SWEET HOME, Ore. (KMTR) - The Sweet Home School District voted Monday to move to a four day school week come Fall 2012.
The cut comes as a move to reduce to the budget. Sweet Home is facing more than a million dollars in cuts this year. The four day school week is a more sustainable way of saving money, rather than moves they made last year that were one-time money savers according to Sweet Home Superintendent Don Schrader.
Schrader told NewsSource 16 that cutting the school week down will save the district about $340,000 dollars.
To meet the required amount of instruction hours the state asks for, students will have longer school days Monday through Thursday. Schrader said the kids will actually have more classroom time compared to a five-day week.
Teachers, because they are on salary, will work five days a week. Most of their Fridays will be used as professional development days.
Some concerns parents have raised include the possibility of more crime since kids are not occupied, which in response Schrader says he is doubtful will occur since the kids don't typically commit heinous crimes during their off-time now. Others are worried about where kids will go when parents are not home on their day off. To that, Schrader said the school district is working to develop partnerships with the Boys and Girls Club and daycare facilities.
Other moves to reduce the budget include not replacing teachers who are opting to retire or leaving at their own will. Schrader said he prefers to keep the budget reductions out of the classroom as long as possible and that he is sensitive to those who will be working less and making less.
He said he is optimistic about the next school year and its budget.
