NAMPA, Idaho — This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
A major potential change that’s been looming over the Nampa School District will finally be settled.
Trustees will vote on shifting the district to a four-day school week during Tuesday’s Board of Trustees meeting. If approved, the change — which would take effect for the 2024-25 school year — will be one of several dominos to fall in the last several months as the district has navigated financial shortcomings and declining enrollment — the district has previously elected to close four schools and, as a result, redraw boundaries.
Dozens of staff have issued their resignations ahead of the closures and pending layoffs; Deputy Superintendent Waylon Yarbrough noted that shifting to a four-day school week would be a bright spot for staff and employees.
“If we can find some silver lining to offer a positive change in the midst of all of that, our hope … is that will help us retain people,” he said at a special meeting on April 4, reported by Idaho Education News.
A district survey indicates that the vast majority of staff are in favor of moving to a four-day school week — teachers would still work five days a week, and students would get the same number of classroom hours, there would just be one designated “non-student contact day” each week.
Of 938 staff who responded to the survey, 73% are in favor of a four-day school week.
Many parents and students are in favor of the change, too, the survey shows: 59% of parents and 50% of students indicated that preference. Of the 463 student respondents, 11% indicated no preference.
Two-thirds of total respondents indicated Friday as their preferred non-student contact day.
The meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the district office, located at 619 S Canyon St. in Nampa. The meeting will also be live-streamed on the district’s YouTube channel.
There will be a public comment period, according to the online meeting agenda.
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.
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