Supt. says move could save $25,355
Read more: Local, Education, Atlanta Schools, Four Day School Week, Montmorency, School Board, 4 Day Week
Just in time for the next semester, a northern Michigan school is changing the schedule and moving from five days a week down to four.
It's happening in Montmorency County, where the Atlanta School Board met with parents in a special meeting on Monday to vote on the changes coming to the district next week.
The theory is to cut the number of school days down to just 4 per week, and make each of those four days last a little longer to make up for the extra day off. Superintendent Teresa Stauffer says the move would save the district more than $25,000 dollars this semester.
A number of other cuts have already been made throughout the district, and the Superintendent says the next step would have been to start cutting teachers. Instead, starting Monday the 25th, all students will be in class an hour earlier - at 7:30 am. They'll be there until just after 4:00 in the afternoon.
That was one sticking point for some parents who worried about the extra hours for elementary school students. The Superintendent says she found research that shows while it is an adjustment, young students tend to adapt to a new schedule quickly. That means going to bed earlier, off-setting the early wake-up call.
Some high school students we talked to weren't excited about getting up an hour earlier, especially when those in sports stay at school until after dark for games and practices. Other students are warming up to the idea. They tell us with Fridays off they can catch up on sleep, earn more money at their jobs to save for college, or even spend more time looking for work.
One job prospect is already landing in their laps: with Fridays off, some parents may need child care. High Schoolers say they can do that to earn some money, or volunteer for it as part of their 20 hours a year of community service and volunteer time, which is a requirement for graduation. The Superintendent says as a result of the longer days the school is adding new electives for the high school students to take during their final hour.
The change to a 4-day week is also a pre-emptive strike to protect the budget. Even though they don't necessarily need the savings now, the Superintendent says she's sure they'll need it next year. It's also just a short term solution, because a new state law signed a few months ago mandates 160 days in school. That law takes effect next fall. The Superintendent says it's the best thing for Atlanta to try right now, and she says most families and students are also on board.
