The information in the story below is courtesy KWTV/KOTV/NNS via FOX News Edge.
COPAN, Oklahoma — It’s a student’s dream: A Tulsa area school district is cutting back on the number of school days.
They hope changing to a four-day school week will help attract the best teachers in a competitive hiring market.
But it’s also going to save money, as there will be fewer days to bus kids and run school buildings. However, the school days will be longer to make up for the lost time.
And everyone seems to be on board, including history teacher Gary Askew.
“I think overall it’s a major plus for us,” he said.
Rick Ruckman, Copan Superintendent, said they hope the move gives their district extra appeal.
He said: “If a teacher’s got several offers, would you go to the one where you work five days a week or four days a week?”
Ruckman said the response has been positive.
“Principals asked the crowd, is there anyone just dead set against this? Not a hand,” he said.
And Ruckman said the plan will save money.
“Fifteen days we wouldn’t run bus routes,” he said. “Fifteen days we wouldn’t have the buildings full and have to run utilities at max because the doors are always open.”
Ruckman said Friday is their choice when it comes to removing a day from the schedule.
“Quite a few of those would be on Fridays, so we decided that’s the day we would take off,” he said. “Now anything that happens on Friday is not an absence.”
Parents will now have to find child care on Fridays, but some churches in the area are offering to help.
