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Some view year-round school in Petersburg as potential solution

Posted at 11:28 PM, Jul 10, 2013
and last updated 2013-07-11 01:16:37-04

PETERSBURG, Va (WTVR) - The proposal of two-year round schools in Petersburg has some parents asking questions.

"How are you going to pay for all year schooling?" asked one parent at a public forum Wednesday night.

The plan would to increase class time by 20 minutes each day, at  A.P. Hill Elementary and Peabody Middle School. Delegate Rosalyn Dance told CBS 6 it's an opportunity to try something different.

"It's a shorter break period instead of waiting nine weeks, it's a four and a half week period where they're looking at assessing where the children are," she said.

But parent Nekondeh Myrick said it needs to be more about restructuring within the schools.

She said she's had issues with the school when it came to her son's report card.

"They couldn't tell me where the D came from, what substitute gave it to him...I have a problem with that," said Myrick.

CBS 6 asked education expert, Dr. Bill Bosher if year-round schools are the answer to help failing districts.

"It's not how many days you spend, it's what you do with the days you have that's important, so the first question is what do you do with what you have, not simply to have more of it--that's costly," said Dr. Bosher.

Bosher said to his knowledge, Buena Vista is the last small district to use year-round schools

Dance said if the proposal moves forward, there is a plan to hire new principals for the two schools. And while Myrick has her concerns with year-round schools, said she understands where the idea is coming from.

"If this is the forum to get the juices flowing to figure out what to do, then I think they're moving in the right direction," she said.