PINE BLUFF, Ark. — For several students across the state of Arkansas, the back-to-school season is already in full swing, and some school districts have made big changes to their calendars for this school year.
"I want students present, and I want teachers present. I hope it builds a positive culture," said Jennifer Barbaree, the Superintendent for Pine Bluff School District.
Earlier this year, the Pine Bluff school board voted to implement a year-round calendar. Now, the first day of school is just one week away and is set to begin on July 31, 2024.
"I hope it really helps with culture building. We care about our faculty, we care about our students, and we want them to feel fresh and ready, you know, and not burnt out," Barbaree described.
With longer school days and incorporating more breaks throughout the year, Superintendent Barbaree said she hopes they see an increase in retention and overall student readiness.
"I like being innovative with our students and our teachers, and our hope is that we see the data that other districts did. Which would be a better attendance rating for our students, better attendance rating for teachers, and lower discipline," she added. "Those are some specific pieces of data that other districts had that we really want."
So far 24 schools across the Natural State have switched over to year-round calendars. However, every change has its pros and cons.
According to a 2019 study by the National Institute of Health, year-round schooling helps with continuous learning, reduces delinquent behavior, and decreases social and health risks.
However, some fear that it could cause potential harm, such as reduced family vacation time, increased turnover, and interference with extracurricular activities.
"We had a lot of students attend the Boys and Girls Club this summer, and so that's a community partner that we're working with," Barbaree said.
Jefferson County Boys and Girls Club's Chief Executive Officer, Tavante Calhoun Sr., said the club faces a few challenges in filling the gap for local students.
"We do have a food program that was serviced through another nonprofit agency in the community, and we're so thankful for all the work they do to support us," Calhoun said. "During these weeks... they won't be able to service us with food, so we'll be absorbing that cost to make sure that we're supporting those families. It'll be a challenge, so we'll be looking for donations and sponsorships to help undergird those costs and ensure we support those youth."
Calhoun said that despite the odds, the Boys and Girls Club made a conservative decision to open for after-school care for Pine Bluff schools. It is the only district starting early in that county, and it heads back on July 31.
He said they're still sorting out minor details about where to place students during breaks.
"That's still a unique conversation that we're still having with the superintendent and her staff," Calhoun said. "With Pine Bluff School District, just to know what they'll do with those weeks they're off... would it be preferred that we be open during that time, or would they have something going on at that particular time? We did want to make sure that we had that after-school support in place.
Calhoun said he knows for many kids, the Boys and Girls Club is a home away from home where they educate about healthier lifestyles and empower them as people, so he says the challenge is worth them stepping up to the plate.
"That was the biggest idea behind this... if [the] Pine Bluff School District was going to make an effort to make change for the betterment of the youth, then why not us support them in making that effort?" Calhoun said. "Support the youth of Jefferson County."
Barbaree said teachers will be surveyed throughout the year to give their opinions on this new system, and they'll be surveyed again at the end of the school year to decide whether the district will keep the calendar or switch back."
"Our ultimate goal is that everyone loves to come to school in [the] Pine Bluff School District," Barbaree said. "That the parents love to send their students here... love to be here, that teachers love to work here, that faculty love to work here. To do that, you have to build that culture, and you have to build that family... it's not something that has taken place in a while."