The Warren County R-III School Board is expected to vote on a proposed calendar for the 2019-2020 school year at its regular meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 10, at the Warren County R-III Central Office, 385 W. Veterans Memorial Parkway, Warrenton.Two calendars have been presented, one with a five-day school week, and one with a four-day school week.The idea of a four-day school week in Warrenton has prompted some debate. Those against the proposal have said, among other things, there isn’t enough research available to show that a shorter week would truly benefit student achievement and what research is available shows inconsistent results.The proposed four-day school week calendar has the 2019-2020 school year starting Aug. 12, or two days earlier than the proposed five-days-a-week calendar, and ends the Friday before Memorial Day. Students would be in school from 7:41 a.m. to 3:14 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. School days would be 33 minutes longer.Schools would be closed the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day and Spring Break.School officials have said the four-day school week would eliminate early release Wednesdays. Teachers could conduct professional development on Mondays. Mondays also could be used as makeup days.The school district plans to provide child care on Mondays.Warren County School Superintendent Dr. Gregg Klinginsmith has said a shorter week could potentially improve teacher retention, improve student attendance and save the district a small percentage of its total budget.The district posted a video to its Facebook page about the four-day school week proposal.The National Conference of State Legislatures, a bipartisan resource and research group, reported in May of 2018 that about 560 school districts in 25 states have at least one school on a four-day schedule. Most of those schools are in Colorado, Montana, Oklahoma and Oregon.The group shows that Missouri has 25 districts on a four-day schedule, including the Montgomery County R-II School District.When the school board meets Thursday, it could potently adopt the four-day option, adopt the five-day option, approve one of those plans with changes or postpone the vote.The meeting will begin with a public hearing, which is required by the state with proposals that would mean starting school more than 10 days before the first Monday in September.R-III Administration Building