What's Happening?
A new charter school in the South Bronx, Strive, is set to open with a unique year-round, seven-day-a-week schedule. This initiative aims to address child care affordability and provide continuous educational opportunities for students. Strive will offer
mandatory instruction from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with optional extended hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The school will provide free meals and a range of enrichment activities, operating on a model similar to the Success Academy network. The school plans to recruit college students pursuing teaching degrees to support its extended hours.
Why It's Important?
Strive's innovative schedule addresses a critical gap in child care and education, particularly for working parents who struggle with traditional school hours. By offering extended hours and year-round operation, the school provides a flexible solution that aligns with parents' work schedules. This model could serve as a blueprint for other schools seeking to enhance accessibility and support for families. The initiative also highlights the potential for charter schools to experiment with new educational models that meet community needs.
What's Next?
As Strive prepares to open, its impact on student performance and family satisfaction will be closely monitored. If successful, the model could inspire similar initiatives in other regions, potentially influencing policy discussions on school schedules and child care support. The school's approach to staffing and resource management will also be evaluated to determine its scalability and sustainability.
