KALAMAZOO (WKZO AM/FM) — Monday marks the first day of school for students at Woodward and Washington Elementary Schools in Kalamazoo, which will be on their own schedule this school year.
It’s a 3-year pilot project for all-year schools, which hopes to eliminate the long summer break that generates the “Summer Slide.”
KPS Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice says there are still some spots to enroll in either elementary school to keep the learning going year round.
Celebrity greeters will be on hand to welcome the kids Monday morning and encourage them to do their best.
The school year for students at the two elementary schools will still be 180 days. They will just be separated by a series of shorter breaks.
The pilot program will be closely monitored and studied to measure if it has the desired effect administrators are looking for, and if it works, it could become a set model.
