Schools Districts Considering Four-Day Weeks

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Posted: 7:39 AM Jun 12, 2008
Last Updated: 7:39 AM Jun 12, 2008

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FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Some Kentucky school districts are considering four-day instructional weeks to combat the rising cost of bus fuel.

The Lexington Herald-Leader quoted Kentucky School Board member Kaye Baird as saying schools are trying to save every way they can.

The board was meeting in Frankfort.

Baird and Associate Education Commissioner Larry Stinson said districts must be careful to get the required 177 days of instruction completed in each school year.

Webster County schools and the Jenkins Independent Schools in Letcher County have been on a four-day schedule for the past few years.

Both lengthened their school days so students receive the required number of hours of instruction.

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Posted by: a, c. Location: KY on Jun 15, 2008 at 09:17 AM
It is a proven fact that people are not as productive in the last hour of the day as they were in the first hour. Ask someone who has been assigned to twelve hour days. Also learning is not as successful when you are tired from working or spending long hours reading and studying. Test yourself. Children and adults need time to achieve at the highest level. More hours added to the length of the day will not be as successful in educating children. check the resultss of studies done by factories to increase production of products and of learning the knowledge necessary to be successful. Don't just jump on the bandwagon because it sounds good. Think first. The lives of our children and their future deserves more.

Posted by: Mom Location: KY on Jun 15, 2008 at 07:56 AM
to Pro/Cons-Mt. Sterling---I think Adecco is hiring for Nestle, day shift at $9 per hour

Posted by: Anonymous on Jun 14, 2008 at 08:45 PM
This is why other countries are getting smarter and America is getting stupider.

Posted by: mom Location: Pike Co. on Jun 14, 2008 at 08:20 AM
Pike Co. doesn't have fall break so getting rid of it wouldn't help out at all I myself think this is a good idea so that the 5th day I could make dr appts and so on so my children wouldn't haft to miss school for the appts. I myself think it will help the parents and children.

Posted by: I for it Location: Johnson on Jun 13, 2008 at 08:29 PM
First and foremost schools are not baby sitters, the school systems has to do what they have to do, or pass the extra cost to the tax payers. No one has thought how much taxes that will be added on to your phone, water, tv, etc., also your property tax bill will be going up also. I don't want anymore tax raises on my bills, I am cutting as much as I can already, so if this same me and the school system money, by all means go for the 4 days a week...It is costing money for the school employee to drive to school with the amount of money the classified get paid anyway and they are not making a paycheck with the price of gas and food. This way they go longer during the day and don't have to worry about the 5th day buying gas and food...

Posted by: Anonymous on Jun 13, 2008 at 07:05 PM
take the money u save and give it to me.

Posted by: J Location: KY on Jun 13, 2008 at 09:58 AM
Why don't they cut out the week-long fall and spring breaks? That would give them some of the instructional time they are worried about if they go to a 4-day week. Back in the stone age, when I attended school, we had a "spring" break which was Good Friday and a "fall" break which was Thanksgiving day and the day after. What is actually wrong with that?

Posted by: PRO/CONS Location: MT.STERLING on Jun 13, 2008 at 07:42 AM
WELL IM NOT SO SURE I GUESS IT HAS PROS AND CONS. MY SON IS 11 AND GOING TO MIDDLE SCHOOL WHERE THEY HAVE A DRESS CODE..I HATE IT! I WILL HAVE TO BUY CLOTHES BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS BECAUSE CANT HAVE LOLGS NO BIGGER THAN QUATER ON SHIRTS, AND SWEATSHIRTS MUST HAVE MONTGOMERY CO ON THEM. LIKE IT'S NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO RAISE AND GET CHILDCARE NOW THEY TELL US WHAT THEY CAN WEAR. I DO BELIEVE IN LIMITS TO WHAT THEY WEAR BUT THEY ARE A LIL OVER BOARD. HOWEVER MY SON IS 11 THERE ARE NO CHILD CARE FOR HIS AGE SO HE MUST GO HOME AFTER SCHOOL, WHICH I DON'T LIKE, BUT WHAT CAN I DO. I WORK IN WINCHESTER AND WAS TOLD YESTERDAY WE GO TO 4 DAYS WEEK, BUT 8 HOUR DAYS SO I LOSE 8 HOURS OFF MY CHECK. WHICH IS NOT HELPFUL! WITH FOOD AND GAS GOING UP I CANT AFFORD TO LOSE INCOME. I KNOW ITS HARD ENOUGH FOR KIDS TO BE STILL IN THOSE HARD SEATS TO HAVE TO GO 2 HRS LONGER. BY THE WAY ANYONE KNOW OF ANY GOOD JOBS IN MT.STERLING OR WINCHESTER. HOWEVER I DONT THINK PARENTS WILL HAVE A SAY IN 4 DAY WEEKS.

Posted by: kellie Location: lexington , kentucky on Jun 13, 2008 at 06:43 AM
I THINK ITS A GREAT IDEAL. I HAVE TWO BROTHER WHO LIVE IN LETCHER COUNTY THEY GO 4 DAYS THEY LOVE IT THEY LEARN JUST LIKE ANY ONE WHO GOSE FIVE DAYS. MY LITTLE GIRL STARTES SCHOOL THIS YEAR I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE HER ONLY GO FOUR DAYS... ALL SCHOOLS SHOULD DO IT. PLUS THE KIDS WOULD LOVE IT.

Posted by: debbie Location: ky on Jun 13, 2008 at 05:00 AM
This idea is a good one for the schools to save money, BUT, with so many working single mothers, and so many dead beat dads, thats gonna put the moms in a bind for child care while she earns a living! and cost the allready maxed out moms money she dont have, so who is gonna pay for this, and who is gonna save money?

Posted by: Parent Location: Mt Sterlin on Jun 13, 2008 at 03:37 AM
My company has just announced that they are going to change schedules so that we can get 4 10 hr days to try and relieve the pressure of gas costs, so if they school goes to a 4 day week I am one of the few fortunate that will have a similar schedule as my child.

Posted by: Wow Location: RIchmond on Jun 12, 2008 at 07:55 PM
When the prices balance and the ideas are forced to become reality most kids will be home schooled. When it turns from gettin $30 for a student to paying $500 per day per student they will all get cheap pcs and teachers will teach kids from miles away. They have it for colleges now that are strictly online and most colleges use video monitors in a few classes for professors that teach at 2 or more universities but couldnt possible make the drive to both.

Posted by: AC Location: Corbin on Jun 12, 2008 at 07:01 PM
I think this is a terrible idea. Kids, especially really young ones, have a hard enough time focusing and paying attention for 7 hrs--much less adding an extra 2 on to that! I'm all about conserving resources and being efficient; however, I don't think this is the way to do it. There's also the practical problem of child care for that extra one day a week for many families. I think this is a terrible idea!

Posted by: Parent also on Jun 12, 2008 at 02:01 PM
I think this would be a wonderful idea.

Posted by: robin Location: georgetown on Jun 12, 2008 at 01:44 PM
I say go for it. When school starts back in August it is way too hot....most air conditioners are not in the best shape in the schools, the buses are too hot. This allows more fuel to burn anyways. We all need to cut back somehow, someway. I think the state should make this mandatory until the cooler months are upon us.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Corbin on Jun 12, 2008 at 12:57 PM
It would be good for the fuel costs BUT bus drivers & monitors have got to get 20 hrs. a week to quailfy for Insurance . So therefore our insurance would be eliminated . That would not be good at all!

Posted by: sheila Location: Richmond on Jun 12, 2008 at 12:42 PM
regardless whether its 4 day a week a school or work, who really wants to work or attend classes even longer each day. We don;t have enought time in the day as it is to do normal things at home and now everyone getting home even later is going to be miserable. Gas is going to keep going up no matter whether we do 4 a days or not, things are still going to be expensive and people will still struggle to get by. I don't know how much longer I can keep working. If all I am working for is to pay for gas I might as well quit.

Posted by: Marie Location: Pikeville on Jun 12, 2008 at 11:55 AM
I think it's a good idea to have a 4-day school week. In 1989 my child went to kindergarten Monday, Wednesday and Friday of one week and Tuesday and Thursday the next week. So she actually went to school 5 days out of 10. I sure didn't like it at the time. I felt like the system was cheating her out of alot of schooling. The county only did this a couple of years. Then it was back to 5 days per week. I don't know if they didn't consider kindergaten important or what but I am glad to say that she graduated high school 3rd in her class and is a very intelligent young lady. She has a college degree and has a wonderful job. So, really when you think about it I don't believe having a 4 day school week is such a bad idea. The teachers can teach them in 4 days what they would normally learn in 5. They will do OK with it...just wait and see.

Posted by: mother of 2 Location: Pike on Jun 12, 2008 at 10:20 AM
I wish Pike Co. would this but Wagner refuse!!!

Posted by: East Ky. Mom Location: Eastern Ky. on Jun 12, 2008 at 08:51 AM
I say go for it and Mr. Draud won't feel so guilty about our tax money going to pay for the gas on his upgraded motor!!! Seriously, all districts are struggling and any way to save money so our kids can get an education I think is worth looking into. I feel this is just the beginning and it is going to only get worse. Now's the time to look at all the options and do what is best for all our kids.

Posted by: Parent Location: Winchester on Jun 12, 2008 at 08:44 AM
This is all good as long as all employers change to the same format...allowing families to save on after school and Friday child care as well by allowing parents to be home with their kids on Fridays. Problem is, I don't even know of a company/business in Clark or Fayette County that has gone to four day work weeks to help the employees out with the cost of gas to get to work...Has anyone else?? And what about the deal with Lextran to come into Winchester....I've not heard anything else on that, either. Sure would help a lot of folks out....

Posted by: M.S. Teacher Location: Knox Co on Jun 12, 2008 at 07:59 AM
The required length of instruction can be gotten very easily with a 4 day week, and the fuel costs can be cut by 20%! Having been an instructor at a year-round school (9 weeks on, 3 weeks off), I can say that the traditional schooling isn't always best. Thinking out of the box most often creates better situations for much more learning! I say, "Go for it!!"

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