The idea of the 4-day school week was born out of concern for the rising cost of gasoline and its impact on the families that bring their children to Sprinfield Seventh-day Adventist Junior Academy. A 20% reduction of the commute mileage and time becomes income that could help offset the increase in expenses all families have realized with the current high fuel prices.
 
A rationale based on financial savings soon found additional support as we began considering how it could reduce the co-curricular intrusions on instructional time. A 4-day week creates an envelope of time for us to conduct value added co-curricular activities such as Educational Field Trips, Music Festivals,Prayer Conferences, etc. without destroying the fabric of our instructional time.

Curricular benefits associated with a 4-day week include fewer absences for teachers and students. Teachers have time for collaborative work on scheduled days which does not interfere with your child’s instructional time. With each new adoption in curriculum or technology there is a demand for training which can be met in the 4-day week without requiring additional substitute teacher days.