Early on in the second semester a survey was sent out to JISD faculty proposing a four-day school week for the 2024-2025 school year. This was a controversial and widely spoken-of topic for students and faculty members alike.
The new calendar splits the year into four quarters, consisting of four Nine Weeks instead of the previous six Six Weeks. It will have 77 days in the first semester and 81 days in the second. There are many reasons the new schedule was proposed to the faculty; some say teacher retention, funding issues or even to better the health of students and instructors.
“I have heard it’s for teacher retention, but it’s also fiscally wise,” English teacher Ms. Zachry said. “Less bus routes means less fuel being used; if school is not in session, that’s less electricity we’re using, et cetera.”
The new change could have both positive and negative impacts on JISD families. Some positive effects of the calendar are: more time families will have together, less stress on every school attendee and the savings made by the school district. A few negative impacts include parents not having supervision available for their children on the days off, students losing interest in their studies and the messy transition issues the district might have.
“Even if students go to [a] four day week, it does not mean jobs will transition to allowing parents to work a four day week,” junior Allison Kuhn said. “We will still likely have practices, tournaments and other sports-related events on Mondays, like we do now on Saturdays.”
Some members of the community has negative thoughts about what the new schedule would bring to the school district. A few drawbacks the community has come up with include finding or being able to afford child care, longer school days, teachers not having enough time in the academic year to finish their curriculum, academic decline and an increase in juvenile crime on unsupervised days.
“The biggest reason some parents want to keep a five-day week is to ensure their children have somewhere to go when they are at work,” an anonymous faculty member said. “The district is offering a solution for this with inexpensive childcare, and parents have been figuring out what to do with their kids during breaks from school for many years.”
The school district is planning to provide a childcare program, Owl Camp, for students to attend after-school on the days off. It is said to be inexpensive to all families; further more, the school district is planning to provide financial assistance to families in need. More detailed information is to be shared closer to the start of the 2024-2025 school year.
“The new schedule would positively affect a lot of students’ mental health because it would break up the monotony of public school a little more,” an anonymous student said. “If we had Mondays off, it would greatly benefit students by allowing them to work throughout the day during the school week, have more time to work on school work and spend with family.”
Those In favor of a four-day week appreciate the changes of any day off. However, most of those people prefer Mondays off because it offers more benefits compared to Fridays.
“I prefer Mondays off, because there are many activities at the secondary level on Fridays. I worry that some students might choose not to participate in a Friday activity if that means they will lose their day off,” another anonymous faculty member said. “I also don’t think it would be fair for staff members who are expected to work during Friday [for school-related events].”
Those who have ever experienced a four-day school week calendar have positive feedback to say about their calendar.
“[I know people with this schedule], they love it,” another anonymous faculty member said. “They originally had Fridays off; that didn’t work well because of all the activities that typically happen on Friday nights, so the following year they switched to Mondays off.”
Those who are suggesting to keep the current calendar style do not wish to deal with the stress the new schedule might bring. Many problems can come from a newly implemented schedule.
“I believe the reason we are using a “hybrid” schedule is exactly why we, the few, are choosing the five-day week,” an anonymous source said. “Less confusion and excuses, fewer holiday conflicts, no extended times and regular length school year.”
At the March 25 board meeting the JISD Board of Trustees approved the new 2024-2025 school calendar: the “hybrid” four-day school week schedule. The schedule adds 25 minutes to the average school day. It removes Mondays, with a few exceptions—the months of August and April (because of testing) and a few Mondays in-between.
“Some people are afraid of change and I am too,” an anonymous faculty member said. “But I believe that changing to a four-day week will be beneficial to everyone in many ways.”
