Dist. 3 trustees question extended school year proposal

Some Florence School District 3 board members said they have concerns about the timing of a proposal to extend the school year at Lake City Elementary and Ronald E. McNair Middle schools.

The district developed the potential new calendar after the schools were among 25 additional schools the S.C. Department of Education named last month to the Palmetto Priority program.

The program is aimed at assisting schools that haven’t met student-learning goals set by the South Carolina Education Accountability Act of 1998, according to the department.

The proposed calendar would add 15 days for all students before Palmetto Assessment of State Standards, or PASS, testing. The test is given in grades three through eight.

District board Vice Chairman Bernard McIntosh said at Thursday’s board meeting that he thinks the timing is wrong and that he thinks the schools and community need to develop a partnership on the issue.

“I see it causing friction because we have not had time to plan,” McIntosh said.

Too many unanswered questions remain regarding the subject, he said.

Board Chairman Richard Cook said he likes the concept of the extended calendar but also is not fond of the timing.

“Something is going to change,” Cook said, explaining there is a problem that needs to be addressed. He said district administrators are “thinking outside of the box.”

McIntosh also said board members need to know what it is going to cost to fuel buses during an extended calendar year.

District Superintendent Beth Wright said she has a figure for the projected cost of fueling buses during a calendar year, but didn’t have the information at the meeting because the district is still in the planning stage and the board is not yet prepared to vote on the matter.

Board member Paula Morris said too many conflicts exist to begin the extended calendar during the 2009-10 school year. Morris asked whether state and district officials should consider extending the school year calendar or changing the curriculum.

Wright said district officials will meet with the Palmetto Priority officials next week. As of right now, Wright said students will begin school in August because no decision has been made on the extended calendar.

Terry Bryant said during public comments during the board’s meeting that she has a student at Ronald E. McNair Middle School and presented board members with 30 signatures of parents with children at the schools who oppose the extended school year.

Bryant said parents feel like they were not able to participate in the research and analysis of the extended calendar school year.

Wright said officials have looked at pros and cons of the extended school year and calendar revisions.

She also said the district wants parents to give their input and encourages more parents to do so.

Wright said district officials have talked with faculty and staff members at both schools and expressed the need to try something different. She also said a project team was put in place at both schools.