Seatack Elementary School became the first year-round school in Virginia Beach City Public Schools in July 2000. Since 2000, Corporate Landing, Plaza, and Point O'View elementary schools have embraced the year-round program. The year-round school program is gaining appeal among other elementary schools in the school division. Parents, students and staff may have questions about year-round schools. The following information is intended to help you learn more about year-round schools.
What is year-round school?
Year-round school is instruction arranged over 12 months rather than the customary 10-month schedule most school divisions currently follow. Students are taught the identical curricula but receive instruction in approximately 45-day blocks of learning, with vacations and intersessions of 5-15 days distributed throughout the year. Year-round school represents a change in when students learn, not in what and how they learn.
What is an intersession?
Intersessions are a period of time during which students do not officially attend school. Intersession activities can include remediation and/or enrichment classes as well as vacation periods.
Why year-round school?
Year-round school offers students increased opportunities for successful learning. Research studies show that students who attend classes under a year-round schedule learn better and retain knowledge longer.
What are the benefits of year-round school?
Year-round school provides numerous benefits and advantages to students and teachers:
- increased student achievement
- improved attendance, attitude, and behavior
- expanded opportunities for remediation and enrichment
- minimized holiday learning loss
- improved motivation and morale
- opportunity to attend intersessions for review and acceleration
Are students required to attend intersessions between the 45-day instructional blocks?
No. However, students who have not mastered the learning objectives for the previous instructional block will be strongly encouraged to attend the next intersession for special help. Other students may wish to attend intersessions for enrichment activities to broaden or deepen their learning.
What about family vacations and child care issues?
For many families, the year-round school schedule will offer more flexibility for vacations since students will get holiday time in the fall, winter, spring, and summer. With careful coordination, families will be able to accommodate varying schedules, especially since the summer year-round school break will be from three to six weeks, depending on intersessions.
Likewise, childcare opportunities will continue to be available through the Virginia Beach Department of Parks and Recreation in all communities, schedules not-withstanding. In addition, most child care providers adapt to a child's schedule and the needs of the family. Many families have found it is easier to arrange childcare for shorter holidays as well as being easier to budget.
For information on registration, cost, and space availability, call the Department of Parks and Recreation at 471-5884, or the City of Virginia Beach Beach-Line at 427-8000, #280.
Are there any additional considerations?
Some families with children on different levels -- elementary, middle, and/or high school -- may experience changes in traditional family patterns, holidays, and day care.
Teachers and administrators may have difficulty scheduling summer university classes and attending professional conferences and workshops.
Are fees charged for intersessions?
Students participating in intercessions are not charged fees. Students participating in the Parks and Recreation child care program during intercessions will be charged for those sessions.
How will schools be chosen to participate?
Seatack Elementary began operating on a year-round schedule on a pilot basis in July 2000. The school system is now offering the opportunity to attend year-round programs at Corporate Landing, Point O'View, and Plaza elementary schools.
Schools apply for the opportunity to become a year-round school. The School Board may choose additional schools each June. Staff members and students at the selected schools will volunteer to participate. Should they elect to opt-out of the program, they may do so. Teachers and school administrators will follow division guidelines in requesting transfers. Depending upon the opt-out plan devised by the school, students who choose not to participate will be allowed to attend a school that is in close proximity to the year-round school. Transportation will be provided to those students who opt out and attend an alternate school. In addition, if enrollment numbers allow, students at the opt-out school would have a choice to participate in the year-round school.
Facts we know about year-round schools
Schools that adopt a year-round school schedule report:
- Improved student achievement
- A higher rate of student knowledge retention
- Less time spent on review
- Improved student and staff attendance
- Reduced stress
- Improved student behavior and attitude
- Reduced discipline referrals and truancy
- Additional remediation and enrichment opportunities through intersessions
- Less school vandalism and reduced construction costs
Do you have a question about year-round schools?
A complete bibliography regarding year-round schools is available by calling the office of assistant superintendents for school administration at 757.263.1088 or by e-mail at elizabethe.taylor@vbschools.com. In addition, a full report 
about year-round schools is available.
The National Association of Year-Round Education maintains an internet address at the following Web site: www.nayre.org.
