CARY - The Wake County school system's decision to end the year-round schedule at Highcroft Drive Elementary School appears to be a compromise for parents.

One group of parents circulated petitions for about a year trying to get the school's schedule changed to a traditional 10-month calendar that would match its feeder middle school.

Others petitioned to keep the full-year calendar, where students attend on different "tracks."

"It is a constant struggle within the (Highcroft) community as families feelings are currently split pretty evenly between year round supporters and traditional supporters," said Mari Wade, who has two children at Highcroft Drive Elementary.

The Wake County school board agreed earlier this month to change schedules at five year-round elementary schools, including Highcroft Drive Elementary and Alston Ridge Elementary School in Cary, to save money at under-used schools. Superintendent Tony Tata maintained that the schedule change could save $400,000 in reduced transportation, utility and staffing costs in tight budget times. The change does not come without own concerns.

Parents and teachers are scrambling to adjust vacations and school schedules to accommodate all students in school at once.

Though they'll remain year-round schools, all the students would be on the same schedule instead of four different ones as is usual at year-round programs. Highcroft Drive Elementary will start Aug. 1, which is the typical starting date for track 4.

This means parents and teachers who anticipated some students starting July 11 under tracks 1 and 3 will have to make alternative plans and find daycare for the second half of the month.

"Our family is a two-parent, working family and we had our schedule for next year completely arranged for track 3, not track 4," said Lisa Samples, whose child attends Highcroft Drive Elementary. "Our work schedule, vacations, track-out camps, etcetera, all have to now be rearranged at a cost to us."

Samples petitioned to keep the school year round and questions why the school was chosen, especially because it is near its 800-student capacity with 786 enrolled.

The board also took into consideration feeder schools in order to be able to keep siblings together on the same track, school officials said.

Wade, whose children are on track 1, said she supported the year-round system because it allows for more family time.

It also gives her a better chance to get her children into camps that are less crowded in the off-season.

"I'm happy to stay year round but track 4 does not work as well. Track 4 is a very popular track, but I have a very hard time taking off of work in July and January," Wade said.

Principal sees benefits

Highcroft Drive Elementary Principal Jane Ann Hughes said she has been referring parents who call with childcare questions to the local YMCA, which runs a summer camp program.

Hughes said the new schedule could help to build a stronger sense of community at the school.

"We just think it's a really good change for us," she said. "Now, everyone will be in school at the same time, so the teachers can be teaching the same thing at the same time."

The change will affect art, music and other speciality subjects that held class 12 months out of the year instead of 10. Some of those teachers will see a pay cut.

More than 90 percent of the staff and 70 percent of parents at Highcroft Drive Elementary were in favor of converting to the single-track system, Hughes said.

Art teacher Dawn McCormick, who is also a parent at the school, said she is trying to look on the positive side. She said the change will help planning, even if it means at least one extra class a day.

"The schedule is not made yet, so we don't know how we are going to do it," she said. "Having everyone here at the same time means we are going to have to squeeze in more students."

The change is likely to be smooth. Half of the school's students are already on track 4. The school also had only three tracks this year instead of four.

Parents who don't like the new schedule can opt out by filing a transfer application by June 1.

Donna Coon, whose daughter is in the fourth grade at Highcroft Drive Elementary, questioned the board's decision.

She said with more new homes planned for Cary, it could mean that Highcroft Drive Elementary would be filled beyond its capacity and need to switch back to a multi-track year within a year or two to accommodate the additional students.

"What they are doing is a temporary fix," Coon said. "I'm glad they are not laying off teachers. I don't want to come across as a person who opposes what happened, I'm just not sure they fully investigated."

Alston Ridge changing

At Alston Ridge Elementary in Cary, Principal Frances Venezia said the new schedule would help specialists like art, physical education and music teachers, who were spread thin during 12-month schedules.

"We think it'll be a benefit to children especially during these tough economic times when so many positions are being cut," she said.

About 95 percent of the faculty at Alston Ridge supported the single-track schedule, but wanted to switch back to multi-track when the economy improves, Venezia said.

"I think teachers look forward to being able to plan together in larger groups," she said.

Of the 130 Alston Ridge Elementary School parents who answered the school survey, about 75 percent said they desired a year-round school term whether multi-track or single track.

To help parents with the childcare issue, the school is hosting a four-week summer camp, which includes literacy, fun and science exploration. Phone messages and letters have been sent to parents advising them of the changes, she said.

Venezia and Hughes said they are making arrangements for students who have to miss school for vacations already planned during the transition period.

CORRECTION
The above story originally misstated how Debra Goldman, the vice chairwoman of the Wake County school board, voted on a plan to change schedules at five year-round elementary schools. Goldman voted in favor of the change, as did the entire board.