4 Day School Week

An article in the news last night showed an article where someone suggested that a great way to help the budget was to change the school week from 5 days to 4.  Duh!! Of course that's gonna help.  When the schools are open one day less a week, the electrical use is down. Bus drivers and custodians are paid less. Enough things will cost less that it could be worth it.

The thing is, it's really nothing new.  The UMS (University Model Schools) already have figured this out. These are private schools which are run like universities. K - 3rd attend two days a week, 4th - 8th attend three days a week, and high school has classes which meet two or three days a week. Many of the smaller schools may only meet two or three days a week.

During the school days, the teacher will still teach a week's worth of lessons, then the students will still have work to do on the off days. It combines school and homeschooling. For many families, a 4 day school week would not work due to having to pay for childcare. It could leave too much free time for some youth. For some families, it may just be an inconvenience.

My husband and I chose to homeschool our children. It was really more a personal want more than having to do with any religious beliefs. We actually wanted to spend that time with our children. We wanted to know what our children were being taught and not to limit them to a state test. We wanted to make sure our children received the individualized attention they deserve and to challenge them where they needed. Many parents would like that same opportunity to spend with their children but are unable to due to the need of two parent incomes or not having the knowledge and/or skills which might be required or needed to homeschool.

Whatever the need might be, the greatest concern should first and foremost be the children.  Whatever is done needs to benefit the children's needs over our own. Like the song says, "The children are our future. Teach them well, and let them lead the way." If do not teach the children what they will need in their future, they will be more apt to make the same mistakes of our past. Let's take the lead now, so our children are capable of taking the lead later.