Trumbull Public Schools Calendar

March 14, 2024 Kristal

Nearly year-round calendar approved for elementary school in Port St. John

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – The Brevard County School Board on Tuesday approved a nearly year-round calendar for an elementary school in Port St. John.

Students at Challenger 7 Elementary will now begin the 2024-25 school year on July 22 instead of in August, according to the board.

It’s the only Brevard Public Schools institution where the change is being made and parents of students attending Challenger 7 have until March 29 to complete a survey that would ensure their child’s placement at another school if desired. Alternatively, parents of students at different schools who want their children to attend Challenger 7 must only wait for the annual re-enrollment process, the district said.

Parent Alyssa Elwick supported the change.

“I think it will be a great way for the students to have more breaks, more often so we don’t get such a big summer break,” she said. “Just keep their brains moving.”

Despite what time is still left until that March 29 deadline to switch out, the board acknowledged parents’ concerns over whether they would be able to move their children out of Challenger 7 and into a choice school. Board member Jennifer Jenkins said that she wanted parents to feel heard in this regard, yet that even if those parents had made such a choice the year prior, they’re still likely going to end up on a wait list.

“We want to honor the wishes of those families, but the problem is that there’s no seats to begin with in those schools, so we’re going to do our best to work with families that are looking for that option,” Jenkins said Tuesday.

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Parent Adrian Williams told News 6 reporter James Sparvero she has yet to make the difficult decision of whether she will keep her kids at Challenger 7 or switch schools.

“It’s because I have multiple kids in different schools,” she said. “I feel like it’s just too much for those kids to deal with.”

The school year is still set to be 180 days at Challenger 7, with two-week breaks in the fall and spring. The first break begins Sept. 23 and the second begins March 10. The calendar also sets aside a week for Thanksgiving and two weeks for winter break, according to the school district. The last school day for students following this calendar will be May 28, 2025.

See the calendar below:

News 6 previewed the as-yet upcoming change in February, hearing from board members, such as Chair Megan Wright, who said she went to Challenger 7 as a child when the school had a similar calendar.

“I think it permits families the ability to travel on times where it’s not quite so busy,” Wright said. “I also think that it gives people a break. I mean, honestly, everyone comes back from a vacation refreshed and ready to go and year-round permits opportunities for that.”

The schedule change comes as a result of a state law signed last year by Gov. Ron DeSantis establishing a pilot program at elementary schools in five Florida districts. The goal of the four-year program is to see whether learning losses decrease over the summer, according to state Sen. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando, who sponsored the Senate version of the bipartisan bill.

Wright Tuesday expressed support for eventually expanding the program to more Brevard schools.

“It’s something I think that we should look at exploring, maybe, beyond just one school,” she said. “This calendar is very, very, very attractive to a lot of people.”

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