The Mingus Union High School District board approved the formation of an advisory committee to explore the advantages and disadvantages of a four-day school week at its meeting on March 9.
An exploratory group of 17 teachers and administrators formed in January 2022. They conducted preliminary research and distributed a parent survey, which showed that the majority of parents would prefer a four-day school week. The majority also agreed that it would improve student attendance.
The greatest concern expressed in the survey was the prospect of longer school days. Potential benefits include more family time, better student wellbeing and more time for student employment.
Parent Dawn Stockbridge spoke about how her child has had a four-day school week since kindergarten and is currently doing very well academically. Stockbridge said the shorter week has not hindered her child’s academic ability at all. She also suggested the district should explore partnerships with businesses around town that will let students shadow and do on-the-job training.
Board member Dr. Misty Cox argued that while the proposal might benefit some students, it would not work well for the majority of students and compared its potential effects to the effects that the COVID-19 pandemic had on student learning. She also said the experience would not properly prepare students for a five-day work week. Cox further contended that some students need the food and shelter that school provides and reducing attendance by one day would cut them off from access to these resources.
Superintendent Mike Westcott claimed that it would be virtually impossible to reduce the school week to four days without minimizing instructional time. Board member Austin Babcock suggested that a four-day week might be more appealing for teachers and could give the school an advantage in attracting and retaining teachers. Board president Lori Drake thought that students would get a better education if they stayed in school longer.
The formation of the advisory committee was approved with only Cox in opposition. The details of the committee’s operation will be decided upon at the next meeting.
At the February meeting, a student had proposed naming the school’s softball field “Field of Faith” in honor of student Faith Moore, who died last year in a flash flood, which the board also discussed at the meeting.
District Policy FF states that names for facilities can be derived from significant geographic locations, historical events, events of community significance or worthy deceased individuals who have made unique contributions to the district or have been deceased for at least 10 years. The policy defines a facility as any school building, administration building, gymnasium, stadium, athletic field or playground.
The policy does not apply to anything smaller than playing fields or playgrounds, so the board discussed other memorial options that would cause fewer legal issues and be more timely.
Drake argued that many people have asked for memorials and that it would be overwhelming for the school to pay for them and place names everywhere. She thought such a change would open the door for hundreds of community members to make similar requests and noted that it was difficult to discuss the policy given the emotional connotations the discussion involved.
Principal Regina Gee shared the success of Project Prom Closet and announced that Sarah Garrett will provide a follow-up presentation on the project next month. The community donated more than 500 items to the closet, and approximately 120 students left with 236 items.
The project was also able to offer private shopping times for developmentally-disabled and autistic students and others who attended the Night to Shine Prom event hosted by Vineyard Church.
“We would like to thank our very generous community for all of the wonderful donations to the Project Prom Closet,” said Lynette Prouty, President of the Rotary Club of the Verde Valley, in a statement. “We received a very large number of donations for this year’s event and were thrilled with the variety. We would like to especially thank Sarah Garrett, family outreach coordinator at Mingus [Union] High School. Without her support, and that of Mingus High School all year round, this would not be possible. The Mingus Interact Club volunteers are also huge supporters of this event and we thank you for all of the time you put in to make this year’s Prom Closet a huge success.”
The next board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on April 13, at the Mingus Union High School library.
