Alba-Golden ISD exploring 4-day school week

Posted 12/15/22

Parents of Alba-Golden students can expect to see a survey in the next week requesting their input on transitioning Alba-Golden schools from a five-day school week to a four-day school week.

Superintendent Macy Thompson briefed the school board Monday evening on the results of the district’s research into the implications of making the change. 

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Alba-Golden ISD exploring 4-day school week

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Parents of Alba-Golden students can expect to see a survey in the next week requesting their input on transitioning Alba-Golden schools from a five-day school week to a four-day school week.

Superintendent Macy Thompson briefed the school board Monday evening on the results of the district’s research into the implications of making the change. 

The presentation, which Thompson described as a pilot program, had its genesis in the desire to attract and retain the best teachers possible.

“Excellence in education starts with our teachers,” Thompson began.  

Thompson explained that based on a survey of Alba-Golden teachers, the number one inhibitor to effective classroom instruction is inadequate time given teachers to plan their instruction. The primary advantage of a four-day school week is that it would afford teachers greater planning time. Additionally, the day without formal classroom instruction would also allow for more systematic feedback to parents, more timely and thorough scholastic intervention and higher quality grading.    

The superintendent explained that the district had consulted with representatives from five of the 13 schools in East and Northeast Texas which have made the change to a four-day week. Alba-Golden leadership also attended a seminar put on by Athens ISD – now in the fifth year of a four-day week – regarding their experience with the change.

Other area schools that have adopted a four-day school week include Boles, Lone Oak and Farmersville. It was anticipated that Rains ISD would vote on such a proposal Monday evening.

Most notably, Thompson relayed that Athens ISD saw a 20% increase in their teacher applicant pool upon making the change to a shortened school week. The program is viewed as a significant, positive health and welfare issue within the teaching community, Thompson noted.

Cons, such as a longer school day, child care changes and no school lunches provided on Fridays, were also discussed by Thompson. She explained how each of these cons could possibly be mitigated. 

The survey of Alba-Golden teachers overwhelmingly endorsed the positive effect of such a change. The parent survey will be similar to the survey conducted by the teachers and will be sent to parents via SKYWARD. The survey will remain open through the Christmas break.  

The proposed four-day school week would run Monday through Thursday, with school starting at 7:45 a.m. and ending at 4:07 p.m. The school year would commence in mid-August and run through May. There would be no early release days, and the traditional holiday breaks would be retained.

Following the presentation, the board discussed digesting the input from the parents and getting the item on an agenda early in the new year to make a decision. 

Prior to the superintendent’s report, two community members made statements in public forum. 

Brady Robinson queried the board regarding the cost of the recent land purchase as well as the cost of the newly constructed ag-science facility. He stated that he had reviewed the financial reports from 2018 to 2022 and could not identify the expenditures in either case. 

When he did not receive a numerical answer from the board, he chastised them, “If you do not know the answer to those two questions, you are not doing your job.”

Board President Jason Stovall assured Robinson that he would receive a full answer.  

Elementary school parent Jessica Christian read an impassioned statement which detailed her growing frustration at incidents of disruptive, violent and near-violent behavior in her child’s classroom. She offered a timeline which ran from August to December in which she recounted the events and her efforts to get corrective action taken by the school. 

Her plea was summarized by asking, “How can it be morally acceptable to tolerate such activity which is negatively impacting so many other children?”

She provided a written copy of her statement to each trustee and asked them to consider if they were in the same situation.

Decisions taken by the board included approval of an out of state trip for the Panther Band (this summer to Branson, Mo.), approval of an employee dress code and approvals of local policies dealing with facilities and handling instructional matters of a sensitive nature. 

Stovall presented outgoing Business Manager Brenda Kelley with a memento of appreciation in honor of her 22 years of service with the district. 

Also recognized were the all-district selectees for volleyball and football. Athletic Director Drew Webster proudly noted that 27 athletes from the two sports were selected as academic all-district athletes. 

Second-grader Jax White and eighth-grader Elijah Backer were recognized as students of the month. Allie Crittenden and Addison Thomas were recognized as Christmas Card Contest Winners and were presented with a framed copy of their art. 

Board member Randall Cole was absent from the meeting.