4 Day School Week

[Towntalk]

Doesn't YSU's School of Education require its upper classmen to spend time in local schools under the supervision of a faculty member? It seems to me that I saw interviews with student teachers some time ago.

[AllanY2525]

Yeppers... I read about that program a while back, now that you mention it.

I guess what I was suggesting is that maybe the university could provide
additional help to the Youngstown School System (maybe via interns, etc?)

[Towntalk]

Allan:

I don't know if you are aware of it but YSU already has a program for "gifted high schoolers" to give them a head start toward college. They've had this program now for several years. These students can work toward an Associate Degree or can go on to a Bachelors or higher degrees.

Before it was turned back to the Board of Education, it was YSU's School of Engeneering, so I would think that there would be plenty of class room space.

[jay]

Decades ago the WRTA was used to transport students of the city schools.  If I recall correctly, the buses were often vandalized and the ridership by the regular bus patrons declined because of the rowdy behavior of some of the students.

[AllanY2525]

I see some pros and cons to this ...

With students only attending classes four days a week, this leaves them
with Fridays(?) off... and the potential for mischief.  For some kids in the inner
cities, attending school provides an additional benefit above and beyond the
obvious educational one - keeping the kids "off the streets".  Parents of younger
kids would have to figure out who is going to keep an eye on them during their
extra day off.

For parents who either hire a sitter to look after the kids while at work, or pay
a day-care facility to care for very young school children, this would mean an
increased financial burden for them.  When I was in Elementary school, both of
my parents were at work when I got home from school - but it was not a
problem because I had siblings who are several years older than myself to look
after me until my parents got home - and they were old enough to be at home
for short periods of time without an adult in the house.

Another issue with a compressed classroom schedule is that of attention
span.  Having a longer school day will take some adjustment on the part of
the students, in order to get them used to a longer day.  I'm assuming that
they would either come in to school earlier, or leave later in the day, or both
to make up for the missing day.

On the other hand, reopening the original building which housed The Rayen
School could be touted as a return to that building's historic roots.  Having
an open school building in the downtown area could definitely help reduce the
costs involved with transporting the kids back and forth.

I think the city should talk to the University about the possibility of helping
the city school system by providing more help with advanced level classes
for gifted students.  Using the building on Wick Avenue would literally put an
open school facilitity "right in their back yard".

Having an open school facility in the downtown area would have some other
minor benefits - more people coming and going downtown, a "breath of life",
so to speak.  This might translate into an increase in patronage of downtown
area businesses (ie: restaurants, coffee shops, etc) and maybe even encourage
someone to open a "Five and Ten" store for school supplies, etc in close proximity
to the school.  It would be nice to have a five-and-dime store downtown.  YSU
kids might even shop there.  In addition to the "old-school" paper, pencils, etc
we used to see in these stores as kids, they could sell computer and office
supplies, etc for faculty members.  How about a game arcade or a rec. center
for the kids after school?   Just some ideas - maybe wishful thinking on my part,
but there ARE possibilities......

As far as bussing is concerned, with a centrally located school building, maybe
the students could use WRTA to get to and from school(?)  The building on Wick
Avenue is very close in proximity to the WRTA transfer station downtown.
It would cost the parents more money, but it would provide some additional
revenues for the cash-strapped WRTA.

Does anyone know how many students the original Rayen School building on
Wick Avenue had a capacity for, when it last operated as such?  I would think
that it would be at least several hundred students.

[irishbobcat]

Many schools out west are on a four-day week to save costs........


Dennis Spisak

[Towntalk]

City schools may consider 4-day week for savings

http://www.vindy.com/news/2009/jan/14/city-schools-may-consider-4-day-week-for-savings/