THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 7, 1996 TAG: 9602070412
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PERRY PARKS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Short : 31 lines
Educators are implementing a sweeping policy that will work some students overtime to prepare them for higher grades.
The promotion and intervention policy, passed unanimously by the Elizabeth City-Pasquotank School Board last week, sets entry requirements for grades 4, 7 and 9 and mandates summer school for students who don't meet them.
The policy aims to ensure that children enter the higher grade levels with the skills needed to succeed. It emphasizes helping struggling students to move forward rather than retaining them in their current grade.
Superintendent Joe Peel has estimated that the summer school population this year could increase to about 500 from 88 last year. The expanded program will cost about $250,000, he said.
School officials want to take the stigma off summer school and to give the 30 percent of students who drop out of school after entering ninth grade a reason to stay, Peel said.
``We want to communicate to kids that we care about you, we love you, we don't want that to happen to you,'' Peel said Tuesday.
Educators plan to explain the policy to parents through newsletters and individual conferences with teachers in the coming months, he said. by CNB