Wayland Public Schools has announced a change in the elementary school day schedule for the upcoming school year. The Loker, Happy Hollow and Claypit Hill school days will run from 8:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. On Wednesday, dismissal will be at 2:05 p.m. The decision comes after months of discussion regarding the issue of the the possible benefit from a later start time for students.

In an email addressed to the entire WPS community, WPS noted the change was a result of the recent agreement between the Wayland School Committee and the Wayland Teachers Association. The shift increases the length of the school day by fifteen minutes, added on at the end of the day.

“There is so much that we want students to know and be able to do, and so much we want them to experience. Time affords us the opportunity to extend what we are now able to offer,” WPS said in its email to the school community. “The phrase ‘a gift of time’ certainly applies in this situation.”

For example, Wayland’s elementary schools will now be able to increase the length of student instruction from library media specialists instructional technology specialists from 30 minutes to 45.

WPS also noted that three days a week, students will also receive an average of an additional 15 minutes a day of instruction from their classroom teacher.

“We have just begun the process of discussing how to prioritize the use of this time. This will vary given the academic and developmental needs of the students by grade level,” WPS’ email said. “Some of the ideas under consideration include using the additional time to build skills or participate in extension activities in the core content areas, to conference with students, and to enhance our social [and] emotional learning programs.”

WPS’ email, sent on May 10, explicitly noted that there will be no change in the start times to The Children’s Way, Wayland Middle School or Wayland High School.