Caney Valley Schools will finish the fall semester with a four-day school week. The change, along with several other measures designed to reduce water consumption, was approved 6-1 by the district’s board last week and will take effect beginning Monday, Oct. 30.
The changes eliminate seven days of instruction. Locker room showers will be turned off, and, weather permitting, outdoor restrooms will be used to limit water consumption from flushing.
Like much of the state, southeast Kansas is desperate for rain. The entirety of Montgomery County, where Caney is located, is reported as either severe, extreme or exceptional drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The district, one of the city’s largest consumers of water, asserts that the four-day week will decrease water consumption for food preparation, cleaning, and bathroom usage, among other things. The change will still allow the district to meet statutory requirements from the state.
District superintendent Blake Vargas said the district’s goal was to cut about 20% of its water consumption with the changes.
“This is not ideal,” said Vargas. “Let me be clear: we want our kids in school. We hope this doesn’t go on for long. I hope the rain that’s forecasted this week comes our way.”
NO DECISION has yet been made for the spring semester. “That will be based on our overall water outlook,” said Vargas. “We’ll work with city and county officials.”
Vargas, in his ninth year as USD 436 superintendent, said the district is exploring “every possible opportunity to get kids back in school but not draw so much water.”
Vargas recognized concerns about student learning loss due to less instructional time, but he expressed confidence in his staff and community. He referenced the district’s metrics for student improvement as one of the few statewide that did not dip during the COVID pandemic, which forced districts to move to remote learning.
