EAST HELENA — East Helena Public Schools are exploring options for a four-day school week, and initial discussions will occur during their Monday night school board meeting.
EHPS surveyed staff and community members to see their feelings about moving from a five-day week to a four-day week.
Eighty-six percent of staff and 66 percent of community members wanted the district's calendar committee to study the shift's potential.
According to the proposal, "there are just as many papers out there stating that a four-day week supports student growth as it does negatively."
Potential disadvantages of the change include difficulty navigating fine print with teachers' collective bargaining agreements, scheduling sports and festivals, and going back to a 5-day week would be difficult.
Possible upsides include more one-on-one support between students and teachers, more exposure to STEM opportunities, and a more innovative approach to the school system.
Several Montana school districts have shifted to four-day school weeks, including Townsend, Cascade, and Three Forks schools.
In order to keep teacher contract lengths the same, the district would need to adjust the hours per day.
The other four-day districts start between 7:45 and 8:00 AM and end between 3:45 and 4:15 PM.
The district would also need to consider options for bus drivers and kitchen workers and possible child care for students if they do not have school on Fridays.
If the committee receives continued support from the board, their next move would be to solidify recommendations, hold community listening sessions, review the feedback, and finalize the board's options before a vote.
The earliest the four-day school week could start could be the 2025-2026 school year, and more information about the study can be found here.
