Four-day week: Green Forest board approves change for next school year

Three-day weekends will be the new norm for students and staff in the Green Forest School District starting next school year.

The Green Forest school board voted 5-1 at its regular meeting Monday, March 13, to move to a four-day school week starting in the 2023-24 school year. The idea was voted down a year ago but received the board’s approval this time, in part because of the resounding support of staff, according to Superintendent Matt Summers.

“Last year our board voted not to go to the four-day week,” Summers said. “I think it was too much, too soon, and they really needed to look at it further and deeper and have more discussions.”

Summers said the district polled all employees, with 85.9 percent (159 votes) being in favor of the new schedule, which includes an extended- day schedule Tuesday through Friday. Of the votes by employees, 14.1 percent (26 votes) were against the idea, Summers said, who added that the majority of students and parents polled also were in favor of the four-day week.

“This year, with our student and staff polling being even higher, this was something the board was willing to look at again,” Summers said. “This is one of those topics that is very difficult to be on the fence about. You’re either adamantly for or adamantly against.”

While specifics are still being worked out, Summers said plans call for a school day to start at approximately 7:45 a.m. and dismissal to be at approximately “4:03 or 4:05 p.m.”

“We’re still working on the exact variables of buses to different campuses and the times of all of that,” Summers said. “Our buses currently arrive each morning and drop off at 7:30 a.m. and kids are allowed to go to breakfast first thing, so we’re really not changing much in the morning. Of course, there will be a little bit of an extension in the afternoon.

“We’re going to be at school the same amount of time. It’s just over four visits a week instead of five.”

The goal of the four-day week is simple, Summers said, and focuses on staff recruitment and retention and morale of both staff and students.

“We are very concerned about teacher recruitment and teacher retention and, you know, with the LEARNS Act, all teachers are looking at a very large pay increase of being over that $50,000 amount,” he said. “So what distinguishes Green Forest from surrounding schools? If it’s a quality teacher and we want them and the surrounding schools want them as well, maybe that four-day week is the apple on top that gives us the ability to sign and retain that teacher. Last year was the most difficult year we have ever had here filling all of our positions, not only teaching for us, but also cafeteria, bus drivers, maintenance and custodial on down the list. And we feel like this is going to be a big push.

“The long-term goal is to recruit quality people and to keep them, retain them.”

A four-day week will also help staff who may not live in Green Forest.

“One of the major drawbacks or setbacks for our district is housing,” Summers said. “There’s not just tons of rental properties, both either apartments or homes to purchase. Of course there are new homes and apartments being built throughout the year, but it just seems like is difficult here. We have many families that are from Harrison or Berryville or the edge of Missouri, and we do have a teacher that drives from south of Kingston. So this will help through those as well.”

The change also will provide a boost in morale for students, Summers said.

“Schools that are on the four-day calendar have shown an increase in student attendance and staff attendance,” he said. “And they’ve also shown less disciplinary actions. You’ve just got to change your mindset and that will be our job as administrators and teachers. Things will be a little more intensive when we’re here, but then obviously you’ve got that three-day weekend.

“We hope this is a morale boost for our staff and that it’s the same for our students, so when they’re here, they’re ready to be here and excited to be here as opposed to just being here. I think this is going to be a positive thing that helps our kids and our staff perform better.”

Summers said the district is working behind the scenes looking at childcare options for families that might need it for the Mondays that school won’t be in session. He said talks with Tyson Foods and the plants’ fourday work schedule and area child care centers have been in the works.

“We are also going to be having training after Spring Break for junior and senior students who would be interested in being babysitter- certified,” Summers said. “We’re working behind the scenes very diligently to try to answer some of those recent fears of working parents who may have a kindergartner and if there’s no school…” With the approval, Summers said Green Forest will push the number of districts in Arkansas with a four-day schedule to 32.

“In Arkansas right now there are 29 schools with a four-day calendar,” he said. “Alpena is moving in that direction and Lincoln voted Monday night to go that direction.”

All of the districts that have opted for the four-day week have chosen Monday as the day when school is not in session.

“Monday is the day off because most governmental holidays are on a Monday,” Summers said. “It’s also easy to get into a doctor’s office, dentist office, eye doctor for appointments on Mondays. Whereas if you’re out on Friday many of those options are closed on Friday afternoons.

“And then, of course, we just have so many, many activities on Fridays. It’s just a smoother transition to go the Monday route.”

OTHER BOARD ACTION

In other action at the meeting, the board voted to approve spending $44,789 for a new freezer for the Alumni Center.

The board also approved a resolution to not have polls open for the upcoming school board elections. With Kayleen Powell and Katrina Newberry as two unopposed candidates for board seats, voting will only be done by absentee ballots and early voting.

“By law we’re allowed to do that and that will save us some money,” Summers said.

The board also approved personnel changes, including naming Heather Ogden — currently a kindergarten teacher and instructional facilitator in Berryville — as the new principal of Green Forest Elementary.

Ogden will fill the position that will be left vacant by the retirement of longtime principal Danette Chaney.

“We are very, very excited about this hire,” Summers said. “ has done an outstanding job for our district and we feel like Heather is ready to take over those reins and build on what she has done and continue to grow our K-3 campus.”

Other personnel changes approved were the resignations of paraprofessional Sharon Fason (effective March 3), and high school english teacher Anette Phillips, high school math teacher Alonso Sinay and thirdgrade teacher Carrie Reece at the end of the school year.