Year-round school is a go at Bellwood Elementary School beginning in July.
During a special meeting on March 23, the Chesterfield County Public Schools board voted unanimously to approve a proposal for a pilot program at Bellwood.
School board member Carrie Coyner said the school held two additional meetings with parents following the regular March 13 meeting that resulted in the vote being postponed.
The district also called 262 homes of students who attend Bellwood, and 75 percent of those who answered or responded to phone messages supported year-round school, she said. Eleven percent were unsure but supportive, and 13 percent were opposed.
District officials have said they will approve waivers to allow students to attend other district schools as long as there is room at the school and in the student’s grade level. Parents would have to provide transportation for any students who transfer. Coyner said that preliminary numbers suggest that only 13 students out of 557 plan to transfer to another school for the 2018-2019 school year.
Year-round school will consist of nine weeks of instruction followed by a three-week break. At least 150 students can attend instruction during the intersessions. The first intersession will include remediation and academic programs. The second will include enrichment camps such as STEAM, coding and music, and the third will feature
YMCA-led activities based on team building, field trips and other summer enrichment activities.
The school district and YMCA will provide transportation during the intersessions.
The school district is considering adding year-round school at Falling Creek elementary and middle schools in the future.
