Districts weigh in on BISD 4-day week

Districts weigh in on BISD 4-day week Brian Smith Wed, 04/17/2024 - 8:41 am With Bryson ISD looking at potentially going to a four-day calendar, other school districts have given their opinion on how it has impacted them. Perrin-Whitt CISD Superintendent Cliff Gilmore, who is in the second year of being a four-day district, said there were some bumps in the early going but things are going smoothly now. Gilmore said one of the positives has been an increase in applicants for teaching positions, something that piqued BISD Superintendent Greg London’s interest. Many Perrin FFA students said during a recent discussion that having the Friday off has allowed them to work on extracurricular activities which many participate in. Perrin has gone from three five-day weeks in 2023-24 to zero for the upcoming school year which the school board approved last month. Woodson ISD was the first district in the region to try it and is in its fifth year right now. WISD Superintendent Casey Adams said it has been good for the community and something the community 27382 has believed in. Adams said the district needed something to get teachers to come there. Adams, administrators, school board and staff went to Oklahoma to talk to a number of districts that had done it. Each one said the same thing. “You just need to go ahead and do it,” Adams recalled. “It’s not that big of a change. It’s just going out and doing it.” One of the major concerns was child care. Adams said it “kind of worked itself out.” Adams said Bryson is kind of doing a similar thing with its modified schedule where students get out at 2 p.m. Friday. Attitude improvement in both students and teachers was one of the first noticeable changes, Adams said. “Everyone was seeing a light at the end of the tunnel and were able to work and get caught up,” Adams said. Woodson Principal Brent Mills said struggling students in Woodson seem to thrive in this environment because of the longer class periods and ability to do what would be homework in class. “With the longer periods we’re able to do so much more,” Roni Mills, a Woodson secondary Math teacher, said. “We’re able to keep the learners motivated.” Adams said scheduling with a longer day is important as well. Woodson has the “meat and potent classes” such as math, english and science earlier in the day which allows for intervention and other activities later.