Federal Way Public Schools’ first Wednesday late-start day is next week on Sept. 30.

The district encourages parents to be sure to check the school start times and bus schedules for your student.

These late-start days are designed to support student learning by providing teachers with time for Professional Learning Communities. These communities are school improvement models aimed at improving student learning for each individual student. As the district continues its focus on increasing student achievement, this schedule will provide teachers with additional opportunities for collaboration.

How Professional Learning Communities work

Professional Learning Communities are teams of teachers who work together to share best practices, review data and discuss strategies to help students learn better. When teachers meet in their learning communities, they work to address the following questions:

• What do students need to know and be able to do in the classroom?

• How do educators know if they have learned it?

• What will we do if students haven’t learned it?

• What will we do when they already know it?

Mark your calendar with the upcoming scheduled Wednesday late-start days: Oct. 28, 2015; Feb. 24, 2016; March 30, 2016; April 27, 2016; and May 25, 2016.