PONOKA — Wolf Creek Public Schools students may get every second Friday off beginning in September.
The school division is looking into a “nine-in-10” system that would close schools and cancel buses one Friday every two weeks.
“The nine-for-10 proposal is just a consideration at this time because we’re facing a real financial impact, and throughout the province,” Wolf Creek superintendent Larry Jacobs said Tuesday.
The move, which has been adopted in various forms in other school divisions, would save up to $500,000 or more a year in the division’s $75 million budget, he said.
By closing classes, the free Friday could be used for administrative or professional development meetings without having any impact on classes or require substitute teachers to be brought in.
“It allows us a cost savings,” he said. “But at the same time, the beauty of the proposal also is it gives our teachers time to collaborate with each other and to talk about new strategies in teaching.”
Several trustees expressed dismay that the revised school schedule had gone out to the public without the board having adequately discussed the implications of such a major change.
Trustee Paula Lamoureux said parents phoned her with concerns, but she felt ill-prepared to respond because the board had not discussed the issue in depth or made any decision.
It seemed like the proposal “snowballed” and “we kind of fell through the cracks,” said Trustee Donna Peterson.
Trustee Karin Engen said the board needed to get more feedback from schools and their councils before making a decision.
“I think this is the kind of item that might bring out the passion in some people.”
The board unanimously approved a motion to discuss the issue at its April 7 meeting.
In the meantime, division administrators will set up meetings so staff, students and parents have an opportunity to voice their opinions and view a presentation prepared on the proposal, said Jacobs.
A number of schools are already close to a nine-in-10 system and it could be standardized so all schools in the division used the same 14 to 17 Fridays.
pcowley@www.reddeeradvocate.com