Get Schooled

By Patrick

February 3, 2005 12:39 PM | Link to this

Seems to me that the State f Georgia doesn’t have much of a leg to stand on when it comes to showing what works and what doesn’t in education. It also seems to me that places with the highest levels of scholastic acheivement may just have the right formula in place. Since all f those schools at the top of the list start the first week of september (after Labor Day), maybe the State of Georgia SHOULD take notice. The summer break is ten weks, no matter what calendar days it resides on, so the “early start helps remedial students” argumet is moot. “Students do better on exams held before the holidays” argumet is as well, since the best schools in the country test AFTER the winter holidays. The best schools also don’t take multiple two week breaks during the year like GA schools do, so elliminating those breaks should be a step in the right direction as well. As far as what’s best for GA students go, it is apparent to all but the thickest of individuals that the education professionals in the State of Georgia have no idea what they are talking about. They’ve been screwing it up long enough.

By Ernest

February 3, 2005 12:43 PM | Link to this

There is more to this issue. I would refer people to the following website: EOCT info

The state has set up testing windows for administering this test. If the start dates were to slip, it would compromise the window. I asked earlier what type of change request would be needed since this is a state mandated test. I haven’t gotten an answer.

Interestingly, we haven’t seen many comments from teachers on this. The ones I’ve spoken with indicated they like the ‘Blended’ calendar as it provides week long breaks during the school year. In DeKalb County, we adopted one that has a break along with President’s Day. Teachers cited fatigue, both on the part of students and teachers, as the reason for wanting a calendar including this.

By EBP

February 3, 2005 12:58 PM | Link to this

Leave the individual BOE alone….and leave the calendar in Fayette County alone. I have 4 children and they are absolutely bored out of their minds after 6 weeks of summer vacation.

I work full time and do not have the summer off. Therefore, my children have never had their entire summer filled with activities that Mom and Dad provide around the clock.

2 of my 4 will be in UGA next year and being part of the best overall school system in GA has helped them and my other 2 are still a part of it…so leave Fayette County alone!

It is great to have week long breaks throughout the year so kids can rest, travel with family, and the teachers can also have a must deserved break. And I believe that children lose some of what they have been studying…if the break is too long.

And finally, do we as a State not have many more serious issues to deal with than this concern? How about worrying about our SAT scores, our dismal high school graduation rate, our high level of bankrupt families in GA…..are these not much more important than 2 more weeks of summer vacation???

Tell the spoiled parents/kids and the greedy tourism industry to get a life. The school and university calendars are the most lenient they will ever have… The real world (outside of schools and universities)are laughing themselves to death…such a silly waste of time!

MOVE ON>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

By Dedicated_Teacher

February 3, 2005 01:00 PM | Link to this

I teach-and love my job. I don’t however, like going back to work the last week of July. August is much too hot a month to have children in schools. When children get sick from the heat returning home on the buses, it’s time to rethink.

Yes, I understand the schedule was changed to allow HS students to take their finals prior to the 2 week break. I do have high schoolers at home. Returning and doing a few more weeks of work and review will not harm anyone.

Other considerations? Athletics! It is just too hot to be doing mandatory practices in full pads during the last week of July and all of August! It is too hot to take children-esp. those with respiratory conditions (90% of them, apparently!) outside,due to smog and asthma. School buses produce huge amounts of pollution-do we really NEED this during the hottest month?

I teach in a county with a ‘Balanced Calendar.’ I do like it and find it is beneficial to all. However, we could still use the concept, but with a later start date and a later end date. The students still have their 7 (NOT 10) weeks off. Teachers will still get their 6. (Sorry to burst that bubble, John Q. Public; it’s only 6 weeks over the summer.)

June is so much cooler than the end of July or August!

By Richard Terry

February 3, 2005 01:16 PM | Link to this

I think that one of the underlying tensions is balancing “what’s good for the family” versus “what’s good for the teachers” versus “what seems good for the kids”.

On the family side, I remember being a kid (if you concentrate hard, you can probably remember too! 8^) ), and summer vacation was a great time for me and my family. I don’t think that the desires of parents should be ignored. The phrase “family values” may be a cliche now, but the government school system already shapes the modern family a great deal if you stop to think about it.

On the teacher side of things, I spoken to a couple of teachers that have worked in “year-round” schools and they loved it. I can see how interspersing those weeks off throughout the year could prevent burn out. (I wouldn’t mind a schedule like that! I only get 2 weeks of vacation a year.)

And on the student side… well, to be honest, I don’t know if an early start date helps students a great deal or not. I guess my question here is, “Do students perform better in schools that start earlier?”

By Jennifer

February 3, 2005 01:23 PM | Link to this

As a former high school teacher, I know that too much instructional time is lost with the traditional calendar that forces the first semester exams to take place after winter break. Having dealt with both schedules, there was a much more fluid transition when everything wrapped up before the break.

That said, I think a balanced calendar makes more sense. It allows parents more flexibility and gives both students and teachers much-needed breaks.

The state should not be mandating school start/end days. They haven’t been able to solve any of the statewide educational problems this far—why not let the local school systems try some scheduling options that may improve the academic performance of their students.

By outside looking in!

February 3, 2005 01:44 PM | Link to this

I think this is all just a matter of “not wanting change”. The schools of yester-year all started according to the harvesting schedules of crops so that kids were available to pick them. All of that changed after the industrial revolution and now we see change again with education reform and testing schedules. So basically, my point is that everyone (teachers, students, parents, and tourism) will get used to the new schedules in due time. Those that oppose the change seem to have forgotten that the number of required days in school hasnt changed and that the dates are just shifted slightly for the return AND the release dates. The days in school remain the same. And to all the teachers that oppose the change, lets not forget that aggravating “overlap” of the 2nd quarter into the new calendar year. (You know you dont want to grade papers on YOUR holiday break nor think about report cards being due as soon as you return) The new calendar allows for a tidy ending of the second quarter before the Holiday vacation and starting fresh in the new year on the 3rd quarter. And by the way, I’m not an educator but I can recall all of these facts from being a student thanks to some mighty fine teachers. Keep up the good work and move on from these trivial nit picky details. TEACH OUR KIDS! And to the parents who oppose the change, I hope you are setting a good example to your kids by showing them that no matter when school begins, simply show up and do your best. Once they hit the real world and their schedules REALLY change, they’ll appreciate how you showed them to rise and shine no matter what time of year it is.

By Janet Borocz

February 3, 2005 01:44 PM | Link to this

When kids are supervised this is not an issue. When they are left to roam the streets I think it is a problem. Not all kids get jobs, not all kids go to summer camp. Some parents still have to work, so the summer can be a very unproductive time for children in situations where there are financial constraints, I feel a shorter summer would definitly be benificial to all concerned.

By V. Beasley

February 3, 2005 01:48 PM | Link to this

As a teacher, I cast my vote for a year-round calendar, 9 weeks on and 2-3 weeks off, with the month of July off. I’ve not run the numbers, but I’ve heard of systems which have tried this and it works extremely well. My primary reason is teachers and students get burned out with the traditional calendars. Also, much of what we do was initiated back in the 1800’s. It’s time for a change!

By High School teacher

February 3, 2005 01:53 PM | Link to this

Parents, If you don’t want your kids’ summers compromised, and you want to have a tratditional school calendar with a start in late August and end in early June, that’s fine! HOWEVER, DON’T TAKE YOUR KIDS OUT OF SCHOOL FOR A WEEK TO TAKE THEM TO DISNEYWORLD WHILE THE RATES ARE CHEAPER!!

If the main concern for calendar issues is to improve student performance, let’s look at other factors that affect performance, such as attendance. A high school student who misses a week of class on the block schedule misses 7 and 1/2 hours instruction per course. Every year, I have several students who miss that much time due to family vacations at times other than June, July, and August.

A balanced calendar allows families to take vacations at times of the year other than the summer, such as fall or late winter. Not all parents can get both of their vacation weeks in the summer; perhaps a balanced calendar enhances family values after all.

By Steve

February 3, 2005 02:07 PM | Link to this

Although the idea of a long summer vacation is definitely appealing, every instance od schools working toward a year-round calendar with several 2-3 week breaks seems to work.

The biggest problem I have with the system I am closest to is the daily start time for schools. The two high schools begin their classes at 7:20 AM, and the system’s middle schools start 15 minutes later. Whatever happened to starting at 8:15 - 8:30 and hgetting out around 3:00 - 3:15???

The kids are half asleep during first period, and in some cases, little gets accomplished.

The school calendar for the system I refer to has teachers reporting in mid-July this SUMMER, with kids starting before the first of August. While I don’t particularly like the move to year-round schools, I would much rather have a “year-round” calendar with a later start time than the current schedule with classes starting before sunrise.

Like many, I admit to being resistant to change. However, in my high school days in the late 70s, I remember starting the school year after Labor Day and ending it around the first or second week of June. We began classes at around 8:15 ang got out shortly after 3:00.

Nobody every died from that schedule, either.

By Kathy

February 3, 2005 02:21 PM | Link to this

Ok folks it’s 180 days of school per student not matter when they start and stop. They won’t get a longer summer by starting in late August because they’ll be in school until late June. It’s mighty hot around here in June too. According to the websites I looked at the average temperatures and highs and lows are very similar in June and August. Having grown up in the late August to late June type calender I can tell you that it certainly has it’s draw backs. It’s very difficult to come back from two weeks Christmas vacation and have to take finals for your courses three weeks later and then jump into a new set. I spent most of my Christmas vacations studying rather than having fun. We spent the first week after break refreshing and catching up and missed out on valuable time. In college you generally take your finals before break and break is just that, a BREAK! As the wife of a HS teacher I know that he certainly prefers it this way. His break is a break, no students, no papers to grade etc. He is out before Memorial Day and has all of June and July as a break. He has never started earlier than August 1st. He puts in the same 190 days not matter what. I don’t think that Northern schools get higher SAT scores becasue of their school calender. There are many, many factors that make the difference. It should be up to the school system to decide what works best for them. They can work with and talk to local parents and decide.

By David C

February 3, 2005 02:51 PM | Link to this

When I was younger, we didn’t start school until the Wednesday after Labor Day and finish School in late May or in June. I hate the fact that if you go to Six Flags or White Waters in August when it is 90 degrees during the week. It is closed, because all the kids and workers are in school…. this is crazy. Let the kids have a Summer Vacation. We Did!!!!

By gordon7

February 3, 2005 02:55 PM | Link to this

Changing the calendar will not create more family time, help the tourism industry or allow stduents and teachers to have more vacation time. The summer break would merely shift from the current late May through early August to mid June through late August. There will still be a 180 day calendar.

Ask any educator who has taught in June whether students are better behaved and more receptive to learning in June or August. I think you would find near 100% agreement that school is more productive in August. In June, kids are tired, parents are tired and everyone just wants the year to end. I have found with the new calendars that students are just fine in May….but something happens when the calendar says “June.” So, the only advantage or disadvantage to changing the calendar would be that students would be in school in June rather than August, and trust me, that is not a good thing.

By Brian

February 3, 2005 02:56 PM | Link to this

I graduated high school a few years ago and I would hate starting so late. That would mean that our final exams would be after Christmas. That time is suppose to be a holiday not a time of studying and be stressed out about finals. This is the wrong idea and makes no difference because kids will still have to go 180 days. So they will get less time off or get out of school later.

By Jennifer

February 3, 2005 03:11 PM | Link to this

The state of Virginia has already passed a law requiring public schools to start after Labor Day. This was pushed heavily by the tourist industy. Georgia is taking the lead from other states in the union.

I do highly doubt a two week break in the middle of the first semester is going to drive all the knowledge from students’ brains. That is a lame excuse to use for starting school in early August. I have always thought it was just a gateway to eventually move to year round schools. I have wondered, with the push for year round schools if parents think year round means school every day? Unfortunately for the ones that view school as daycare, school will still be 180 days, with teachers working 190 days. Also, for those parents year round school will make childcare that much more difficult to find. Imagine having to find someone to watch your children for just two weeks every nine weeks. A committment like that is a difficult find. Education reformers keep touting the breaks for year round school as “catch up” time. Will schools be able to provide certified teachers? Please don’t expect the teachers to volunteer unless you plan on paying them. Somehow I doubt that will happen considering the state of educational funding at present!

By W.S

February 3, 2005 03:22 PM | Link to this

I think it’s dumb. I like my school year just fine. I’m currently on the year-round school year. I moved to Newton County from Dekalb which has it.

By Cobby

February 3, 2005 04:04 PM | Link to this

I think school should start as early as August 1 and end in mid May.We have had good success here in South Georgia. I think the complainers are spoiled parents.

By Ed Mitchell

February 3, 2005 04:04 PM | Link to this

Schools should start on or after 08/20 and eliminate a majority of these 1/2 days and reduce some of the teacher work days.

By Cindy

February 3, 2005 04:32 PM | Link to this

I raise these questions….

Why is the tourism industry mentioned in the same breath as education?

Why are people worried about pleasing parents who take their kids out at any given time anyway to take a vacation or simply get up on any given morning and not “feel like going” to school that day? What does that teach our kids about the importance of education?

I am sister, wife, and sister-in-law to teachers. Why aren’t teachers being consulted about what schedule works best?

Why isn’t our primary focus on what needs to be improved about education rather than something petty as a couple of weeks?

Finally, why is our state legislature even involving itself in this issue?

By David

February 3, 2005 04:39 PM | Link to this

Somebody needs to help me understand why it is that parents continue to turn their kids over to the government to imprison them for 12 years of their lives. Every year there are complaints about when the school year starts, what the curriculum contains, what everyone has to wear, etc.

Where is the parental responsibility for their child’s education. It is not the responsibility of the government to educate children. It is the parents’. Homeschooling is obviously the best thing a parent can do, and the resources are so abundant that there are few excuses. The next option is private school, and even here, the selections would increase and the costs would decrease if parents would finally wake up and realize that the government has no real interest in educating their children. Their real interest is in creating good citizens who do not question authority, pay their taxes on time, think that all of their prosperity flows from the government well, and never get too educated about the real history of america to ever want things to change in favor of real freedom and liberty. Once they wake up to that reality, then the question of ending government schools will no longer be one of “if”, but one of “when?” In the mean time, stop vicitmizing your children by putting them into these prisons and give them the education they truly deserve.

Getting rid of your children in the fall should not be seen as a blessing. What kind of values does this really reflect? What kind of message does this send to your children?

By Mark

February 3, 2005 04:40 PM | Link to this

My wife used to teach in a year long program in North Carolina. She says it worked well because the kids got a break at various times throughout the year, including a 3-4 wk summer vacation. Because the summer break was shorter, the kids could pick right up where they left off, without doing a review of the previous year. Oh, wait a second, when did Georgia start worrying about what was best for the kids? Never mind…

By Jennifer

February 3, 2005 04:42 PM | Link to this

Jennifer,

Judging from your statement: “I do highly doubt a two week break in the middle of the first semester is going to drive all the knowledge from students’ brains,” I doubt you’ve ever worked as a teacher on the high school level. Sometimes even a long weekend can destroy everything, and test scores will suffer if you hold a test until after a 3-day weekend. Sad, but true. Why do you think so many tests are administered on a Friday? Everyone will get the best results when the material is fresh in their mind.

If I actually believed that students would study over winter break and be prepared for not only one more unit, but then finals as well, I’d gladly support the later start. However, since neither students nor their parents tend to emphasize the value of education, why make it harder for teachers? Inevitably, teachers—pressured to deliver high test scores—feel obligated to sacrifice the unit that could have been taught during the week or two before exams in order to do a crash review of the material taught before the break in order to improve their students’ performance on exams administered after the break.

Think about your own experience, either in school or at work. It always takes a couple of days to get back in the swing of things after a vacation. By pushing exams until after winter break, you’re asking high school students, who by and large lack motivation, to not only get back in learning mode but to also take the time to refresh their memories and review the material on their own. It’s not going to happen. Often, teachers are lucky if they can even get kids to turn in their assignments, much less study, and that’s WITH notifying the parents that things are missing!

By MArie

February 3, 2005 04:58 PM | Link to this

Please allow your elected local school board to decide on the school start and ending time. This is a new day with a different type of student population and the society which they live in. Most of you are focusing on a late start day but you are not thinking of the students who will be greatly effected by the this decision. We had that calendar before and the students hated having to stay in school long after Memorial Day. Their minds shut down by that holiday and it is very hot in June. But when you start in early August the students are ready to come back because they have been bored for most of the summer. They also like the fact that the semester will be over before Christmas break and they can really enjoy the Christmas break with out having to study over the holidays. Parents beware of what you ask for because when the students have to return home early from Christmas break to study for final exams, you will start complaining about that too. They will not be able to enjoy being with the family over Christmas when they have to study for final exams as sooon as they return to school. They will also miss out on a lot of different summer college programs outsideand inside of the state getting out too late in June. The Blended Calendar works best for the students and teachers. Do you wnat the teachers to come on your job and try to dictate when and how often you should work and get vacation time? The summer vacation allotment time is still the same. Is it really worth losing the full Christmas break for a lousy extra week or two in August. The students up North have to start late because they get breaks due to cold weather a lot of times and up there its cool in June. In the south, the students mental minds end in May. That is why it was changed because we used that start late calendar before. As far as the tourism, you will lose more around the Christmas Holidays. Remember, starting at a late date will hurt the high school students the most because by the time they get out school in June, the college students will have taken most of the summer jobs too. When they get in May, they do have a better chance of getting a summer job. Parents when decsions are made like this as to what you want the state to vote on, remember you have to look at parents and students outside of your county and your neighborhood. How will starting late effect those students as well? All students in Georgia do not have access to a lot of the pleasures that some of can provide for you children suring the summer. Think outside of your own family!

By Ernest

February 3, 2005 05:04 PM | Link to this

I like the points Cindy raises, especially getting more input from teachers. Many are parents also and their feedback would be invaluable for this conversation.

Like other comments posted, I’d like to see some combination of year round school or a balanced calendar. Heck, I wouldn’t mind seeing the school year increased by one or two weeks. Agriculture is not the foundation of our economy anymore. Many other Western cultures spend more time in school than our kids do.

Will our kids gain the skills to successfully compete in this global economy with the current education system we have? Whether we start in mid August or early September seems like a minor issue when you look at the big picture.

By Stacy E.

February 3, 2005 05:05 PM | Link to this

I say, “It’s about time!!”. I am an Atlanta transplant from New York and I have a sister that has children who are the same age as my child. We often complain how hard it is to coordinate a family vacation since our school systems have such different schedules. Not only do they have different start and end dates, but spring break and winter breaks are also different. My daughter likes to spend what little time she has off with her cousins in New York during the summers, she can only get in 1 good month (July) before she has to go back to school because the children up North do not get out for summer recess until the end of June. Help us to bring back strong family ties, Let’s help to get our school systems on the SAME calendar. This is the UNITED STATES isn’t it???

By A mom and a teacher too

February 3, 2005 05:15 PM | Link to this

I think there is more to life than school!
I have found myself ground between my daughter’s school system and the one in which I work, with the result that we have few vacations that match. When she was small, it was difficult to find day care, and now that she is in high school I do not like all the unsupervised time the schedule creates. My school system required us to return to work this year the last week of JULY, while my daughter did not start until near the very end of August. Try looking for stimulating programs for a non-driving high school kid in August, and to figure out transportation when you have to be at work at 7:25 am each day!! For a number of years she was a swimmer and diver — and I know plenty of kids in ball — the short summer really impacts these sports. My husband’s business is tied to the court schedules — and the judges go on vacation in August so the courts shut down — when we could go on a family vacation but for my teaching job! I’m all for starting school late in August and going into June when it is cooler.

By Argus

February 4, 2005 08:56 AM | Link to this

As long as the calendars are unified, and in sync, things will run smoothly. Many communities have teen curfews during school hours. Having everyone on different calendars causes kids who shouldn’t be in school, to become targets of the police.

By Sylvia

February 4, 2005 09:22 AM | Link to this

I have a suggestion for the few who like a year round calendar: Lobby for a magnet school in your county to accomodate you and let the rest of us enjoy our summers. My son is an excellent student and athlete who may very well become a professional golfer. He needs the time off to concentrate on his golf and to be with out of state (and country)family members and friends. Why should he have to spend August in a classroom because of other students who don’t make the grade? Why should he forgo summer because of High School exam scheduling problems. Most of the country manages just fine - why not follow their schedules instead of trying to reinvent the wheel? Keeping children in school all year round is a recipe for mediocrity. There are so many things that the schools don’t offer that only long summer vacations can provide. For those who complain that their children are “bored”, there is so much to do in the summer and there are so many wonderful camps and programs available to nurture talents that get zero attention in the school environment, whether it be in the arts or athletics. My son gets 15 minutes of recess and spends half his lunch hour with the lights turned out for “quiet time”, with half terms of not very exciting art and music classes, no foreign languages, and no organized sports. This is not the route to excellence. The argument that we are not an agricultural country anymore is irrelevant - I grew up in NYC and had June thru the week after Labor Day off. Believe me, there was no farming going on! Western countries do indeed get summers off. Europe is closed down in August for vacation. I am so tired of people hacking away at our traditions and calling it a “new day”. Georgia should be following succesful models of schools who have traditional summers, not using our children as lab rats for educratic theories that do nothing but diminish a cherished part of our lives. Classrooms are fine to a point, but there is a much larger world outside a Georgia classroom. The school boards are going over the line with these radical calendar changes as they seriously disrupt our lives.

By Tracy Mills

February 4, 2005 09:25 AM | Link to this

I teach in a school system with what we call an alternative calendar and I and the kids love it. We get a week off in October, November, and February. I think this is great for families that like to take vacations that don’t involve the beach like ski trips. It is also better for the students because students do regress over the summer. Also, the weeks off in the year give everyone time to take a breath and keep everyone from getting burned out on school. Who wants to sit in a classroom in August? What else are you going to do in 95-100 degree heat? It is almost too hot in August to even go to the beach most of the time. What difference does it make when you get the time off, as long as you get it?
Traditional summers started a long time ago because of parents needing their children to farm. How many people need that anymore? We don’t so let’s try something different. Traditional summers aren’t used for what they were traditionally meant for anymore anyway.

By Deborah

February 4, 2005 09:45 AM | Link to this

. I believe the early school start dates are hurting our children, and our state. I have done research and found that schools in North Carolina, Texas and California are returning to the traditional school calendars because the promised gains in education is not happening. Having so many breaks in the school year is doing more harm than good. Juvenile crime is up and so is absenteeism during the beginning of the school year. We all know that federal money is based on attendance. Lower attendance means less money.
I also believe that it is harming our state as well. I read in the AJC that the only ones opposing Year Round school is the Tourism industry. This could be true, but this is their life we are talking about. A lot of people work in Tourism and this is how they support their families. Are they any less important? I don’t think so. Tourism brings a lot of dollars to the state of Georgia. Can we afford to lose those dollars? This is where we are getting the money to support our schools. Less jobs means less money. Shortening the summer breaks are hurting more of us than just those involved in Tourism.
Also, studies show that high school children that work during the summer have a better ability to procure and keep higher paying jobs once they graduate college. With year round school those same kids will have to work during the school year. I would rather them work in the summer months and then have time during the year to do school activities and concentrate on studies. My own children will be in high school next year and I am worried about their future.
I also worry about starting school at the beginning of August, the second hottest month of the year. Do we really want our kids in the hot sun in football practice, marching band practice or any other sport for hours at a time when the temperatures soar into the high 90’s? Every year we read about athletics that collapse during a practice and die, needlessly.

By Rikki

February 4, 2005 10:12 AM | Link to this

I would love a later start date, particularly because I am moving to Atlanta at the end of my daughter’s school year, which would be June 27th, and with school starting at the beginning of August, she will have no summer this year. I also think it’s too hot and a lot of times my family members in Atlanta have had to miss family reunions b/c they were the only ones (nationwide and internationally) who had to have their children in school for the beginning of August.

Can we start a petition or something?

By Scott

February 4, 2005 10:17 AM | Link to this

I teach in Cherokee county and the new schedule means we have to return to work in July. Not popular among teachers I work with. Another problem I have is the Christmas break. In Cherokee, we get out from 12/16-1/3. My wife works in Cobb and my children attend there as well. Their break is from 12/23-1/10. This means we get ONE week together. I don’t see how ANYBODY can think that is a good thing. If we start in mid-August, eliminate a week at Thanksgiving (3 days was always enough before) and limit teacher workdays, we can still have finals before Christmas and be out by Memorial Day. Why is this such a difficult process?

By Agnes R. Brown

February 4, 2005 10:20 AM | Link to this

I like the shorter summer breaks because the children get more breaks during the year. The children get tired of school lasting so long with out breaks and a day or two here and there do not revive them for learning. When they are able to take a week off every nine weeks, like our county does, the children have a chance to revive and are ready and excited about learning again. When children are excited and revive to learn, they learn better. Better learning leads to better test scores. Does the state want happier, more successful students or not?

By T. R.

February 4, 2005 10:24 AM | Link to this

The idea that having midterm exams before winter break increases test scores is flawed.

Does it not occur to anyone that two weeks off school with no homework is an excellent time to STUDY for an exam?

I know a schedule like that would have lowered my test scores, not raised them.

I can’t help but think the the shift in the school year calendar simply gives them more time to prepare for Standardized Testing in the spring.

They’ve already all but done away with recess, let’s hope the Georgia Legislature keeps summer from becoming another casualty of “Test Score Mania!”

By Jonathan Jett-Parmer

February 4, 2005 10:51 AM | Link to this

A standardized approach and later start date is more in keeping with families, especially those who have children in different schools (preschool, private, etc.). Most children crave consistency in their schedules and perform well when they have a predictable pattern to their lives. This is undermined by the current “early start” approach by many Georgia school boards. Furthermore, the total number of schol days has not changed and thus I can not detemrine any specific educational benefit from the early start. As a last concern, the hotter, more humid days of August must demand more expense from running school HVAC plants. The state need to step in and set a clear standard.

By Q.S.

February 4, 2005 10:57 AM | Link to this

Northern schools start later. Last I heard, they’re ranked higher.

By Tammy

February 4, 2005 11:41 AM | Link to this

Our school system began using the alternative calendar this year. It is GREAT! This year has been so refreshing! With the summer time heat in Georgia, who wants to go to a Theme Park in the middle of the summer anyway. The children seem to retain more in the classroom,with breaks throughout the year, and the teachers have more patience. We are happy in our County.

By dmcmillan

February 4, 2005 11:44 AM | Link to this

Our county went to the alternative calendar this year. With the vote of parents and teachers. It has worked out well for our system. I think that each county should have the choice to choose their own school calendar. I look forward to having our breaks during the school year. It seems like our year has gone by faster. I have not heard any complaints from parents.TRY IT YOU MAY LIKE IT!

By J Biegeleisen

February 4, 2005 11:46 AM | Link to this

We are in our first year of the alternative calendar. Everyone I know, teachers and parents, are very happy with it. The breaks disbursed throughout the year give badly needed time to destress due to the acdemic pressures the students are under. My students are learning and retaining more with the rest time that the brain needs to assimilate information. This need has been proven in study after study of different learning styles and abilities. In this day of pressure for higher achievement, this seems to be at least a part of the puzzle. I love summer too, but after several weeks, the kids get very bored. I remember the summers that I thought would never end and I was bored out of my mind. J. Biegeleisen

By Joy Sheppard

February 4, 2005 11:49 AM | Link to this

I have been teaching public school for 14 years. This year our system is using an alternative calendar where we have what equals out to be about 1 week off every month. Children, parents, and teachers have all loved this schedule. The students still have a 7 week summer (at least) and a break every month. This calendar has been great (academically, emotionally,etc.)!! The only people that really want school to start later is the tourism industry and if legislators are going to put helping tourism (stuffing the “pockets” of this industry just a little more) over helping our nation’s children (our future), then those legislators need to be removed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By Mark

February 4, 2005 12:02 PM | Link to this

The issue is Year-Round Schooling. The new calendars with extended school years are implemented to climatize the public into accepting year-round schools. In Georgia, the argument for having exams before the Christmas break is irrelevent as the state is requiring more end of coarse tests which means schools are giving exams for most classes at the end of the school year not the semester.

For the students who need remediation, schools should use the summer months to concentrate on their needs. There are positive benefits students still derive from their summer activities; camps, jobs, travel, etc. Those things should not be denied to students with adequate performance.

Their are mixed statistics showing impoved student learning because of extended school calendars. Most improvements noted have not been statistically significant. (Naylor, BCTF Research Report, May ‘95)

The true impetus for year-round schools is for reducing the juvenile crime rate. That is not the function of educators. The state should just hire jailors for that objective.

Year-Round schools will make it more difficult for teachers to continue their education. Many teachers complete the bulk of their graduate work during the summer months.

We had a decent education system until the 1980’s, then Georgia started a “back to basics” philisophy to improve our SAT scores. At that time Georgia’s scores were around the bottom third of the nation. Since that time, all of the changes our creative and progressive educational leaders have implented have managed to bring our scores down to the bottom two in the nation.

By Lawanda

February 4, 2005 12:57 PM | Link to this

Hello, I’m from the midwest, and I don’t agree with school starting in early August and ending in late May. I really think that school should start right after the last official summer Holiday, whick is Labor Day. School should not start until the summer is over. And I think that it should end the first week of June, after the Memorial Day holiday. It’s always been like that for me, and I am dissappointed in the way the school system is set up her in Georgia.

By V. Beasley

February 4, 2005 12:57 PM | Link to this

Sylvia, Why don’t you lobby for a magnate school! We have every right to our opinion. Simply because we disagree, does not mean we should be responsible for initiating a new school. I would like for us to put it to a vote. Forget about which way is right or wrong, it should be obvious that what we have now is not very effective. Furthermore, it should be obvious to everyone that there is sufficient dissatisfaction with the present system to warrant CHANGE. Check the history! This system is tied to the Populist Party Movement way back in 1890 or even earlier. I say majority rule. You should also check Jim Wooten’s recent editorial about letting parents choose the school for their children, regardless of where they live. He clearly points out that we as teachers and educators have an impossible mission, in fact, there are too many missions placed upon us. The mind set of using public schools as a “glorified day-care service” has caused irreparable damage to our primary mission, education. We must CHANGE! And, the time to CHANGE is now!

By JIMMY MORRIS

February 4, 2005 01:11 PM | Link to this

LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS ARE ELECTED BY LOCAL PEOPLE TO MANAGE LOCAL SCHOOLS. POLITICIANS WE SEND TO ATLANTA ARE NOT NEEDED BACK HOME TO CONTROL LOCAL EVENTS. DIFFERENT SYSTEMS HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS BASED ON THE MAKE UP OF THE COMMUNITY. FAYETTE COUNTY WILL NOT NEED THE SAME THING AS CLAYTON COUNTY.

By Susan Halpert

February 4, 2005 01:16 PM | Link to this

Patti, Asking “What About Summer?” is a good question! Apparently, the Cobb County School Board doesn’t feel traditional summers are necessary for kids (even though kids today are overwhelmed by commitments and stress) and that riding on a stifling hot bus in August is fine. Not only does the School Board not seem to care what students think about the issue, they obviously could care less what parents either think or want (after all, we are the only the taxpayers). The school board comes across as arrogant and stubborn on this issue as well as laptops and the ridiculous evolution sticker. How about concentrating and spending more money on the deplorable physical plants of the various schools instead?

By vivian jackson

February 4, 2005 01:45 PM | Link to this

I strongly support legislation to push school start dates back. Our children deserve better than to be used by local school districts as guinea pigs in a very very dangerous experiment. Local districts are ignoring parents wishes for a traditional school calendar and therefore we must turn to the legislature. Local school districts are “out of control”. If you want year round day care…you pay for it!

By justoutthere

February 4, 2005 01:52 PM | Link to this

What happened to summer school for those WHO NEED REMEDIAL HELP???

By chuck

February 4, 2005 01:52 PM | Link to this

Under the old schedule, the semester ended in mid January and endo of the course tests are given in Mid November. That has been moved to the beginning of December now, but that still leaves 5 weeks of instruction out of the 18 weeks of the course. It is impossible under block scheduling, to expect students to be able to take an end of the course test after only two-thirds of the course and do well. Certainly, the top students will probably pass any test you give them, but for the average student to pass the EOCT, they really need as much of the material to be covered as possible. In middle and elementary schools, we take the CRCT’s in April. Under the old schedule we would have had 7 weeks of instruction after the test. Unlike Norm-referenced tests, the CRCT scores can’t be adjusted according to when the test was taken. As a teacher, I can assure you that the new calendar is necessary as long as we are expected to be accountable for our students scores on these tests. As for the “summer vacation” argument, we had 9 weeks beginning last May 22. I for one, enjoyed going on vacation while much of the country was still in school. We avoided the crowds and we were able to do activities that would have required a lot more time had we been fighting the crowds of mid summer. The fact is, we go to school 36 weeks a year. Whether those weeks go from September to mid June Or August to Mid May really doesn’t matter to me EXCEPT, if I’m going to be held accountable for my students’ grades, I ought to at least be given the chance to instruct them prior to the test. BTW, In a meeting at the State Board of Education, I asked a person from the testing department why they gave the EOCT test in November and they had NO real reason other than the fact that it was more convenient for them. If there is a better reason I would love to hear it. Until they change the dates of those tests, we need to keep the calendar as it is. Finally, We have approximately 25 year-round schools in Georgia. These schools and/or communities made the decision to adopt that calendar and many of the schools have been successful. I don’t see a compelling need to take that decision away from local Boards of Education. Since ALL school boards in Georgia are elected, I suggest to the proponents of changing the calendar, that they take the issue to the ballot boxes when these board members stand for re-election. This decision is best left to local boards NOT the state.

By commonsense

February 4, 2005 02:04 PM | Link to this

I have a real common-sense thought: Let the parents decide if their children should go year round. Go back to the quarter schedule, open the schools year-round and let those who want to, let their children go all four quarters or opt out for the summer quarter.

By chuck

February 4, 2005 02:23 PM | Link to this

I don’t understand why so many people are equating the calendar change with year-round schooling. They are NOT the same thing. First, year-round schools generally have a 3 week break between fall term and winter ter and between winter and spring. There is another break during spring quarter and they still have a 6 week summer vacation. The calendar we are using now in Muscogee County is NOTHING like that. We do start in early August, but bfore we would remain in school until Mid June. Now we get out in mid May. The vacation is slightly shorter, 8-9 weeks as opposed to 10, but that is because we have a full week of spring break where we used to have just 3 days and we have a couple of extra teacher planning days interspersed throughout. This is not year-round education and labeling it as such is disingenueous. Currently, according to Georgia Law, in order for a school to become a year-round school, 85% of both teachers and PARENTS have to approve of the change along with getting prior approval from the school board. As for the comments of some that these “Boards are out of control”, if they are, it is your own fault. They stand for election every 4 years. If you don’t like the job they are doing, vote them out. If they keep getting re-elected, they must be doing something right.

By chuck

February 4, 2005 02:37 PM | Link to this

commonsense,

Parents do decide whether or not their kids go to year-round schools. They have to approve it by 85% vote in order to change the calendar. WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT YEAR_ROUND SCHOOLS HERE.

By Sylvia

February 4, 2005 02:55 PM | Link to this

V. Beasley, I am not comprehending your puzzling comments! I never said that you didn’t have a right to your opinion - you are inferring something that does not exist in my posting. I never mentioned “magnate” schools as they don’t exist(yet)- I was referring to “magnet” schools! Let me try again to explain my reasoning: I am opposed to year round schooling and think that it is reasonable to suggest that since YOU (and a few others) want “change” then YOU (collectively) should create a school that gives you what you want, but don’t force the rest of us to follow. Isn’t that choice? You should not insist on holding my son hostage in August in a classroom when there are far healthier and more life-affirming options elsewhere that lead to true educational excellence. You say you’re a teacher and have an “impossible mission” and that you don’t want schools to be “glorified day care centers” yet you want to be teaching our kids on a year round basis?? To use a modern turn of phrase, “say what?” Furthermore, why should those of us whose children are doing fine on the CRCTs, IOWA Test of basic skills, SATs, or whatever measurements are in place, be punished because of under-achievers elsewhere? That is not a very good incentive to aim for excellence - to be “rewarded” with no vacation time in August. If you want to teach year round, you have my blessing, but I am not putting my kid in school all year round for a mediocre education with weeks off in February that we don’t want. I am not singling out Georgia in the mediocrity department, but merely aim to point out that no school can completely educate our children and it is really crossing the line when it prevents families from spending time together or pursuing their dreams. This is another example of government intrusion in our lives. Childhood is too precious to spend in a classroom. Bricks, mortars and year round schooling do not an education make.

By commonsense

February 4, 2005 03:03 PM | Link to this

Chuck….I think you only read my first sentence. Or maybe you did not understand what I was trying to say. I am talking about a 4-quarter system where the parents can decide whether they want their children to forge ahead with a 4-quarter year or a 3-quarter year. The option would be there for each individual and not as a school system as a whole.

By Leslie Harrington

February 4, 2005 03:34 PM | Link to this

I am not in favor of Year Round School. If the School Board does their research they will find that other schools in the country have tried this and eventually gone back to the Traditional School Calendar. Not only does it not benefit the children educationally, it would be detremental to our society. In most households, either both parents work or it is a single family household. At least with Summer vacation we can put our children into a summer camp. If School goes year round what are we going to do with our children for a week here and a week there? If you ask me, Defacts will be getting a lot of calls regarding unsupervised children … the parents still have to go to work to provide for the household.

We also have a problem with over weight children. children need time off to run and play and BE CHILDREN. It would be nice to see recess back in the schools again also.

We need to get back to basics and stop trying this and trying that. Go back to what works … A traditional school system! After all, the 10 top States in the country have traditional school and recess. Of course, the school days are 1 hr longer. But, school is for the children, not the school board or the teachers. I know for one that during the next election for the Cobb County School Board I will not be voting for anyone that is sitting on that board at this time and neither will most people I know. These are our children and they don’t even want to listen to what the people have to say.

By William

February 4, 2005 03:48 PM | Link to this

I totally agree with later starting. For most people August is a holiday month, it’s a slow business month too. Also in our local elementary the temperature in the gym is 90 degrees in August. I am fed up with the arrogance of the school board, here in Cobb especially.

By Dale White

February 4, 2005 03:49 PM | Link to this

Children have needs other than formal education. Even in our modern world they need time to rest, play, daydream, build relationships with family, work, etc. They need summers.

By gordon 7

February 4, 2005 04:20 PM | Link to this

Mark - I must point out that the Back to Basics movement and just about every other issue dealing with schools over the last 20 years have not come from the “creative and progressive educational” establishment. The decisions regarding schools since the mid-1980’s have come from politicians who don’t give a hill of beans for what educators think or profess. The same for this issue: Most educators would tell you that an early August to late May calendar is better than the old traditional calendar. The state is essentially saying, “We don’t care what educators and school boards think. This is what we want.”

It has been that way for a while now.

By sylvia

February 4, 2005 04:39 PM | Link to this

Chuck, okay TECHNICALLY it’s not year round schooling. Its a back door way of getting it exactly because they know that they would never get 85% approval! It’s similar to judges legislating from the bench. “Activists” can’t get what they want through the normal legislative process because it is opposed by the majority so they create “rights” that don’t exit through judicial fiat.

By chuck

February 7, 2005 10:10 AM | Link to this

commonsense, I did read exactly what you said. The point of my post is that the forum is talking about legislating when schools would be required to start the school year. Many school districts have moved the starting date back to early August because it better matches the required dates for administering the end of course tests and the CRCT’s. Nobody is trying to force year-round schooling on anybody. As for your idea, it is TOTALLY UNWORKABLE. It would be a scheduling nightmare. Who is going to pay teachers to work those extra three months? Are you willing to have your school taxes increased by one third?

As for year-round schooling, many of those posting here on this topic have no idea what is meant by year-round schooling. Year-round school calendars have EXACTLY the same number of school days as traditional calendars. In Georgia that means that all schools…year-round AND traditional BOTH go to school 180 days. The only difference between year-round calendars and traditional calendars is HOW THOSE DAYS ARE DISTRIBUTED throughout the year. It gives the student AND teachers shorter BUT MORE FREQUENT breaks throughout the year. During these breaks MANY of these schools offer an extra week of instruction so that those students who are behind their peers can catch up. These “intersession” weeks are not mandatory, they are voluntary. Many families actually ENJOY having a time when they can vacation in seasons where the weather isn’t so hot and prices for recreation are lower. AND typically, there is still a 6-week summer vacation for those parents who prefer to take their vacations then. I am not saying that the entire state should go to a year-round calendar. What I am saying is that that decision should be made LOCALLY, NOT MANDATED by the state. Local school boards are elected to make those decisions. If you don’t agree with those decisions run for the board or support a candidate that agrees with your position. Some have said that they don’t want year-round schooling pushed down their throats by local boards. Why should the entire state have ANY calendar pushed down its throats because you don’t like your calendar in Cobb County? That is a ridiculous argument. My local board did something I disagree with so we are going to require the WHOLE STATE to do it the way we want it done in Cobb County.

Finally, Sylvia, this is NOT a back door means of getting a year-round calendar. It is a means of giving our students the best chance we can to pass the required standardized tests. It only stands to reason that if we give the test 7 weeks before the course instruction is complete, that we are actually hurting our kids chances of passing the tests. Since passing the CRCT will become mandatory for advancing to the next grade beginning NEXT year, we need to make sure that the calendar enhances the chance of passing, rather than diminishing those chances.

By Dianne

February 7, 2005 12:02 PM | Link to this

It’s interesting that private schools in this country start school later in August or in September. I wonder what they know that our public school counterparts do not. Also, not all school systems offer 10 weeks of summer vacation. In Morgan County, it is eight or nine weeks and school is slated to begin on Aug. 2. Many parents tell me that can’t schedule summer vacations because their children are expected to practice for band/sports in summer as well. And, teachers say they simply don’t have time to go back to school during shortened summers. We must ensure that kids have a break and that families are able to enjoy this special time together. Why do you think so many states have already enacted legislation mandating later school start dates? Why have so many schools tried balanced or year round calendars only to go back to traditional calendars? The answer is that these calendars do nothing to increase student scores. Check out www.summermatters.com for research on this important issue.

By Jennifer

February 7, 2005 12:43 PM | Link to this

Dianne,

As per your recommendation, I went to the website and read through the information there. However, there is a significant difference between “year-round school” and moving the school’s start date so that the first semester ends at the holiday break. According to their site, it sounds like that calendar would qualify as a “traditional school calendar.” Summers don’t go away with this schedule, they’re shifted. June is just as hot as August, at least here.

As for teachers not having enough time to go back to school during “shortened” summers, from what I’ve seen, many of the school years begin after the college courses end.

And, although the site is not affiliated with the tourism industry, there were quite a few references to it—I just don’t understand why that industry should dictate the school start dates.

It’s an unfair comparison to lump year round school calendars together with those that adjust the start date to allow for the first semester to end at the holiday break. They are different theories and different schedules. And, so long as the parents fight to keep it that way, summer breaks won’t go away on it—it’s not always a pathway towards year-round school.

By chuck

February 7, 2005 01:04 PM | Link to this

Diane, If you want to talk about “research” you should first explain that the Summer Matters group is an advocacy group that was opposed to adopting a year-round school calendar in Auburn, Alabama. The first thing that you learn in research is that groups that are biased in favor of or against any issue cannot be trusted to provide research. It is funny that a group OPPOSED to year-round schools was only able to find research that supported their own position. As a doctoral student whose dissertation is focusing on yrs, I can tell you that there is very little in the way of VALID research one way or another on year-round schools.I’ve read over 300 articles on the topic and fewer than 10% of those are research based. Most are nothing more than opinion pieces. Until we do real studies on the effect of YRS on student achievement, we won’t know wether or not there are educational benefits. There are some fairly significant side benefits that have been shown through research: 1) There are fewer discipline problems 2) There is a lower level of absenteeism among both teachers and students 3) schools that have intersession periods during breaks have shown some improvement in test scores. One of the most significant findings concerns ESOL students who show significant improvement in year-round schools. I think it is also significant that there has never been a study that showed that test scores went DOWN as a result of year-round schools. NOT ONE. Several studies have shown no change and a few have shown slight increases. A study of one high school showed a marked improvement to the point that 95% of the students passed the HSGT in Virginia on the first try.

Don’t be like so many of the disingenuos educator/researchers out there who only cite sources to match already held beliefs. Our students are not served by that kind of rhetoric.

By Lisa

February 7, 2005 01:05 PM | Link to this

My husband and I are the proud parents of a honors student who attends a “Year-round� elementary school. In addition to helping students who are behind during the short breaks, the teachers at our daughter’s school offer enrichment courses. She has taken “HTML Programming� , “Grammar in a Nutshell�, “Yoga�, “Cooking of Kids�, “5 Paragraph Composition� and many other classes that help her become a more well-rounded person. I have never heard of any courses like the ones I mentioned being offered FREE-OF-CHARGE at schools that operate on a traditional calendar. As a college graduate I know that Universities like high test scores but they also like students who are well-rounded.

By chuck

February 7, 2005 01:11 PM | Link to this

That’s an excellent point Lisa. That intersession period can be used for enrichment as well as for remediation. Many teachers in year round school volunteer their time during breaks to help students experience things that they would never experience at home or in daycare. In some school districts they have been able to get grants to pay teachers for this time, but most of us would gladly give up a couple of weeks here and there to help our students.

By chuck

February 7, 2005 01:29 PM | Link to this

BTW LISA, I am a little concerned about that “cooking OF kids” class.

By Lisa

February 7, 2005 02:09 PM | Link to this

:-)

I am sorry about the typo. Cooking for Kids

By chuck

February 7, 2005 02:43 PM | Link to this

Patti Ghezzi,

I’m wondering why ya’ll make the blogs so hard to find. There is no consistent link to them on either the on-line front page OR on the Opinion page except maybe once a week. I bookmarked it last time it was listed so I could get to it on a daily basis. Please get this corrected.

By Patti Ghezzi

February 7, 2005 03:40 PM | Link to this

Thanks for posting, Chuck. I’ll talk to our tech folks about making us easier to find. Often, I find a link at the bottom of the main page: www.ajc.com. But since I too have it bookmarked, I don’t check every day. I want us to have a large, diverse community, so we can have more of the spirited conversations I’ve enjoyed.

Patti Ghezzi.

By CO

February 8, 2005 12:54 PM | Link to this

Why not wait until after Labor Day to start school? Why go before and then have to start all over again after Labor Day?

By Jennifer

February 8, 2005 01:44 PM | Link to this

CO:

That’s like saying, Why not wait until after Thanksgiving to start school? Why go before and then have to start all over again after Thanksgiving? Where’s the logic in that? There are valid reasons for starting school in early August, my favorite of which is to end the first semester prior to the holiday break.

By Gene Walker

February 8, 2005 03:08 PM | Link to this

Make Patrick (comment 1) state school Superintendent, or governor, QUICK!

By chuck

February 9, 2005 08:38 AM | Link to this

Sure, Gene. As soon as he can pass the GHSGT.

By Barb

February 9, 2005 10:44 AM | Link to this

Family values? Or vacation values? Here ae a few true items of complaint that I have heard from my affluent neighbors in East Cobb, who vocally, actively oppose the balancned calendar: The balanced calendar is a problem because summer vacation homes will sit idle during part of peak season when the kids will still be in school. The balanced calendar is a problem for the families who have their plans for Europe, for those whose extended families up north plan skiing trips in the fall, for meeting up with Aunt So-and-so in August for a trip to Hawaii…The balanced calendar is a problem for those who want to have their vacation when it suits them.
I don’t consider such vacations a reason to change the entire state school calendar! Sounds like this issue is a class issue, rather than an educatiional issue. It seems rather selfish, even spoiled. How can you take away the opportunity from kids who can benefit from the remdial education that can be achieved through the balanced calendar? For those who don’t care about that, my message to you is, You Should Be Ashamed.

By Barb

February 9, 2005 10:54 AM | Link to this

Family, Education, Vacation: whose “values” are being compromised here? This is an issue of convenience and entitlement. The real winners of the balanced calendar are the kids who receive remedial or enrichment opportunites. The real “victims” of the balanced calendar will be those whose summer vacation plans require the month of August. Summer homes will sit idle during a brief part of peak season because the kids will still be in school. Ski trips with the extended family in Colorado will not happen without missing some school. Family cruises with relatives will have to occur in July rather than August, which may conflict with summer camp….Those who oppose the balanced calendar in the name of family values are confused about the difference between Vacation values and Family Values. and really, what is at issue here is Education.

By V. Beasley

February 9, 2005 02:44 PM | Link to this

Chuck, thanks for sharing factual information to enlighten us. Barb, you made some excellent points, too.

Sylvia, I’m sure you didn’t comprehend my earlier comments, because you just don’t get it. CHANGE is inevitable, regardless of whether we agree or disagree. It should be obvious that there is enough dissatisfaction with the current traditional calendar to warrant CHANGE. There appears to be more than “a few” who share the same opinion. I’m simply offerring my preferred method of and suggestion for CHANGE.

In my opinion, some issues, such as standardized testing procedures and curriculum guidelines, should be decided at the state level. The public school calendar is one of those issues. However, instead of allowing elected officials at the state level to decide for us, I propose that the issue be put to a state-wide vote.

I think every school district should have basically the same calendar and it should probably be year-round or balanced. Of course, this would have pros and cons. But, the benefits would probably more than outweigh the problems caused. In fact, it seems that most comments posted by those who already have YRS in place have been very positive. Everyone involved, including the students, seem to benefit from and enjoy it.

Lastly, Sylvia, it is unfortunate that you feel your son would be held hostage in August in a classroom. Just try to set aside your own selfish agenda and think about the families and teachers who would enjoy the consistent breaks, and the other children who could recieve remediation during the intersession periods.

By High School teacher

February 11, 2005 01:49 PM | Link to this

As a teacher, I resent Patrick’s comment that “the education professionals in the State of Georgia have no idea what they are talking about. They’ve been screwing it up long enough.” I challenge Patrick to discuss with my former students the success that they have obtained because of what they learned in my class and in their other classes in school. Educators have had absolutely no say-so on the calendar. Don’t blame the calendar debate on the educational professionals; blame it on legislators who receive campaign contributions from those in the tourist industry; blame it on parents who are more concerned about how they will be inconvenienced by breaks during the school year.

Don’t look at the schools in the North and assume they have better test scores simply because they start school after Labor Day. There are other factors that should be considered.

Starting the school year in August might not be the best option for all students. However, it might be the best option for certain areas. Let the “educational professionals” in each county decide when their students will attend school; not the politicians.

By Becky

February 11, 2005 02:28 PM | Link to this

The alleged benefits of the year-round calendar have not shown to be true thus far, but the disadvantages are real. YRS makes it difficult for children that are active in community service, summer jobs, or enrichment activities (think mission trips, summer camps, college courses, sports camps, band practice, etc.) to continue to do them. A balanced calendar increases childcare expenses and strains availability for families where both parents are employed. It also increases heating and cooling expenses for the school district, and so for the taxpayer. It hurts the ability of school staff to supplement their income with summer employment. A year-round calendar reduces the opportunity for summer school, whether for remedial purposes or for gifted/advance placement purposes.

An August start date, which is not necessarily the same thing as YRS, increases smog, a/c costs, student smog- and heat-related health issues, etc., as does a year-round calendar. It is less desirable for families in many ways than the more traditional calendar, but not as bad as YRS.