8/19/14 - The possibility of year-round schooling will be the first topic tackled by committee review in the Howell Public School district this school year. At a round table meeting last week, the Howell School Board identified several topics with large enough impact that it was decided that committees would review their implementation and impact. These included possibly closing an elementary school, redistricting, and implementing a year-round model for classes known as balanced calendar. In this model, students would attend school for a month or two at a time, separated by breaks of one or two weeks, while summer vacation would be reduced to about six weeks. Board President Mike Witt says this model has improved material retention and test scores in other districts around the state, and for the next two months the other committee topics will be put on hold while the district explores this option. However, he tells WHMI it is only being considered for elementary-level students, and even among that population it would be op-in and nobody would be forced to participate. Witt will join board secretary Kim Witt and board member Mike Moloney on the committee to examine the balanced calendar option, along with members of staff, parents, and stakeholders from the community. (TD)
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