Deli style sourdough rye

Being a newb, I hope I'm not breaching group etiquette. I wanted to cross-post this yesterday when I stoped lurking, but couldn't find a way to do so. Forgive me if I bore you with this rerun, but we need the comments....   Also, I'm adding 3 photos: the loaves are SD rye & the not-so-boules are SD white.

Here's my intro from yesterday:

greetings to all!  Beware the following longwindedness...

  I teach culinary arts in a vocational school north of boston. I'm the de facto baking instructor.  (Je suis un cuisinier, pas un boulanger!) After our xmas holiday bake sale, i started looking into & playing with sourdough starter to incorporate into the yeast product portion of the curriculum.  In 35+ years in the biz, I'd never come into contact with real starter. A Google search brought me here & I've gained a ton knowledge since!  It remains to be seen whether or not I've actually "learned" any of it...

Anyhoo, we (my classes) started 2 batches of SD starter using the basic formula from "The Pro Chef" 7th ed. We modified  it to a 100% hydration, I think ( 50/50 flour and water?)

My colleague & I wanted to produce an "artisan style" white sourdough & a deli style sourdough rye to sell in our student-school bakeshop. We finally worked out what we think may be  semi-bulletproof/teenagerproof formulae for which we welcome input.

Because of the confines of the school schedule, we've swiped, bent & tweaked a few  formulae to meet our needs. So far, this seems to woik. When we make rye, it's 60/40 white to rye.  Here's what we've been working with:

Hi Gluten  100%

Starter (100% hydration)        20%

Salt               1.25%

Water      40%

At 2 PM combine &  mix 1st speed , 10 mins w/ hook (Hobart 20 qt.) then rest, covered with greasesd saran, over night in cool place. Next AM, 7:30, Start sponge as follows:

Water   20%

Yeast     1.25%

Flour  ( 1 cup to propagate sponge)

When sponge is ready (~45 mins) return dough to mixer, add sponge, mix 7-10 mins 1st speed til uniformly mixed.

Scale out to 2# pieces, rest 30 mins.  Slap & fold method, Make up into boules or batards. Proof & slash. Bake in conventional oven misting once @ 500 in skillets, 15 mins; transfer to convex oven & finish @400, low fan.

We've found that this convoluted method yields a nice flavor & the sponge addition yields a taller product. Our sample testers & initial buyers confirmed the taste & height preferences.  Our crust is decent; the flavor's good; our crumb is still denser than I'd like, but I think more slap & fold & more hydration  may be the solution.   Whaddya think? 

TIA, verbosely yours,  bob