ISD166 to try modified 4-day calendar

The ISD166 school board will decide on money saving school calendar changes at its April 19 meeting. The saving comes from increasing the secondary school day and shifting to a modified four-day week. Superintendent Beth Schwarz.

“We’re looking at reducing the number of days kids come into school by 15, and that would extend our day by 28 minutes. We’d be looking at an 8:07 start time, 3:30 end time.”

After taking into account regularly scheduled holidays and other factors, the first semester will see additional Fridays off for students. In the second semester, many of the days off would be Mondays. Some of the 15 fewer days would be attached to regularly scheduled breaks.

Secondary class periods would increase from 52 to 56 minutes, with three fewer days in class. State law requires 1,020 classroom hours. ISD166 currently has 1,088.

“That savings in transportation plus some of the other savings through kitchens and paraprofessionals, the bus driver costs, etc, we’re looking at an approximate $85,000 savings there.”

If approved at next month’s school board meeting, the calendar would take effect for the 2012-13 school year.