3 Wake Middle Schools To Go Year-Round

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Wake County Board of Education voted 7-1 Tuesday to transition three middle schools to a mandatory year-round schedule.

East Wake Middle School, North Garner Middle School and Salem Middle School will switch with the 2007-2008 school year.

During a work session earlier Tuesday, the board had removed two middle schools -- Leesville Middle School and Wakefield Middle School -- from the list.

Earlier this month, the board voted in favor of converting 19 elementary schools to a year-round calendar in Fall 2007, a move that has drawn much criticism from parents who have children in different grades and don't want different school schedules in one family.

School system officials have said year-round schools are necessary to help the system manage its booming student population because they accommodate about 25 percent more students. While three-quarters of students are in class, one quarter is always on break.

In the last three years, enrollment in the Wake County schools has grown by more than 16,000 students. This year, about 6,400 new students enrolled. By 2020, the county is expected to grow to 1.1 million people, meaning there would be an estimated 180,000 children in Wake County schools.