NLCSD explores four-day school week

NEW LONDON — Following news of neighboring district Winfield-Mt. Union transitioning to a four-day school week next school year, New London Community School District has begun looking into the alternative schedule.

At NLSCD’s Dec. 19 school board meeting, Superintendent Chad Wahls said he began discussion about the four-day school week in his superintendent report to the board.

“I just started touching a little bit on the four-day week to see if that is something that the school board members, myself, and other administrators and teachers and people want,” Wahls said.

Wahls stated that some of the catalyst starting this conversation came from looking at school districts around New London.

“WACO has been in a four-day week system for, I think, roughly 13 years,” he said. “Cardinal, which is a ways away but within our conference for a long time, went to a four-day school week this year. Winfield’s board just passed and has adopted a four-day school week schedule for next year. So, there’s been a lot of conversations about other school districts like Highland, Lone Tree, and Pekin.”

“I think that if you don't look at this, and you just sit back and say no, we're not going to do this,” Wahls said. “What happens in two or three years? Does every other district surrounding New London, go to a four-day week and here we are sort of sitting on our hands or whatever not doing at least some of the work to see if it would be a good fit for New London? If it is, then we can proceed. If not, then obviously, we continue to maintain a five-day school week.”

As Wahls moves forward with the NLCSD board’s blessing to gather information he hopes to better understand the impact a four-day school week can have on students, staff, and the community.

“Does a four-day school week, show that students continue to show good progress in learning?” he asked. “You know, that there's no deficits or loss of potential learning to be prepared for whatever it may be. Whether it's the working world, whether it's military, whether it's a two-year college, four-year college, apprenticeship, whatever it may be, that students choose to go into. Does a four-day school week still provide that for students?”

Wahls wants to gather information that pertains to staff wondering how a four-day week impacts recruitment and retention among other things. He is uncertain how much information will be available on retention, though, considering it is a newer trend.

“You know, 20 or 30 years ago you had 75 to 100 elementary teachers apply for a teaching job,” Wahls said. “If we had an elementary position open today, maybe we get five applicants. It’s just educators are not out there.”

As far as the impact on the community and families, Wahls says he intends to look into how the four-day week impacts day care needs as well as other concerns brought by the community.

Right now, Wahls says they are in the very first steps of looking into this topic and with the input of parents, students, and staff, he anticipates the district will release surveys to NLCSD staff and families in the few weeks.

“So, we're not looking at rushing this process,” Wahls said, “Honestly, we're looking at, you know, for probably a year, you know, potentially this time next year, then being able to if we're going to go to go to a four-day week or continue to stay at a five-day school week.”

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com