HOUSTON – Aldine ISD has expanded its Additional Days School Year (ADSY) program to two more campuses as Harris Elementary and Smith Elementary will welcome students on the first day of instruction on Monday.
Students at Harris and Smith will attend school for 210 days during the 2022-2023 school year, while staff will attend eight days of professional development for 216 days, a news release from the district said.
After its pilot launch of ADSY at Vines Primary and Ermel Elementary in the 2021-2022 school year, the district moved to expand the program.
“Based on the amazing year both Ermel and Vines had implementing ADSY at their respective campuses, we are looking forward to implementing the initiative here at Smith,” Smith Principal Ida Carter said. “We are thrilled to bring the opportunity of carrying the momentum of each school year through to the next for our students while also applying innovative learning practices that will equip our students with the tools, they need to be successful in life.”
According to Aldine ISD, the program offers a number of benefits for students, staff and families, including:
- Increased achievement and growth opportunities for Hispanic and African American learners.
- More recess and brain breaks during the school day for students, with more class time directed at their individual needs and working on projects with peers.
- Additional time for staff to collaborate (including small-group time), plan for students’ needs and participate in professional development.
- More time for families to hear about their child’s progress, see what their students are learning and creating, and connecting with their respective campuses.
“I am thrilled that Aldine has chosen to keep this initiative in place and expand it to additional schools,” said Ermel Elementary Principal Erik Torres. “The additional instructional time, project-based learning and whole child approach we implemented between last school year and this year has been instrumental in our student’s growth.”