4-day week shows promise in rural Utah district

The Rich (Utah) School District has just wrapped up its second year of using a four-day school week. The main focus for the three-year pilot program is to reduce absences by scheduling extracurricular activities on Fridays and Saturdays instead of during the week. Other school districts, such as Duchesne and Kane, are interested in the four-day week. In these rural areas, long-distance travel for activities keeps students out of class. Rich District Superintendent Dale Lamborn says the program is working well in his district, which has an enrollment of 452. Absences have decreased over the past two years.