What are your thoughts on a 4 day school week?

**nessarowdy** · 08-17-2008, 12:29 PM

My SIL is a music teacher in a small school in western Montana. Their school board voted unanimously to a 4 day school week. They said with all of the money they would save on the bus routes and utilities that it was the right thing to do for them. So 3 day weekends for the kids EVERY week! They will start school 10 minutes earlier, and go 30 minutes longer at the end of the day.

Do you think this is something you would like to see in your school system? I know a lot of different schools are looking into this to cut costs.

-Vanessa

**WV_mom_of2** · 08-17-2008, 12:33 PM

IF it was only ten minutes earlier and thirty minutes later, then yes I'd love it! I'd really love having my kids home three days a week all school year.

If it would extend the day any more than that then no I wouldn't want it. My kids leave home now at 7:20 and don't get home until 4:15. We are a large county and we have some kids in our area who catch the bus at 6am and don't get home until nearly 6pm as it is, so days that were too long just wouldn't be good for them.

**Nishu** · 08-17-2008, 12:53 PM

I agree with WV_mom. I love having my kids home so an extra day a week would be nice, and the 40 minutes extra doesn't sound bad. If it were any longer than that then I'd be less willing.

**dcompton** · 08-17-2008, 01:06 PM

I don't have kids, but as usual, do have opinion. It's a 50-50 split. I think it's great for the schools and the teachers, and is conserving resources which is also good - and maybe preventing an increase in taxes to meet higher school costs.

On the other hand, I would think it would be a bad thing for working parents. Who will care for the children that extra day when they're at work? It could increase their costs considerably. It would not impact SAHM's nearly as much.

**Parksfamily5** · 08-17-2008, 01:09 PM

I also would love to have a 4 day week. However, I see where this would be a burden on families that work outside the home.

**Pianolady** · 08-17-2008, 02:31 PM

I'm sure it will save the school tons of money, but will shift the money burden to working parents for those days. But this may be the future of schooling, especially in rural areas. This would never fly where I live because daycares don't want to take kids just one day per week. We have a large district.

**AmyMCGS** · 08-17-2008, 02:34 PM

My first thought was exactly what some of you said- what about childcare on that extra day for working parents?

For me personally, it would be great- I work a PT job with flexible hours, so I could just work around the school schedule. I would vote for it if it was an option here.

**IntlMom** · 08-17-2008, 02:39 PM

Love the idea.....from my viewpoint there is not one single downside.....I would vote YES in a heartbeat!!!

**onencgirl** · 08-17-2008, 02:55 PM

I would love four day weeks... three day weekends.

**wanderinggrandma** · 08-17-2008, 03:12 PM

Our little rural shool district has had 4 day schedule for several years. My kids were in college when this played out so I only have others opinion about it and mine from afar.

The parents who work did have to figure out how to cover day care, some took turns watching each others kids. The school also had an after school/Friday child care in house. It was contracted out. A few sahm's opended daycare from their homes. All in all it was and is successful.

The 4 day schedule also let the district retain some of the afterschool sports, music and drama programs. Our little school district is in the top 1% in the nation based on student achievement, so it hasn't harmed the kids learn abilities.

**Mom23boys** · 08-17-2008, 03:14 PM

I would like a 4 day work week and a 3 day weekend. I know my kids would love it too, but I worry about the working parents who will have to find childcare for their younger children. Some families can barely afford a gallon of milk much less a day of childcare.

**AmyBoz** · 08-17-2008, 04:05 PM

I feel very badly for the working parents that will now have to scramble to find childcare for that extra day and for the money they will have to pay.

I realize that one of you said it was successful in your district and that the kids there are very high acheivers, but what about the kids who really need the practice of school every day to maintain the skills that they are learning?

It makes me sad when money, or lack thereof, runs education.

**forHISglory** · 08-17-2008, 04:11 PM

I would be for it, both as a mom and as a teacher. I know several schools around the country are doing it this year in answer to high fuel costs for buses. It would take some creative thinking on the part of parents to work out schedules, however.

**brenda67** · 08-17-2008, 04:55 PM

That would be fine with me..However I would feel sorry for the working parents to have to pay for child care and also the poor whose children only get decent meals at school because their families can't afford food..I get upset every year when school lets out just because I know some children will go hungry..

**HandyMom** · 08-17-2008, 08:57 PM

I don't like the idea of the kids starting school any earlier than they do now, which around here is 7:15am in high school. My DD has to get up too early (6AM) to catch the bus and is half asleep her first couple hours of school. Her grades reflect that.

So, no, I don't like it unless they makeup the extra time at the end of the school day, which here they won't do because mostly teachers wouldn't like that and it's more about them most of the time instead of what's best for our students. We've suggested a later start time to benefit learning for years but they won't budge despite the facts.