District Gauging Interest For Monday Child Care

The Crawford County R-1 School District is gauging interest in Monday child care as the school prepares for a four-day week in 2021-22.

Bourbon will be closed nearly every Monday during the year.

A program for children in grades kindergarten through sixth grade is tentatively planned if there is sufficient interest.

The school has sent out communication through Facebook and anyone interested should call the central office, elementary or middle school by Friday for more information and to have your name added to the list.

Monday child care was the most concerning issue that the Crawford County R-1 School Board debated last spring.

Child care was introduced in other districts where a four-day week was adopted.

However, research by Superintendent Dr. Kyle Gibbs and other board members in 2019 found that district patrons quickly adjusted and it was no longer needed.

The board was on track to approve a four-day week in March 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic sidelined it.

Surveys in 2020 and 2021 found that more than 70% of patrons and staff would support a four-day calendar.

The school board finalized it last March.

Bourbon will be one of more than 100 districts in Missouri that have adopted a four-day week. There were 61 districts with four-day weeks in 2019-2020, but the pace accelerated last year.

The new school year begins Tuesday, Aug. 24.

Elementary and middle school classes will run from 7:53 a.m. to 3:43 p.m.

Bourbon Elementary can be reached at 573-732-5365.

Bourbon Middle School can be reached at 573-732-4424.

Bourbon’s central office can be reached at 573-732-4426.