Wednesday, March 11, 2009

A Four Day School Week

Money saved in energy could be invested in new energy-saving solutions, which could lead to energy-effecient laptops and thus a higher quality education. A small shift in thinking could have a major ripple effect for families, students, teachers and even the money-hungry politcians who make the decisions.


by Julio

Why do some are some schools 4-day schools? Why are many schools opting for permanent three day weekends? Is it simply a cost-saving device or could this system actually benefit our society and the minds of the youth? 

If Borman switched to a 4-day school we could save a larger amount of money. Our school is going under a major budget crisis. Basic suppies are hard to fund.  If it was a a 4-day school, we would saved enough money to buy new computers and extra supplies.  Energy costs are high, but a campus that is closed from Friday through Sunday would mean less money spent on basic maintenance.  Teachers who wanted to provide extra opportunities could get parental permission to do job shadowing, academic field trips or service projects with students on Fridays. 

If Borman middle school was a 4-day school the students would be beter rested and better energized.  Many students feel too tired as it is.  By structuring in extra rest time, students would have the chance to rejuvenize.  For us, it would mean better learning.  Since district is not concerned about learning, we might be able to prove that students would do way better in tests. And we would spend more times with our families, which would mean happy, healthier students as well. Today many kids aren't connected with there parents, but an extra day off could mean more family time. Plus it would give teachers a break too. Because better rested teachers teach better. And it would give them an extra day for them to grade papers instead of craming everything in 2 days.  Many teachers would like to have extra time to provide authentic feedback and to develop interactive lessons.  

Also it would be eco-friendly too. With just having an extra day we would have saved thousands in electricty bills and we would be doing our part in saving the world from total anahillation. I've gone to Borman at night and they leave the lights on. Sersiously why do janitors leave the lights on all night? Is it to stop vandalism? It happens anyway. If we took out the lights that stay on in the classroom that would help too. It could be the beginning of turning Borman into a green school.  Moreover, as we save money on energy we could invest in solar panels that would power laptops, thus saving money and the environment at the same time.  

A four day work week would benefit everybody.  It would save money, which would make the district happy.  It would provide necessary rest and potential additional support for teachers and students and it would lead to healthier, happy, more productive people all around.  It would be a step toward a sustainable planet, a cost-effecient school and a place where a quality education is not tied down to the quantity of time.

Photo Credit
Flickr Creative Commons

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