Meadow Heights School Board rejects 4-day school week

The Meadow Heights School Board voted unanimously Monday to reject a four-day school week.

Board president Dalton Denman cited parent concerns brought up in forums: finding child care on Mondays for students without activities and a concern about instructional time.

School officials took surveys from those forums: 59 parents strongly disagreed with the four-day week, 20 did not know and 15 were in support.

Superintendent John Wiggans brought up the idea of a four-day week in part as a cost-saving measure. The district potentially would save between $50,000 and $75,000 a year, a reduction between 1 percent and 2 percent, Wiggans said. Wiggans admitted this was not a substantial amount of money but might be significant if the state cuts school funding. Gov. Eric Greitens has proposed increasing funding to the education formula by $3 million. The governor also has proposed cutting transportation budgets for schools by $36 million.

"We've heard the same story from every governor," Denman said of proposed funding increases.

Wiggans also said a four-day week could lead to higher performance among students in part because a four-day week would make the smaller Meadow Heights School District more competitive in hiring talented teachers. Wiggans studied 18 schools in Missouri that went to four-day weeks, and none had test scores decrease. Montgomery School District hired a teacher with a doctorate because of the four-day schedule, Wiggans said.

Teachers are attracted to the schedule because the off day gives them a chance to participate in professional-development days and tutoring.

"I do believe it's possible," Denman said of teaching students in four days. "If you teach teachers the most efficient way to teach."

Denman said he would consider a proposal for a four-day week in the future, especially if funding decreases from the state. Part of the appeal for Wiggans is it could give the district incentive to change the way it teaches, emphasizing critical thinking.

"For some reason we feel Moses came down, put it down on a stone and said, 'You have to go to school for five days,'" Wiggans said. "Students now, the jobs they're going to be asked to do -- 60 percent have not even been developed. We're trying to teach students how to think."

bkleine@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

Meadow Heights School District, Patton, Mo.