Q:What are the reasons for a 4-day school week?
A:The primary reasons are to boost student well-being; maintain strong student attendance; provide quality instruction for students; retain and attract quality teachers and staff; and give time back to students and staff to improve overall performance and quality of life.
Q:With a 4-day school week, what days are students out of school?
A:Under a 4-day school week, students attend school Monday-Thursday. Students are off most Fridays with a few exceptions that are identified on the school calendar.
Q:Does a 4-day school week cause us to go to school later in the year?
A:No. We will still end the school year by Memorial Day weekend.
Q:Are school days longer under a 4-day school week?
A:Yes. A 4-day school week extends the school day by approximately 1 hour.
Q:With a 4-day school week, do Fridays become online school days?
A:No. With a 4-day school week, there is no school on Fridays.
Q:Is a 4-day school week be mandatory?
A:Yes. A 4-day school week applies to all students and campuses and replaces the current school schedule.
Q:Does a 4-day week shorten our holidays or breaks during the year?
A:No. There are no changes to existing breaks, including Fall Break, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break.
Q:With a 4-day school week, why are students out on Fridays not Mondays?
A:Districts who implement a 4-day school week have found that Fridays off better meet the needs of students and families.
Q:With a 4-day school week, do students lose instructional time?
A:No. Texas measures instructional time by minutes rather than days. Students still attend the full 75,600 minutes required by the State of Texas without sacrificing any learning time for students.
Q:With a 4-day school week, is tutoring available?
A:Tutoring will continue to be offered before and after each school day. Additionally, Life School has scheduled one Friday each month for acceleration opportunities.
Q:With a 4-day school week, what are the start and end times at my school?
A:The bell schedule would vary by campus. Campus schedules should be available on campus websites by February 2023.
Q:With a 4-day school week, is childcare available on Fridays?
A:Parents will need to make arrangements for childcare on Fridays. Life School is exploring options with our before-school and after-school partners to support interested families.
Q:With a 4-day school week, are meals available on Fridays?
A:Life School is exploring a solution for meals for families in need.
Q:How does a 4-day school week affect extracurricular activities on Fridays (games, etc.)?
A:All extracurricular activities proceed as normal.
Q:How does a 4-day school week impact Dual Credit / Early College credit?
A:Providing Fridays off avoids disruptions to Dual Credit classes. Life School continues to partner with Dallas College for our Dual Credit courses at Life High School Oak Cliff and Navarro College for Life High School Waxahachie.
Q:How would a 4-day school week affect academic performance?
A:Schools who have moved to a 4-day school week have shown similar academic performance compared to a 5-day school week while improving the well-being of students and staff.
Meanwhile, a 4-day school week would allow more time in the school calendar for targeted assistance for students throughout the school year.
Q:Under a 4-day school week, would students have to make up days due to inclement weather or other campus closures?
A:As normal, two makeup days are scheduled at the end of the school year if needed.
Q:Was a 4-day school week implemented to save money?
A:No. Moving to a 4-day school week is budget-neutral.
Q:Under a 4-day school week, are athletic events still held on Fridays?
A:Yes. Athletic and other extracurricular events take place as scheduled as required by UIL. The coaches/sponsors will communicate what time students need to be at the school on Fridays.
Q:Under a 4-day school week, would athletes be able to meet teams at the games on Friday instead of coming to the school for transportation?
A:Athletes would be expected to follow team rules for team travel and ride to and from games with the team. There may be exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
Q:Under a 4-day school week, would athletic practices still be held on Fridays?
A:This would depend upon the season, sport, and level (junior high, junior varsity, varsity, etc.). In-season sports would likely have games on Fridays as scheduled. Practices may be called on Fridays for in-season sports depending on game schedules.
Off-season sports may have open gyms, fields, and weight training for students to attend. The dates and times would be communicated in advance.
Q:Do student-athletes lose athletic period time with a 4-day school week?
A:No. The athletic period will increase a few minutes per week with the new 4-day school week. Athletic periods are increased Monday-Thursday making up for the time lost on Fridays.
Q:Under a 4-day school week, are student-athletes required to attend Friday games and practices?
A:Yes. Student-athletes are expected to participate in all Friday games, practices and Open Gyms, Fields, and Weight-Trainings as scheduled by their coaches. The current athletic practice schedule during breaks (Fall Break, Thanksgiving Break, Christmas Break, etc.) continues to be followed depending on the sport/season.
Q:Under a 4-day school week, does Life School provide transportation to school events scheduled on Fridays?
A:No. Students are expected to provide their own transportation to the school and arrive at the assigned time.
Q:With a 4-day school week, do middle school athletes practice on Fridays?
A:At this point, most Middle School practices take place from Monday-Thursday unless otherwise scheduled by the coach.
Q:How does a 4-day school week affect the athletic eligibility calendar?
A:Life School continues a 9-weeks grading calendar. There is a first 6-week check for eligibility where students can lose eligibility followed by a 9-week report card where students can again lose or regain eligibility. After the first 9-Week Report, students can only regain eligibility if passing everything at each 3 weeks progress report and only lose eligibility at the 9-week grading report.
Q:When will a proposed calendar and schedule be available for the 4-day school week?
A:The school calendar and daily schedules are available at lifeschool.net/calendar
Q: What are the reasons for a 4-day school week?
A: The primary reasons are to boost student well-being; maintain strong student attendance; provide quality instruction for students; retain and attract quality teachers and staff; and give time back to students and staff to improve overall performance and quality of life.
Q: With a 4-day school week, what days are students out of school?
A: Under a 4-day school week, students attend school Monday-Thursday. Students are off most Fridays with a few exceptions that are identified on the school calendar.
Q: Does a 4-day school week cause us to go to school later in the year?
A: No. We will still end the school year by Memorial Day weekend.
Q: Are school days longer under a 4-day school week?
A: Yes. A 4-day school week extends the school day by approximately 1 hour.
Q: With a 4-day school week, do Fridays become online school days?
A: No. With a 4-day school week, there is no school on Fridays.
Q: Is a 4-day school week be mandatory?
A: Yes. A 4-day school week applies to all students and campuses and replaces the current school schedule.
Q: Does a 4-day week shorten our holidays or breaks during the year?
A: No. There are no changes to existing breaks, including Fall Break, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break.
Q: With a 4-day school week, why are students out on Fridays not Mondays?
A: Districts who implement a 4-day school week have found that Fridays off better meet the needs of students and families.
Q: With a 4-day school week, do students lose instructional time?
A: No. Texas measures instructional time by minutes rather than days. Students still attend the full 75,600 minutes required by the State of Texas without sacrificing any learning time for students.
Q: With a 4-day school week, is tutoring available?
A: Tutoring will continue to be offered before and after each school day. Additionally, Life School has scheduled one Friday each month for acceleration opportunities.
Q: With a 4-day school week, what are the start and end times at my school?
A: The bell schedule would vary by campus. Campus schedules should be available on campus websites by February 2023.
Q: With a 4-day school week, is childcare available on Fridays?
A: Parents will need to make arrangements for childcare on Fridays. Life School is exploring options with our before-school and after-school partners to support interested families.
Q: With a 4-day school week, are meals available on Fridays?
A: Life School is exploring a solution for meals for families in need.
Q: How does a 4-day school week affect extracurricular activities on Fridays (games, etc.)?
A: All extracurricular activities proceed as normal.
Q: How does a 4-day school week impact Dual Credit / Early College credit?
A: Providing Fridays off avoids disruptions to Dual Credit classes. Life School continues to partner with Dallas College for our Dual Credit courses at Life High School Oak Cliff and Navarro College for Life High School Waxahachie.
Q: How would a 4-day school week affect academic performance?
A: Schools who have moved to a 4-day school week have shown similar academic performance compared to a 5-day school week while improving the well-being of students and staff.
Meanwhile, a 4-day school week would allow more time in the school calendar for targeted assistance for students throughout the school year.
Q: Under a 4-day school week, would students have to make up days due to inclement weather or other campus closures?
A: As normal, two makeup days are scheduled at the end of the school year if needed.
Q: Was a 4-day school week implemented to save money?
A: No. Moving to a 4-day school week is budget-neutral.
Q: Under a 4-day school week, are athletic events still held on Fridays?
A: Yes. Athletic and other extracurricular events take place as scheduled as required by UIL. The coaches/sponsors will communicate what time students need to be at the school on Fridays.
Q: Under a 4-day school week, would athletes be able to meet teams at the games on Friday instead of coming to the school for transportation?
A: Athletes would be expected to follow team rules for team travel and ride to and from games with the team. There may be exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
Q: Under a 4-day school week, would athletic practices still be held on Fridays?
A: This would depend upon the season, sport, and level (junior high, junior varsity, varsity, etc.). In-season sports would likely have games on Fridays as scheduled. Practices may be called on Fridays for in-season sports depending on game schedules.
Off-season sports may have open gyms, fields, and weight training for students to attend. The dates and times would be communicated in advance.
Q: Do student-athletes lose athletic period time with a 4-day school week?
A: No. The athletic period will increase a few minutes per week with the new 4-day school week. Athletic periods are increased Monday-Thursday making up for the time lost on Fridays.
Q: Under a 4-day school week, are student-athletes required to attend Friday games and practices?
A: Yes. Student-athletes are expected to participate in all Friday games, practices and Open Gyms, Fields, and Weight-Trainings as scheduled by their coaches. The current athletic practice schedule during breaks (Fall Break, Thanksgiving Break, Christmas Break, etc.) continues to be followed depending on the sport/season.
Q: Under a 4-day school week, does Life School provide transportation to school events scheduled on Fridays?
A: No. Students are expected to provide their own transportation to the school and arrive at the assigned time.
Q: With a 4-day school week, do middle school athletes practice on Fridays?
A: At this point, most Middle School practices take place from Monday-Thursday unless otherwise scheduled by the coach.
Q: How does a 4-day school week affect the athletic eligibility calendar?
A: Life School continues a 9-weeks grading calendar. There is a first 6-week check for eligibility where students can lose eligibility followed by a 9-week report card where students can again lose or regain eligibility. After the first 9-Week Report, students can only regain eligibility if passing everything at each 3 weeks progress report and only lose eligibility at the 9-week grading report.
Q: When will a proposed calendar and schedule be available for the 4-day school week?
A: The school calendar and daily schedules are available at lifeschool.net/calendar