Holyoke students to have one shorter school day a week next year

HOLYOKE, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - Holyoke public school students will be getting out of class earlier on Wednesdays next academic year in an effort to help their teachers prepare for the next day.

“We just got news of this as well, so we’re just winded by the whole thing,” said Holyoke parent Alexia Bowans.

Holyoke students will head home early next year.

“Obviously, my 13-year-old will be really excited about getting out earlier, but I don’t think she understands the effects it could have on her education,” Bowans added.

Wednesdays can’t come fast enough when the school year starts back up this September when class days will be cut by an hour in the district, which is currently under state receivership for chronically low test scores. Early start schools will now end their day at 1:30 p.m. Late start schools, which usually end classes at 3:30 p.m., will dismiss kids at 2:30 p.m. The change is an effort to give teachers more development time in hopes of retaining them longer, but some parents now have to make adjustments to beat the bell on Wednesdays.

“Usually, I work 8 to 5, so I had to adjust my schedule to get her at 2:30 already, so with next year being 1:30, I had to make extra adjustments, like seeing if my mother can or my partner can switch his schedule to 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and that’s unfair to us,” Bowans noted.

Parents also said it may give their kids more time to prepare for the next day.

“I don’t mind it. I think the kids actually need break to come out early and unwind. They go early as it is,” said Holyoke parent Anamaris Bigio.

Those concerns over time crunches haven’t gone unnoticed by the district. Holyoke Public Schools Superintendent and Receiver Anthony Soto said in a statement, “to support families on those days, we will work with after-school providers to see if they are able to accept elementary and middle school students at their site one hour early on Wednesdays.”

Holyoke isn’t alone in changing times. Gateway regional school district also changing class times.

Elementary schools will now start at 8:35 and end at 3:35. For older students, they start school at 7:20 and finish around 2:20 p.m.