Longer school days for Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk elementary students beginning in January

The Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School District will be extending the school day for elementary school students beginning in January, the school district announced Wednesday.

Beginning Jan. 4, 2010, students will arrive at A.W. Becker and Pieter B. Coeymans elementary schools at 8:45 a.m., which is 15 minutes earlier than the current start time.

They'll also be leaving school on Fridays at 3:15 p.m., the district said, which is 15 minutes later than the current release time.

The change comes after the school district signed a one-year contract extension with its teachers aimed at gaining more instructional time, better compliance with New York state's physical education standards and easier bus routing. 

The RCS school district was cited in 2008 for not meeting state standards for the number of minutes of physical education offered each week. 

Under the contract, which runs through June 30, 2010, RCS teachers who are eligible for step increases will receive an additional .975 percent above the step increase they received at the beginning of the school year. 

Teachers who are not eligible for step increases will receive the step equivalent -- an average of 2.4 percent -- plus the additional .975 percent. 

More on the RCS school district site.