More flexibility, fewer Fridays: Why some Sask. communities are rethinking the school week

An alternative school calendar has been proposed for Chinook and Sun West Divisions. Officials believe the change will lead to improvements in student attendance and achievement. (Image Credit: Nicole Garn/CJME)

More flexibility, fewer Fridays: Why some Sask. communities are rethinking the school week Some rural Saskatchewan schools are rethinking what a typical school week looks like. School divisions, including Chinook and Sun West, are exploring or adopting a four-day school week.

Shawn Davidson, president of the Saskatchewan School Boards Association, said the model isn’t about reducing classroom learning, but rather creating a schedule that better reflects the realities of rural life. “It’s actually not a four-day week every week. It’s actually 14 Fridays that the kids don’t go to school,” Davidson explained.

“The amount of instructional time that’s embedded in the calendar is exactly the same.”