Little Rock Schools: Mabelvale Elementary

Ule, School, the undersigned members of the staff of urge the Little Rock School Board to reject the districts proposal to eliminate the c pOS i t i on f r om our '^Ojd)CJL-a school. jmputer lab attendant RECElVED MAY 1 7 1593 Office of Desegregation monitoringArkansas Democrat CBazefije TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1994 Teachers Absent teachers sick of principal at Mabelvale BY CYNTHIA HOVyEU. ' Democrat-Gazette Education Writer More than half of the faculty at Elementary School called in sick Monday to protest their principals handling of student discipline rules and his treatment of the staff. Teachers and parents interviewed Monday said they want Principal Lionel Ward Mabelvale re- moved. Deputy Superintendent Estelle Matthis said 19 teachers called in sick to the districts personnel office early Monday. Another teacher is on extended sick leave, bringing the absen- tees to 20. Eight teachers re- ported to work. Matthis said. But teachers reported that 21 were out and only six were at work. The sick-out followed a public forum Nov. 1 in which Ma- See TEACHERS, ^?age 10*- Continued from Page 1A belvaie parents and teachers appeared as a group to complain to the superintendent and to school board members about Ward. Ward, an employee of the district for more than a dozen years, is new to Mabelvale this year. He previously worked at Romine Interdistrict Elementary School, where a group of parents also had complained to the superintendent about him. The district filled each vacancy with substitute teachers and backed them up with staff from the districts Instructional Resource Center, Matthis said. Three top-level administrators, including Matthis, spent all or part of the day at the school. Parents who visited the school at midday reported that classrooms were fairly orderly with few problems. Substitute teachers are on standby for today in case the absenteeism continues. However, Mabelvale teachers who asked not to be identified said Monday afternoon they plan to return to work today. We re not doing this for ourselves, said one teacher about the sick-out. Were doing it for the safety of our kids, she said, adding that teachers under stress who are not supported by administrators cannot do a good job teaching. The only solution is to get him out of the building, she said. Attempts to contact Ward at the school and at his home Monday were unsuccessful. If the teachers are sick, there is little we can do about IL said Dr. Henry Williams, district superintendent. If this is a job action, its against the law and some action will need to be taken. Well see if the illnesses are legitimate. He said that his staff has been working the past week to investigate teacher complaints and that he hoped the school staff would give him an oppor- tuniW to complete the review. Williams said he was unaware of the problems at the school until last weeks public forum. i! Teachers, however, said their union representatives sent two letters to Williams in late S^- tember and early October ing for a meeting. Williams will meet with ffie teachers at 3 p.m. today at the Southwest Little Rock school and with the Mabelvale PTA at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the district administration building. Absentee teachers, who met together to in groups throughout the day Monday, plan present Williams today with an eightpage list of complaints and concerns. Teachers allege that Ward allows pupils who commit serious rules violations to return to class without being punished as the districts Students Rights and Responsibilities Handbook requires. 'Teachers said one pupil who allegedly threatened others with a pocketknife was returned to class that day. Another pupil was involved in as many as five attacks on other pupils and staff before the child was moved to another school. Both offenses can lead to e.xpulsion. according to the handbook. More than one teacher told of an incident in which a child was flipping desksi and chairs in a classroom and hitting the teacher on the head. Ward later lectured the teacher for several hours in a closed meeting, they said. ,, Ward also has threatened a teachers job for reporting to police an incident in which a student hit a staff member, some teachers said in separate interviews. Another staff member was told repeatedly to turn in her keys for wearing Halloween-decorated canvas shoes and refusing to meet with the principal without a witness, they said. He has issued numerous reprimands to selected teachers and yelled at employees who complained or questioned him about problems at the school, teachers said. After the public forum last week. Ward used a staff training session to show a videotape of news coverage that night, again threatening the staff, they said.^ursday. gazette 1994 Mabelvale teacher-principal rift sapping education, parents say BY SUSAN ROTH Oemoent-Gazene Education Writer Troubled parents of pupils at Mabelvale Elementary School told school district officials Wednesday that conflicts between teachers and the schools principal are interfering with their children s education. More than 120 parents and teachers packed the board room at the Little Rock School District's administration building Wednesday night to air their concerns. Battles between teachers and Principal Lionel Ward culminated in a sick-out by at least 19 of Mabelvales 27 teachers Monday. Teachers met with the districts superintendent. Dr. Henry Williams, on Tuesday. Many of the teachers have complained that Ward has veered from district policies in disciplining children and has improperly threatened teachers. Some teachers say they want Ward removed from the school. On Wednesday, it was the parents' turn to air their views. comments she had heard Ward make about how teachers couldnt handle discipline problems on their own. the stories until they went to the school. Some parents said they enrolled their children in private I wont allow an attack on - schools, but others dont have The meeting began con-tentiously, with Williams threatening to walk out when PTA President Monica Ellis related anyones character. Williams said. But he stayed, and after a couple of hours, the mood mellowed. There was no resolution, but some teachers said afterward they felt Williams was listening to the parents pleas for better communication and administrative support at Mabelvale. Ward did not attend the meeting and could not be reached at home aftenvard. He has yet to discuss the issue publicly. Williams said he would meet with both the teachers and Ward on Monday, then schedule another meeting with the PTA and Ward. He repeated that he .would not remove Ward from the school. The PTA presented Williams with a petition demanding that the school board address the issue. Parents told stories of discipline and safety lapses they had heard from their children. Some said they didnt believe that choice. Several said they kept their children at home Wednesday after officials found a knife on a child, yet allowed him to remain at school. I was amazed to walk into my childs sixth-grade classroom. said Patrick .Mahaffey, who teaches junior high school in Jacksonville. The children would not sit down. This is a first-year teacher who needs some help with management skills. But once youve tried everything you can, these children must be put out of the room. While some parents who spoke blamed Ward for the problems, other blamed the teachers for failing to discipline children. If you teach, you must have control over your classroom, said parent Fay Young. You can't let these kids run over you. Vance Kentner said he helped his wife. Linda, a physical education teacher, file a po- See SCHOOL, Page 3B i .ir-, 0emocrat-Gaien8nan PMios PARENTS VIEW Faye Young (left), whose child attends Mabelvale Ele-menlary School, speaks during a meeting Wednesday night between the Mabelvale Parent Teacher Association and School Supenntendent Henry Williams regarding Principal Lionel Ward. School Continued from Page IB lice report when the school did nothing after a child hit her in class. Since then, he said. Ward has sent his wife multiple harassing letters. Some teachers from Romaine Elementary School. where Ward was principal for seven years before coming to Mabelvale this year, testified that he has a history of creating an atmosphere of intimidation. They said that of the 27 teachers at Romaine. 24 filed grievances and asked to be transferred to other schools before Ward left. But two teachers who got along with Ward at Romaine followed him to Mabelvale. They said many of the Mabelvale teachers just wont give him a chance. A lot of people had their minds made up when he walked in the door. said Cindy Mason, who teaches third grade. "They are not willing to listen to anyone else's opinion. THURSDA,Y , NOVEMBER 10 COOWTO O Unis 1994 Mabelvale teacher-principal rift sapping education, parents say BY SUSAN ROTH OemocratGazena Education Writer Troubled parents of pupils at couldnt comments she had heard Ward make about how teachers Mabelvale Elementary School told school district officials Wednesday that conflicts between teachers and the schools principal are interfering with their children's education. More than 120 parents and teachers packed the board room at the Little Rock School Districts administration building Wednesday night to air their concerns. Battles between teachers and Principal Lionel Ward culminated in a sick-out by at least 19 of Mabelvales 27 teachers Monday. Teachers met with the districts superintendent. Dr. Henry Williams, on Tuesday. Many handle discipline problems on their own. the stories until they went to the school. Some parents said they enrolled their children in private I wont allow an attack on - schools, but others dont have of the teachers have com-plained that Ward has veered from district policies in disciplining children and has improperly threatened teachers. Some teachers say they want Ward removed from the school. On Wednesday, it was the parents turn to air their views. The meeting began con-tentiously, with Williams threatening to walk out when PTA President Monica Ellis related anyones character. Williams said. But he stayed, and after a couple of hours, the mood mellowed. There was no resolution, but some teachers said afterward they felt Williams was listening to the parents pleas for better communication and administrative support at Mabelvale. Ward did not attend the meeting and could not be reached at home afterward. He has yet to discuss the issue publicly. Williams said he would meet with both the teachers and Ward on Monday, then schedule another meeting with the PT.A and Ward. He repeated that he would not remove Ward from the school. The PTA presented Williams with a petition demanding that the school board address the issue. Parents told stories of discipline and safety lapses they had heard from their children. Some said they didn't believe that choice. Several said they kept their children at home Wednesday after officials found a knife on a child, yet allowed him to remain at school. I was amazed to walk into my childs sixth-grade classroom, said Patrick .Mahaffey, who teaches junior high school in Jacksonville. The children would not sit down. This is a first-year teacher who needs some help with management skills. But once youve tried everything you can, these children must be put out of the room. While some parents who spoke blamed Ward for the problems, other blamed the teachers for failing to discipline children. If you teach, you must have control over your classroom, said parent Fay Young. You can t let these kids run over you." Vance Kentner said he helped his wife. Linda, a physical education teacher, file a po- See SCHOOL. Page 3B i PARENT S VIEW Faye Young (left), whose child attends Mabelvale Elementary School, speaks during a meeting Wednesday night between the Mabelvale Parent Teacher Association and &hool Supenniendent Henry Williams regarding Principal Lionel Ward. School Continued from Page t B lice report when the school did nothing after a child hit her in class. Since then, he said. Ward has sent his wife multiple harassing letters. Some teachers from Elementary School. d^main^ vvirere Ward was principal for seven years before coming to Mabelvale this year, testified that he has a history of creating an atmosphere of intimidation. They said that of the 27 teachers at Romaine. 24 filed grievances and asked to be transferred to other schools before Ward left. But two teachers who got along with Ward at Romaine followed him to Mabelvale. They said many of the Mabelvale teachers just won't give him a chance. A lot of people had their minds made up when he walked in the door. said Cindy Mason, who teaches third grade. They are not willing to listen to anyone elses opinion. Arkansas Democrat W (Gazette SATURDAY NOVEMBER 14, 1992 B nEarth-smart students t w: IS-- . l> -A: /f i >-p? fi- J*- 'A A , Give the earth a hand. t t. X: ' ".^ I , I LENDING HANDS Three Mabelvale Elementary students (from left) sixth-grader Scott Kirksey, 13. third-grader Michaela Thomas. 8, and second-grader Aman-j da Woodall. 7 work on construction paper hands for Arkansas Oemocrat-Gazene/Jonn Sykes Jr. a tree made of the hands at the school Friday afternoon. The school has been celebrating Earth Smart Week with a poster contest and displays. The hands bear signed pledges from the students to be Earth smart. Arkansas Democrat (gazette I I Arkansas Democrat FRIDAY, DECEMBER.9.J^?A Mabelvale principals critics make last stand BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democrat-Gazette Education Writer Parents and teachers at Mabelvale Elementary School on Nov. 1 to draw public attention to a school that can provide the Ward. Cindy Mason, a third- grade teacher, called him a strong administrator. A lot of teachers are not trying to solve their complaints. proper learning environment, The problems at Mabelvale Mahaffey said. did not start this year, but they have escalated with the change in Thursday took their ongoing complaints about the schools ----------- . principal to the Little Rock Mahaffey told the school board. School Board in what one moth- administration, parent Patrick about, the children who are be- .ing hurt and losing out on valuable instruction time, or a prin- The question comes down to ---------- . _ this: Who are we more concerned the problems at the school as much as they are trying to get rid It did not use to be this way. ---------- er caiied'our last stand. Mahaffey said school officials cipal_ who has been given The majority of those speaking handled student behavior prob- t
...-L-" at the meeting criticized Princi- dim nmcesq pal Lionel Ward for failing to maintain student discipline at the of the principal, Mason said. The problem is not with the viuc W..V ........... man, its with the attitudes, said than his fair share of chances and Linda Carter, parent of a Mabelvale pupil. About 75 people attended the more lenis inconsistently. As a result, due process? Parent Lon Colgrove said pupils believe they have no lim- teachers are under stress, chil- its and face no consequences. ---------- Teacher morale is low, the dren are suffering and taxpayers school and for harassing and in- suiiering ana laxpayers timidating the staff. Ward, in his schools atmosphere is hostile aren t getting their money s fi,.,.* ..Qo,. Mahoivalp nrevinii.qlv and uncomfortable and the learn- worth out of the school. She special board meeting at the Mabelvale cafeteria. Parents had llllUUaviiig jiuu. ..wiv*, .* -------------- i J 4.U 1 first year at Mabelvale, previously and uncomfortable and the leam- was a principal at Romine and Rightsell elementary schools. , .. Thursdays special board quickly change for the better, meeting, called by the parents, the latest of several held other parents, will need to take ing process is hampered, he said. If the situation does not then my wife and I, like several was called for Wards resignation. called the session by using a state law that enables citizens to petition a board to meet. The board took no action Teacher Donna Hudgens cited times when Ward allegedly dis- Thursday, but President Linda Pondexter said she would ask her matters into our hands and move belvale A majority of the our children from the Little Rock ulty meetings, schools teachers called in sick School District and place them in I------------ since early November over Ma- A majority of the regarded the terms of the teachers contract concerning ------ work hours and the length of fac- vale situation during the personcolleagues to discuss the Mabel- Not all the speakers criticized ing. nei session at their Dec. 15 meet-/ Arkansas Democrat (gazette WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1994^ BY JIM KORDSMEIER Oernocrat-Gazette Polios Rsporier Mabelvale student, 14, held on gun count A 14-year-old Mabelvale Junior High School student was arrested Tuesday afternoon on charges of carrying a handgun on school property and theft by receiving, police said. Police resource officer Alice Fulk said she and a school security guard stopped a fight between two students in a classroom about 1:10 p.m. and took the youths to the assistant principals office. The guard returned to the classroom to get the teen-ager s coat and noticed its unusual weight, police said. He looked in the coat and found a loaded .38- caliber revolver, police said. Police said the handgun was stolen. 1. Arkansas Democrat (gazette ( FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1^ Copyngnt utile Rock NewspaoengH Besieged principal out at Mabelvale Mabelvale Elementary School Principal Lionel Ward, under attack for weeks from his staff and parents for allegedly failing to enforce discipline policies, has been reassigned to an unspecified position in the district. Wards last day at Mabelvale will be next Wednesday, the last day of school before the holiday break. -A. source who didnt wish to be identified told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Thursday that Ward would be replaced by Dr. Ed Jackson, former principal at Magnet Elementary Williams School. Jackson has been working in the districts administrative offices this year after being moved out of Williams School. Superintendent Henry Williams announced Wards reassignment to district administrators Thursday afternoon. Unaware of the change, parents and teachers from Mabelvale appeared at 'Thursdays school board meeting to repeat their e^- lier complaints about lack of discipline at the school.Arkansas Democrat1 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, Copyngnt O Little Rock Newsoat Besieged principal out at Mabelvale Mabelvale Elementary School Principal Lionel Ward, under attack for weeks from his staff and parents for allegedly failing to enforce discipline policies, has been reassi^ed to an unspecified position in the district. Wards last day at Mabelvale will be next Wednesday, the last day of school before the holiday break. A source who didnt wish to be identified told the Arfcansos Democrat-Gazette Thursday that Ward would be replaced by Dr. Ed Jackson, former principal at Williams Magnet Elementary School. Jackson has been working in the districts administrative offices this year after being moved out of Williams School. Superintendent Henry Williams announced Wards reassignment to district administrators Thursday afternoon. Unaware of the change, parents and teachers from Mabelvale appeared at Thursdays school board meeting to repeat their earlier complaints about lack of discipline at the school._Arkansas Democrat THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1994^ 2 principals wont be back at LR schools after break BY CHRIS REINOLDS Democrat-GazBtte Staff Wnter Two Little Rock elementary school principals criticized for their discipline policies wont return to their schools after the Christmas break. Robert Brown, principal of Garland Elementary, left his position Friday because of med- ical problems. .And Lionel Ward, the Mabelvale Elemen- 1988 district policy against cor- poral punishment. ' Brown took pupils off campus ' to be paddled by the parent or by him with parental permis- : sion. He started spanking stu- i dents this year instead of sus- ' pending them from school. Brown then protested the district order to stop paddling students by going on a 10-day tary principal, has been reas- hunger strike. He also set up a I signed to the Little Rock School Saturday detention program Districts central office, said included religious lectures, Richard Hurley, the districts campus cleanup and mathemat- human resources director. 'cs drills. Ward, under attack for weeks Brown has been criticized by ______________________ district officials for paddling from parents and his staff for al- students at Garland, and Ma- legedly failing to enforce disci- belvale parents and teachers pline policies, was reassigned have complained that Ward did Friday. not enforce discipline. Complaints about Ward re- Brown s replacement has not suited in repeated meetings be- been named. tween parents, teachers and district officials beginning in November. Mabelvale parents called a special Little Rock School Board meeting Dec. 15 to ask for Wards removal. And last month, most of the teachers at the school called in sick to protest Wards alleged lack of discipline enforcement But District Deputy Superintendent Estelle Matthis said Levana Wilson will fill in as principal until a permanent replacement is found. Brown said Wednesday that he requested a medical leave for the rest of the school year. ' He said he has a peptic ulcer and gastrointestinal bleeding as well as other ailments. said. I just need to rest, Brown harassment of staff. Ward has not commented on The unconventional principal the allegations. has already experienced a A district official has said stressful year. that Dr. Ed Jackson, former In November, Little Rock principal at Williams Magnet El- School District administrators ementary, will replace Ward af- chastised Brown for violating a ter Christmas break. 1J -i said she had initial concerns about more weeks. wVilUUl bdw "She really didnt want to go to-vinced last year that it would be day. Moore said. She was kind of Continued from Page 1A worthwhile after hearing speakers sad Woodruff and Stephens elementaries from other e.xtended-year schools in .... the new schedule but became con- WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2000 I Pupils already back in class at 3 schools Long year, more breaks a LR district novelty BY CYNTHIA HOWELL .ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE Fresh uniforms, new backpacks and gleaming hallways filled with dazed kindergartners and noncha- l ant fifth- CTA RATIFIES pact graders all that wii pay the rtxist tn "h.. n seniof teachers in LR more than $50,t)00. PagelB. in seemed like a typical first day of school Tuesday at Little Rocks Mabelvale Elementary. Thats right. First day of school. On Aug. 8. While most Arkansas parents are just now venturing to the stores for that elusive writing tablet and Chicken Run lunch box for the traditional start of the school year later this month, parents of children at Mabelvale, See SCHOOL, Page 8A Arkansas Democrat Gazette/STEVE KEESEE Winona Garrison (left) and her daughter, Jennifer, 3, and Sandy Roberts and her daughter, Carty, 4, walk past a school crossing sign that had yet to be erected Tuesday. Carty Roberts was attending her first day of school in a pre-kinder-garten program at Mabelvale Elementary, which began school Tuesday on an extended-year calendar. . ________ The new schedule also compli-have already been there and done that the state endorse it cates Moores child-care arrange- The employees and the parents of The main benefit we saw was ments for the year because the older children in those three Little Rock that the children wont lose what children wont always be able to care schools voted overwhelmingly during theyVe learned prior to the stan of fortheirlittlesisterduringMabel-the previous school year to tiy out the the following year, tVilson said.The vales e.xtended breaks. extended-year calendar. school system wont have to spend so ___ All of Little Rocks schools the much time reteaching what the kids idea but I would prefer that it would rest open Aug 21will offer 173 in- learned before. be used throughout the district" structional d^ this school year. But ................................................ "I still think the schedule is a good Wilson said her family wont have Moore said. children in the extended-year schools a problem providing child care for Mabelvale doesnt offer a child-are starting earlier. They will also Zachaiy during the school breaks, but care program after school or on school end the school year later in June, she said the longer school year, which holidays, but Principal Phillips said And they will have longer, more fre- will stretch to June 15 for some and that private child-care provideis in the quent breaks, starting with two weeks June 29 for others, will likely overlap area have adapted their services to ac-in October. with her sons summer baseball pre- commodate the revised schedule. Parts of some of those breaks gram. Stephens and Woodruff do have after-about a week each in October, Janu-aiy, April and Junewill be used to Wilson said. WeU just see how that works" school programs for children. help children to hone their academic Mabelvale, Stephens and Jodi Rainey, the mother of a Ma- Woodruff teacheisbe^ work Aug 1 skills with a handson, activity-based belvale kindergartner, is a teacher at i' n preparation f"o r Tuesd.ay.'s s.ta.rting program. Those programs are not Mitchell Elementary in Little Rock date. Part of the preparation includ-mandatory for children. I wish we could do this at ed hvo days of training in a supple- The bottom-line reason for the Mitchell, she said about the sched- mentary curriculum published by extended-year calendar is to increase ule.'T think its great The shorter the Voyager Expanded Learning of Dal-student achievement, Mabelvale breaks, the more the children will re- las that will be used during the Principal Tabitha Phillips said. We tain. breaks in the year to help students believe the schedule can keep kids _ Others were not quite as happ.v improve their skills. The handson. fresh and excited about school. Others were not quite as happ.v - _____ Tiesday with the br^ from tradi- creative activities for kindergartners Philhps also said that children don. through fifth-graders are based on a having academic prob_lem_s can get Tiffa^ Avery, mother of a second- dinosaur theme, help during the breaks from familiar and a third-grader at the school, said teachers at their own school They do she voted against the schedule last Phillips said children wont be re- - ___ --- _____ ____________________ quired to attend classes between ses not have to wait until summer school winter. sion but will be encouraged to do so. Early'Ihesday, as parents and chil- I dont like it Avep" said.Tm a espwially those children who are dren streamed into Mabelvales divorced parent My childrens father achieving below grade level. Teach-bright yellow corridors, most seemed is supposed to get six weete with the ers also have the choice of working happy to be there despite the early children in the summer. Hes angry during the between-session periods. August date. that he doesnt get the six weeks. ' " ' .......................... Zachaiy Wilson, a freckled fifth- ~ grader in a uniform of khaki shorts ers also have the choice of working Those who work will be paid just as Constance Moore voted for the teachers are paid for summer school new schedule last year in the beUef it worit md a white knit shirt, said he thou^t wouldwasgoodforeducation.Butby ___________________ ______ it was pretty neat to be starting Thesday, after delivering her reluc- feature the extended-year calendar school this week Asked what he tant second-grader to class, Moores are among fewer than a dozen ex-thou^ t would be good about the enthusiasm had waned tended-year schools in the state. 0th-coming year, he cited the longer ................... " ' school breaks. The three Little Rock schools that Moore said her daughter wanted ers, all elementaries, are in the Fay-to stay at home with two siblings who etteville. Fort Smith, Rogers, Texar- Melinda Wilson, Zacharys mother, dont start middle school for two kana and Hamburg school districts. July 2. 2 0 0 1 Intersessions fuse learning, fun I 3 LR schools discover breaks are ideal tune for creative teaching BY KIMBERLY DISHONGH ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE What is your name? Cheryl Riley asked her 10-year-old pupil in American Sign Language. I play basketball, Anthony Logan signed back. Then the two laughed. I messed up. he said. You thought I asked you what you did, didnt you? Riley asked. He did. and he had correctly signed the answer to that question. ' Riley, a third-grade teacher at Woodruff Elementary in Lit-i tie Rock, teaches sign language ' to pupils who are interested in learning it during the extended-year schools intersessions. Pupils and staff at Woodruff and two other Little Rock School District schools. Stephens and Mabelvale ele-mentaries, attend intersessions for extra instruction during the breaks. Little Rock was the first of Pulaski Countys three public school districts and only the sixth district in the state to try an innovative extended-year calendar geared toward improving academic achievement. Five other Arkansas school districts have implemented the extended-year calendar: Texarkana, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Fort Smith and Hamburg. According to the National Association for Year Round Education, there are more than 3,000 public and private year-round See SCHOOLS, Page 2A i 7 4 1*1 to tr r}| Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/RICK McFARLAND Pupils at Mabetvaie Elementary School in Little Rock work in their computer lab. Mabelvale, Stephens and Woodruff elementaries are the only Little Rock schools with an extended-year schedule. The extended calendar calls for more short breaks instead of the traditional three-month summer vacation. I i I I I I I Schools Continued from Page 1A schools in 45 states, enrolling about 2.1 million students. The extended calendar requires children to go back to school earlier in the fall and be in school later in the summer than children in schools with traditional calendars. Extended-year pupils have several short breaks during the year and a shorter than traditional summer break between grades, theoretically to increase the amount of information they retain from one grade level to the next. Classes at Woodruff. Stephens and Mabelvale started Aug. 8,2000, and their last regular day was June 15. Intersessions were held Oct. 9-20, Jan. 2-5, April 2-0 and June 21-29. Attendance at intersessions is not mandatory. All children in the three Little Rock schools are eligible to participate in the four intersessions, but the ones whose test scores show they would benefit most from the extra instruction take priority. Teachers sign up to work the extra days, and are compensated for their time. Frances Cawthon-Jones, the Little Rock School Districts assistant superintendent for elementary schools, said officials are analyzing the results of the first year under the new calendar, as well as the costs associated with it. The achievement data that weve gotten... I wouldnt say weve had extraordinary gains or losses in those schools in one year, said Cawthon-Jones. They pretty much compare with oiu other schools. Marilyn Stenvall, executive director of the National Association for Year Round Education, said it lakes roughly three years to see the results of a new calendar. Janice Wilson, principal at Woodruff, said she thinks the extra- time in school has helped her pupils. I can tell that its an improvement over last year, she said. A lot of times when children come back to us in the fall theyve lost a lot of their learning. Wilson remembers spending more than a month at the beginning of each school year reviewing the last years lessons when she taught fourth grade at Woodruff. With children on summer break for just over a month rather than for three months, they retain more and can move on to new information more quickly. Wilson said children can choose from several topics chess, computer instruction, keyboarding, poetry, gardening, double Dutch jump rope to study on intersession afternoons. What extended-year schooling Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/BENJAMIN KRA IN Thinl-grade pupils at Stephens Elementary School In Little Rock display dinosaur footprints they made during a break in their extended school year. Stephens, Mabelvale, and Woodruff eiementaries have extended-year schedules. is, is a battle against time, she said. It gives you time to do those things you dont usually have time to do during the regular school year when youre busy teaching the curriculum. Teachers use a supplementary curriculum published by Voyager Expanded Learning of Dallas in the mornings during intersessions at Woodruff and at Stephens
the theme of this years Voyager program was dinosaurs. On the next to last day of the last intersession of the year a woman in a red T-shirt growled, her arms bent ht the elbows with her hands dangling in front of her, stomping around the Stephens Elementary cafeteria in pursuit of several small children scrambling across the floor. A typically stern Sharon Brooks, principal at Stephens, smiled from the cafeteria doorway at the giggling group. The woman in red, Brenda Scalici, was teaching a group of second- and third-graders about carnivores and herbivores and how the two kind.s interact. She was pretending to be a tyrannosaurus rex, chasing children who were pretending to be at risk of becoming dinner. Brooks said intersessions help prevent bum-out by giving teachers and pupils who elect to take part a chance to have fun while they learn. And everyone returns to school refreshed after the frequent breaks. Intersession is supposed to be different from the regular school year, she said. This is good because I get my work, drill, rote learning in and they get to have their fun, too. Voyager adds bal tahnoc e J1 "u" 'I' /^Y- ' "2 q'oping a' the same dme. jfou ao me dril and skill work, but hook em! De some fun stuff and get em inter ested in learning. In earlier intersessions, there have been math exercises involv ing weighing and measuring di nosaurs
children were to keep journals from the first intersessior to the last, entering such things as the names of three kinds of di nosaurs and three things they re membered about each kind. Cindy Dees, director of intersessions at Mabelvale Elementary said the staff at that school chose not to use Voyager but to focus more directly on basic skills in stead. Pupils at Mabelvales last inter session completed ocean-related exercises, writing and illustrating stories using an animated computer program and graphing theii peers preferences. Oiu- test scores are so low here that we thought they would benefif more from this than from arts and crafts and athletic activities, Dees said. Intersession lessons at Mabelvale still have an element of fun not as present during the regular school year. Dees said. The main goal in the computer lab is to reinforce what they learn in the classroom, Dees said. This is a great motivator. The kids just love it, and we love having the flexibility to do it. Test data showed that Mabelvale children needed more work on graphing, so in the afternoons they go back to the computer lab where they poll their classmates on favorite breakfast foods, for example, and do graphing exercises using the information they have gathered. Cawthon-Jones said parents, children and school staff responded favorably in a survey about the first extended year. Martha Armstead, who has two sons at Woodruff, said she was pleased with the new schedule. It was convenient, she said. With the younger ones you dont have to pay for day care when theyre here. And academically, they slack off and it takes them a while to pick back up. This way, hopefully they wont be as likely to lag behind when they come back to school next year. But there were some complaints. Sort of. Meagan Fenton, 10, said she loved the intersessions but she didnt like being in school so much later than her siblings. I didnt like being in school after my brothers got out of school because now they bug me. But sometimes they have to go to school when Im out and I get to bug them.
This project was supported in part by a Digitizing Hidden Special Collections and Archives project grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Council on Library and Information Resoources.