This November boasted several days off of school, more than in any other month. Teacher development day, Veterans Day, and Thanksgiving all occurred during the duration of the month. With only one full week, a total of seventeen days of school, and five days off, teachers and students are left with mixed opinions on the sporadic DCPS schedule.
Jackson-Reed teachers mostly appreciate the short weeks, with only a few citing drawbacks. “I love them. Sometimes I need a day to reset, recalibrate, and just get my mind together,” English teacher Hawa Kamara said. Exceptional learners teacher Muhammad Darab agreed, saying, “My overall opinion of shortened weeks is that they give us some time to rest [and] relax during the month of November.” Both teachers also realize the downsides of having less school, with Kamara stating, “I feel like I might get a little bit behind with my classes [and] feel pressure to rush.” Darab agreed that “[shortened weeks] may put us behind in terms of the content that teachers are teaching. You might not be able to hit all the points you want to hit.” Even through the drawbacks, the overall opinion of the teachers was resoundingly positive.
While teacher views were fairly similar, surprisingly, student opinion appeared split. Some like the extra free time while others miss being in the building.
Freshman Esme Nooruddin is a fan of the breaks. “I like [shortened weeks]. I feel more productive, less burnt-out. It’s actually kind of awesome because you know that one day when you do nothing over the weekend? It can be my one day where I do nothing and then I’m like, actually productive for the weekend which is insane,” she said
Junior Laura Vasquez-Mejia shared that she has mixed feelings on shortened weeks: “I feel like I miss out on school in a way. I kind of miss going back to school. [Shortened weeks] have ruined my sleep schedule, like, really badly.” Freshman Kira Mitchiner added, “I’m a little conflicted because I like having breaks off, but I also kind of like my classes, and I like seeing my friends at school.”
Both students and teachers pointed out the effects short weeks have on administrators and parents. “I feel like a lot of the times the shortened weeks are when, like teachers have to do report cards and stuff, so I think it’s helpful for administrators and teachers to get their work done,” Mitchiner said. Kamara adds that “[shortened weeks] might affect parents because they might, for example, be like ‘Oh who’s gonna watch my kid,’ or ‘What is my kid going to do if they don’t go to school on Friday?’ So now they have to hassle, especially if they have a reckless kid that they can’t trust at home”
Throughout the school, the general consensus on shortened weeks was positive, with few negative drawbacks. Students feel as though they get more done and enjoy having time to relax, but sometimes, they are put behind on sleep or classwork. Teachers enjoy having a break from teaching, but agree they can fall behind on work if they don’t plan well.
