To The Editor,I read with dismay that the Warren County School District is considering a four-day school week. In fact, I was surprised to read that this idea has already made headway, having heard nothing about it in the paper or social media.I am opposed to the plan for the following reasons: In the limited research available regarding a four-day school week, there is almost no mention of the impact on a school’s primary objective. The objective of public schools is to provide the opportunity for all children in a district to receive an education that will prepare each child to participate in society, both in the community and in the workplace. We can and routinely do disagree with what that education may include, but by and large, most citizens would agree that public schools are of benefit to the community.The district representative at no point even mentions the educational mission of our schools. Rather, it is staff morale, budget savings and a bump in funding as a result of higher attendance that seem to be driving this plan. A little bit of research tells us that savings are on average 0.4 to 0.8 percent of budget dollars, not the 3 to 5 percent promised by proponents.Attendance improvement may result because a child has a 20 percent lower opportunity to miss school. As for staff morale, I imagine that if the city and fire and police decide to cut the work week by 20 percent while leaving pay unchanged, those employees might suggest that they’d be 40 percent happier if the week only lasted three days.Reducing the school week is the first sign of a failing school. If a potential newcomer finds that Warrenton schools are running on a four-day week, those with kids will most likely choose a town with a thriving school environment, not one so beset with troubles that the most innovative idea to grow and improve is to reduce a child’s exposure to the very service the district is charged with providing.But our schools are not just a place to learn about math and science. We have band, sports, theater, FFA and DECA. We have tradition; our moms’ and dads’ names are in the trophy cases. We have a place to go in times of tragedy and triumph. Shortening the school week is to lessen our ties to each other. This is an idea that I hope will be carefully considered and then resoundingly rejected.Mark DillerHolstein