High fuel costs aren't just hurting commuters. School districts with fleets of school buses are also feeling the pinch. Reuters brings word of some schools that adopted a 4-day schedule, not just for a smaller fuel bill, but to help cut costs across the board.

"For rural school districts where buses may travel 100 miles round-trip each day, there certainly are transportation savings worth considering," said Marc Egan, the director of federal affairs at the National School Boards Association.

Egan said about 100 schools in as many as 16 states have already moved to a four-day school week, many to save money on transportation, heating and cooling.

Sure, like businesses that shift to 4-day workweeks, there are savings and CO2 reductions to be had. But there are some other pleasant side benefits too.

Webster County School District in Kentucky switched to a four-day week four years ago under economic duress -- a state budget crisis left the school in limbo, leaving the district with the option of dropping school days or cutting staff and programs.

The district ended up saving tens of thousands of dollars in fuel and energy costs, helping to cut total costs by 3.5 to 4 percent, said James Kemp, the superintendent of the Webster County School District.

The shortened week at Webster also brought unexpected benefits such as improved attendance and a boost in student performance.

"If we were to go back to a five-day week, the school board and I would be run out of town," Kemp said.

Good news all around. And a three-day weekend? Show me a kid that wouldn't love that?