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District to expand junior-high choice programming and offer staff-paid pre-K seats at Leverett
Summary
Fayetteville Public Schools plans to continue middle-school choice programs and expand choice into junior high with a STEM-focused LIGHT program; the district will also offer a tuition-based pre-K option reserved first for district staff at Leverett Elementary next year.
The Fayetteville Public Schools board heard Jan. 23 that the district will continue the successful middle-school choice programs at Holt and Colbert and will add a junior-high choice option beginning with seventh grade.
Michelle Hayward and junior-high principals described the new program, LIGHT (Leadership in Innovation, Technology and Environment), as a STEM-focused pathway that will include a Project Lead The Way Energy and Environment course, leadership/service-learning, themed clubs with field experiences and a specially designed advisory program. Administrators said the junior-high program will initially serve seventh graders at Woodland and Ramey junior highs, with a proposed enrollment target of about 50 students per site; counselors will coordinate scheduling and a choice application will be released in mid-February with family presentations at pre-CAP nights. Current middle-school choice students will not need to reapply to continue in sequence.
The district also plans to make a new tuition-based pre-K option available to district staff in 2025'026. District staff will be offered first access to at least 20 seats at Leverett Elementary; the plan includes an optional earlier drop-off and extended hours using the existing after-school provider, with tuition billed over 10 months at an annualized rate that equates to $45 per day (approximately $800 per month). Breakfast, lunch and snack would be included. The district said enrollment for staff fills first and any remaining seats would open to the community.
Administration characterized the staff pre-K option as an employee benefit designed to address scheduling and childcare challenges for staff members and said flexible-spending accounts could be used to offset costs. District staff indicated they surveyed employees and received sufficient interest to pilot at least one classroom next year and possibly two if demand warrants.
Transportation for the choice programs will continue to include a shuttle; district staff said they plan to maintain the shuttle but may refine routing and timing to better coordinate middle- and junior-high schedules so students can reach regular bus stops or activities on time.
District leaders said the junior-high choice expansion and the staff pre-K program will be monitored and adjusted based on enrollment and operational feedback.
