Changes proposed for Wake County school calendars
GARNER, North Carolina (WTVD) -- Calendar changes may be coming to a Wake County school near you. School officials are proposing making calendar-year changes beginning with the 2018-19 school year.
School board officials say the motivation behind the changes addresses overcrowding at some schools and not enough students at other schools, which they say prevents certain facilities from being used to their potential.
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"My fear is that this is step one," said Garner parent Emily Scott. "First we're going to change you to a multi-track, but we really don't like that to begin with anyway. So, we are going to go back to traditional."
The school board is proposing that eight schools change their calendars:
- East Wake Middle School (Track 4 to Traditional);
- North Garner Middle School (Track 4 to Traditional);
- Carver Elementary (Modified to Traditional);
- Lake Myra Elementary School (Track 4 to Multi-track year round);
- Lockhart Elementary School (Track 4 to Traditional);
- Rand Road Elementary School (Track 4 to Traditional);
- Timber Drive Elementary School (Track 4 to Multi-track year round);
- Vance Elementary School (Track 4 to Traditional).
According to Wake County Public Schools, all students who currently attend one of the aforementioned schools will have the opportunity to grandfather.
"It just seems like a game to me," Scott continued. "Stop changing the calendars over and over and over again while our kids are there."
The board will meet again on March 7 to discuss any changes and consider parental feedback that the board solicits from the district's website.
"The constant changing is hard for families," Scott told ABC11.
Scott said she's also aware of the school board's idea to "mix" students and create more diversity.
"I know it needs to be done because the county is continuing to grow and those things need to be looked at and managed," she said. "But enough already. Just let my kid go to one school."
Scott says she worries about the families that will have multiple children in schools with totally different calendars.
"The kids need some consistency," Scott said.
