JEROME, Idaho — For several years, the Jerome School Board has explored the possibility of moving to 4-day school weeks. Many districts around Idaho, including several districts around the Magic Valley have already switched to 4-day weeks. At their board meeting on January 23rd, the trustees of Jerome School Board voted to stay with 5-day weeks.
Many teachers in Jerome feel they had been misled by the board, who seemed encouraging of the change.
- On Friday, 90 teachers notified the school district that they planned to use a day of Paid-Time-Off or sick leave on Monday, January 29th.
- Without sufficient staff or substitute teachers to cover the absences, Jerome School District canceled classes on Monday.
- In a JSD survey, more than 70 percent of the 1,400 students, staff, parents, and community members responded in favor of a 4-day week.
RELATED | More and more, districts are moving to 4-day school weeks
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
Julie Howell-Kirk has worked in the Jerome School District for 19 years.
"One of the challenges we have here is retaining and recruiting teachers,” Julie told Idaho News 6. “And when we have quality educated certified teachers, then our students do better. So in all, this is for the students"
On Monday, Julie and 90 other teachers in the district scheduled a day of leave, to make a statement to the school district.
"We just want honesty and integrity, and to be treated like the professionals that we are,” Julie said.
The discussion over a 4-day week ended on January 23rd, when the school board voted to stay with a 5-day school week.
“I was absolutely surprised by the superintendent's recommendation because we had been led to believe that he was going to recommend for the four-day school week,” Julie said. “And so when he reversed his decision, it was quite a shock to all of us.”
With so many teachers staying home, the district had to cancel classes altogether.
Julie said she wasn't sure if that made it a success.
"I don't know if anything is a success when students are losing out, we love our kids. We love our community we want to be in school. We are doing this for one day. We are standing up for ourselves and we're standing up for the kids."
One parent, Aubrie Merrick said she saw the mass sick day as an appropriate response
"I think they're standing up for a bigger purpose than just the four-day school week,” Aubrey told Idaho News 6.”For a long time, I think from what I've heard from the teachers, in front of what I've seen when I help at the school, the teachers are struggling."
Aubrey said she is a product of a four-day schooling herself.
"So I've lived four days I've seen the benefits of it,” Aubrey said. “I've also seen the struggle that some parents have as far as like what they're gonna do with their kid on that Friday and I've seen the community come together to solve that issue."
