APS Half Days — for all that is sacred why not on Friday

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are a working parent, why does Wed vs Fri make a difference?

If you are a SAHP who could take that time and add it to a weekend, sure but if you’re a working parent wouldn’t you need childcare either way?

Because a lot of us are able to telework on Fridays. Less meetings are scheduled on Friday afternoons.

[Anonymous]

Many more people telework on Fridays

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are a working parent, why does Wed vs Fri make a difference?

If you are a SAHP who could take that time and add it to a weekend, sure but if you’re a working parent wouldn’t you need childcare either way?

Because a lot of us are able to telework on Fridays. Less meetings are scheduled on Friday afternoons.

+1. Fewer in person meetings. More acceptable to end the day a touch early, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are a working parent, why does Wed vs Fri make a difference?

If you are a SAHP who could take that time and add it to a weekend, sure but if you’re a working parent wouldn’t you need childcare either way?

Because a lot of us are able to telework on Fridays. Less meetings are scheduled on Friday afternoons.

+1. Fewer in person meetings. More acceptable to end the day a touch early, too.

That’s not a working mom thing, that’s a small segment of working parents who have cushy jobs thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do we even have early release days?

We need certain number of days of instruction, but want to give time for teachers to grade and train. So we have half days that *magically* do both (poorly)

It would be so much for effective from an instruction standpoint if we just had more 4-day weeks for students and full-day teacher PL days. If teachers miss those on Mon or Fri, then that's on them. They're required as part of their job and they need to attend, even if they are on Fridays. It's not like they happen every week (even though it may seem like it).

[Anonymous]

While we’re on the subject, can we stop calling them half days? Kids are in school for almost 5 hours, and are dismissed just over 2 hours early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While we’re on the subject, can we stop calling them half days? Kids are in school for almost 5 hours, and are dismissed just over 2 hours early.

Except they keep lunch and recess the same, as well as specials, so it's half the academic content.

[Anonymous]

Fridays are great so families can go skiing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While we’re on the subject, can we stop calling them half days? Kids are in school for almost 5 hours, and are dismissed just over 2 hours early.

Except they keep lunch and recess the same, as well as specials, so it's half the academic content.

My school does not do recess and specials are cut in half

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While we’re on the subject, can we stop calling them half days? Kids are in school for almost 5 hours, and are dismissed just over 2 hours early.

I agree we should call them what they are, wasted school days

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It can all be summarized as this: the school calendar is about everything but learning.

Yup. APS made that super clear when they put an early release next year on 10/30, with Halloween on 10/31, and no school on 11/1. All three of those days are a total loss. The early release should 100% have been on Halloween when kids are so already distracted.

It’s No School November. It’s been this way for years. They barely go to school in November. My older kids are now in college and it’s always been No School November.

[Anonymous]

I've always wondered this - could have allowed for many more family excursions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It can all be summarized as this: the school calendar is about everything but learning.

Yup. APS made that super clear when they put an early release next year on 10/30, with Halloween on 10/31, and no school on 11/1. All three of those days are a total loss. The early release should 100% have been on Halloween when kids are so already distracted.

It’s No School November. It’s been this way for years. They barely go to school in November. My older kids are now in college and it’s always been No School November.

Followed by half-December.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think they are worried staff would blow off all the PD. (I am staff and Fridays are a skeleton crew as it is)

But I thought teachers were heros?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they are worried staff would blow off all the PD. (I am staff and Fridays are a skeleton crew as it is)

But I thought teachers were heros?

Revived a two day old thread for this??