Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Parents Praise Multitrack System : Education: Survey at Pinetree Elementary School in Santa Clarita finds 3% more ‘positive’ responses than last year.

The multitrack year-round program earned solid marks from parents at Pinetree Elementary School for the second year in a row, according to survey results announced Thursday.

About 71% of those queried described their experience with the modified schedule as positive, a 3% increase from 1992.

“There’s no anxiety anymore. People are into it,” said Judy Heyn, principal of Pinetree. “It’s working with the rest of their lives.”

The multitrack program divides students into four groups, each of which attend classes for 12 school weeks and then have four weeks vacation. The tracks are staggered, with only three groups in session at any time of the year.

Pinetree, located within the Sulphur Springs School District, is beginning its third year with the program. The school has an enrollment of 870 students, with about 630 in session.

The 14-question survey was sent to about 650 parents in June, with 256 responding.

District officials say they are not surprised by the responses, most of which showed slight increases in satisfaction concerning student retention, flexible vacation schedules and adjusting to the tracks.

“We predicted that after time it would become more and more popular,” said Marc Winger, Sulphur Springs assistant superintendent of instructional services.

Despite the majority of satisfied responses, the survey also found nearly one in five are opposed to the year-round program. As positive attitudes increased to 71% for 1993, negative attitudes rose from 18% to 19%, with the remainder either undecided or not responding to the question.

And while 65% said they agree or strongly agree they would recommend year-round school, 22% said they disagree or strongly disagree--a 5% increase in negative responses. Both sets of 1993 responses showed an increase in opinions of “strong” agreement or disagreement.

District officials say they don’t expect to be able to win over those still critical of the program.

“I think in education, especially a controversial issue such as year-round, you’re always going to have a core number (of opposition),” Winger said.

They also believe that many parents happy with the program have not participated in the survey.

“Generally, I think it’s even more positive than the results,” Heyn said.

The parent survey is expected to be sent out every year, although questions will be modified if new issues arise, Winger said. Next year’s survey is not expected to question parents about their first impression of the program because it will have been in place for three years.

Organizers see the biggest challenge remaining with the modified schedules as the lack of sports, recreation, child care and similar activities normally available during the summer.

Nine of the 10 Santa Clarita schools in the Saugus School District have some sort of year-round schedule, without the use of multiple tracks.

The program was considered controversial when proposed for the Newhall School District. That district’s Wiley Canyon and Valencia Valley schools began the program July 6.