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The San Elizario ISD 4-day Week

"Soaring Higher Together" in 2023-2024!

The San Elizario ISD4-day Week"Soaring Higher Together" in 2023-2024!

San Elizario ISD plans a 4-day School Week Beginning in 2023-2024 school year.

The San Elizario ISD held two bilingual parent information meetings for the "Soaring Higher Together" 2023- 2024 School Year District Calendar on the following dates:


November 15, 2022

5:30 PM--San Elizario High School Auditorium


and


November 16, 2022

9:00 AM--Central Office Board Room


If you missed these meetings, please read this newsletter, which will cover the basics of the 4-day school week and address some common questions. The innovative shift from a traditional 5-day week will help retain and recruit the best teachers and staff.


Let's learn more!

"Soaring Higher Together" "Soaring Higher Together"

Soaring Higher Together English
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Mondays Off

The 4-day school week in 2023-2024 will have Mondays off for all students and staff. School will be in session Tuesday - Friday each week, with longer school days.
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San Elizario ISD--Innovation for Today's Learners

This innovative solution to the teacher shortage crisis affecting the nation will make San Elizario ISD the "District of Choice" in all of Region 19.

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School Year 2023-2024

If approved by the Board of Trustees, this calendar will begin with the 2023-2024 school year.
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Why Mondays?

For several reasons, Mondays were chosen as the day off (instead of Fridays). Federal holidays are usually on Mondays. We still want to honor these holiday Mondays (Labor Day, MLK Day, Memorial Day, etc.). With Fridays off, we would need to go to school on these holidays or extend the school year. Additionally, our district attendance records show Mondays typically have higher student and staff absences than Fridays, making Mondays the best choice.
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How is this all going to work?

Now that we understand that we are looking at a 4-day school week for 2023-2024, with Mondays off, how will the year be structured?


Let's examine this in greater detail.

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School Start and End Dates

With a 4-day week, the school year would start on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, and end on Friday, May 31, 2024. This is almost the same as what we currently have for start and end dates. The difference with a 4-day week is that each school day is longer to make up for the Mondays off.
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Holidays in the 4-day Calendar

With a 4-day week, all observed holidays will remain the same. This includes Labor Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving week, Winter Holidays, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Spring Break, Good Friday, Easter Monday, and Memorial Day.
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Intersessions in the 4-day Calendar

There are two calendar drafts (A and B) that employees will make the selection from in December 2022. Both drafts will have the 2-week spring intersession off from March 4-15, 2023.


However, Draft B has the fall intersession off with longer school days, and Draft A has no fall intersession with shorter school days.

In a 4-day week, how many minutes might students go to school?

Draft A—495 minutes

Draft B—525 minutes


Note: This a draft—the exact number of daily minutes is still being determined.

In a 4-day week, how many minutes per day might teachers be on duty?

Draft A—505 minutes

Draft B—535 minutes


Note: This is a draft—the exact number of daily minutes that teachers would be on duty is still being determined. It is estimated, however, that teachers will work fewer minutes overall than in a 5-day calendar although each day is longer.

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4-day Calendar Timeline

The proposed timeline for the adoption of the 2023-2024 district calendar is as follows:


November - December 2022--Sharing the plan with all stakeholders, Q, and A


December 2022--Employees select their 4-day preferred calendar variation.


January 2023--The Board of Trustees will vote on the final 4-day calendar for 2023-2024. The calendar will be shared on our website, with follow-up information sent to parents.


January 2023 to July 2023--There are six months for families to get ready for this innovative calendar!

The Advantages of a 4-day School Week

Let's explore the reasons for shifting to an innovative, 4-day weekly school calendar from 2023 to 2024.
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Morale Booster for Teachers and Students

School can be stressful for all involved. Teachers nationwide are exhausted and overworked. The promise of an extra day to get things done, including extra rest, will boost morale for everyone. Students will have extra time to "just be kids."
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Filling Staff Vacancies

There are still post-pandemic teacher shortages, leaving non-certified guest teachers in some of our classrooms. With a 4-day week, SEISD will attract the finest teachers from around the Region, who want to work one less day per week for the SAME salary!

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Increased Attendance for Students and Staff

With Mondays off, teachers and students will have an extra day for doctor's appointments, errands, household chores, and family leisure time. There will be fewer absences as a result. Fewer absences equals a higher degree of learning!
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Better Time on Task

Both students and teachers spend more time immersed in learning in a 4-day week. Everyone quickly learns, and efficiency improves dramatically compared to the 5-day week.
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Better Lessons Create Better Students

Teachers will have time to plan more effective lessons with a 4-day week. There will be more guided lesson planning time during the year. With better lessons, students will learn and retain the content long-term.
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Increased Time to be a Family

Weekends can be another work, with only two days to get everything done, from laundry to grocery shopping. Mondays would be an extra day to allow for family leisure time and quality time with loved ones. This will benefit student and staff mental health.
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Stress Reduction Prevents Burnout

The extra day off each week will help reduce staff and student burnout, which can be a cause of high absenteeism and performance below our potential. Mondays can be used for appointments and commitments that might otherwise cause an absence for students and staff. Stress levels will be reduced overall.

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District Cost Reduction

A 4-day week will show cost savings in utilities, transportation, food, guest teachers, etc. An examination of other 4-day districts show a potential cost savings of up to 15%, which could be rolled in to other district priorities such as student learning resources or new programs such as elementary art.

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What are the potential disadvantages to a 4-day school week?

While the reasons for pursuing the 4-day school week are numerous, there are also some potential considerations to think about and plan for.
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Childcare / Facilities on Mondays

Families will have to arrange childcare on Mondays when school is not in session.


Families may visit the El Paso Work Force Commission website for information on childcare services.

https://www.twc.texas.gov/directory-workforce-solutions-offices-services

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Longer Days for the Younger Kids

To make up for the shorter week, each school day will be longer to add up to the required annual instructional minutes. Depending on the 4-day week calendar employees select, each school day will be an estimated 55 or 85 minutes longer than it is now.


To help children acclimate to the longer day, the campuses will focus on creating a master schedule that will provide breaks and additional educational programs.

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25 States Have at Least One District with a 4-day School Week

The movement towards the 4-day school week has been building since around 2018, with half of all U.S. states containing districts with 4-day school weeks.
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Survey Results from Spring Creek ISD

A recent survey from Spring Creek ISD found potentially positive outcomes for school children when their parents were surveyed.
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Research is Growing

There are studies and statistics that both support and don't support this calendar model. It's honestly too soon to tell how the 4-day week will function in the long-term. We do know, however, that districts with pandemic-related teacher shortages, such as San Elizario ISD, cannot continue doing the same things and expect a different result.

Quotes from Educators Serving in 4-day School Districts

"The students realized early on that school time is business time. You have to get down to business while you're here."--Candy Becker, Teacher in Dime Box ISD



"I think the change to four days has allowed us to be the teachers we truly desire to be, giving our kids the best possible learning experience, while renewing our mental devotion to the profession we felt driven to join."--Shana Myers, Apache Junction Unified District, Phoenix Arizona



“I think the biggest positive that has come from this is that the ‘Monday blues’ really are not there come Tuesday, the first day of the school week. My students come in and are ready to learn.”--Kaylie Clare Sherman, Teacher in Dime Box ISD



“We were 18 miles from the nearest store, so you have to plan your trips into town accordingly. I had to take my kids out of school less often, because we just scheduled all of that kind of stuff on the day off.”--April Lanotte, Parent to 3 Students in Rural Colorado



“Anybody that had eyes or ears knew that this impending teacher shortage was coming and our view was it was only going to get worse for the foreseeable future. You have to think outside the box and think creatively.”--Randy Brawner, Superintendent of Chico ISD

We are here to help!!

If you have further questions, please communicate with us via email at communications@seisd.net or phone at (915) 872-3900.


We are here to help!

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San Elizario Independent School District

Email: communications@seisd.net
Website: www.seisd.net
Location: 1050 Chicken Ranch Road, San Elizario, TX, USA
Phone: 915-872-3900
Facebook: facebook.com/SanElizarioISD
Twitter: @SanElizarioISD

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