| Hirsch, Jacobson could lose year-round title
By Aaron Swarts, STAFF WRITER TRACY — Could year-round education in the Tracy Unified School District suffer the same fate as the now extinct dodo bird? Perhaps, says Superintendent Jim Franco, who this week sent out letters to the parents of Hirsch and Jacobson school students, informing them that both campuses may be switched to a traditional schedule in light of recent enrollment projections. For the past several years, Tracy Unified has experienced considerable growth in student enrollment, Franco explained to parents. However, the pattern of student enrollment has shifted from the primary grades to the high school. Last year, 221 new studentsenrolled in district high schools, while enrollment dropped by 70 students for kindergarten through eighth-grade. In 1999, when student growth at the primary level was swelling, Tracy Unified implemented year-round education at five schools. The move enabled those existing schools to house 30 percent more students. With the city's slow-growth measure in place, and home prices bringing in more established families, Franco says the swell in student population has now shifted to the high school. As enrollment dips at the elementary level, Franco said the district plans to switch more schools back to a traditional schedule, that features summers off. "It is not cost-effective to keep a school on a multi-track year-round calendar when it does not meet criteria," Franco told parents. Under the same philosophy, the district switched Villalovoz and McKinley elementary schools back to traditional schedules last year. Staff members at both Hirsch and Jacobson have been informed of the recommended change, and have begun identifying necessary steps and concerns "for a smooth transition" Franco said. If the board ultimately decides to make the switch, the vote will be held in February, and Hirsch and Jacobson students will start the 2006-07 school year in August. Prior to the vote, the board will hold a series of information meetings at Hirsch and Jacobson to get comments from parents. "The staff members at your school and in the district office are committed to making any and all transitions as simple as possible for our students and families," Franco said. "Your partnership in supporting our students and staff during this possible change is appreciated." |
| Tracy Parents against MTYRE and YRE |
 |
|
|