An Open Broadcast Instuctional Week

Rory J. Koopmans, B. Admin., #203, 8912-156 Street, Edmonton, Alberta T5R 5Z2

March XIIIth, MMX

Hon. David G. Hancock, QC, MLA, Minister of Education, Progressive Conservative, Edmonton-Whitemud

Dear David:

Why not allow some schools II switch over to a Tuesday to Saturday or even a Saturday to Wednesday or Sunday to Thursday format? Arguably, there are parents who work shift work & weekends. So an optional switchover to these other II staggered schedules would work better IV them. Clearly allowing people II send their kids II school on a schedule that works IV them & their child will make the school way more attractive to those prospective parental cliients. Not to mention of course II the kids themselves.

Besides David, who is to say that there are not adults who like to work weekends and have their days off during the week or otherwise have say the Friday/Saturday off or the Sunday/Monday off instead of the usual Saturday/Sunday offering? I would argue that since Muslim's take Fridays off as their Sabbath, Saturday to Wednesday would be better for them. Jews have Saturdays off, So say Sunday to Thursday would work better for their needs.

I would also argue David that IV a child to emotionally bond to his/her parent, this staggered schedule would allow the parent II attend class with their once a week to ensure the education they receive is valuable commensurate with the taxes that they are paying. I would also point out that there are teachers, especially substituteswho would gladly give up their weekends every week in exchange IV full time work. Some teachers would arguably prefer II have say Monday/Tuesday or Wednesday/Thursday off instead as it suits their needs better.

So who really David is to say that schools have to run Monday-Friday? Run them hard, Monday-Sunday & you'll garner a fresh perspective and an increased capacity overall. Kids will see that they will have no barriers to their education just because they are operational on a different weekly schedule. Subsequently, their schools become less likely IV closure & more sttractive as an option. As a result, school attendance overall has II go up as a result. Even if its suburbanite kids being brought in.

Regards,

Rory

Source: Kansas Public Schools.