Schools should function on a four-day schedule

Hailey+Bishop%2C+junior%2C+and+Kainoa+Gesino%2C+senior%2C+walk+through+campus+during+their+lunch+hour.

Photo by Aayushi Datta

Hailey Bishop, junior, and Kainoa Gesino, senior, walk through campus during their lunch hour.

Aayushi Datta, News Editor

A long weekend: something that students look forward to during the hectic school schedules they go through everyday. However, what if these long weekends become a weekly occurrence? Amongst all the exhaustion, an extra day is very much required by the students, teachers, and staff. Weekends are not enough for students because of other plans they have, in this case school should be cut down to four full days a week instead of five days. 

Four full days of school is a much better option for students because it is more motivating than the normal five days. In a normal schedule, students seem dull and gloomy because they did not get enough rest over the weekends. Weekends are a time when students can catch up on their work, whether it is for school, or personal. Because of this, students barely get time for themselves as they are always busy. 

It is known that rest is needed for bodies to function properly. But the question is, are students getting enough rest to keep going? An alleged answer to this question will be ‘NO.’ Student lives differ from person to person. One person might be working for hours at their workplace while others might be spending their weekends preparing for the SATs or other tests at school. Amongst these, students do not have time for themselves to just relax and give their body and mind a break. It will definitely help students feel less stressful and boost their morale. 

A big advantage of the four days is for the teachers. Well rested students are very calm, hence, it will make the teacher’s lives a lot easier. Students will be less distracted, more productive, and will definitely pay more attention to teachings in the class. It will also increase the attendance rate because students will be less likely to skip school. Teachers seem to really love teaching when more students are present in the class. An increased attendance will definitely make them happy. 

It is a known fact that teachers work extremely hard for the students. They are the foundation which creates a student’s future. Teacher’s also need a break to compose and recharge themselves in order to handle the students. They also have their own personal lives and they deserve to spend quality time with their own families. A four day week will also be helpful in increasing learning efficiency. It will give teachers the time they need to grade student work, and they will not be overwhelmed with work and pressure.  

The school in general will also benefit a lot. It will cut the cost of maintenance because the work days are going to be less. Hence, there will be more money to save for the school and it can be used in the future for greater purposes. It will also reduce the cost of transportation, and utilities. Cost needed for fuel will be lower because of shorter working hours. It will also be a good promotion for the school because it will attract people to come and work at a place where it only operates four days a week. 

Four days of school has its definite advantages and positives that cannot be neglected. It is surely a good thing for everyone in general and not just one group of people. Implementing the four day work week will bring out lots of benefits and will surely be favorable for everyone.