Paid Time To Stay Home and Short Summer

Today was my first day of the school year for my part time ALT job.

It was a long day.

My schedule changed to accommodate more lessons and I'm working with two new "Gaikokugo" teachers for the first time.

Nothing too different other than the masks and spaced out desks.

Students didn't look super happy to be back at school, haha.

When I was stamping my inkan at the end of the day, I noticed that my schedule had been marked with some hours I didn't work.

I chatted with the staff about it - this was the answer to why I had been paid way more than expected for April. The university had decided to pay me for half of the hours I normally worked (last year), which I didn't expect at all, as a contract part-timer.

I really appreciate this because I don't normally get benefits for this job.

In fact, I contacted them right away after seeing my payslip last week because I thought they had made a mistake.

The special paid days are marked with, "在宅" - (zaitaku) staying at home.

The hours were added for both April and May, but not March as the higher-ups hadn't yet decided if the benefit would be given.

I asked about another thing that has been on my mind: the schedule for this term/school year.

I had heard rumors, and even seen news articles mentioning potentially extending the school year into the summer vacation. 

I just worked through Golden Week at my other job which has remained open this whole time, so I want my summer vacation this year!

It hasn't been decided yet, but at the school where I work they are thinking about extending the first term until early August, taking a couple weeks for summer vacation, and starting the second term in late August.

I understand this makes sense as it's not exactly possible to extend the end of the school year with such a short and busy spring break season in Japan.

Maybe it's just my distaste for doing anything during Japanese summers in general, but I still can't help but feel unhappy (read: いやだ) about it.

I've planned to visit family in July when my other job has their summer break, at the usual start of the summer vacation for schools.

If the summer vacations don't line up (but I can actually use the flights I bought at a steep discount), I'm just gonna have to take a couple weeks off before the shortened summer vacation even starts.

How about your work vacation schedule / kids' school schedules?