 |  |  |
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. | San Elizario ISD--Innovation for Today's LearnersThis innovative solution to the teacher shortage crisis affecting the nation will make San Elizario ISD the "District of Choice" in all of Region 19. | School Year 2023-2024 If approved by the Board of Trustees, this calendar will begin with the 2023-2024 school year. |
Mondays Off
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.
School Year 2023-2024
Why Mondays?
How is this all going to work?
Let's examine this in greater detail.
 |  |  |
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. | 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. | 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. |
School Start and End Dates
Holidays in the 4-day Calendar
Intersessions in the 4-day Calendar
However, Draft B has the fall intersession off with longer school days, and Draft A has no fall intersession with shorter school days.
4-day Calendar Timeline
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!
 |  |  |
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." | Filling Staff VacanciesThere 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! | 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! |
Morale Booster for Teachers and Students
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!
Increased Attendance for Students and Staff
 |  | |
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. | 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. |
Better Time on Task
Better Lessons Create Better Students
 |  |  |
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. | Stress Reduction Prevents BurnoutThe 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. | District Cost ReductionA 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. |
Increased Time to be a Family
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.
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.
What are the potential disadvantages to a 4-day school week?
 |  | |
Childcare / Facilities on MondaysFamilies 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 | 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. |
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
Longer Days for the Younger Kids
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.
 |  |  |
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. | 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. | 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. |
25 States Have at Least One District with a 4-day School Week
Survey Results from Spring Creek ISD
Research is Growing
San Elizario Independent School District