Around the country businesses and schools have felt the pressure of energy and fuel costs, work and school days are reducing from five to four days. Morehouse Parish schools may join that trend within the next year.

“Because of the energy crisis and fuel costs, Morehouse Parish is considering” a four-day school week, Superintendent Tom Thrower said.

Before any decisions are made, the Morehouse Parish School Board is asking employees, parents and students to respond to a poll about their thoughts on a shorter school week.
“Our intent is to send this out to get feedback,” Thrower said.

One section on the survey will ask what group the individual is in, such as parent, student, teacher, bus driver, administrator, paraprofessional, clerical, custodian, nutrition employee and bus shop/maintenance.

Individuals filling out the survey will say if they are or are not in favor a a four-day school week consisting of Tuesday through Friday. No one would attend school on Monday.

If a group is opposed to a four-day week, “we want to know what the problem is,” Thrower said. Those groups will be asked what they are concerned about or why they are opposed to a four day week.

This survey will be handed out during parent-teacher conferences along with report cards from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3 at all Morehouse Parish schools. No students will attend school on Friday.

“About 5,000 copies will be printed by (Wednesday),” Thrower said.

Parents attending parent-teacher conferences can turn their surveys in on Friday. If anyone needs time to think about the shorter school week, they can turn their survey in anytime before Friday, Oct. 10. Students will be polled next week during school.

“We’ll look and see if we need to proceed further with it” depending on the survey results, Thrower said. If the board decides to proceed, “we will present scenarios for adding time to days or days to the year.”