Nashua Eyes 4-Day School Week

Hinsdale, Saco, and Opheim school superintendents were guest speakers at a presentation Tuesday evening, Dec. 17, at the Nashua school concerning the idea of Nashua switching from a five-day to four-day school week.

And they all – Hinsdale's Julie Gaffney, Saco's Gordon Hahn and Opheim's Ed Ray – said their communities have become accustomed to the four-day week since making the switch and fully support it. Stated reasons for that included improved student attendance, reduced school transportation and lunch costs, some students being able to help out with more farm work at home, and some students using the extra day to work at part-time jobs.

A few dozen people were in attendance, offering remarks in favor and opposed to the idea. One point against it was increased daycare costs for families to pay for children not at school.

The meeting was opened for questions, which were answered by the school superintendents and teachers, as well as the business manager for the school.

Two years ago, a four-day week was researched in Nashua but then tabled because the superintendent at the time, Gary Fisher, was going to be leaving. The school board felt it would place an unfair burden on the incoming superintendent to make a decision on if Nashua schools should go to a four-day week.

Tuesday's presentation was attended by quite a few Nashua residents, many of whom have children attending the Nashua school.

Nashua school Superintendent Jennifer Cunningham gave the welcome to those attending the meeting, then turned it over to a committee of five Nashua teachers who have been doing research on a four-day week.

Cunningham stated that the four-day week will be on the agenda for the Nashua School Board meeting set for Tuesday, Jan. 14, at 5:30 p.m. at the school and that more questions could be asked at that time and opinions given either pro or con.