STURGIS, S.D. – The Meade 46-1 School District has completed a series of public meetings as it considers switching to a four-day school week.
Superintendent Wayne Wormstadt says more than 1,100 parents responded to district surveys, providing feedback on the proposal. District officials say the public meetings in Sturgis generated strong participation and valuable community input.
Under the proposed calendar, students would attend school for 154 instructional days, which is 16 fewer days than the current schedule. To meet state instructional requirements, each school day would be extended by about 35 minutes.
Wormstadt says research reviewed by the district indicates student achievement can remain steady if instructional hours are maintained, even with fewer school days. He says the committee’s goal is to preserve educational standards while evaluating the potential benefits of a four-day schedule.
District officials stress that no final decision has been made. The school board plans to gather additional feedback from parents and community members and continue evaluating issues such as childcare needs and scheduling options for non-school days.
The board is expected to revisit the proposal in December and could take a vote as early as January.
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