TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WIAT) - By the time the bell rings next fall, children from particular schools within the Tuscaloosa City School System could be gearing up for a new year-round calendar.  Year-round school is one of the proposals that new superintendent Dr. Paul McKendrick is suggesting to the board of education.  McKendrick implemented similar reforms at his previous school system in Virginia with successful results in a short amount of time. 

The reforms were orginally slated for only five central schools within the system.  McKendrick says that employees in the central office have observed data that has been collected from those schools and determined that some drastic changes were needed in order to close the achievement gap.

The board was originally scheduled to vote on the reforms Tuesday evening; however, McKendrick says he made the call to pull back until another board meeting in late January.  The superintedent says he wants to allow time to answer more questions and provide the board with more information before it comes to a vote.  There could also be additional community meetings where parents can give their input.

McKendrick says his decision to hold off on the vote was not motivated by controversy or roadblocks surrounding the reforms.  In fact, McKendrick says principals from other schools that were not originally considered for the reforms have requested to be included.  Janet Sherrod, principal of Martin Luther King Elementary, says that she is excited for the changes. 

"It's about the children.  Not about the adults," Sherrod explains when asked if the teachers are also supportive of the extended calendar.  Thus far, there has not been any major outcry in the community about the proposal.

McKendrick explains that the reforms will not just benefit the children who are struggling with school.  He says there will be opportunities for acceleration as well, in addition to field trips and other enrichment programs that schools didn't have time for in the regular calendar.