Anonymous
Post 02/07/2024 10:20     Subject: APS Half Days — for all that is sacred why not on Friday
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)


I assume it would impact kid attendance, too – concern that parents would use it as a long weekend.


+1

It's still a school day, students still learn. If parents keep their kids home for a long weekend, then that harms students (whether it benefits parents or not).
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2024 09:12     Subject: APS Half Days — for all that is sacred why not on Friday
Anonymous wrote:My kids love extended day too. The staff at our school is excellent. But the half days are a long time to be there. I try to get there earlier than usual for pickup.

One of the issues we’ve had, is that lunch is compressed so my kids don’t always eat enough and they are STARVING. I packed extra snacks for them today.


Extended day is wildly different between schools. We were at two, one was a police state and the other a delightful romp with friends.

Regardless adding two hours is ridiculous. Just make it a day off.
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2024 08:59     Subject: APS Half Days — for all that is sacred why not on Friday
We didn’t get in to extended day at our elementary school so these days are a huge burden. I would be less salty if they could hire enough staff to meet demand for extended day.
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2024 08:54     Subject: APS Half Days — for all that is sacred why not on Friday
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)


I assume it would impact kid attendance, too – concern that parents would use it as a long weekend.
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2024 08:37     Subject: Re:APS Half Days — for all that is sacred why not on Friday
Wednesday early release is way better for the kids. Catch up on homework and get a break.
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2024 08:34     Subject: APS Half Days — for all that is sacred why not on Friday
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)


Because staff and families would all just call in sick for the full day and take a three day weekend.
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2024 08:20     Subject: APS Half Days — for all that is sacred why not on Friday
My kids love extended day too. The staff at our school is excellent. But the half days are a long time to be there. I try to get there earlier than usual for pickup.

One of the issues we’ve had, is that lunch is compressed so my kids don’t always eat enough and they are STARVING. I packed extra snacks for them today.
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2024 08:10     Subject: APS Half Days — for all that is sacred why not on Friday
Having coverage on these random midweek half-days is one of the biggest perks of PM extended day. Our extended day typically does special projects on the early release days so that it's not fully unstructured time.
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2024 08:05     Subject: APS Half Days — for all that is sacred why not on Friday
And we get more half days next year
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2024 07:52     Subject: APS Half Days — for all that is sacred why not on Friday
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 Friday we have less meetings so I can take off without work piling up
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2024 07:31     Subject: APS Half Days — for all that is sacred why not on Friday
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Why do we still have random half Wednesdays? Sure back when it was a regular part of schedule and broke the week up for kids who went home to moms for lunch it made sense.

But way more families have working parents and making it Wed just compounds the annoyance. Sure my kids could do extended day, but let’s be real - 1:30 - 4:30 extended day is Lord of the Flies level insanity.


Huh? My kid loves extended day and an hour or two extra is welcome.


NP. My kid does not love extended day for that amount of time so I try to schedule playdates on early release Wednesdays to give her a break (I work from home so can host).
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2024 06:36     Subject: APS Half Days — for all that is sacred why not on Friday
I think they are worried staff would blow off all the PD. (I am staff and Fridays are a skeleton crew as it is)
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2024 06:32     Subject: APS Half Days — for all that is sacred why not on Friday
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?

Anonymous
Post 02/07/2024 06:16     Subject: APS Half Days — for all that is sacred why not on Friday
Anonymous wrote:Why do we still have random half Wednesdays? Sure back when it was a regular part of schedule and broke the week up for kids who went home to moms for lunch it made sense.

But way more families have working parents and making it Wed just compounds the annoyance. Sure my kids could do extended day, but let’s be real - 1:30 - 4:30 extended day is Lord of the Flies level insanity.


Huh? My kid loves extended day and an hour or two extra is welcome.
Anonymous
Post 02/07/2024 02:37     Subject: APS Half Days — for all that is sacred why not on Friday
Why do we still have random half Wednesdays? Sure back when it was a regular part of schedule and broke the week up for kids who went home to moms for lunch it made sense.

But way more families have working parents and making it Wed just compounds the annoyance. Sure my kids could do extended day, but let’s be real - 1:30 - 4:30 extended day is Lord of the Flies level insanity.