Late start Mondays have become a cornerstone of the educational approach at Glover Middle School, giving staff 90 precious minutes together each week to comb through what’s working – or not working – for each student.
“This time is absolutely essential,” said Principal Mike Stark. “It’s where we closely examine our student data and decide on the best interventions and enrichment strategies.”
Implemented two years ago by Spokane Public Schools as part of a 3-year academic calendar, late start Mondays allow students to start their day one hour later than usual while teachers begin 15 minutes earlier. This creates dedicated time for teachers to reflect on recent lessons and share insights with colleagues, which directly benefits student learning and development.
SPS has integrated collaboration time into the school year before, sometimes with late start mid-week or periodic early release days on Fridays. While students may have enjoyed feeling like they had a jump start to their weekend with the latter, the end-of-week planning time was not as productive for teachers as they found the consistent Monday morning schedule to be.
“If I’m teaching something and it’s not working for Billy this week, I can sit down with my teammates and ask what they did differently,” said Principal Stark. “It’s a collaborative process that helps us find the best approach for each student in the moment.”
The process isn’t just about addressing challenges. It also provides a chance for enrichment.
During collaboration time, administrators and teachers developed “Falcon Time,” which takes place during Glover’s Advisory period (or homeroom, if you’re old school). Teachers can recommend students who are struggling and could use some extra support, as well as students who are on target and want to explore opportunities beyond traditional middle school offerings, even trying trades, such as welding.
The benefits of this scheduling model ensure that every student receives the personalized support and enrichment they need to succeed. It also fosters a sense of urgency and purpose among teachers.
“We have to examine evidence and figure out what to do quickly,” Principal Stark said. “We have hundreds of kids to consider, and we need to determine the best response for each one.”
Late Start Mondays will continue at SPS through the 2024-25 school year, as part of the district and Spokane Education Association (SEA)’s collective bargaining agreement. A complete calendar for the current school year can be found at spokaneschools.org/calendar.