JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. — A local school district said it’s time to re-think the school week. Instead of sending kids to school five days a week, Fox C-6 schools are considering doing it four days a week.
Now, parents are reacting. It all boils down to dollars and cents. Fox C-6 wouldn't be the first local school district to do it. They would join Grandview, Sunrise, and Crystal City schools in Jefferson County. Warren County is doing it too.
For some Fox C-6 parents, it seemed to come out of nowhere.
"It's kind of shocking,” parent Travis Lintner said, not expecting to hear the superintendent backing a plan for four-day school weeks.
Superintendent Paul Fregeau told school board members Wednesday, the district needs to cut costs quickly for the upcoming school year.
"We're going to need to adjust our expenditures significantly to help mitigate this projected deficit,” he said.
His plan is to cut the school week from five days to four days a week could potentially save the district a million dollars a year.
5 On Your Side talked with Fregeau on Friday for more details. He said the district is looking to turn its before and after school programs into full-day options on Mondays for working parents, which is one of the concerns Fregeau has heard.
"How am I going to take care of my kid on that day? Is there any learning loss associated with this?" he said of some concerns.
Another effort to save money could be reducing 30 teacher positions. He said they plan to do this without firing, and instead won't rehire.
"As teachers leave us to either retire or go to another district or move when those people do that we don't fill those positions," he said.
Fregeau said they want to see the same success as other districts with this plan.
"You see better attendance from students, better attendance from staff, and a lot of districts are seeing more interest for their certified and classified positions."
Lintner has a second-grade daughter in the district and has some questions about the proposal.
“Talking about learning loss and mental health issues, you wonder if it's the best route," he said. "Children who are in kindergarten, first grade, second grade, them being home by themselves for families that have both working parents is going to be a struggle."
Fox C-6 would be the second largest school district in Missouri to go to four-day school weeks. The Independence School District is making the switch next school year.
"We do find that absenteeism does go down for both students and teachers on a four-day school week,” said Christine McDonald with Education Plus.
EducationPlus is a voluntary, membership-driven organization with 60 member school districts in the St. Louis metropolitan area that helps districts share ideas and resources.
Still, she said it’s too early to know all of the pros and cons but there are factors for schools to consider.
"Some school districts may use that fifth day for teachers to use that time to plan or grade papers. They may also use that time for students who need some interventions and some supports."
On the other hand...
"Sometimes we’re trying to prepare students for the real world and there’s not always a four-day work week in the real world,” McDonald added.
It's not a done deal for Fox and parents say they'll be eying the plan closely.
"I think we’re still developing our opinions because there's a lot to look at with that,” Lintner said.
School leaders will meet two times next month. 5 On Your Side will let you know if his plan moves forward.