What do you call days when school ends early - minimum days, early out days?

[pbooker]

I have a terminology question. I'm developing a computer system that centrally coordinates all school volunteer opportunities such as playground duty, reading in class, fun fairs, auctions.... Some things like playground duty aren't scheduled on days when school ends early (for instance at midday instead of 3pm). At the school where our children go these are called "minimum days". However I'm wondering if the term differs at different schools.

Do you have days like this at your children's school - what do you call these days?

- minimum days

- early out days

Thanks in advance  - if I don't use a term that's familiar to all it would make things confusing. I'd appreciate guidance from moms that know.

pbooker

[OK, so I confess - I'm a dad!]

Edited by pbooker - 11/1/11 at 7:33pm

[whatsnextmom]

In our area we use them both in different ways. For example, the elementary schools release kids 1 hour early once a week for staff development (same day every week all year long.) These are "Early out" days.

Minimum days are half days (kids get our 2 or 3 hours early) and only occur during yearly conferences or on random staff development days (no real routine.)

Of course, any school could use them any way I suppose. I would say that if the kids are getting out at noon and no playground staff is called in, you are talking about a minimum day. In our area, early out days still include a full staff.

[Geofizz]

It probably varies by district. 

Here it's:

"Early Release" = out at 1:15 pm

"AM only" = out at 11:05 am and kindergarten is canceled.

[rachelsmama]

Here I think they're called early dismissal days, or half days.

[moominmamma]

Early dismissal here.

Miranda

[pbooker]

Thank you so much. I'm hoping to use a single term - "early dismissal" sounds like something everyone would understand and I can let the school configure what exact times these may mean on any given "early dismissal".

This greatly helps reduce any possibility of confusion!

pbooker

Edited by pbooker - 11/1/11 at 7:33pm

[ollyoxenfree]

Early dismissal is also used here.

DD's school also has a "late start" day once a month. Classes start mid-morning on those days. Not sure if you want your program to anticipate other possibilities but I think it's fairly common at local schools. 

[pbooker]

Late start - that's interesting. I haven't encountered that. Does anyone else have late start days? (If it's not common I don't want to add things that could be counter to user interface simplicity)

Are there volunteer events that happen on every day EXCEPT late start days? 
(E.g. reading, class helper...). 

Otherwise I'm allowing users to schedule opportunities as follows:

- on a single date

- every school day

- every school day that is not an early out day

- every 3rd Monday of the month (for example) when school is in

- every 15th of the month (for example) when school is in

- more complex (e.g. auction,book fair or fun fair with people needed at different times/shifts)

I really appreciate all the insight you're providing. It's really helpful. Again thank you.

pbooker

Edited by pbooker - 11/1/11 at 7:33pm

[whatsnextmom]

Originally Posted by pbooker 

Late start - that's interesting. I haven't encountered that. Does anyone else have late start days? (If it's not common I don't want to add things that could be counter to user interface simplicity)

Richard

Some of the high schools in our county do "late start" this once a month instead of having a minimum day. It's popular for teenagers and makes sense for staff development but I've not seen it done at the elementary/middle school level.

[ollyoxenfree]

Hm. Out of curiosity, I just googled "late start school days" and came up with hits from various North American cities. There seem to be 2 purposes. One, the most common, is a regular late start day, typically monthly, for teachers to meet for curriculum review and planning. That's what happens at DD's school, which is a high school. The other is to allow teens to start their school day later and end later, to reflect their sleep patterns.  

I imagine volunteer events on late start days will vary between schools. At some schools, they may take advantage of the free time to schedule an extra co-curricular or extra-curricular club meeting or sport practice or drama rehearsal or mentor program meeting for volunteers. 

[ollyoxenfree]

Originally Posted by whatsnextmom 

Some of the high schools in our county do "late start" this once a month instead of having a minimum day. It's popular for teenagers and makes sense for staff development but I've not seen it done at the elementary/middle school level.

From my google search, it does happen at the elementary school level too. No idea just how common it is, but those 3 districts indicate that it doesn't seem unusual. There were more examples aside from those 3 that I've linked. 

[whatsnextmom]

Originally Posted by ollyoxenfree 

From my google search, it does happen at the elementary school level too. No idea just how common it is, but those 3 districts indicate that it doesn't seem unusual. There were more examples aside from those 3 that I've linked. 

I'm just commenting on my own county. I'm wasn't suggesting it never happens.

[ollyoxenfree]

Originally Posted by whatsnextmom 

I'm just commenting on my own county. I'm wasn't suggesting it never happens.

Sure, I didn't think you were. I was just trying to give the OP a little more information about it and where he might find it happening at the elementary level in case he thought it didn't apply to that age group, particularly since I mentioned that it's also at the high school level in DD's case. Some of those google hits discuss some of the inconveniences to parents of late start days. I imagine that volunteer programs fill in with activities and supervision in some school districts. 

[its_betty]

My son's middle school has a late start every Wednesday. The teachers have meetings, training etc that morning. The class schedule is changed to "block" schedule for Wednesday and Thursday: they have longer class periods for 3 classes on Wednesday, and the other 4 classes on Thursday.

The local Y offers an at-school morning program (for free to families) on the late start day. Or kids can do homework and socialize in the lunch room. The buses run at the regular time, so kids who have to take the bus get to school early that day. My son rides his bike to school, so he usually sleeps late. : )

[JollyGG]

Have the calendar next to me - Early dismissal (lets out at 1:00)

[JollyGG]

Originally Posted by pbooker 

Late start - that's interesting. I haven't encountered that. Does anyone else have late start days? (If it's not common I don't want to add things that could be counter to user interface simplicity)

We also do late start days. In our district it will be something like late start middle school, early dismissal high school.

I assume it is to coordinate busing or perhaps allowing people involved in training in different building time to hit all the schools.

Just looked at the calendar and I don't see any late starts this year, but have had them in the past.

[pbooker]

Really useful. Thank you. If you are interested in providing any further input / critiquing (=helping) please do drop me a private message and I can share with you some test input screens for setting up volunteer opportunities. The system is a work in progress (some functions are working, some aren't) but it's starting to come together.

I've learned a lot from this discussion thread - it's really helpful and made me aware that I need to deal with late starts! Thank you for all your real world (real mom) input.

pbooker

Edited by pbooker - 11/1/11 at 7:33pm

[Linda on the move]

Early Release

The only way I've seen late start days were related to weather -- to give more time to clear streets and to miss the morning rush after a snow fall. The reason for still having school rather than having a snow day was because so many parents work that a "snow day" meant lots and lots of children left unattended all day.

[Peony]

The local school district calls their half days Early Release. My DD's school (private) calls it Half Days. 

[Justmee]

We always called them early dismissal - half day.