Four day school weeks and three-day weekends are paying off academically and financially for Hay Springs Public Schools.
Last year the district made the decision to cancel Friday classes, and lengthen school days by 45 minutes.
Many students used to miss class time by leaving early for sporting events. Now most of those events are scheduled for Friday's, and instructional time in the classrooms is protected.
"We believe we actually teach more hours than most districts too, because our teachers and our staff and kids are all in the classroom," says Superintendent Steve Pummel. "They don't miss time- and that's important."
Pummel estimates that the district saves more than 100 thousand dollars annually with Friday's being canceled.
High costs for food service, part-time staff, and fuel costs for the busses are all eliminated on Friday's.
