Should School be Only Four

Days A Week?
Alie Scheunemann
Why is School A Five Day Week?
★ In 1908, a New England mill became the first
American factory to institute the five-day week.
This was to accommodate Jewish workers, whose
observance of a Saturday sabbath forced them to
make up their work on Sundays.
★ During the Depression, President Herbert Hoover
called for a reduction in work hours. Later,
President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Fair Labor
Standards Act of 1938, which established a
five-day, 40-hour workweek for many workers.
Pros of School being a four day week
★ Financial savings- such as water consumption, meals and
cafeteria expenses.
★ Educational- teachers use the fifth day for professional
development and in service and students can use the time for
tutoring or studying, longer school days are more beneficial for
better hands on activities and understanding for students.
★ Athletics- Athletics can be participated in on the fifth day so
that they don't interfere with academics as much.
★ Attendance- many students and staff miss school days for
appointments and other engagements, so this extra day could be
helpful for them to schedule these things so they don't miss
school or work.
Cons Of School being A four Day week
★ Financial- possible childcare for the day the student has
off, money for meals at home.
★ Extracurricular- some families may not be able to
accommodate the athletic schedules on the fifth day,
which could lead to students being unable to participate.
★ Personal- for some students, school is the safest place
to be, they get meals, supervision, and adult attention.
★ Physical- Longer days mean more tired students and staff,
8 hour school days is a long time to be at school and
then go home and work on homework. This leaves less time
for fun activities and time to relax and focus on overall
health.