Roseburg students have first early release Wednesday

ROSEBURG, Ore. -- The first Collaboration Day in the Roseburg School District starts Wednesday, which means hundreds of kids will be out of school an hour early.

Students will get out of class an hour early on Wednesdays, offering teachers a chance to get together and discuss the best ways to help kids. Students are staying a few minutes later other days, and several teacher in-service days are being canceled.

Superintendent Larry Parsons says that while the old approach was workable, it's not beneficial anymore because it's not a sustainable model.

He relates the teacher collaboration time to playing an instrument. "You practiced that instrument four half-days a year and two full days a year, but the other 358-days or 59 days, you didn't practice that instrument, how good would you be?"

Parsons says that this gives professionals working together a chance to discuss what works and what doesn't work.

Students will not lose instructional time with this new model, while at the same time it will make the teachers better, according to officials.

Parsons adds they will be constantly evaluating this new approach throughout the school year.