My East Ky

With the price of fuel soaring and no end in sight there has been some reports that the school systems in Floyd, Pike and Letcher County may go to a 4 day school week. Jenkins Independent schools has had a 4 day school week for 3 years already and there reports are that it’s a success, faculty and student attendance are up.

Now if I was back in school I would absolutely love this, having Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off woo hoo!! But unfortunately I’m not and having my little one starting school in the fall I find myself opposing the 4 day school week for a few reasons.

• With the extra day off what are school kids to do? It seems they are already bored. Just ask any teenager what is there to do around here and I’ll bet there response will be nothing or getting into mischief.
  
• An extra weekday off that means a lot of parents are going to have to find daycare, another expense for the parents.
  
• Are they not reports that find that the longer students are away from school the less information is retained? And going an extra hour or so a day in my opinion is not enough. That comes to about 10 to 15 min extra each class.
• I’m sure some of the faculty members love the idea of a 4 day school week. But I can guess one that does not. How about the school bus drivers that are paid by the hour? By going to a 4 day school week you just cut their paycheck by 20%, how would you like to get cut 20% on your check?
  

To me there has to be other methods/ideas that need to be explored before a 4 day school week is implemented.