How long before ALL schools go to a 4-day school week?

[Graphic Edge Guy]

Schools have trouble attracting and retaining teachers...but it appears the 4-day school week helps in this regard...and for football coaches (provided the school week is Tuesday through Friday as most are)...it allows for less staff meeting over the weekends...as you have all day Monday to meet as a staff...THOUGHTS???

 

[freezeoption]

4 day weeks have been around for along time. There were schools in Idaho with four day weeks in the early 90s. There was some that were year round also. There's many ways to skin a cat. When our governor changed the start date to help Branson area business you can't tell me that was for the betterment of schools. They say they care about schools but do everything they can to jack them around.

 

[Pancho and Lefty]

4 day weeks have been around for along time. There were schools in Idaho with four day weeks in the early 90s. There was some that were year round also. There's many ways to skin a cat. When our governor changed the start date to help Branson area business you can't tell me that was for the betterment of schools. They say they care about schools but do everything they can to jack them around.

Not picking a side, but I thought it was interesting that our Governor and our state is very big on local control for COVID handling, and generally how other things are handled, but made a mandated start of school date.

 

[Toots_mcgee]

Uneducated people making decisions for schools whether from the governors mansion or the local school board is detrimental to us all.

 

[MoSooner69]

Not sure it was for the BRANSON area. I will tell you that BRANSON area schools have never been for the late start date.

 

[TadQueasy]

The later start date had more to do with the state fair than it did Branson

 

[Northsiders2008]

The Herschends (owners of Silver Dollar City) and many Branson and Lake of the Ozarks-area legislators came out strong in favor of the mandated school start date. It was a tourism thing just as much, if not more, than the state fair.

 

[Veer2Eternity]

The later start date had more to do with the state fair than it did Branson

What % of kids in MO HS's attend the state fair?

I'm guessing sub-10.

 

[TadQueasy]

What % of kids in MO HS's attend the state fair?

I'm guessing sub-10.

Probably not very high. Back when it happened I talked to an area Sup about why it was done and that was his answer. Maybe it is wrong. But FFA and things like that are impacted by the State Fair. Maybe a squeaky wheel gets the grease thing...

 

[hangmanbobbyjaggers]

I wish they would all hurry up and go to the 4 days. I taught at a school one year with it and it was nice to have each Monday off

 

[Missouri Kid]

The argument in Jefferson City was that many of the kids in Ag science classes had projects and show entries at the fair which required them to be present and which presented educational opportunities that were funded outside of school budgets (parents and sponsors). However, it was not acceptable for them to be missing the early days of orientation and school classes to start the year. It should be noted that many students in these Ag science classes never become members of the FFA organization.

 

[Veer2Eternity]

Probably not very high. Back when it happened I talked to an area Sup about why it was done and that was his answer. Maybe it is wrong. But FFA and things like that are impacted by the State Fair. Maybe a squeaky wheel gets the grease thing...

Probably so.

Let local districts control their schools. It's funny some folks are against 'big gubmint' but they want 'their gubmint' to control everything.

 

[bullitpdq68]

I know when PC went to four days some of our local school board members discussed us doing it. But the Sup at the time said many kids only decent meals for the week come from the schools. So going to Four days reduces that. Then you also have many kids who lack adult supervision on that one day and will be either home alone or just out causing mischief and getting into trouble, instead of in the classroom learning and in in a structured environment.

But today you are not just seeing schools doing it to for teacher retention but also businesses starting to look at it to recruit workers. One day maybe the 5 day work week will be no longer considered the norm, I guess we can hope. Studies have shown that schools who have gone to 4 days kids are doing better, and even jobs who have done it have shown that workers call in less and there are less on the job accidents.

 

[Veer2Eternity]

I know when PC went to four days some of our local school board members discussed us doing it. But the Sup at the time said many kids only decent meals for the week come from the schools. So going to Four days reduces that. Then you also have many kids who lack adult supervision on that one day and will be either home alone or just out causing mischief and getting into trouble, instead of in the classroom learning and in in a structured environment.

Is this really the school's job?

 

[panther72]

It shouldn't be but it is.

Is this really the school's job?

 

[Veer2Eternity]

It shouldn't be but it is.

That's been the argument at all the schools that have gone to 4 days. Parents figure it out.

 

[bullitpdq68]

Is this really the school's job?

Well it depends alot of tax dollars from the government go to schools to help purchase food to feed impoverished kids. The schools lunches are just an easy way to make sure kids get those meals. Not saying it is right or wrong just saying it is an easy deliver system.

 

[Veer2Eternity]

Well it depends alot of tax dollars from the government go to schools to help purchase food to feed impoverished kids. The schools lunches are just an easy way to make sure kids get those meals. Not saying it is right or wrong just saying it is an easy deliver system.

Lots of schools have backpack programs now. Those are built with donations. Kids get a backpack full of food every Friday on the way out the door (if they qualify).

Sooner or later schools are going to have to step away and let the rest of the community handle some things. Maybe some appreciation will quickly follow.

 

[MoSooner69]

the babaysitting argument is almost always brought up but in researching schools that offerered an alternative, it is used by a very small percentage. I know, at least at our district, extra food is sent home in backpacks for those who request it on Fridays.

 

[Baldguy]

The meal argument has always made me shake my head a little. I get it, but at the same time, the kids only get this "good food" from late August until late May. Somehow they do figure out how to survive in June and July. And yes, I know some districts now provide summer lunch, but I doubt all of them do.

 

[sw5890]

The later start date had more to do with the state fair than it did Branson

I don't know how much was Branson or the state fair but I will tell you that the start date of school which had been creeping earlier and earlier into August was a complaint I heard frequently from a lot of regular people with no particular dog in the fight.

 

[bullitpdq68]

I don't know how much was Branson or the state fair but I will tell you that the start date of school which had been creeping earlier and earlier into August was a complaint I heard frequently from a lot of regular people with no particular dog in the fight.

100% agree, seems the school year was starting to get longer and summers were getting shorter. I know many parents were happy when that happened.

 

[panther72]

Long time ago, when I was in HS, everybody had to take a PE class every year. I think part of this was to ensure every kid had a chance for a hot shower a few times a week as many, other than the kitchen sink, did not have running water in their home. The school even supplied towels. Different times, but it helped take care of a problem at the time.

 

[freezeoption]

If I remember right the governor himself said it was for vacation areas in Missouri.

 

[zonefire]

Backers say the change could help Missouri’s tourism industry by giving families an extra week for vacations in August.

“June and July are so busy for families,” Sedalia Republican Rep. Brad Pollitt said during the bill signing in Parson’s Capitol office. “When August gets here and we’re going back to school the first day of August, it doesn’t give families real opportunities to take their families on vacation.”

 

[Missouri Kid]

Backers say the change could help Missouri’s tourism industry by giving families an extra week for vacations in August.

“June and July are so busy for families,” Sedalia Republican Rep. Brad Pollitt said during the bill signing in Parson’s Capitol office. “When August gets here and we’re going back to school the first day of August, it doesn’t give families real opportunities to take their families on vacation.”

"to the fair."

 

[bullitpdq68]

Long time ago, when I was in HS, everybody had to take a PE class every year. I think part of this was to ensure every kid had a chance for a hot shower a few times a week as many, other than the kitchen sink, did not have running water in their home. The school even supplied towels. Different times, but it helped take care of a problem at the time.

Back in the day you had soap scrimmage so all the players had soap to shower after practice and a game. Hell now they just hose themselves down in body spray after the game... I don't think the shower has been used in a decade at the field house.

 

[Toots_mcgee]

When I was in school back in the 20th century, you had to shower at the end of gym class AND after football practice. We were some hygienic mothers back in those days. And when someone flushed the toilet, those in the shower were scalded.

 

[Missouri Kid]

Back in the day you had soap scrimmage so all the players had soap to shower after practice and a game. Hell now they just hose themselves down in body spray after the game... I don't think the shower has been used in a decade at the field house.

Wow, that's disgusting if true and I've no reason to doubt your observation.

 

[Missouri Kid]

When I was in school back in the 20th century, you had to shower at the end of gym class AND after football practice. We were some hygienic mothers back in those days. And when someone flushed the toilet, those in the shower were scalded.

Yes, I remember those days except most days we didn't have "hot" water, lucky if it was lukewarm.

 

[Veer2Eternity]

Yes, I remember those days except most days we didn't have "hot" water, lucky if it was lukewarm.

at least that was the story

 

[freezeoption]

I remember my pe class having to do push ups butt naked because someone didn't take a shower.

 

[hangmanbobbyjaggers]

I remember my pe class having to do push ups butt naked because someone didn't take a shower.

Teacher would be fired before they got the push ups done now

 

[Pancho and Lefty]

When I was in school back in the 20th century, you had to shower at the end of gym class AND after football practice. We were some hygienic mothers back in those days. And when someone flushed the toilet, those in the shower were scalded.

The gym had a "shower bell" that went off about 5 min before regular class ended. Coach would stand next to the shower entrance and check your name off on his gradebook if you showered or not. Remember wearing jock straps, we had some not wearing them and we had a "jock check" while we were warming up, coach walking around checking the waist band. Yes you would be fired nowadays for either I'm sure. Almost every player showered after games, even on the road.

 

[Pancho and Lefty]

Lots of schools have backpack programs now. Those are built with donations. Kids get a backpack full of food every Friday on the way out the door (if they qualify).

Sooner or later schools are going to have to step away and let the rest of the community handle some things. Maybe some appreciation will quickly follow.

It is interesting with all of the negative feelings towards education now, when the schools are giving transportation to and from school, feed them two meals a day, provide social worker, counselling services, buy the family Christmas presents at Christmas, have a hygiene closet if they need toothpaste, deodorant, etc to take home, give them a chromebook for the year, loan them a chromebook when they forget them at home, and give them a backpack full of food to take home for the weekends. It's a whole lot more than reading and writing.

 

[Toots_mcgee]

In junior high in the 70’s if you were horsing around in the shower at my school, you got a swat on the bare wet arse with a ping pong paddle. Good times.

 

[HomeyR]

In junior high in the 70’s if you were horsing around in the shower at my school, you got a swat on the bare wet arse with a ping pong paddle. Good times.

Aerial dart paddle...

 

[Veer2Eternity]

It is interesting with all of the negative feelings towards education now, when the schools are giving transportation to and from school, feed them two meals a day, provide social worker, counselling services, buy the family Christmas presents at Christmas, have a hygiene closet if they need toothpaste, deodorant, etc to take home, give them a chromebook for the year, loan them a chromebook when they forget them at home, and give them a backpack full of food to take home for the weekends. It's a whole lot more than reading and writing.

The folks that are behind the 'hate the schools' movement don't have much skin in the game. Their kids are going to elitist private schools that the common fodder can't afford.

They should still be careful what they wish for though.

 

[Toots_mcgee]

When I taught PE in the early 2010s, if a kid kept acting up I would give them a choice, either they do push-ups or I write them up. They always chose push-ups. I had done this for years. I used to even do it in my business classes. Then I get called in to the office because two mom’s said I had humiliated their sons in front of their class.
That kind of crap made it easy to retire.

 

[Missouri Kid]

In junior high in the 70’s if you were horsing around in the shower at my school, you got a swat on the bare wet arse with a ping pong paddle. Good times.

I went to a rural grade school. No horsing around in our shower because it was a one person shower. You better get done and get the hell out or you made enemies.
Went to a consolidated high school (6 grade schools) and walked into a twelve shower-head room.

I couldn't believe the luxury. I told my dad about it and that you could fit two of our whole bathrooms in it. He was skeptical, never had an occasion to check it out, and I'm fairly sure he always thought I was exaggerating. Oh, and no paddle by our coach, just a notation in a little book he carried and next P E period you ran, I don't mean jogged, for the entire period. Very effective but probably couldn't get by with it today.