Half days will stay on Fridays next school year after all. The Hernando County School Board made that decision during the Jan. 14 meeting.
In its first meeting of 2025, the Board approved the calendar for the next school year but did so with a caveat. The early release days for professional development, frequently referred to as half days, won’t be moved from Fridays to Wednesdays as originally proposed.
Instead, the Board voted 5-0 to keep the five scheduled half days on the final Friday of each month from August through February.
“From a parental standpoint, Fridays are more convenient for taking off work early than asking an employer can I have in the middle of the week. It’s easier to take off at the end of the week early,” said new Board member Kayce Hawkins. “Also, I did enjoy the flexibility of picking up the kids early and heading out for a vacation, almost like a three-day weekend.
“As a former teacher, having Friday as your half-day is a little easier than a Wednesday because they do have to change their schedule. It’s required even on half days to have breakfast, lunch and specials, and when they have it on a Wednesday it scrunches everything.”
Hawkins did admit that as a business owner having a Friday half day also increases the possibility of staff taking off to have a full three-day weekend. Dana Blazsek, chairperson for the calendar committee, told the Board that the reason for moving the half days to Wednesdays was in response to complaints about staff and parents taking advantage of Friday half days to create three-day weekends.
Board chairperson Shannon Rodriguez agreed with Hawkins, feeling students and teachers would thrive more having the half day at the end of the week. “Whether anyone wants to admit it or not, but mentally everyone subconsciously checks outs,” Rodriguez said. “When you know you have a half day it’s kind of like working up until Christmas and that last day before the holidays, it’s sort of you’re there but you’re not. And I think that’s the same way on a half day.
“So putting that on a Wednesday, I feel like it’s harder because it disrupts the middle of the week. If you were do it through the week, they’re getting their full potential and then on the Friday when we make it the half day they’re already knowing that they’re coming and going right back out. So you’re not getting all their attention. Whether it’s with the students or with the teachers, it’s harder.”
Hawkins, who will be on the calendar committee moving forward, was the Board member who pulled the calendar item on the agenda for discussion. “I’m not in favor of them, not really a fan,” Hawkins said of half days. “They incur the same cost to the district as a full day. The primary reason for half days are to facilitate professional development. However, teachers often feel exhausted after a half day with students and either choose to leave or use comp time. Often, they are fatigued and not as engaged in the professional development.
“Additionally absentee rate tends to be higher because parents find it inconvenient to send their children to school on half days. They often use it for vacation purposes, as well.”
She suggested combining half days into full days of professional development. However, by law there must be 180 days on the calendar with students in attendance, and contractually there can only be 197 days including six paid holidays for teachers.
“I would love the idea of full days PDs (for professional development) compared to half days because you’re right, we’re tired,” Blazsek said. “It does make more sense, 100%. But because of the 197, we can’t.”
