"Year-Round" Education Option at Three Elementary Schools

NEWS RELEASE
Warren Consolidated Schools
31300 Anita
Warren, MI 48093
1-888-4WCS-KIDS
WARREN CONSOLIDATED LAUNCHES “YEAR-ROUND”
EDUCATION OPTION AT THREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 2013
By a unanimous vote at their April 17 th regular Board of Education meeting, the seven members of the
Warren Consolidated School District Board of Education approved a “year-round” educational option to
begin at three of its fifteen elementary schools starting in August 2013.
Although the option would make Warren Consolidated the only school district in Macomb County
offering the “year-round” option, the goal is to improve student achievement.
“The elementary school initiative is one of several elements of a dynamic 21 st Century Strategic Plan that
creates state-of-the-art programs, rigorous and relevant instructional practices, and dynamic and flexible
learning environments,” said Warren Consolidated Schools Superintendent Robert D. Livernois, Ph.D.
“The „year-round‟ schedule supports the specific plan that offers more flexible and balanced learning
environments for students. It fits with our strategic plan goal to prepare 21 st Century learners for a
globally competitive world.”
The “year-round” option changes the traditional September through mid-June schedule to one that begins
in early August and ends in mid-June, giving students a 5-6 week summer break instead of 12 weeks
coupled with additional breaks during the school year. Students attending the “year-round” option
schools will have the same number of school days and similar breaks for major holidays as the traditional
schools.
Fillmore, Holden, and Siersma Elementary Schools were named as the schools to transition to the “yearround”
schedule starting in August 2013. Warren Consolidated‟s remaining 12 elementary schools will
continue with the traditional schedule as will its 10 secondary schools.
The Michigan Department of Education approved the district‟s request for a waiver to begin school prior
to the current post-Labor Day start date that is current state law.
Fillmore, Holden, and Siersma were recommended by the district‟s administration because of their
diverse student body, geographic location, and ability to accommodate the changed schedule. Each
school feeds into one of Warren Consolidated three high schools.
Week-long classes for enrichment and remediation called “intersessions” will be offered during the
semester intervals. District officials are targeting the price point for intersession programs at $100 to
$120.
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“Our Strategic Planning Committee began looking at different learning environment options nearly two
years ago,” said Warren Consolidated Chief Academic Officer Brian Walmsley who presented the
proposal to the Board of Education at its April 17 th meeting. “Committee members visited several “yearround”
schools in Michigan and found that academic success had improved as a result of the modified
schedule.”
Walmsley and representatives from the “year-round” schools in Lake Orion and Lapeer attributed the
success of the program to reduced loss of learning stemming from the reduced time intervals between
semesters. They also had positive comments about the reduced review time needed when a new semester
began because of less “loss of learning.”
Families with children scheduled to attend Fillmore, Holden or Siersma will be given the opportunity to
continue their schooling at their home school under the new schedule or move to a nearby “sister school”
offering the traditional schedule. Students choosing a “sister school” will be bused to that school.
District officials named Willow Woods Elementary as the sister school for Fillmore, Susick Elementary
as the sister school for Holden, and Lean Elementary as the sister school for Siersma.
“We held several meetings for parents of each of the three schools in March to explain the program,
answer questions, and options available if the Board approved the concept,” Walmsley explained.” We
also held meetings for parents from the other 12 elementary schools and on-line survey opportunities for
families to express their opinions and ask questions.”
Warren Consolidated Schools‟ website‟s home page has a “year-round” school information link to
questions and answers about the program, parent concerns, and educational research that prompted the
new schedule option.
If space is available at the three “year-round” schools, parents from other Warren Consolidated Schools
will be offered the opportunity to enroll their child or children at one of the three “year-round” education
schools.
Details of the remediation and intersession courses are being developed.
Prior to their decision, Warren Consolidated Board of Education members had received a 4-inch thick
binder summarizing all elements of the proposal. Most Board members had attended one or more of the
parent meetings.
The “year-round” education option is the second of several changes in Warren Consolidated‟s 21 st
Century Strategic Plan. In March, the Board of Education approved a Middle School Mathematics
Science Technology Center [(MS) 2 TC] Program to begin with 168 sixth graders in September 2013 at
Butcher Educational Center. The middle school program is patterned after the district‟s highly-successful
Macomb Mathematics Science Technology Center (MMSTC) Program that has been in operation for
more than 10 years.
For more information contact:
Robert Freehan
(586) 524-1246
Where Children Succeed
Student Achievement High Expectations Strong Relationships