In March of 2022, a 15-year-old Eisenhower High School student shot and killed his cousin in the northeast corner of the parking lot after school. During the incident, miscommunication from security led the other students even closer to the active shooting. It was then clear to this leader that they needed a unified approach to safety.

The grades K-6 school districts in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands would join the grades 7-12 Henry Hudson Regional School District, which already serves both municipalities, under the proposal on Tuesday’s ballot.

Hundreds of school systems around the country have adopted four-day weeks in recent years, mostly in rural and western parts of the U.S. Districts cite cost savings and advantages for teacher recruitment, although some have questioned the effects on students who already missed out on significant learning during the pandemic.