Southern Boone School District discusses four-day school week possibility with parents at meeting
Mitchell Kaminski
ASHLAND, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Southern Boone School District held a community forum at Southern Boone High School on Tuesday night to discuss a possible shift to a four-day school week beginning with the 2026–27 academic year.
More than 50 people attended the event, where school board members responded to pre-submitted questions from community members, followed by a live discussion at the end.
“That’s really the intent of this is to really get the community feedback. We did try to attempt to do the Q&A in order to keep a structured component, but that is really what we were trying to dispel,” Board President Amy Begemann told ABC 17 News. “The gentleman brought up how it seems like a decision has already been made when, in all essence, it has not.”
Under the proposal, students would attend school 7:50 a.m.-3:25 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, extending each day by 30-40 minutes. The district would eliminate the current early-release Wednesdays, and one Monday each month would be set aside for staff professional development. Remaining Mondays would function as off-days, allowing families to schedule appointments without students missing class.
The school board claims the biggest reason for a potential switch would be to help recruit and retain quality teachers as it tries to compete with larger districts like Columbia Public Schools.
“Having the most appropriate and most qualified teachers, obviously has a greater impact on the student learning,” Begemann said. “So, really student first, but what are the components that are impacting that? Of course, one being that more qualified teachers and retaining those folks.”
District leaders added the four-day schedule could boost attendance, increase instructional time and offer families and students more flexibility. However, several questions arose about how parents would handle child care for younger students on Mondays.
School Board member Heather Brown said during the meeting that the district could look to increase work with other childcare providers, such as the YMCA, with whom they are already partnered. However, Brown added it will ultimately be up to parents to figure it out.
Other concerns raised during the forum included whether students would be overwhelmed by longer school days and how those involved in extracurricular activities would manage homework if practices and sporting events pushed them home later in the evening.
The Southern Boone School District achieved a 95.9% on the Annual Performance Report conducted by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, placing the district 10th in the state overall.
One parent said the quality schools in Ashland were one of the reasons they moved to the area, but added they would not have moved here if there were a four-day school week in place. Another parent said her child wanted to change districts if Southern Boone changed the schedule.
Begemann said nothing has been decided at this point and no options are off the table.
If the proposal is not approved, the district is looking at several other options to help attract and retain teachers. One option the Southern Boone finance committee discussed was scheduled salaries for teachers. Two other ideas the district floated were raising taxes or increasing class sizes; however, officials noted that both ideas would be unpopular.
Conversations about a schedule change began in May. A survey was distributed to parents and staff in June, and a committee formed to study the issue held its first meeting in August.
The results of the survey are expected later this week. However, Brown acknowledged during the meeting that some of the survey questions were poorly worded and did not produce the intended feedback, adding the process has been a learning experience for everyone involved.