Wayne County Year-Round Schools Return To Traditional Calendar Year

Wayne County's

five year-round schools are going back to a

traditional calendar year

.

Seventh-graders are about to get their first full summer vacation in years, and they do not like it.

"I like year-round, because year-round -- it gives you more time to get school off your mind," student Frederick Frazier said.

Wayne County's year-round experiment is over. Some teachers are glad to see summer break again.

"The students are allowed more opportunities during the summer to participate in summer activities, whether it's a job or a sport or some other program they could participate in that would benefit them," teacher Eskabonna Henderson said.

However, the reason for the change frustrates teachers. The year-round schedule was created, in part, to allow extra tutoring time for low-performing students.

At

Goldsboro Middle School

, a free four-day, four-hour class was offered after every nine-week session. The school even provided a free snack.

Teacher Naomi Williams said there was just very little demand for it.

"They have to be inspired to want to learn in order for them to benefit from year-round," she said.

Principal Ruby Bell said money was not an issue.

"Money was there through our Title I, our federal program. Additionally, there are other funds that our central office or our county provides us so we didn't have a difficult time funding the program," Bell said.

Laveta Wright said one of her children attended the session, but did not learn much.

" I didn't like sending mine back because if they're going to be on break, they should be on break," she said.

This summer, they will get that break. Teachers hope students will be ready to learn when the traditional calendar starts August 5.

When the five schools change back to a traditional calendar, all of Wayne County will be back on the same schedule.