The Glidden-Ralston Community School District is joining a growing trend in Iowa education—shifting from a five-day to a four-day school week beginning next fall.
The school board approved the change during a special meeting last Monday, Jan. 26, on a narrow 3–2 vote after months of community meetings and surveys.
Superintendent Tom Ridder says the move is designed to support staff recruitment and retention while keeping student learning front and center.
High School Principal and Athletic Director Tony Napierala says enrollment factors were a key factor for the school-week switch. The district currently serves about 310 to 320 students, but has lost nearly 40 in recent years. Napierala says the four-day week is a way to stand out and attract families through open enrollment.
The district is still finalizing details, including which day will be off—Napierala used Monday as an example—but leaders emphasize instructional time will remain strong. Iowa requires 1,080 hours per year, and G-R plans to exceed that.
Extracurriculars will continue as usual, even on days off.
Napierala says families may benefit from the new schedule, with a day like Monday off providing a chance to recharge after busy weekends of sports and activities. He adds that other districts already using a four‑day week have reported positive trends, including fewer absences, improved behavior, and reduced stress among students.
Glidden-Ralston is the first district in the immediate listening area to adopt the model, but it’s part of a larger statewide trend. Rural districts across Iowa are turning to four-day weeks to cut costs and address teacher shortages, though researchers caution the long-term academic impacts are still being studied.
Napierala says the final calendar will be approved soon, with open houses planned in February to help families understand the change. More information is available by visiting the district’s website at glidden-ralston.k12.ia.us.
