Opposition among parents and teachers is brewing over the introduction of a pilot program that would bring year-round classes to two Alachua County schools.
The two schools selected to begin the program this July are Marjorie K. Rawlings Elementary and Metcalfe Elementary. P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School, a public laboratory school of the University of Florida, will join the program in the 2025-2026 school year.
“We wanted to gather more community input on what we call a ‘balanced calendar’ so it wouldn’t become a hassle for our students and staff,” said Director and Superintendent of P.K. Yonge, Brian K. Marchman.
On April 16, the School Board approved anofficial 2024-2025 calendar for the two schools, giving students, parents and administration three months to adjust before the first day of classes on July 16.
“This really just puts us [parents] in a bind,” said Jaliyah Williams, mother of three students at Rawlings ranging from kindergarten to middle school.
Many parents like Williams have to walk miles a day to get their kids to and from school.
“The new schedule completely messes up my work schedule and now transportation. Plus, zoning for the bus is only up to two miles, so that’s still not an option,” said Williams.
“I’m not letting my daughter walk by herself that far.”
As of Jan. 16, Metcalfe has 460 students and Rawlings has 426 students, affecting nearly 900 local students and families.
At the end of the five-year program, the commissioner of education will report the data to the legislature and the governor. The data includes data on participation, benefits of the program, barriers to implementation, and recommendations to statewide adoption.
The Alachua school district —which has the largest disparity of reading levels between Black and white students in the state — applied to the program to help reduce “summer slack.”
Alachua County district representative, Jackie Johnson, described summer slack as, “When students get back to school [after summer], teachers have to spend a lot of time reviewing what they’ve forgotten. The finding is that this is particular to underprivileged populations because of the lack of activities they can do.”
However, schools like P.K. Yonge that are open year-round may not face as many hurdles in their transition because they have year-round staff offering students activities like clubs, sports and band.
“This program allows us to provide students either enrichment or excel opportunities during intersessions for each student individually,” said Marchman.
As for the new structure, students would still attend school for the same number of hours a day for 10 weeks followed by two weeks off, which totals the same 180 days each school year. Schools would still have two semesters and four quarters in the year, but they would now be spread over 12 months rather than 10.
“I’ve been waiting on the calendar to finally come out so I know what to expect post-June but since they finally released it last week, I had to go ahead and cancel our summer vacation,” said Tara Hedmont, mother of a fifth-grade student at Metcalfe Elementary. “We’ve all gone every year, even since I was a kid, and it’s really the only chance we have to get the whole family together.”
The district is also making efforts to adjust transportation, training for teachers, and improve food services and meal programs with breakfast, lunch and snacks.
If a parent does not want their child to attend a year-round school, the processto request a zoning exception is available on the district’s student assignment website.
“All we have to go off of is an unfinished schedule and only a few articles on the school district website,” said Donna Quinn, a crossing guard at Rawlings Elementary.
Administration members at the schools involved were not able to comment as all communication is directed through the Alachua County district spokesperson, Jackie Johnson, although Metcalfe principal, Christiana Robbins, stated in apress release that “We want to make a long-lasting impact on our students’ achievement, and this could be the answer that everyone is looking for.”
Not only are students and their families having to restructure their school year, but many teachers have also expressed fears about the transition.
Teachers’ salaries would not be affected, as they would still be working 196 days — the same number of days teachers are currently contracted for — spread across 12 months instead of 10.
Ashley Axson is a fifth-grade teacher at Stephen A. Foster Elementary School in Gainesville and is staying updated in case her school makes the transition.
“There's a huge misconception about how we as teachers get paid,” Axson said. “We don't get paid over the summer, it’s a 10-month contract. If you opt for a lump sum, you really have to budget over the summer.”
Axson, like many other teachers, says she is forced to work multiple jobs to make ends meet.
“I used to work two other jobs along with teaching and as soon as summer hit, I finally had time to get back on track financially. There’s just no way I'd be able to do it now,” Axson said.
Alachua County Public Schools were awarded a "B" grade by theFlorida Department of Education for the 2022-2023 academic year. Proponents of the year-round program are hopeful it will further improve Alachua County’s academic performance.
“Studies have shown that having more hands-on opportunities and consistent relationships with year-round staff creates stronger bonds and leads to a boost in academic success, improved behavior and better attendance rates,” said Johnson.
According to apress release, Rawlings Elementary principal Dr. Stella Arduser stated, “This is a possibility that hasn’t been tapped into, and maybe this is what we’ve needed all along.”
In Gainesville, July summers often see temperatures in the 90s which is then followed by August storms, earning the city its nickname, "Rainesville." After serving as a crossing guard in Gainesville for four years, Quinn is no stranger to the challenges the weather brings.
However, going into this next school year, she is now concerned about new dangers parents and children may face when navigating this already dangerous walk every day.
“My number one concern for me right now is how to keep these kids safe when it gets 115 degrees outside! Next is my job and they’re not giving us much leeway with this change. I don’t even know if the [school zone] lights have been programmed, for example,” said Quinn.
“As soon as these lights go off, it’s a free for all.”