By J SWYGART, Decatur Daily Democrat
School days that start at 8:30 a.m. instead of 8:00?
Four-day school weeks? Both topics were "thrown out there" for consideration on Tuesday during the regular monthly meeting of the North Adams Community School's board of education.
Superintendent Wylie Sirk said the later starting time for classes "is something other superintendents in the area have been talking about" for some time. The rationale behind such a move, Sirk said, is that delaying the start of classes for 30 minutes daily - and extending the school day an equal length of time - would reduce the amount of time buses and students spend on roadways during periods of darkness in the morning. The additional half-hour would also allow administrators more time to evaluate winter road conditions and to make decisions to delay or cancel classes, Sirk said.
The switch to a four-day school week would be mostly for financial gain, resulting in a "major savings" in fuel costs for the district, the superintendent said.
Transportation director Dale Bieberich said the school district uses approximately 1,000 gallons of fuel weekly, "which burns the cash register pretty hard."
Under the four-day school week scenario, current class times would likely be extended by 90 minutes daily.
Board members questioned the effect of any changes on athletic and extra-curricular events, and also wondered aloud how the schedules of parents - especially those with younger students - would be affected.
Sirk stressed that the discussions about earlier start times and/or shorter school weeks are preliminary in nature.
"I'd like to do a survey and get parents' input on this," he said.