son started kindergarten at a classical school…first night, homework. And I was scared the complaining he did on the first night might be indicative of his being in the wrong place. Glad to know there are others who are in the nagging box