Schools Shut Down to Save on Gas

[sabra]

Source: ABC News


Rural School Districts Are Switching to a Four-Day Week to Cut Back on Busing


We've all heard of schools closing because of heavy snowfall, but what about high gas prices?

That's just what is happening in some of the nation's most rural and remote school districts. As the price of gas continues to climb, they're shutting their doors one day a week in order to save on heating and busing costs.

The MACCRAY School District in western Minnesota voted earlier this month to switch to a four-day school week beginning in September. The decision to close the schools on Mondays will mean slightly longer hours on the other four days, but it will also mean a three-day weekend, every week.

"We thought about going to a four-day school week because we needed to save money. We just don't have money and we would like to try to save as many positions as we can in district," said superintendent Greg Schmidt.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Economy/story?id=4947436&page=1

[rucky]

1. Kids can't sit that long.

Shit, adults can't sit that long.

I guarantee you there will be no eduation happening after 3pm.

[Kittycat]

4. I suspect that children will actually fare better this way.

Teachers try to cram in so much, in such a short amount of time, due to NCLB testing that the kids aren't getting an adequate education. I would suspect, since teachers will have more time the kids will actually absorb more - and they can work with more creative ways to teach. There is always a bit of time wasted in each subject as kids transition in changing classes, or switching books and settling in. Now some of that can be applied back to learning.

[rucky]

12. They don't have more time.

It's just a longer day.

I taught at a school that went from 7:30 - 4:30 with a half-hour lunch and a 15-minute recess. Most of the behavior issues happened after 2pm. By 4 the kids were going nuts - even veteran teachers couldn't manage.

[celestia671]

15. So true!

I couldn't get over the big stack of papers my daughter would bring home every week! And she was in first grade!

[ensho]

2. the age of the Tutor is upon us

everything, repeat, everything will have to go local

[Javaman]

5. That or the return of the one room school house. nt

[Indenturedebtor]

8. That or these people can move to the city and we can build vertically n/t

[Critters2]

19. Your food isn't going to grow itself.

There are good reasons for people to live in the country. I mean, besides getting away from people who live in cities.

[woodsprite]

9. Tell me about it - I have one with a math tutor and one with a reading tutor. n/t

[havocmom]

3. I'd like to see an end to traveling for sports

Really remote communities have to spend HOURS on buses, with families tagging along in cars/trucks. It's insane. Most of the kids in sports around here treat the teams as a drinking club sub-culture anyway, with tacit approval of too many in the community. Sports not really being used to teach 'character' should be scrapped to save fuel. We are cutting back on books & teachers, how about parking the damn team bus?

[Exultant Democracy]

6. Then we will get a higher number of drop outs, lower GPAs, and worse physical fitness.

not to mention the tens of thousands of kids each year who get to go to college only because of an athletic scholarships. (You would end up in a situation where only the kids rich enough to play club sports would get that advantage.)

Athletics, Art and Music have all be proven to dramatically enhance the educational process.

But the parents in your town should start to car pool.

[havocmom]

7. Parents in my town should face reality, which is their kids are still unfit, and not learning much

while sitting IN school.

[melm00se]

10. ever since

gas prices began moving upwards I have had the feeling that the days of school busing were numbered.

I can see a day where the local neighborhood school services just the neighborhood, all the kids walk to school (in the snow...uphill...both ways) and no children are bused in from 30 blocks away.

this will create issues with racial and economic balance within the school districts/systems.

[melissinha]

11. I see one problem

and am curious about what parents who already have kids on this schedule are experiencing.... Doesn't this put a burden on working parents for day-care? I realize these are rural schools and soem parents may want their kids to help on the farm... but as someone who went to school in Iowa who actually lived within walking distance, wonder what the ramifications are for families with working mothers or single mothers...

[Naythan]

13. not mentioned in the article...

but when this story appeared in the Minneapolis Star Tribune it was stated that there would be "babysitting" training for High School students who would be willing to watch younger students on the day off. Also, I believe there was mention of using the community center for activities and such on the day off where parents could drop off their kids.

I'd have to look at the story again, but I do know that this was a deciding factor and the district was looking at alternatives for parents who couldn't afford day care.

[Occulus]

16. In light of the "going local" comment above, that's very interesting

If you have or come across any other additional information, please post it.

BTW- Welcome to DU! :hi:

edit: of, not og... OF...

[Naythan]

14. not official yet...

not mentioned in the article is the fact that the Minnesota Department of Education still needs to approve this schedule and make sure there are no legal issues.

Read more from the Minneapolis Star Tribune article: http://www.startribune.com/local/18893039.html?page=1&c=y

[tctctctc]

17. So STOP dissing home schoolers...protect yourselves

Dems need to step outside the mainstream media and think for themselves.

People realize public schools have become 'unhealthy programming' environments for children. As the economy dies, there won't be any money for local schools. Then the Govt will ship them to boarding camps, etc..

This is happening because the devalued $Dollar. The mortagage crisis was designed by the banking families to collapse the US. Strap US with THEIR DEBT for THIER BAD BUSINESS PRACTICES. Then turn around a buy up infrastructures, from desperate local govts who've gone broke.

The Republicans have been doing this in their own states, since Reagan. When Reaganomics failed, rich Republican businessmen were there to scoop up the privatized contracts.

[LeftyMom]

18. My kid comes to school by "commuting" downstairs.

We do go to the library and the bookstore a lot, but those are close and we'd do that anyhow.

Score one for homeschooling.

[Honeycombe8]

20. OMG. Things have gotten to a place that I thought I'd never see in this country.

It's shameful.