School board just voted in favor of 4 day school week for next year

[martin777]

@nichola1970 Being in rural Montana the travel times to other schools/cities can be anywhere from 2-4+ hours so lots of weekend games and travel. Still ridiculous to punish the rest of the student body and the parents to make it easier on the athletes to miss school.

 

[alegra26]

@martin777 Oooh I would be fuming. That isn’t right.

 

[bluescalpel]

@martin777 Wow, I would be flipping my shit. I'm really sorry. Especially given your location. I would imagine child care is very difficult to come by, then there's gonna be a rush on Fridays! I hope you employer is understanding, particularly if you have other impacted co-workers. Unreal honestly.

 

[anotherslaveofchrist]

@martin777 That sounds really frustrating. I’m unfortunately having to do something similar. My son has half days Monday-Wednesday and then has online classes Thursday and Friday. Luckily both my jobs can accommodate having the kids and I have a pretty decent support system that can also help out here and there with babysitting, but without family I’d be seriously screwed.

Does your area maybe offer any day camps? Or any tutoring schools you could send him to one day a week?

 

[martin777]

@anotherslaveofchrist We’re such a small community we unfortunately don’t have anything like that, even our boys and girls club is understaffed and already said they won’t accommodate Fridays. Thanks for your suggestions

 

[sstory]

@martin777 Jeez. We just got full day kindergarten so that I didn’t have to piece together childcare for kindergarteners. If the week got cut to four days I don’t know what I would do.

 

[roylee1970]

@martin777 I’d be fucking furious OP, I’m so sorry. This is absurd

 

[charleybaites]

@martin777 Are you in Canada or the US !? This seems insane to me

 

[martin777]

@charleybaites Northern-rural Montana. I sometimes joke we’re Southern Canadian. About 30 miles south of the border. Lol

 

[ruthie24]

@martin777 Everyone else has already said it, so this is me just commiserating and sighing a big ughhhhh.

 

[anewday]

@martin777 I’m fascinated by this. Everything about it sounds awful for everyone involved! So far the places where I’ve lived and taught, the relationship between the school board and the teachers has been antagonistic; the little crazy conspiratorial part of my brain wonders if there’s some other reason behind what they know will be an unpopular decision, so they decided to pin some of the blame on teachers and student athletes.

 

[martin777]

@anewday According to the article (which take it for what it is) most of the teachers were for it, but some of the ones that I know were vehemently against it and were vocal about it.

 

[polygonon]

@anewday To be honest, I had this schedule in Jr High, and I loved it. My parents made me go to school on Fridays if I hadn't done my homework for the week, (you could just sit in the library and work), though I often went even without homework to meet up with friends and (pretend to) do other projects, or use the school computers. They often ran extra band practices / drama club / sports on Friday afternoons. When I was done, I walked home (20 min walk) because the regular bus service was suspended.

That said, I was 12-15 and reasonably responsible. I wouldn't recommend this program for elementary students.

 

[ghb]

@anewday I think these decision-makers are actually so dumb that their stated reason is genuine. I think that was the actual push for them to take action and then they quickly realized Oh Wow We'll Also Be Able To Slash School Funding And Divert That Money To Nefarious Bullshit HOORAY

 

[coramay23456]

@martin777 Honest question: are they extending the school day at all?

 

[keath]

@coramay23456 Probably by a little bit, plus a longer school year. Instructional time is usually mandated by law, so they'll have to make it up somehow.

 

[amore]

@keath They'll likely be able to include the "support" time in the total instructional time. We have something similar at my high school (it happens every morning), and the time counts. I would love this as a high school teacher, but it's absolutely ridiculous for elementary (unless there are very affordable programs offered on the Friday). OP should send their kids every Friday morning since it's still school time.

 

[feroc]

@martin777 I’m so sorry! I really struggle with balancing work and family. I can only imagine how stressful this must be.

 

[takodadream]

@martin777 I’m a sahm and would love a 4 day school week.

But it’s not practical for most homes. If it wasn’t a daycare situation why are so many of the hours complimenting work schedules?

Hopefully because it’s district wide some jobs will be forgiving… but I guess we shouldn’t hold our breaths.

 

[divide]

@martin777 I thought districts were doing this to try to attract teachers but not pay more. Are they having a hard time retaining staff at the school? I’m not sure they are being transparent with their reasons for doing this… sports seems like an odd excuse.