The Livingstone Range School Division Board of Trustees will decide if implementing a 4-day school week is in the best interest of student success, budget efficiencies, and staff retention and recruitment.
Trustees will consider the effect on student engagement, budgeting models, and stakeholder feedback to make a decision, likely in February 2025. If the decision is to move ahead with a 4-day school week, it is anticipated to begin in the 2025-2026 school year across the Division.
If you have comments, questions, or concerns please email 4dayweek@lrsd.ab.ca.
Comments from parents on a November 2020 school year calendar survey showed interest in an adjusted school week
Results of a March 2021 survey where 41% of parents and 49% of staff were in favor of exploring a 4-day school week
Comments from an October 2022 school year calendar survey where 68% expressed interest in a 4-day school week
How will a decision be made?
The Board of Trustees will consider the effect on student engagement, will use budgeting models to look for projected efficiencies, and will gather stakeholder feedback. The Trustees will use this information to make the best decision in alignment with our Mission, Vision, and Core Values. It is anticipated that a decision will be made in February 2025. A final report will accompany the decision announcement.
What does a 4-day school week look like?
We are considering a true 4-day school week where students are in class 4 full days each week. Typically this is a Monday-to-Thursday schedule, but where there is a statutory holiday during the week students will be in class four days that week (with Friday being a full day). Each day is lengthened by an average of 14 minutes to accommodate the Alberta Education requirements of annual hours. Teaching staff will work a fifth day approximately twice each month to effectively meet their professional responsibilities.
How can I get involved?
The Board of Trustees wants to understand and acknowledge stakeholders’ perspectives and concerns. As part of our engagement plan the Division will reach out to these stakeholder groups between May and November 2024:
Parents/guardians
Staff
Student leaders
Elders and indigenous partners
Union executives
Parents/guardians of pre-kindergarten children
Community members
Draft Calendar
The potential draft 2025-2026 school year is designed to show staff and families what a likely 4-day school week schedule would look like. It is important to understand that the calendar is subject to change.
The Staff Calendar includes professional development, collaboration, and planning, days. The Parent Calendar is simplified to show the days students attend school (green), statutory holidays (orange), winter and spring breaks (red), and the days students do not attend school (grey).
"We want to be in conversation with our stakeholder groups and really listen to their thoughts and feelings. As a Board, it is important to us that parents, staff, students, indigenous partners, and the community are part of this process." -Lori Hodges, Board of Trustees Chair.
The Trustees will seek feedback from stakeholder groups to understand their perspectives and concerns. This information, along with budgeting models and the effect on student engagement will be considered as the Board makes its decision, likely in February 2025.
Date
Stakeholder Group
May 2024
ATA, CUPE, Parents, Staff
June 2024
Indigenous partners
September 2024
Students, Community
October 2024
Parents, Staff
November 2024
Parents, Pre-Kindergarten Parents
In December 2024 we will compile reports of the feedback and share that with Trustees in January 2025.
We look forward to being in conversation with you!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Our team is working hard to answer more of your questions.
We know you have questions about staff schedule impact and concerns about childcare. We will have information on these important topics for you soon.
Where did the idea for a 4-day school week come from?
Comments from parents on a November 2020 school year calendar survey showed interest in an adjusted school week. The results of a March 2021 survey showed 41% of parents and 49% of staff were in favor of exploring a 4-day school week. In comments from an October 2022 school year calendar survey, 68% expressed interest in a 4-day school week. Because of this, the Board of Trustees requested information presentations from Superintendent Darryl Seguin in September 2021 and December 2023.
What approval from Alberta Education would be needed to change to a 4-day school week?
In the province of Alberta there is no minimum number of days students must attend school. Instead, the requirements are around instructional time which for elementary students (Grades 1-9) is 950 hours and for high school (Grades 10-12) is 1000 required hours of instruction each school year
Who will make the decision about a 4-day school week in LRSD?
The Board of Trustees will seek input from stakeholders and recommendations from senior administration to understand all perspectives. Then, the Board of Trustees will decide if implementing a 4-day school week is in the best interest of student success, budget efficiencies, and staff retention and recruitment. It is anticipated that this decision will be made in February 2025.
What factors are being considered around a move to a 4-day school week?
The Board of Trustees have identified three key factors related to a potential 4-day school week:
Student Success (effect on student engagement)
Budget Efficiencies (projected savings)
Staff Retention and Recruitment (effect on staffing)
In addition, the Trustees seek to understand the perspectives and concerns of stakeholders. This feedback will also be considered in the decision.
Is this idea driven by staff?
No. Originally, this idea came from parent calendar input survey comments. Subsequent surveys for parents and staff showed interest in looking at a 4-day school week. Trustees are considering the impact on students, families, and staff with the main criteria being whether it is in the best interest of student success, budget efficiencies, and staff retention and recruitment.
What is the timeline for considering and implementing a 4-day school week?
Since November 2020, the Trustees have been looking at available research and modeling regarding a 4-day school week. From May to November 2024, the Trustees will seek feedback from families, students, staff, indigenous partners, pre-Kindergarten parents, union executives, and community members. This information will be compiled and reported to the Trustees in January 2025. It is anticipated that the Trustees will make a decision in February 2025 whether or not to proceed with a 4-day school week.
If the decision is in favor, a 4-day school week would begin in the 2025-2026 school year in all schools across Livingstone Range School Division.
What are the potential effects of a 4-day school week for students?
Research about the effects of a 4-day school week in North America is both limited and inconclusive. However, in our local context we anticipate potential benefits such as:
Increased student attendance. Our data shows that Fridays are consistently the lowest-attended school day of the week. A 4-day week may mean families are more likely to ensure consistent attendance.
Increased student engagement. Due to attendance and timetabling, students may be more actively engaged during the school day.
Improved academic results and graduation rates. Some jurisdictions have seen improved academic performance on a 4-day school week calendar. We would monitor and track this carefully should a 4-day school week be implemented.
Increased transition rates to post-secondary or workforce after graduation. With greater academic results and more time in a student’s week for dual credit, work experience, and other opportunities, we would hope to see greater success in transitioning after high school.
Improved school/home balance. Many parent comments have suggested that having their children home an additional day each week would provide greater opportunities for children to be involved in family activities such as agriculture, recreation, and vacations.
There is also an exciting opportunity to work with academic researchers to study the effects of a 4-day week on students, families, and staff. If implemented, we would be one of the first jurisdictions in Canada and there is great potential for contributing to post-secondary academic research.
What would a 4-day school week look like for students?
We are considering a true 4-day school week where students are in class 4 full days each week. Typically this is a Monday-to-Thursday schedule, but where there is a statutory holiday on a weekday, students would be in school the other four days of the week (including a full day Friday).
A potential draft calendar for the 2025-2026 school year has 157 instructional days for students. For comparison, the 2023-2024 school year has 180 instructional days. Those days would be made up by increased instructional time each day. This varies by school, with average increases of 15 min for Grades 1-6, 6 minutes for Grades 7-9, and 23 minutes for Grades 10-12.
How would a 4-day school week affect virtual school and outreach school students?
For about a year and a half, LRSD Pursuits Virtual School, MHHS Gateway School, and Walshe Crossroads Campus Outreach Program have operated on a 4-day school week schedule. This has been very successful for students and staff. Students of these learning communities would see no change.
How would a 4-day school week work at Hutterite Colony schools?
Students at Hutterite Colony schools would have their Livingstone Range School Division teacher for the 4-day school week schedule. Individual colonies would make arrangements for students on the Friday that would work best in their context.
Would individual schools have their own calendar, potentially with additional days off?
No. The divisional calendar would be the standard, and schools would not be able to modify or request additional days off.
Could we instead have a 5-day week and end the school year earlier in June?
Alberta Education sets the dates for diploma exams and provincial achievement tests (PATs). Because we cannot change those dates or administer those exams earlier in June, it is necessary to have a school calendar that includes the latest exam dates for students.
