On Monday, the Hot Springs School District will launch a new school schedule that will be in effect during the whole school year

Hot Springs, Arkansas – As the first day of school for the Hot Springs School District (HSSD) is scheduled to take place on Monday, July 29, 2024, the back-to-school season has arrived, and it is in full throttle. Not only does it mark the beginning of the 2024-2025 academic year, but it will also mark the commencement of their new school schedule that will be implemented throughout the entire year.

“We’re calling it a non-traditional school calendar,” said Dr. Stephanie Nehus, HSSD Superintendent.

In the event that you believe that the start date is a bit sooner than usual, that is completely normal. The revised start date, on the other hand, is a component of the district’s goal to provide students with additional time off throughout the course of the school year.

“Our students have breaks really every month as we move through this new schedule,” Dr. Nehus said. “So our first weeklong break will take place the week of Labor Day in September.”

By reducing the length of summer vacation by approximately four weeks, the High School School District (HSSD) is now able to provide these breaks throughout the year as a result of the implementation of the new year-round calendar.

According to Dr. Nehus, increasing the number of breaks that are taken during the school year could help increase attendance as well as the mental health of both the staff and the children.
In addition, she remarked that the shorter summer can have some positive aspects as well.

“Summer learning loss is real,” Dr. Nehus explained. “We realized that shortening that summer break from about 11 weeks to seven weeks, we believe, will help our students retain that information.”

During these weekly intervals, there has been considerable resistance, primarily from parents who are concerned about the availability of daycare. This is typical of any change. As stated by Dr. Nehus, the district has been making efforts to alleviate such concerns.

“We have several community partners that have opportunities for children on those break weeks,” She said. “We, as a district, are providing opportunities for our children too.”

The High School School District (HSSD) is not only implementing a new timetable for the upcoming school year, but they are also implementing a cell phone-free program for students K-12.

The phone-free practice is scheduled to begin on the first day of school, according to Dr. Nehus; however, the Yondr pouches that the school intends to use for the phones will not be delivered until the middle of August.

“It’s all about our kids,” Dr. Nehus said. “It’s all about their well-being, their focus on learning, their academic achievement, and their mental health.”