While we’re closing in on the final days of the 2023-24 school year, Kimball Public School administrators and staff are starting preparations for a four-day school week next year.
Superintendent Trevor Anderson says the school board decision earlier this spring approving the change from “four-and-a-half” days came after discussion with educators, staff and parents going back to last November.
Anderson tells KNEB News among the many issues considered was how to continue meeting student nutritional needs. “Students will be able to have breakfast and lunch in our Mary Lynn (Elementary) gymnasium, which was one of the things we wanted to do to make sure our students were able to have access to a good meal on those days off,” said Anderson. “The other thing that was brought forth from the community was on ‘Well, if we’re not having school on Fridays, I work and so forth, what are we going to do with our students during that time?’ Presently we operate what we call our ‘Elite After-School’ program, and that operates from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. throughout the school week, and so, what we’ll do on that Friday, it will be similar to our Summer Program.”
He says there will also be a slightly later start to after-school activities and athletic practices, and busing should not be significantly impacted.
Anderson says the district will continue to be well in excess of the minimum hours of instruction required by the state, as each school day will be lengthened by about 35 minutes.
