The Warren County R-III School District is considering changing to a four-day school week.The board of education will vote on the matter during its Jan. 10 meeting to decide if R-III will become the 26th district in the state to adopt an abbreviated school week.Superintendent Dr. Gregg Klinginsmith says the board has weighed the costs versus benefits and believes the move could be advantageous for the district in several areas.“There are three main issues that we’re trying to address,” said Klinginsmith. “The biggest issue is teacher retention. We are also looking to improve student attendance and manage our finances responsibly.”If passed, the new schedule would have students attending school Tuesday through Friday with a slightly longer school day to meet the state requirements. The day would be extended by about 33 minutes, with a likely start time of 7:45 a.m. and dismissal time of 3:13 p.m.“The consistency behind it is really attractive to me, and I think it could really help with some of our high school students,” said Klinginsmith. “One of the barriers is kids telling us they have to work. In this case they could schedule to work a full day in advance.”During a recent community feedback survey the board fielded concern from the community about early release days presenting a challenge for parents. With the implementation of a four-day school week, R-III would no longer have the early release days.“Data from other districts has shown improvement in attendance within a few years after being implemented,” said Klinginsmith.In regards to those families who may have child care concerns for the Mondays when students are not in school and parents have to work, Klinginsmith says the district will still offer care on Mondays to mimic the school hours.“On Monday we’ve got a place for them at school if they need to bring them up,” said Klinginsmith.If passed, the new format would begin with the 2019-2020 school year. Parents interested in the Monday child care could sign up at the school.Klinginsmith says the move could also benefit the district monetarily, helping save approximately 1 percent, or $300,000 in the budget.“It may not seem like a lot, but it could really help us with our deficit spending,” said Klinginsmith.If the R-III board approves the initiative, it will be by far the largest district in the state utilizing a four-day school week, with East Newton in second at 1,329 enrollment.Warren County R-III School District logo