4 day school week?

[RyanT26]

Does anybody work in or your children attend a School district that has a four-day school week? The district my kids attend is exploring it. A few others in western Kansas have the four-day week already, most go 8 to 4 Monday-Thursday.
I’d be interested to hear what you think of it. Positive or negative

 

[butcherboy]

I have never experienced that but I know my wife has said how much she would love that. She teaches 4th grade and we have 3 kids all in the same school where she teaches till next year then one moves up to Junior High.

 

[The Guide]

My kids started that 3 years ago. It isn't too bad but we have older kids (8th and 10th) so the extra day off doesn't cost us more in child care. Allows for more time to travel with kids and do outdoors stuff. Doesn't really set them up for the real world on a 5 day a week 8 hour grind though.

Jay

 

[Fox625]

My kiddos were in a 4 day curriculum for homeschool for the past few years. While not apples to apples, the 4 day week was fantastic for us. Plenty of time to get things done, it didn’t extend the school year much at all, and the kids seemed much less fatigued during the weekend.

 

[Pacific_Fork]

Interesting, haven’t heard of this yet. Our entire education system needs to stop sending kids to school so early in the morning.

 

[Nockdown]

Interesting, haven’t heard of this yet. Our entire education system needs to stop sending kids to school so early in the morning.

Why do you think it’s too early? Off the top of my head I can’t think of a positive to start school later.


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[Txarcher]

The school where my wife works has done it for a few years and it is great. The school where my daughter in law works just started it after Thanksgiving break this year. That school plans to do it that way from now on. Basically a five day week till after football season then go to four day. DIL's school goes 7:45-3:45, wife's school goes 7:45-4:30.

 

[Txarcher]

My kids started that 3 years ago. It isn't too bad but we have older kids (8th and 10th) so the extra day off doesn't cost us more in child care. Allows for more time to travel with kids and do outdoors stuff. Doesn't really set them up for the real world on a 5 day a week 8 hour grind though.

Jay

I can honestly saw the 5 day/8hr work week is over rated. Most of my adult life I have never had a 5 day a week with weekends and holidays off job till now and it is one of the worst schedules I've ever had.

 

[Pacific_Fork]

Why do you think it’s too early? Off the top of my head I can’t think of a positive to start school later.


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The research on how important sleep is and the negative effects on kids getting dragged out of bed at odark30.

Google something along these lines, there’s a lot of studies and experts out there.

And my own anecdote of remembering how insanely hard it was going to school at 7-8. I would fall asleep everyday in middle and high school on my desk… this was also probably a factor of my diet as well, but that’s another topic on how we feed our kids horrible food in the US.

 

[CorbLand]

School my mom works at has talked about doing it but they haven’t done it yet. It’s a low income area where both parents generally work and they worry about the kids on that day off.

I wish they could go to a four day week with some type of extra curricular activities on day five that are optional.

 

[go_deep]

From the kids perspective, they're several schools here in Laramie county Wyoming, all LCSD2 schools have a 4 day school week. If the kids like school, or the parents are active in their kids schooling it works out. All kids that have a GPA x or lower also still have to attend school on Friday still. It has created a bit of a headache for many parents for childcare too.

 

[sveltri]

The school my children go to made the switch a few years ago, when my youngest started kindergarten it was time for my wife to go back to work. She was able to get a job at the school so her schedule matches the kids. Our situation is ideal for that schedule and all four of them love it. It makes me grouchy when I leave for work on Friday morning.

 

[Bluumoon]

A good portion of CO does 4 day weeks. Works well for our kiddo, he’s in kindergarten and the long day wipes him out, but nice to have long weekends. Childcare could be a big issue for some.

 

[nphunter]

It’s weird to me people are unfamiliar with it. I went to school 4 days a week in the 90’s. My kids also go to school 4 days a week as do probably 2/3rds of the schools in the area. I think it’s great but I also work 4/10’s so it works out well.

 

[roadrunner]

It has been discussed where we are, but that's about as far as it's gone.

 

[jmez]

Mine have a 5 day week. Districts to the north and south of us are 4 day weeks. I haven't heard any complaints from them. Teachers and parents all love it.

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[rclouse79]

As a teacher, you can sign me up. Especially during hunting season!

 

[MTPipeliner]

Our kids do the 4 day week. Kids with low grades go in on Friday for extra help. Teachers are supposed to work at least part of Friday but I’m not sure if they all do or not.

The kids seem to like it, and my wife is a stay at home mom so it doesn’t create any issues with them being home Friday.

Would be nice if the regular work week would also be 4 days.

 

[D_Dubya]

I must be really backwards…I didn’t even know this was a thing for schools. I have a 17yo & a 14yo in public school here in our large metropolitan area, just regular 5 day/week school for them. 4 day work week in my industry (construction supply) seems totally laughable, we work 5 or 6 “10’s” every week. Maybe we’re just stupid

 

[Venom One]

I'm sure there are valid arguments for this, but it just feels like everything is too hard these days.

It's too hard for kids to get up (they want to play video games until 2am instead).
It's too hard to teach kids because everyone learns differently (somehow other generations managed with much less).
It's too hard for kids to concentrate (social media is calling).
Teachers complain about their long hours (even though much of it is done online and with computer grading).
Adults complain about working 5 days a week now too.
Parenting is too hard.

It just feels like we've become so accustomed to comfort and mediocrity that even getting up from the bed to walk over to the couch is too much work. Kids in Africa would love the opportunity to attend our schools 5 days a week. Maybe there is a better way and maybe less is better (seems unlikely given declining standards), but I am concerned with how we've managed to view so much of our lives as "hard".