On December 14, 2024, the Wapello Community School District Board of Directors began considering a shift to a four-day school week after Superintendent Mike Peterson informed them that Winfield-Mt. Union was exploring this model. Other southeast Iowa districts, such as WACO and Cardinal, had already adopted the four-day week, and many districts across Iowa were also evaluating its benefits and drawbacks. Given the board's interest, they tasked Superintendent Peterson with forming a committee to further investigate this possibility.
The exploratory committee included: Board President and parent Brandon Marquardt, Board Member Kerri Horton, Superintendent Mike Peterson, High School Principal Steve Bohlen, Elementary Principal and parent Brett Nagle, Director of Instruction Shannon Salazar, Activities Director and parent Brandon Brown, School Business Official and parent Eric Small, Special Education Teacher Taren Samuels, Social Studies Teacher Jake Fraise, Paraeducator Brandi Smith, Kindergarten Teacher Delores Wykert, Family Consumer Sciences Teacher Karin Mairet, Junior High Teacher Sam Hellberg, 5th Grade Teacher Dawn Shipman, 6-12 Guidance Counselor Kelci Eakins, and Paraeducator and parent Brittani Beeding.
Over the next few months, the committee met several times to review data from districts that had already implemented the four-day school week. They also consulted with educators who had transitioned from a five-day to a four-day schedule. Additionally, the committee conducted an anonymous survey to assess the interest of parents, students, and staff. The survey results indicated a strong interest in further exploring the four-day school week option.
After reviewing the survey results, the committee continued to examine data from districts that had adopted the four-day school week. They found that the financial benefits were minimal. Districts that implemented the model reported only slight savings, which were not the primary reason for the transition. While there were some cost reductions, they represented a small fraction of the overall budget. Given this information and considering what had been successful for other districts, the committee decided it was time to address questions from parents and guardians.
To facilitate this, two sessions were scheduled in the Wapello High School Auditorium on April 22 and 24. Each meeting had an estimated average attendance of around 50 stakeholders. Both sessions featured the same presentation, which is detailed in the slides provided below.
In preparation for the public meetings, the committee spent time coming up with answers to what we thought some of the hot topics may be. Many of these topics were asked about during the meeting.
What about hungry kids on the “off” days? - Off days are really not any different than summer, Christmas, spring, or any other day off we have currently.
Our food pantry is open to all Wapello students and families and we can tailor our order to better meet the needs of having an extra day when students are home.
The churches also provide the backpack program that can be requested for families in need. Food is sent home every last day of the school week.
What about childcare on the “off” days? Districts who have implemented 4-day weeks have indicated that child care has not been as large a concern as people anticipated it would be. Our families already need to have child care for our current early dismissal days. Under a 4-day plan, it would be a full day of child care instead of a portion of a day.
How will this affect extracurricular activities? - All these activities will still happen. We have considered the idea of an activity bus for the students that live outside of the town of Wapello. This is something that we will have to keep in mind depending on the needs of the students.
4-Day school weeks aren’t preparing kids for the “real world” of work. - When our students move on from High School into possible college or the workforce their schedules will be different everyday. There are many careers that are not 4-days per week, some are 5, some are 7 and some, depending on what field you are in, are 3. In addition, many careers involve varying shifts (1st, 2nd or 3rd). As educators, parents, and guardians, we have to educate our kids on the different professions and the work environment that comes with each individual job.
Won’t our students lose out on educational time? Won’t there be less schooling taking place? - The state requires students to have 1080 hours of instruction. With the longer school days, those requirements will still be met in a 4-day week. Teachers will also have an extended day beyond student hours so they will have a comparable amount of hours with an extended 4-day week as they do now with a 5-day week.
Which day will be the “off” day? - The typical 4-day school week for Wapello would be Tuesday-Friday.
How long will the day be? - Our draft calendar is based on 8:00-3:45
Here is what the draft calendar looks like in its present Form - Reminder: this is a draft version only and for informational purposes:
How was Monday determined to be the best day to not have students? The majority of holidays throughout the school year already fall on a Monday. Building a 4-day schedule around Tuesday-Friday eliminates much of the disruption that Monday holidays would cause.
What is the status of the potential pilot program? There will be no pilot program this year.
What about makeup days for heat/winter weather? A 4-day calendar makes it easier to accommodate missed days. Rather than adjusting things at the end of the year, one of the Mondays could be switched to a student day.
Will there be a cost savings? Districts who have switched to a 4-day calendar report little to no actual cost savings.
How will hourly staff be affected? Our hourly staff are now salaried, so there would be no reduction in pay. The exception could be food service and transportation.
Have Morning Sun families been surveyed? Not at this point. However, a survey is being developed.
What will be the effect on student achievement? The research on this is mixed. Some districts report improvements in student achievement. Some districts report no change. Some districts report a decline in student achievement.
Have districts who switched to 4-day weeks reported an improvement in teacher recruitment? Districts with 4-day weeks report an increase in the number of applicants per open position. Certain positions remain difficult to fill, due to an overall lack of qualified candidates.
We have compiled some interesting articles dealing with the four-day school week.
REL Ask A REL | What is the impact of a four-day school week on student achievement?
Cardinal schools on second year of a 4-day school week
Research suggests the impact of four-day school weeks varies across student groups and locations
Embracing the Four-Day School Week | AASA
Questions and Answers From The Public Forum on October 1, 2024
Below are questions referenced during the public listening session and answers or comments, views or some research pasted and provided.
Is it true that a neighboring district has lost 30 students due to 4-day weeks?
Certified Enrollment is not yet completed for schools and will not be officially released by the Department of Education for a number of months. We have reached out to the school in question. Although the school did see a drop in students this year, surveys indicate that two families made the decision to leave due to 4-day. The rest made their decisions due to family reasons.
Under a 4-day week, will contract days for staff be less?
With the 4-day, there would be fewer contracted days (167.5). Pay would remain the same.. Hours would be extended during the 4 days for teachers. In addition, there will be in-service during the morning on every other non-student day. Current Master Agreement has teacher days at 184.
Will a 4-Day week increase student achievement?
The research on this is mixed. Some districts report improvements in student achievement. Some districts report no change. Some districts report a decline in student achievement. We must also focus on mental health challenges which can and will alter education, removing cellular devices from classrooms is a positive step to also increase scores which has taken place.
Will a 4-Day week place limits on Mental Health services for students?
Staff would be available for students one less day/week. Many mental health problems come from school related incidents/bullying/harassment and being away from school may assist with this. A common consensus with 4-day school weeks is that it does lower mental health concerns for students and staff and behaviors. Data shows that 5th day juvenile delinquency in non-rural areas has increased. A true measure would be the number of calls of service a Law Enforcement Agency has received. Additional tools could be a school-related program to track instances. Selected surveys could also be used.
Will a 4-Day week cause math scores to decline?
Research suggests that four-day school weeks can negatively impact students' math scores, especially in non-rural areas. Multi state studies showed a negative impact of 0.05.
Does a 4-Day week mean that we are placing a greater value on athletic programs than academic programs?
Education is mandated, athletics are optional. Educational hours would remain the same and athletic contracts would remain the same. Extra-curricular programs and practices would continue to operate as they do under a 5-Day week. There are no talks about reducing athletic programs.
Under a 4-Day week, how would practice schedules be affected?
On school days, practices would start later, due to the extended school day. On non-school days, practices could begin earlier, depending on coach/participant schedules.
What about transportation for students on “off” days?
If possible, bus transportation will be provided for participants who need a ride to practice. If transportation is not able to be provided, then any 5th day practices must be considered optional, rather than required.
Will games and contests be scheduled on a 5th day? Yes, games and contests could still be scheduled for a 5th day.
Are we doing this to help with Athletics or Academics?
A 4-Day week is being considered as a recruitment/retention tool for qualified staff. Our goal will continue to be strong academic and extracurricular programs.
With the longer school days, will students struggle to keep focused?
This is very dependent on the teacher and strategies used in the classroom. It will also be affected by age, hunger, fatigue, social or home issues, and distractions. rResearch data is inconclusive, but we realize that extra “breaks” will need to be built into the schedule for students at all levels.
Does the district conduct exit Interviews in an attempt to determine why staff decide to leave:
Exit interviews are conducted by the Human Resource Director. Data points from these interviews have been made and goals and practices have changed for the 2024-2025 school year, based on these interviews. Results of exit interviews are not public documents. They are considered personnel documents and are not released to the public. Any individual, though, can release any and all information they would like.
Will a 4-Day week negatively affect at-risk children and children with disabilities when it comes to finding quality childcare?
There is a current lack of care providers in the Wapello area for children in these areas.
Have we considered waiting and learning from Winfield and Highland:
This is a possibility. However, we should continue to research the over 2,200 schools nationwide and not limit to one or two schools. It is also important to consider the other factors in different districts, such as demographics, socioeconomic status, and other items.
Will a 4-Day week result in lost experiences, such as time for positive interactions with a caring adult?
Many of the same experiences would be presented in the 4 day option. However, some of these experiences may be reduced due to fewer days in session.
What about finding daycare?
The Wapello area has good daycare providers, but certainly not enough. Rough figures provided by the public indicate a $1,350/year increase if a family needs to use daycare on a 5th day. Losing a day of school could cause child care gaps. Actual increases in daycare payments may depend on whether or not a provider charges whether a child is there or not.
What options will be available for hungry kids on the “off” days?
Off days are really not any different than summer, Christmas, spring, or any other day off we have currently. Our food pantry is open to all Wapello students and families, and we can tailor our order to better meet the needs of having an extra day when students are home.The churches also provide the backpack program that can be requested for families in need. Food is sent home at the end of the school week.
Will a 4-Day week negatively impact children for whom school is a safe place?
The board would agree that we take careful consideration and put child safety and mental health at the top of our concerns. It is possible that elementary children would be more protected at school.
Will a 4-Day week lead to increased curriculum costs?
We do not anticipate any increased curriculum material costs.
Will the school provide daycare on off day?
There would be no available school-run daycare on off days.
Are alternative schedules to satisfy the needs of all students, staff and parents being considered?
Alternative calendars are, and will continue to be, considered.
With a 4-Day school week, do we risk losing students?
That is always a possibility. It is also possible that we would gain students if families are looking for 4-Day options for their children. Enrollment is vitally important, and needs to be monitored closely.
What measures of success will be used?
Possible measures would include student achievement scores, staff retention, staff recruitment, enrollment numbers, and mental health surveys. Specific measures would need to be identified by the board and administration and then shared with the public.
Is it possible to go back to a 5-Day week if a 4-Day week is not successful?
Data is lacking in this area. But some data suggests that even if measurements are negative, schools are not going back to a 5-Day week. In the past, Wapello made the switch from a block schedule to a regular schedule, so it is possible to change educational structures if deemed necessary.
How will this process move forward?
There will be ongoing opportunities for public and parent input as we work to make the best decision.
Will this decision be put out for a community-wide vote?
This decision will be made by the community-elected school board representatives. There are no plans to put the question on the ballot.
Will a 4-Day week improve student/staff absenteeism?
Yes, this would give the opportunity for families to take care of dentist appointments, doctor appointments, and other situations. Families would have the flexibility of a full-day when it comes to scheduling appointments, rather than pulling a child from school or trying to fit appointments into the small time frame provided by a Wednesday early out. These same benefits would apply to school employees, resulting in decreased absenteeism.
Will a 4-Day week help counteract current teacher shortages?
Wapello is currently operating with an elementary/vocal music teacher, a Spanish teacher, or an art teacher. Students are still receiving opportunities in these areas due to some creative options and some online options, but it is not the same as having a certified, high-quality teacher in the room. In the past, our students had to take upper level science courses online due to no teacher applicants.
https://www.devlinpeck.com/content/teacher-shortage-by-state
https://hub.jhu.edu/2024/03/27/solving-for-teacher-shortages/
Will parents be surveyed again?
The plan is for another survey to be administered. Informational letters to families is also an option.
How was it decided that Mondays would be the “off” day?
The majority of holidays fall on Mondays. There are also concerns about AEA services being available consistently on Fridays.
Has the board considered specialized pay and merit pay as a way to attract and retain staff?
Performance based rewards or systems would require a simple and easily measurable method to reward good teaching and results. Both negatives and positives exist with these options.
Will standards and expectations be lowered under a 4-Day week?
Absolutely not. Lowered standards are never acceptable, regardless of the number of school days per week.
Was the decision to move hourly employees to salaried status made in anticipation of moving to a 4-Day week?
No. This decision was part of our budget reduction program last spring. It was designed to reduce the high cost of a digital timekeeping system.
Will a 4-Day week set our kids up for failure in the future, as 4-Day weeks are not typical?
What is considered normal in the workforce is completely different than it was 10 years ago or even longer ago. We have people in the healthcare field working 3 12-hour rotating shifts. We have people working swing shifts that consist of nights, days, and midday – night shifts. There are some places that run 5 days a week 12 hour shifts, and there are companies that run 4 10-hour shifts. Students need to be taught that their work schedule goes along with whatever employee and/or profession they choose to pursue.
Will adopting a 4-Day week affect the number of students from Morning Sun who choose to come to Wapello?
A survey was administered to current 5th and 6th grade families in Morning Sun. Currently, 8 surveys have been returned. 7 respondents indicated that a 4-Day week would not play a role in their decision making process. 1 respondent indicated that a 4-Day week would play a role in their decision making process.