Despite unclear future, South Bend Empowerment Zone proposing year-round school next year

SOUTH BEND — The South Bend Empowerment Zone — coming off of a recent transition that brought uniforms, clear backpacks and a new early release schedule — is looking to make another change.

Empowerment Zone administrators presented their ideas for a year-round school schedule in a board meeting Thursday night. The schedule would include a shortened summer and multiple three-week breaks, beginning next school year, and comes amid a period of uncertainty as South Bend educators consider the future structure of the five west side schools.

Administrators with the Zone say the proposed schedule would help curb summer learning loss and provide opportunities for additional remediation. It comes on the heels of rapid changes the Zone’s new chief, Davion Lewis, introduced late last fall to combat what he once called a crisis in Zone students’ education. The chief, who joined the Zone in August, specifically drew attention to lagging academics and concern for school safety.

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Zone leaders say they are already seeing some signs of progress with student attendance improving and disciplinary incidents down just before the holidays. But the results of a recent survey show some students do not yet feel safe from bullying and teasing in their school, and families desire greater communication about academics and school events

Administrators acknowledge changes last fall were sprung on families quickly. The Zone, this time, hopes to get community input first.

Multiple in-person town hall meetings are being scheduled across the Zone’s five schools.

“Unlike the fall Quarter 2 reset where we made the decision and then told folks afterwards, which is not how I like to do things, this time we’re engaging folks before the decision is made,” Lewis said.

What is the calendar Zone leaders are proposing?

Zone leaders say the schedule, called a balanced calendar, has proved in other school districts to help close learning gaps, increase attendance and decrease discipline referrals. Some educators like the model for its longer breaks mid-year, combating burnout and providing more prep time for teachers.

The Empowerment Zone is considering a balanced calendar that would bring five weeks of summer vacation and three additional breaks during the year. Each break would come nine weeks apart, last three weeks and align with the South Bend school district calendar. Students on shorter breaks at Washington High School, for example, would still have overlapping time off with younger siblings attending Zone schools.

Zone schools, during each proposed three-week break, would close entirely during the first week. Opportunities for student day camps, instructional interventions and optional professional development for teachers would be available in the following two weeks.

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The Zone is exploring potential partnerships with external groups like the Boys & Girls Clubs and YMCA to provide programming for families who need care during the extended breaks.

Zone leaders said their presentation Thursday night was only to inform the board of a potential change. A final recommendation and vote won’t come until April.

“At that point, the board will vote on said recommendation, and it could be exactly what we have here, or it could be a variation,” Lewis said. “Or, it could be, we are just going to adopt the SBCSC calendar.”

What happens next to the Empowerment Zone?

While members of the Zone board seemed generally supportive, the idea of change in the coming school year also sparked questions about the Zone’s long-term plans.

The Empowerment Zone was created in 2019 as a five-year intervention to avoid the potential state takeover or closure of Navarre Middle School after years of underperforming grades in Indiana’s A-F accountability system. While still apart of the larger South Bend district, the Zone structure provides a high level of autonomy for school-level spending, hiring and curriculum choices. Its schools include Navarre and four feeder elementaries; Coquillard, Harrison, Warren and Wilson.

The state has since scaled back its involvement in the schools and little has been discussed publicly about what will happen as Zone schools complete their fifth academic year in 2024.

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Lewis told The Tribune in the fall that he intends to be around “for the long haul,” and said the Zone’s current contract with the South Bend district allows the intervention to renew automatically for another five years if local school leaders take no action.

However, in a series of facility planning meetings last week, consultants working for the South Bend district proposed changes to Empowerment Zone buildings and feeder patterns.

In a series of preliminary scenarios presented in public meetings earlier this month, one called for the conversion of Navarre into a ninth grade center feeding Washington High School. Three scenarios suggested closing Warren and rerouting one or more remaining Zone elementaries to middle schools other than Navarre.

South Bend Assistant Superintendent Kareemah Fowler said in early February that Zone leaders had been brought into facilities discussions.

“When you think about long-term planning, you have to look at everything comprehensively,” Fowler said. “When you talk about protecting enrollment, it’s not South Bend schools and leaving the Zone out. It’s our entire portfolio of students and programs for the entire district. We don’t look at it as separate.”

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Lewis, on Thursday, however, indicated an answer on whether the Zone will continue in its current structure beyond the 2023-2024 school year could be coming soon.

“Conversations are happening,” Lewis said. “My position is, I don’t want to say I don’t care about what the decision is. It’s more important that we have a decision.”

The Zone chief said uncertainty has made planning and hiring for the coming school year difficult. He says he anticipates a decision would come in April — the same month the district’s school board is expected to vote on its long-term facility plan.

“It would be challenging to make a decision about the district as a whole without considering the implications for the Zone,” Lewis said. “I think the opportunity is prime, and it does make sense that these two things would align.”

Where can I learn more about calendar proposals?

Regardless of long-term plans, Lewis has said his focus is on ensuring students in the Zone are provided the best education possible throughout the duration of their time in Zone schools. That could include changes, like a balanced calendar. Several English and Spanish language information sessions will be organized in the coming weeks. All in-person meetings will start at 6 p.m. and will be streamed live on the Zone’s Facebook page.

Meeting dates include:

• Feb. 23 at Navarre Middle School (bilingual)

• Feb. 27 at Warren Elementary

• Feb. 28 at Wilson Elementary

• March 7 at Coquillard Elementary

• March 9 at Harrison Elementary

Email South Bend Tribune education reporter Carley Lanich at clanich@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @carleylanich.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: South Bend Empowerment Zone considers year-round school amid uncertain future