Northern Minnesota district tests out 4-day school week starting this fall
CARLTON, Minn. — Students in a northern Minnesota school district will have Fridays off this fall. Carlton, near Duluth, is moving to a four-day school week.
"What can we do in Carlton to be so big, so different, so unique, so innovative. That Carlton School District would be a school of choice," said Superintendent Donita Stepan.
If it sounds like Stepan is making a sales pitch, she is. She's trying to sell people on the district's new four-day school week.
"We had about 79% of the families that filled out the survey were in support of a four-day week. We had about 99% of our teachers and staff that were in support," said Stepan.
The idea began last year. Carlton is a smaller district, so they were trying to figure out ways to compete with surrounding schools.
"I can't pay my teachers the same as what Cloquet can or Hermantown can, so we've got to do something different in order to retain and recruit our staff," said Stepan.
After the school board passed the initiative, and the department of education gave their approval, Carlton saw an increase in teacher applications. But the change is also for student mental health. A small town means kids are in a variety of activities and also working.
"They are just busy. They are trying to get their volunteer hours in. They are trying to apply for colleges," said Stepan.
Now, Carlton is taking steps to promote their four-day school week.
From billboards to brochures to mailings, Carlton is on a marketing blitz to let families outside the district know what they have to offer.
Staff will still be at school on Fridays but won't have their usual workload. And Stepan hopes students will help the community in other ways through work or volunteering.
"I do think this will be a trend. Superintendents are talking about it right now. We have to do something different in public education to meet the needs of our kids," said Stepan.
Carlton students will attend school 15 minutes earlier and stay 15 minutes later, Monday through Thursday. They will also no longer get out a half hour early on Wednesdays, as they've done in previous school years.