Gulfport School District getting more statewide attention for flexible schedule

GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) – Within the 2023 Legislative session, schooling shall be a precedence.

Due to Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, lawmakers are prone to get an earful in regards to the Gulfport College District’s versatile schedule. That’s as a result of the district is being held up for example for different districts within the state to observe.

Gulfport was the primary on the Coast and the primary of its measurement to implement a versatile schedule. The transfer was for one major goal.

“How can we shut some achievement gaps earlier within the faculty 12 months quite than to attend till summer time and attempting to do it?” stated Gulfport College Superintendent Glen East.

Gulfport is in its second full 12 months of the brand new schedule, which divides the college 12 months into nine-week classes with two-week intercessions to assist college students who’re behind get caught again up.

East stated it started when it was wanted probably the most.

“Coming via Covid and out of Covid simply appeared to form of solidify all of our conversations and our committee work,” he stated.

East added that the transfer has already confirmed to be academically profitable.

“We’ve been in a position to deliberately shut achievement gaps with sure teams of scholars – with all college students, frankly,” he stated. “However we’ve seen some advantages. For instance, twenty eighth Elementary College has the very best check scores it’s had in a very long time.”

The thought is catching on with different Coast districts. Go Christian now has a model of the versatile schedule. Not solely is the Pascagoula-Gautier College District contemplating the transfer, but it surely’s additionally getting extra consideration statewide.

“We need to encourage faculties to be very similar to Gulfport with the modified calendar,” Hosemann advised WLOX Information Now. “And I went to the intersession down in Gulfport this previous summer time and sat within the room with a few of these children. I used to be actually impressed with what Mr. East is doing there.”

East likes the thought of getting extra faculties on board.

“I feel he’s proper in attempting to assist different faculty districts get began,” he stated. “And I see it as one thing that’s an excellent mannequin to observe.”

East added the transfer occurred after eight years of discussions, however the planning didn’t happen in a vacuum. His ongoing recommendation for these contemplating the change is what he discovered early on.

“Effectively, the primary recommendation I give them is to get their neighborhood concerned as rapidly as attainable,” East stated. “This isn’t a call that’s produced from a superintendent’s desk, or our management of the college district’s desk or the college board. It is a committee of individuals, a gaggle of individuals. The neighborhood must be concerned.”

East additionally the facet advantage of the versatile schedule is the a number of, smaller breaks all year long, which supplies each academics and college students time to regenerate, however not fall behind.

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