Last February the theme of a four-day week emerged as a leading topic in a series of community surveys. By asking, "What are your thoughts, ideas, and concerns the district should consider around the idea of a four-day school week?," the district began the conversation by gathering initial impressions from the BA community concerning a four-day school week. More than 4,000 people took the time to respond to this question, and that feedback not only established a baseline sentiment for the idea, but it also helped the district leadership team begin the process of identifying challenges and opportunities associated with the proposal. The results of that survey can still be reviewed.

The Why

For the past several years, schools across the nation have been experimenting with hybrid and four-day calendars for a number of reasons, one of which is teacher recruitment and retention. Schools that have moved to a hybrid calendar have experienced an increase in teacher applicants, attracted applicants with more years of experience, had an increase in teacher retention, and experienced a decrease in absenteeism. Some schools have also been able to increase student engagement through unique extracurricular options on the "off day," or improve academic performance by using the "off day" as a time for targeted intervention (ex. tutoring) with students who face challenges. Mental health continues to be a challenge for both students and staff in a post-covid world, and some districts have reported an improvement in mental health among students as evidenced by fewer absences, less bulling and fewer disciplinary issues. For all of these reasons, district leaders in Broken Arrow felt the topic of a hybrid calendar worth investigation.

The How

Since that initial survey, district leaders have continued researching the topic. Local school districts and comparably sized districts across the nation have been contacted for information about their calendars, and a committee of more than 125 BAPS parents, staff members and students is currently exploring the challenges and opportunities associated with reimagining the school calendar. The term, "hybrid" is now being used instead of “four-day,” because the resulting instructional calendar may not be a simple, clean four days each week for the entire year. While schools across the state and nation are experimenting with new calendar models, we are committed to finding the right fit for Broken Arrow. This committee will assess the potential impact on students, staff and the overall learning environment to determine the best possible structure for our district.

The committee is divided into six specific research areas:

1. Elementary Instruction

2. Secondary Instruction

3. Special Education

4. Support Services (Child Nutrition, Transportation & Childcare)

5. Student Activities

6. Human Resources & Finance

These committees are tasked with exploring the pros and cons in each area, and must find solutions that:

• Preserve or increase instructional time

• Maintain order in schools

• Result in no reduction of employee hours/wages

• Maintain or increase student activities/engagement/services

As the subcommittees continue their work, members of the public are welcome to submit questions using the following form. Questions will be shared with subcommittees to ensure all topics are included in the discussions and research.

The public is also invited to take a second survey with more specific questions focused exclusively on the serious consideration and possible impacts of a hybrid calendar. Your input is vital in this conversation. This exchange will only take a few minutes, so please continue the conversation with us!

No decisions regarding the calendar have been made at this time, and the committee will present its final recommendation to the Board of Education in February. The tentative timeline for research and a final decision are as follows:

• Subcommittee work dates - minimum of two before Nov. 1

• Second large committee meeting date: Nov. 6

• Progress update to Board of Education: Nov. 11

• Subcommittee work dates - minimum of two before Jan. 24

• Third Community Survey - prior to Jan. 29

• Final large committee meeting date: Jan. 29 

• Final recommendation to Board of Education: Feb. 10

• Decision on 25-26 Instructional Calendar by Board of Education: March 10

If a hybrid calendar is NOT adopted, a traditional instructional calendar will be approved at the March Board Meeting.