4 Day school week for kids?

Last school year the state that I live in had a lot of days that school was closed due to snow. At the time I worked in education on the administrative side and some of the schools extended their day by an hour and some even two hours to make up those days. Parents were upset needless to say but some of the schools were facing extending the school year by up to two weeks to make up those days. The children did well and the school provided snacks and other options for after school care on the long days. The city that I live in uses the city transportation for the children that live in the district so they had not had the increase expense of gas. One of the schools in the suburbs had budgeted $80,000 for diesel fuel for the 2007-08 school year (schools do their budget a year ahead) and they actually used $90,000. This town has a small population but a big area, and they only transport grade school students the rest of the students (middle school and high school) must find their own means to school. The rising fuel costs are really hurting everyone but could you imagine filling up your car every day and $200 or $300 worth of gas in? And that is only filling 1 bus not their entire fleet. Having a 4 day week may be inconvenient to some parents but the school could be canceling bus service all together and that would create an even bigger inconvenience for working parents that leave for work before the children get on the bus.

ha ha sounds funny but actually it is not. due to the raise in gas prices many things are being forced to change and that is a really bad indication for example due to the raise in the prices we are not going to the college on bike we are forced to use a bus instead.

My daughter goes to a charter school and they started a couple of years ago the 4 day week. We like this a lot. She has a longer day, but this allows the teachers to teach a more quality time period. Elementary would concern me for the reasons you stated. That might be a little too long of a day. Unless they maybe increase recess and or down time.

Many hard decisions will have to be made becasue of high gas prices and a rotten ecomony? Sounds like a solution. Kids adjust well to change. If that will work..why not 4 days?

That would really help save money specially if the school is far from your home. It might mean long hours for the kids but see it this way, they will have an extra whole day of rest. I am not sure about the school where your kids are enrolled but lessons are not from start to end of the time you mentioned. There are breaks and extra-curricular activities that will make your kids enjoy school.