New Bloomfield School District approves 4-day school week
NEW BLOOMFIELD, Mo. (KMIZ)
The New Bloomfield R-III school board approved a vote to move the school district to a four-day week for the 2020-2021 school year.
The measure passed on a 4-3 vote during the board's Thursday meeting. Next school year, the school week will run Tuesday through Friday.
New Bloomfield Superintendent Sarah Wisdom said the board considered the change after a teacher survey. Wisdom said 88% of district teachers surveyed were open to a four-day school week. A survey of district parents showed 50% were in favor and 18% were neutral to the switch.
Wisdom said students could still go to school on Mondays.
"Mondays are being reserved for our remediation academy," Wisdom said. "We will also use the days for snow day makeup."
The remediation academy will be available for students who need extra help. Wisdom said the academy could meet for up to 80 hours of remediation based on the school calendar approved. Buses will still run on those days for the academy.
Based on the teacher and parent surveys, the board decided to take up the proposal during its November meeting.
Wisdom addressed parents in her winter state of the school address about the possibility of switching up the school week.
The superintendent said current research shows cutting down the school week doesn't have an effect on student achievement. Wisdom said the school district could switch back in the future if that changes.
"If we start seeing a decline in achievement, we will switch back," Wisdom said.
Wisdom said the change could bring more teachers to the school district.
"Moving to a four-day school week has been used as a teacher-recruitment tool by other school districts in the state," Wisdom said. "Missouri has a teacher shortage, we are all looking at ways to bring in more teachers and keep them."
