What Happened to Early Release?

In the middle of 2019, Wake County Public Schools announced a change that would impact students, parents, teachers, and staff.

It was about early releases being removed and replaced with more teacher workdays. This topic erupted like a volcano in schools.  Some students and teachers were in support of early releases, others applauded the change. In the end, WCPSS decided to take away early release days, which often took place on a Friday or on a day before vacation. The result of the decision has been the loss of all early releases in exchange for more teacher workdays.

To see what the GLHS community thinks, I interviewed Principal Summers along with students Lucas Adam, and Maanas Reddi.

Principal Summers reports that Wake County made the switch because early release days were inefficient for both teachers and students. It was felt that 30 – 40 minute classes were not helpful in allowing students to learn or do anything of substance. Principal Summers says she would have preferred a “Wacky Wednesday” plan (where schools release one hour early every Wednesday) to early release days.

Students Lucas Adam and Maanas Reddi had different opinions. Adam is happy with more teacher workdays and no early releases because he likes full days off better than half days. Specifically, Adam wants this idea to last longer because he wants to keep the extra teacher workdays. But on the other end, Maanas Reddi wants early releases back because on the days of the early release, school seemed more enjoyable–he could learn a little and have a lot of fun. Reddi said that he thought the best plan would be to bring back the early release days and keep the extra teacher workdays.  

No word yet on how Wake County feels about that suggestion.