Superintendent Tata Proposes Flexibility for Year-round Principals
April 5, 2011 - Superintendent Tony Tata wants to give principals at some year-round schools more flexibility in track assignments for the coming school year. In his visits to schools, Tata has been talking with principals about their concerns. He has also reviewed assignment data for 2011-12 that identify a number of multi-track, year-round schools that may be at or below 100 percent of their single- track capacity for 2011-12.With school enrollment growing at a slower rate after the downturn in the national economy, the demand for school capacity has temporarily decreased leaving 14 schools at or below 100 percent of their single-track capacity for next year.
Students at multi-track year-round schools attend school on four separate calendars, or tracks. Students attend for 45 days and then have 15 days off so that three of the tracks attend school and while one track has break.
Tata told the board today that he would like to give principals at these schools the flexibility to reduce to a single track. He noted that Track 4 is the most similar to the school system’s traditional calendar.
Tata said he wants to provide these year-round principals the opportunity to meet community needs for 2011-12, but wants the task force working on a new student assignment plan to have the flexibility to consider the additional capacity these schools provide as multi-track, year-round schools.
Tata said principals that transition to a single track could save as much as $50,000 for the school year, money the principals could use to strengthen instruction at their school.
The schools that may be at or below 100 percent of their single- track capacity based on potential assignments for 2011-12 are Alston Ridge, Ballentine, Banks Road, East Garner, Harris Creek, Highcroft, Lake Myra, Rand Road, River Bend, Timber Drive, Wakefield and West Lake elementary schools and East Cary and Holly Grove middle schools.
After the discussion in the committee, the proposal will be presented to the board in May.
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