Pascagoula-Gautier School District considering new ‘flex schedule’ for 2023-24 school year

JACKSON COUNTY, Miss. (WLOX) - The Pascagoula-Gautier School District is holding two parent-community stakeholder meetings to discuss a ‘flex school calendar,’ a tentative plan being researched and discussed for the PGSD in the 2023-24 school year.

The plan would implement a nine-weeks-on, two-weeks-off schedule, similar to the Gulfport School District’s. Teachers would head back to school in July, and students would finish the school year at the end of May.

The PGSD advises no holidays would be taken away, and students would still go to school 180 days a year. Teachers would attend 187 days a year, just like in previous years.

The first meeting to discuss the possibility of implementing this new schedule, open to all parents and the community, will be held at the Singing River Academy Auditorium on Tuesday, November 15, 2022 at 6 p.m. The second will be at the Pascagoula High School Performing Arts Center on Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 6 p.m.

The PGSD encourages parents and community members to attend one of the meetings to hear more about the proposed flex schedule and to ask questions following the presentation. Superintendent Billy Ellzey will present information about the calendar as well as the benefits for students and teachers.

Debbie Anglin, PGSD Director of Communications, says they’re looking into the idea of enrichment intersessions during the two week break periods.

“During that one or two weeks off, we are looking at one week of intercession, where we will bring kids in who might need a little extra help or maybe even do enrichment with them,” Anglin said.

Intersessions would be shorter than a normal school day, and the school district would provide busses to and from sessions, as well as food for students during the day. The sessions would be staffed by teachers who volunteer and assistant teachers who can be paid during the week. However, all of this is still in the works, and nothing is official yet.

“For the past several weeks, the Superintendent has held a series of meetings at all 19 school sites to discuss the flex schedule with PGSD employees, and has also met with the Superintendent’s Parent Advisory and Teacher Advisory committees, child care directors, city recreation department, HeadStart and Boys and Girls Clubs as well as business, government and industry members. He will also discuss the flex schedule with the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council at its Thursday, Nov. 17 meeting,” Anglin said.

After parent meetings next week, a survey will go out to all employees and the community asking if they are in favor of the new schedule or not. Data will be collected and presented to the school board, who will then make the final decision.

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