PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia schools Superintendent Tony Watlington says "a few" schools have expressed interest in his pilot for year-round classes, and more details should be released next month.
Watlington's five-year plan includes a pilot of up to ten year-round schools starting next school year. He says the district doesn't want to rush the process. "We want to spend a lot of time in communities talking directly with parents and families because they'll ultimately have to opt-in," Watlington told KYW Newsradio Tuesday.
"We're moving along the way we expected to. And so we think we're on course," Watlington said. "We won't have an update on a more substantive timeline until mid-December."
Watlington says classes at participating schools would be year-round with breaks every few weeks, and the plan is not to have business as usual. "We don't see a year-round calendar as just the same thing you do all year long," he said. "Whether it's chess or STEM clubs or other exciting opportunities it won't just be students sitting behind a desk 12 months a year."
Any year-round school plan would require changes to the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers contract.
The idea of year-round school has been promoted by Democratic mayoral candidate Cherelle Parker. "We've paid close attention to what we're read in the press about the mayoral nominee's thinking about year-round schools, year-round calendars and we agree," Watlington said.
"We're early in the process but we're committed to doing it," Watlington said.
