Community should drive the school schedule
By NewsPress Now
Many of us feel a sense of satisfaction in getting through another work week. If you’re reading this and can almost smell the finish line, keep telling yourself: “Almost there, almost there.”
Teachers in the St. Joseph School District might be getting there a little more quickly in the near future. The St. Joseph Board of Education is scheduled to decide Monday whether to allow the SJSD administration to establish a four-day academic calendar as early as the 2024-25 school year.
It’s impossible to understate the importance of this decision for the district and also for the community. In fact, the decision seems so monumental that it’s difficult to comprehend why it’s being placed in the lap of a lame-duck board just weeks before an election that could significantly boost or erode support for a four-day week.
This whole thing has an aura of panic about it. And here’s the thing about people who panic: They tend to make bad decisions. Looking for a recent example? How about virtual school as a viable learning option?
Yes, we understand that the district is having trouble hiring and retaining teachers. Some even call it a crisis. But if your job satisfaction is based on not having to punch in as often, then maybe you’ve picked the wrong profession or the management needs to do a better job with pay, benefits and workplace conditions.
A four-day week seems like a short-term fix if the kids are still unruly or unmotivated, the pay is lousy and the facilities are depressing.
In addition, there’s little compelling evidence that a four-day week influences student achievement or test scores one way or another. SAS Institute said as much in a study for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, so the move has to be made for other reasons.
Clearly, many teachers would prefer a four-day week. This significant schedule change could make it easier to hire or retain them. But the debate shouldn’t be framed solely in terms of what’s best for teachers or what they want. Maybe it sounds anti-teacher to put it that way, but the ramifications are broader.
The Board of Education has to factor the impact of a four-day week on the community and the potential disruptions – for employers and especially for low-income or single-parent families. Some employers are moving to a four-day work week or a hybrid model, but that doesn’t do much good if they choose Friday as the work-from-home-day when the district is leaning toward keeping the kids home on Monday.
Maybe the time will come for a four-day week, but schools should follow society in this direction rather than making an abrupt move and hoping everyone else goes along or figures it out.
The most charitable thing we can say about a four-day week is that it’s a well-meaning but premature move that doesn’t impact core issues. The board should dial back its plans.
