INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. — The Indian River County School District is considering converting one of its elementary schools into a magnet school with a new educational model and is seeking your feedback.
The district wants to maximize enrollment and said there is a demand for classic model-style schools.
Currently, Indian River County has three magnet elementary schools and is considering opening a fourth in the northern part of the county to serve the needs of the community. And teaching and learning styles can be quite different.
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“I think a lot of kids are struggling with basic things like math and reading and writing, and either they don't graduate, or they graduate and their abilities are terrible,” said grandfather Gary Coleman. Ta.
Coleman likes the idea of getting back to basics in the classroom.
The Indian River County School District is considering converting one of its current elementary schools to a magnet school, possibly implementing a classical education curriculum.
“We're going to look at the north campuses. There are some campuses that have lower enrollment,” Superintendent Dr. David Moore said. “Our goal here is to provide our community with options to maximize the opportunity for their children to attend high-quality schools.”
Moore said the classical style is one of the fastest growing educational options but is not offered in traditional district schools. He said the system is not based on politics or religion, and while adhering to state standards, it focuses less on technology.
“Go back in time and look at how we were educated. A very routine system, direct instruction, reading classic novels all day long, classic literature, and individual memorization. It was a lot,” Moore said.
This transition will not happen overnight. The phased approach is expected to begin with kindergarten in selected locations in the 2025-26 school year.
A survey on the district's website is surveying parents' concerns.
“Magnet schools have no boundaries in providing their services,” Moore said. “We serve the entire region, and transportation is limited to the depot. So there's not a lot of transportation.”
Her mother, Jennifer Pippin, sees value in the classic teaching style and is trying to bring more students back to the district.
“With more options for children and families, maybe not for everyone, but for some, the classic education model will fill those seats,” Pippin said. said.
“It's old school,” Coleman said. “It worked for me. It worked for all of us, and I'm sure it worked for you too. There's nothing wrong with that!”
The survey will be accepted until April 22nd, after which the Indian River County School Board will discuss how to proceed and what kind of education model it would like at its June meeting.