This paper describes the implementation and administration of a year-round school program in Buena Vista, Virginia, high schools. The program began in the 1973-74 school year as a practical way to meet the educational needs of children in a changing society. After examining three extended-school-year plans, the school board chose a quarter system (now trimester) with block scheduling. It included a voluntary summer session with free tuition and transportation. Upon implementing the new schedule, administration and faculty revised report cards, student records, and curriculum to conform to a block system with 6-week grading periods. Also, the teaching calendar was changed to include minibreaks for faculty, students, and parents that conformed to community customs. After 20 years in operation, an evaluation of the program revealed the following: an increase in facility utilization; an increase in student attendance during the summer; an increase in student achievement scores to levels equal or above the national average; a decrease in local student-dropout rates when compared with the state average; and recommendations from faculty and students to continue the program. The paper states that the Buena Vista plan has the potential for replication on a nationwide basis. (WFA)
