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Board debates 'tutorial Fridays' and structure of 8th-period advisory to boost student support
Summary
Board members exchanged views on implementing monthly tutorial Fridays, improving 8th-period/advisory structure and tracking non-test measures of success, with staff flagging fiscal and staffing implications.
The presenter opened the strategic-goal conversation by placing academic excellence and student success at the top of the district plan. As the presenter summarized, "The 1st area which is academic excellence and student success. The overall goal is improve academic performance, increase graduation rates and students' attendance, enhance student support efficiency." Board members discussed using scheduled ‘tutorial Fridays’ or reorganizing 8th-period/advisory time to provide targeted supports for struggling students and enrichment for higher-performing students.
Several members raised concerns about teacher buy-in and measurement. One staff member said the 8th-period/advisory is sometimes treated as a "freebie," noting teachers and students gave mixed reports: "almost all of them say, it's a freebie." The presenter and other members asked for a clear rollout plan that includes measures of success beyond test scores — for example, reading program participation and student engagement metrics — and flagged added costs for lunches and staffing if Fridays are not regular attendance days.
