4-day week backlash discussed in Carlton

At Monday night’s Carlton school board retreat, board members had a freewheeling discussion about the major challenges to be faced in the coming school year.

A large amount of discussion centered around the four-day school week which starts this September. Board members were supportive, but expressed doubts.

Board member Ryan Leonzal was direct.

“I’ve had anywhere from 10 to 15 families tell me that they’re leaving, and they’re not particularly ones that I would have assumed [would] go,” he said, and went on to warn the board about the gamble the district was taking. “I get concerned if that transfer [out] number far exceeds the transfer in number … all of a sudden, we’re in a tough spot, and we didn’t have a lot of wiggle room coming into that decision.”

He went on to express concerns about a lack of another plan and the lack of progress on consolidation with Wrenshall.

Superintendent Donita Stepan responded by reminding the board that Carlton was in a position where they had to take some chances.

“When we started this, we knew that there would be some kids and some families that we might lose in the hopes that we would gain some back,” she said.

The experience of Two Harbors, which has been on a four-day week for some time, was instructive.

“When we talked to Two Harbors, [they said] there was a lot of growing pains at the beginning … but once it got going … people loved it and never want to go back,” Stepan said.

Leonzal pointed out that the Two Harbors geography is different.

“In that neck of the woods, their other option is Duluth East, which is wildly unlikely for a kid to go from Silver Bay to Duluth East. Versus here, sadly enough, there’s five other options within a 20-minute drive,” he said.

Board vice chairman Sam Ojibway said responses from his constituents have been mostly positive, while saying most of the opposition is from people with younger kids. “We’re not a daycare,” he said.

Board member Laura Nilsen echoed what Leonzal said.

“I’ve had the same conversations Ryan has had … and that makes it hard, because we are losing some good families,” she said.

The ones she knew of had already made the decision and signed the paperwork.

Stepan reported that she had asked South Terrace principal Kari Solarz to contact the families that were leaving and ask if free daycare would have affected their decision. No results from those contacts were available, but in an email the next day, Stepan said the option was being considered.

“If the numbers work out and it’s something we can afford, we may move forward with free daycare on Fridays,” she wrote.

Back in March, Stepan had estimated that Friday daycare for families who needed it would run about $800 extra per year per child. That figure does not necessarily represent the actual cost to the school district, but if it is accepted as a starting point for an estimation and multiplied by the number of children who might need daycare, the cost could run into the tens of thousands. South Terrace had 167 students at the end of the 2022-2023 school year pre-K through grade 5. Not all students would need daycare.

Nilsen mentioned another facet.

“Consolidation is an important topic still, because the elephant in the room is this building isn’t going to last,” she said. “We can bring in all the students we want, but if they’re open enrolled, that’s not our taxpayers’ kids, and those are the people who are voting for a new building, and they’re not going to vote yes for this building.”

This led to a discussion about consolidation with frustration expressed about a lack of progress. There was consensus that the No. 1 priority was to make the strategic plan and the four-day week successful.

Ojibway asked if there had been any communication with Wrenshall about consolidation. Stepan responded that there had been nothing lately.

“I had a conversation maybe two months ago that led me to believe that their superintendent didn’t seem to be connected to consolidation at all,” she said.

Stepan pointed out that Wrenshall’s superintendent is par-time. “It’s very difficult to try to make consolidation happen when there isn’t anybody over there to talk to about consolidation,” she said.

Since the meeting was designated a “retreat,” no official action was taken and no public comment was heard.