First Grade and the Long Day

The Escambia County School District will be taking a couple of new approaches this next school year in an attempt to help students and schools that are behind the curve. A few of the district’s elementary schools are extending the school day an extra hour, while first graders may be held back if they are not meeting academic goals.

During the Escambia County School District’s regular workshop yesterday, Superintendent Malcolm Thomas described such measures as “game changers” for some struggling students. He also noted that the measures would take time, but would eventually payoff for the students and schools.

“It is not a McDonald’s drive-thru,” Thomas told the board.

In an effort to ensure students are able to read by the time they exit second grade, the district will begin retaining first graders who aren’t meeting certain requirements. Teachers will evaluate their students throughout the year, providing constant updates for parents. Currently, students may be retained in third grade if they are not reading, but Thomas told the board—who supported the measure unanimously—that waiting until third grade was too late.

“For us to say, ‘we’re going to be retaining first graders’ is a big deal,” said school board Chairman Bill Slayton, suggesting that the board work closely with, and request input from, teachers.

A prime component of the first grade retention policy is parent involvement. Teachers will meet with parents in order to give progress reports and to let parents know if their child is falling behind.

“Parent meeting. Love it,” said Slayton. “What if they don’t come?”

The entire board was supportive of upping the level of parent involvement. Some members wondered how such involvement would be ensured. Slayton wondered if the district might be able to hinge a first grader’s graduation to their parents participation.

“We can say it,” said Slayton. “I don’t know if we can do it.”

“If we can do it, I’m for it,” said board member Jeff Bergosh. “—we need a stick.”

The superintendent cautioned that some parents would inevitably have issues. He told the board that it would not be fair to punish students for their parents’ actions.

“I also understand the reality of a parent,” Thomas said. “Our time, during a school day, it doesn’t always work.”

Bergosh countered that uninvolved parents may well be slighting their children while sitting at home unemployed, on government assistance. He said that even in unfavorable economic circumstances, such parents are “rich in time” and should be making parent-teacher appointments.

“I’m talking about people working two jobs to make their ends meet,” said Thomas.

“Those people take care of their children,” replied Bergosh.

Later Bergosh inquired if the district had any way of collecting data on which parents constituted the “working poor” and which were “at home just not working.”

“Because I’d like to know,” he said. “They’re rich in time, but poor in money.”

The superintendent told the board that some families have “lots of obstacles.” A member of the district’s staff told Bergosh that such information could not be collected, but said she’d pass along his suggestions.

“If they’re home on SSI,” Bergosh said, “why aren’t they answering the phone, why aren’t they participating?”

The school board was also concerned that holding students back in first grade—and possibly again in third grade—could result in those students being promoted out of eighth grade (before academically ready) due to their advanced age.

“There will be extra pressure to move’em on,” said Bergosh, wondering if the district might should mandate an entrance exam for high school.

“I don’t think we start with an eighth grade trigger,” Thomas said, adding that such a measure would result in teenagers stuck in the eighth grade.

The superintendent said that first grade was the opportune time to reach students. He said that students exiting the first grade are expected to be farther along than in days gone by.

“Expectations are higher,” Thomas said. “This is not grandma’s first grade.”

Slayton said that the retention measure should be see as “positive” instead of “punitive.” School board member Linda Moultrie said that once the district held back some first graders it would “really wake up some parents … we mean business.”

The district will also be extending the school day of some of the elementary schools. Those schools, thus far, include Lincoln Park, Montclair, C.A. Weis and West Pensacola.

“The only way you catch up a student—the research is pretty clear—you need to insert an intervention of time,” Thomas explained.

Principals from the four elementary schools spoke to the board, detailing their various takes on the program. All the principals reported that they were excited about the program and said community and parent feedback had been positive.

“Are the teachers at Lincoln Park excited about the hour?” asked Bergosh.

“They are very excited about the hour,” replied Lincoln Park Principal Christine Nixon.