ST. CHARLES, Minn.– A proposal for a four-day school week was laid out by schools Superintendent Rob Routh at public feedback session. Reaction was mixed. Routh said the shorter week would give teachers more time for class preparation. Also, he said, as much as 2% could be pared from the district’s $14.6 million budget. One parent was concerned that a three-day weekend would interrupt continuity in learning and hurt standardized test scores. A retired superintendent, Sherri Broderius, who helped Atwater-Cosmos Grove City schools in a transition to a four-day week, responded that scores rose from 5% proficiency to 63% in one year. About school meals and daycare, Routh said those were conerns that could be addressed.
Schools profile
The St. Charles strict straddles the Winona-Olmsted county line. Its two schools, both in St. Charles, draw students from Clyde, Elba, Saratoga and Utica. Enrollment totals 990. The only other Winona County school districts are Lewiston-Altura and Winona,