Several schools on 4-day week
Posted: Tuesday, November 25, 2008
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- Sixteen school districts in South Dakota have gone to four-day weeks. They are among more than 100 districts in 17 states to adopt shorter weekly schedules.
Most of the South Dakota districts that have made the change are west of the Missouri River.
Education officials cite rising costs of busing students to school in sprawling districts as a prime reason for canceling classes one day a week.
Former state Education Secretary Rick Melmer isn't convinced that four-day weeks are a good idea. He says the long weekends may result in the need to rehash previously taught materials for students on Mondays.
"Any time you're extending breaks for kids, you're creating more need for remedial education ... the necessity to go back and do re-teaching on Monday after a long weekend," Melmer said.
The Deuel School District in northeast South Dakota has made the change. Superintendent Dean Christensen says that sometimes change is needed. In fact, students, teachers, administrators and parents say the education is better since the four-day school week began 15 months ago.
"People have a mind-set that high school and grade school is five days a week, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and by God, you don't change it. ... that the world is going to hell in a hand basket if you do," Christensen said. "But what we've learned here is that you have to be open to differences and to other ways of doing things."
Saving on busing costs wasn't high on his agenda when he first proposed the idea to his school board three years ago. Christensen said the motivation is to allow time for teacher development and personal attention for students.
Melmer remains puzzled about East River districts are considering the switch.
"I don't know why you want to take students out of school another day," Melmer said. "And I don't believe on the east end of the state that it makes as much sense as it does in some of the remote areas west of the river, where they have extremely long distances to go."
At Clear Lake, teachers must be at the school from 8 a.m. to noon on Fridays, giving them time to learn how better to use interactive display technology, or how to use the Internet for lesson planning, or simply to talk with colleagues.
"There were quite a few in the community against it when it first came out simply because it was new," said Lynn Gudmundson, a 21-year veteran teacher. "To most people, it did not make sense. 'Spend less time in school? How are you going to get more accomplished?'
"But kids are more motivated. If they do need extra help, it's not a big deal; they get extra time with the teacher by themselves on Fridays. Really, I don't see a downside to it."
Christensen said The Deuel district saves about $65,000 a year, mostly in transportation and food preparation.
But he says improved attendance, staff development and cutting the district's failure rate are all much more valuable than any drop in fuel costs.
Christensen said he has been invited to speak in other districts about his school's success.
"I think there are a lot of administrators out there waiting to see what's going to happen to Dean Christensen," he said. "'Are they going to run him out of town or what?'
"To be honest, I think the answer is becoming clearer. I'm proud of trying to be in front of the curve in education. There's no question to me but that it's one of the better decisions I've made as an administrator in my 30 years."
Most of the South Dakota districts that have made the change are west of the Missouri River.
Education officials cite rising costs of busing students to school in sprawling districts as a prime reason for canceling classes one day a week.
Former state Education Secretary Rick Melmer isn't convinced that four-day weeks are a good idea. He says the long weekends may result in the need to rehash previously taught materials for students on Mondays.
"Any time you're extending breaks for kids, you're creating more need for remedial education ... the necessity to go back and do re-teaching on Monday after a long weekend," Melmer said.
The Deuel School District in northeast South Dakota has made the change. Superintendent Dean Christensen says that sometimes change is needed. In fact, students, teachers, administrators and parents say the education is better since the four-day school week began 15 months ago.
"People have a mind-set that high school and grade school is five days a week, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and by God, you don't change it. ... that the world is going to hell in a hand basket if you do," Christensen said. "But what we've learned here is that you have to be open to differences and to other ways of doing things."
Saving on busing costs wasn't high on his agenda when he first proposed the idea to his school board three years ago. Christensen said the motivation is to allow time for teacher development and personal attention for students.
Melmer remains puzzled about East River districts are considering the switch.
"I don't know why you want to take students out of school another day," Melmer said. "And I don't believe on the east end of the state that it makes as much sense as it does in some of the remote areas west of the river, where they have extremely long distances to go."
At Clear Lake, teachers must be at the school from 8 a.m. to noon on Fridays, giving them time to learn how better to use interactive display technology, or how to use the Internet for lesson planning, or simply to talk with colleagues.
"There were quite a few in the community against it when it first came out simply because it was new," said Lynn Gudmundson, a 21-year veteran teacher. "To most people, it did not make sense. 'Spend less time in school? How are you going to get more accomplished?'
"But kids are more motivated. If they do need extra help, it's not a big deal; they get extra time with the teacher by themselves on Fridays. Really, I don't see a downside to it."
Christensen said The Deuel district saves about $65,000 a year, mostly in transportation and food preparation.
But he says improved attendance, staff development and cutting the district's failure rate are all much more valuable than any drop in fuel costs.
Christensen said he has been invited to speak in other districts about his school's success.
"I think there are a lot of administrators out there waiting to see what's going to happen to Dean Christensen," he said. "'Are they going to run him out of town or what?'
"To be honest, I think the answer is becoming clearer. I'm proud of trying to be in front of the curve in education. There's no question to me but that it's one of the better decisions I've made as an administrator in my 30 years."
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