Custer School District

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Custer School District

• Presentation
• To The
• Stanley County School District
• November 29, 2007

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CUSTER SCHOOL DISTRICTS

• 4-DAY SCHOOL WEEK
• Really Just An
• Alternative Calendar

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HISTORY

• 1995-1996 1st Year Pilot-Evaluation
• 1996-1997 2nd Year Pilot-Evaluation
• 1997-2000 3 Year Approval DoE
• 2000 State Changed to Minimum Hours
  No Approval Required
• 2007-2008 Now in our 13th Year

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CRITICAL CONSIDERATIONSTHE CALENDAR

• Parent Teacher Conferences
• Teacher Work Days
• KindergartenMoved to all-day, everyday
  kindergarten in 06-07.

• School Calendar
• Year/Day (40 minutes)
• 5 Day School Weeks
• School Week (M-Th?)
• Federal Holidays
• Emergency Closing

Our 1997-2000 calendars, with 151 student
days, ensure Custer students have a greater
amount of contact time (student ltgt teacher)
than any school district in SD. 2007-2008
Calendar includes 148 student days and 153 staff
days. Continue to be far above the hour minimum.
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CRITICAL CONSIDERATIONS EMPLOYEE WORK SCHEDULES

• Teachers Same or More Total Hours
• Teacher Aides Initially Lost 4 hrs/wk
• Building
• Principals Whatever Gets the Job Done
• Secretaries Longer Days/Same Hours
• Custodians Stayed on 5-Day Week
• Central Office Stayed on 5-Day Week

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CRITICAL CONSIDERATIONS INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM

• Integrity of Instructional Day
• Minimize Time Students Are Out of Class
  Increased Contact Time
• Minimize Time Teachers Are Out

• EXAMPLES
• Doctor's Appointments
• Field Trips
• Fun Activities
• Co-Curricular Activities

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CRITICAL CONSIDERATIONS IMPACT ON OTHER PROGRAMS

• Co-Curricular Programs - M/T Practice Done by
  800, W Done by 600. Th/F/S Wide Open. No
  Sundays.
• Games Focus on Th/F/S. Avoid MissingTwo Days
  in a Week Monday-Thursday. Stay Away From Tuesday
  Nights as Much as Possibleif necessary, done by
  8 PM.
• Music and Drama Concerts M/T. Plays on F/S.
  Elem/MS done by 8 PM. HS done by 9 PM.
• Fridays are very busy activity days.

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CRITICAL CONSIDERATIONS IMPACT ON FACILITIES

• Community Use Opened the Schools on Fridays for
  More Community Use
• Cleaning and Maintenance Opened the Classrooms
  for Deep-Cleaning and Projects on Fridays

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CRITICAL CONSIDERATIONS IMPACT ON COMMUNITY

• CHILD CARE
• - Quickly Went Away and YMCA Helped by Training

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OTHER ISSUES

• Food Services Lost One Day of Work
• Transportation One Less Day of Travel Bad
  Weather, Student Issues on the Bus
• One less day of Discipline
• for Elementary one fewer day of Recess

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EVALUATION ISSUES/FINDINGS
Impact on Students / Learning

• No Significant Difference in SATs
  Fourth Grade 1995 - 73, 2002 74
  Eleventh Grade 1995 70, 2002 71
• Slight Positive Difference in ACTs 2006 22.7
• 2007 - Made AYP in All Areas
• No Significant Difference in Grades
• No Significant Differences in Attendance Rates
  1995 95.2, 2001 98.2

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EVALUATION ISSUES/FINDINGS
Impact on Students

• No Negative Impacts to Special Education
• Students Adjust Quicker Than the Adults
• Fewer Disciplinary Incidents! Students Happier
• No Increase in Juvenile Crime
• Fridays Can Be Used for Additional Learning
  Assistance Such as Tutoring

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EVALUATION ISSUES/FINDINGS
Impact on Teaching / Teachers

• Teachers very supportive of 4-Day
  1996 94, 2002 100
• Teachers felt they covered more material (20),
  and did so more effectively
• Teachers Appreciate 4-Day Week Time on Fridays
  to Plan, Correct, Grades
• Teachers Tired from A Long Day Required 40 more
  minutes of focused teaching
• Inservice Activities/Curriculum Development Can
  Take Place on Fridays

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EVALUATION ISSUES FINDINGS
Impact on Co-Curricular Programs

• Increased segregation of academic programs
  from co-curricular programs More Classroom Time
  on Task, Fewer Students Struggling in Class Due
  to Late Activity Nights
• Increased participation in co-curricular
  programs - 1996 56, 2002 86

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EVALUATION ISSUES FINDINGS
Impact on Facilities

• No difference in ways in which buildings were
  used by community
• Increased opportunities for special Friday
  Projects.
• No savings in utilities costs

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EVALUATION ISSUES FINDINGS
Impact on Finances ()

• Estimate Savings at 50-70 K Per Year
• Transportation (15 budgeted S)
• Some small savings in hourly employees salaries,
  teacher subs.
• NO OTHER COST SAVINGS

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EVALUATION ISSUES FINDINGS
Parental and Community Support

• STRONG community support for 4-day
• 1996 57.8 1997 75
• 2002 86 parents 73 community
• Opinion Survey (some duplication)
• Formal Referendum
• Data From 2002 Dissertation by Dr. Becky
  Feaster

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CONCLUDING REMARKS

• 4-Day-Week appears to have
• no negative impact on achievement.
• a positive effect on student behavior and
  attitudes.
• wide support in the community
• saved money, but not a significant amount.