By Josh Margolis
HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – In a 5-3 vote, the Havre Public Schools Board of Trustees voted for the District to remain in a five-day school week for the 2022-23 year.
The option chosen was the third of four calendars presented, and was recommended by Superintendent Craig Mueller.
“I believe that in option three, it benefits the school district as we begin the year on August 15th,” said Mueller. “We’re able to move that first semester to end on December 21st with final exams the 20th and 21st. It extends our Christmas break to include 12 days for Christmas break. Moving President’s Day to February 24th also aligns and assists with high absenteeism, not only in staff and students, but basketball, our cheer squad, our band, traveling for our divisional tournament, similar to what we did this year. Our spring break in March creates two four-day weeks, our Easter break in April creates two four-day weeks, our High School graduation moves up an entire week and we’re able to graduate our seniors on May 21st, with the last day of school on May 23rd”
The calendar that was chosen is 180 days, with the day beginning at 8:05 AM and ending at 3:16 PM with a 45-minute lunch. Including passing time, there are 1,110 hours of instructional time. The duty day is from 7:45 AM-3:45 PM.
Trustees Garrit Ophus, Cindy Erickson, Theresa Miller, Lorraine Larson, and Curtis Smeby voted for the motion. Trustees Jacob Ingram, Britnee’ Loch and Tim Scheele voted against the motion.
In making his decision, Ophus said he was concerned about students not being able to get lunch on Fridays.
“What do you with kids who are dependent on the free meals, because we don’t have in-class sessions, they are not free. So we’re adding now, maybe a cost to a single parent or someone that may not be able to afford, that’s where they are reliant on the school or (the Boys and Girls Club). I would agree with Theresa that this is only one year. We’re just adopting this year’s calendar. Maybe we give it a year or so, see how things come back after this year. Let the scores come in, get the kids back up to where they were hopefully two years ago, and then re-look at it. I don’t think this is the final vote and we’re going to say it never shows up again. This is for next year. What can we do?”
Others expressed the need to collectively bargain the specifics of a four-day school week with the numerous parties involved.
“Theresa (Miller) is correct that we could use a little more targeted planning with contracts, as we noticed when we had presentations from the four smaller districts,” said Smeby, the Board’s Chair. “And I know many of those come in on Fridays, as a requirement. So there’s all kinds of modifications that could be reviewed and looked at, I think, over time.”
Miller said that while she’s not opposed to a four-day week, more research is needed.
“This is a tough issue, and it’s a difficult one for me. Do I think teachers could get it done in a four day week? Absolutely. They are great teachers. I just want to make sure that we do it the best way we can. And I’m not sure at the point we’re at today, if we could get it done in time to implement it by next year. And if we are going to make a big change, I want to do it the best that we can.”
Scheele said that it has taken many months to come to this point, and said it would be wrong to go against the wishes of many staff and remain in a five-day week.
“Have our teachers indicated that they are willing and committed to making a change? Yes they have, and they have repeatedly told us that,” said Scheele, who argued that a four-day week may aid the District’s ‘astronomical’ drop-out rate. “Every opportunity we’ve given our community to speak for or against a four-day week, the feedback that we do get is for the four-day week. We can’t keep holding everybody hostage on what we believe more people would say if they came and talked to us. They are not coming to talk to us, and as I go reach out to people, I get the same feedback that they would like the four day week. So we can’t just stay in a five-day week out of fear of change. Rather, let’s try a four-day week out of the possibility of it being good for our schools, good for our kids, and our teachers, and the staff of Havre Public Schools. I think they deserve the right to see if it will do what we think it will do, which is keep good quality teachers in front of our kids.”
Many members of the public, including teachers, spoke out against option three during the meeting.
“This last Friday alone, we had hockey, we had basketball, we had wrestling. I had over six kids checked out of my class throughout the entire day,” said Jenna McNew, a fourth-grade teacher at Sunnyside Elementary and a parent of three children in the District. “What is more disruptive for learning: a four-day week all the way across the school year, or having kids constantly pulled out of my class on Fridays. The constant disruption. That affects education more than you can imagine. And on the studies, how there’s not any studies on Montana schools, let’s be the studies that other schools can follow. Let’s blaze that trail for other people, please.”
“We are often left to cover for the teachers to get a couple day breaks,” said Darla Welch, who has worked as a paraprofessional for over two decades. “And we are teaching things that we have no clue what we are doing. If we can’t get a four-day week, you guys need to find some subs that can teach what needs to be taught instead of leaving it to us.”
“I’m for a four-day school week. But if we do go for a five-day week, I am against option three,” said Michelle Keller, Middle and High School math teacher. “I am not only a math teacher, but I’m a farmer’s wife. And I have three kids to take care of while he’s working ’til 10 at night. I know it’s just my problem, but this is a farming community and there’s a lot of people in my position, whether it’s parents or teachers. And that doesn’t work well with out schedule.”
The possibility of a four-day school week in future years remains on the table.
