BEDFORD -- School board members in Bedford County on Thursday evening delved into an issue that's gained attention nationally -- cutting back to a four-day school week to combat high fuel costs and rising energy expenses.

But members of the county's school board snuffed the idea, deciding a shortened week is not the most appropriate or timely route for the county -- at least for now.

Several localities across the United States already have shaved a day off the school week and many others are considering it, but Bedford County is the first district in the Roanoke Valley or its surrounding counties to have publicly considered the four-day week for the regular school year.

The board chose not to proceed with a proposal to test the savings of a four-day week during a trial period this summer even though Superintendent James Blevins estimated it would save about $30,000. School board members previously had directed Blevins to explore the feasibility of a condensed week, he said.

Bedford representative Mickey VanDerwerker instead suggested observing the ways other school systems, especially those in the Midwest, adjust to four-day schedules before trying it in Bedford County.

"This year we should watch to see what they do and how they do it because it may end up coming to that," said Julie Bennington, who represents the Big Island District.

Other board members cited concerns such as the impact on extracurricular activities, the effect of lengthened school days on students and potential challenges it could create for parents related to child care.

If the program were tested for six weeks this summer, Blevins told the school board he estimated savings would be about $30,000 -- $22,000 in electricity costs and about $8,000 in fuel usage.

However, Blevins said he did not recommend the trial unless the board felt strongly that a four-day week was something they wished to pursue in the upcoming school year.

"I would rather try it in the summer to see how things are when we do not have 11,000 students," Blevins said.

Because summer school programs for elementary and middle school students already operate on a four-day schedule, only the high school summer school program, year-round employees and central administrative staff would have been affected by the proposed trial.

Henry County's school system decided earlier this month to operate its summer programs on a four-day-a-week schedule. Assistant Superintendent James Beckner anticipates savings of about $70,000 during the eight-week summer session.

As for plans to extend the shortened week into the regular school year, Beckner and Henry County Public Schools Superintendent Sharon Dodson said at this time there are none.

"We are looking at some other things we can do to make our transportation system more efficient," Dodson said. "We are hoping those adjustments can make up some of the slack but we are always looking for a better idea."

Because of declining enrollment and decreased state funding, Bedford County Public Schools officials have been exploring ways to maximize efficiency recently.

To date the schools' fuel and energy expenses are running about $140,000 more than anticipated, according to school board Chairman Gary Hostutler.

"It is not a million-dollar problem yet," he said.

The school board faced a cash shortfall for the current fiscal year, which ends Monday. Earlier this week the school board asked the county's board of supervisors to approve a transfer of $850,000 from the schools' textbook fund to account for less revenue than expected from sales tax and enrollment-based reimbursements.

"We really do need to be proactive about what is happening and what is realistic about what is happening," said Stewartsville District school board representative Joy Wright.