DEWAYNE HOLLOWAY|dewayne@mcnews.online
CADDO HILLS – Parents and school staff met in the Caddo Hills HYPER building to discuss the possibility of transitioning the school calendar into a four-day week.
Superintendent Deric Owens led the meeting in which childcare and fatigue were among the concerns expressed by parents in attendance.
Superintendent Owens shared that the school was considering a four-day school week which would meet Tuesday – Friday. Mondays would be used for remediation. Owens stated that salaries would not be reduced and all certified and classified employees would be on a rotation schedule to staff Mondays.
He stated that a survey had been sent home with students regarding the possibility of a four-day week with less than 30 percent of the completed surveys returned. Of those returned, the majority was in favor of a four-day week with Mondays off.
A handful of parents attending the meeting stated that they did not receive a survey. It was suggested that the survey be redone with forms mailed to households.
Some expressed a desire to be off on Fridays instead of Monday. While not mentioned publicly during the meeting, one of the biggest benefits to Monday remediation is retention time. If a student has remediation on Friday there are two days of down time before they return to class. However, Monday remediation allows for a return to class the next day.
Superintendent Owens stated that there was a possibility that they could be off Mondays for a semester and Fridays for another semester to see which worked best for everyone.
Some parents were concerned about fatigue with students attending school for longer periods of time. Another concern was childcare on the off day.
One parent stated that their child was participating in afterschool tutoring and they didn’t seem to have a problem with fatigue. Superintendent Owens asked parents what they did for childcare during the summer break and suggested they could utilize the same solutions for the off day.
Superintendent Owens stressed throughout the meeting that he and the school district staff and board members wanted what was best for the students. He expressed that he felt the four day schedule would provide extra remediation time for students struggling academically.
Athletics and transportation to practice was brought up. Superintendent Owens stated that practices could be scheduled during the mornings so students could ride the bus to and from school. He added they would also get breakfast and lunch that day as well.
Others expressed a concern that if Caddo Hills doesn’t go to a four day schedule the district could lose students to school districts with a four-day schedule. Currently Kirby is the only area school on a four-day schedule. Centerpoint discussed it, but tabled the issue while Mount Ida voted this week to move to an alternative five-day schedule that includes a short school calendar.
Superintendent Owens stated that while no decision has been made, there would be one made before school choice ended in May.