When I was younger, and living back in Chicago, it seemed like summer break was atleast 12 weeks long and nobody started back to school until after Labor Day. My kids are in the Deer Valley School District and school starts its 2008 Fall Session August 11th. That's insane!
It's butt sweat Africa hot here. The kids are fried...we DON'T have any SNOW days...so why start back so early? Trust me...after a while I run out of activities to do with them and being "Julie the Cruise Director" does begin to take a toll on me...but I just don't get it! If we were the number one state in the country to have the highest graduation percentage going on to college instead of second to the last...maybe, I would understand this...but we aren't. Can someone explain this to me? It's not, like additional classes are being added..these teachers work around the clock as it is.
Then, on top of the early start date, atleast one day a month is a "Early release" or half day as I like to call it. Why can't the Districts take these "Early Release" days and tac them on to the start back start so we can atleast start classes closer to the end of August?
Signed...
Lisa Schneider-Cipriano
a very confused mother of 6 yr old triplets
who is looking for enlightenment
Lisa_SchneiderCipriano is a discussion leader in the North, North very tip of Phoenix for arizonamoms.com. She has 6 year old triplets.
I think that I read
I think that I read somewhere that the start of school was historically tied to the farming/harvest season. But, since that it no longer necessary, I think that I heard that the start of the school season was moved up, because teachers were spending too much time "reviewing" from the previous year to make up for the fact that most kids did not continue to work on academics over the long summer break.
Many schools have switched to a modified year round school schedule, giving the students just 6 weeks off each summer, but allowing two week breaks for fall, Winter and Spring. This reduced the review time needed, considerably.
Like everything, it probably comes down to standardized testing and the fact that the teachers needed those extra couple of weeks to ensure that they get all of the mandated curriculum in before testing time.
"Only a life lived for others, is the life worthwhile" - Albert Einstein
That make sense. I just wish
That make sense. I just wish that the state was ranked higher Nationally to show for the adjustments. Do you know if other states are currently doing the same thing?
My sister lives in Chicago, I'm going to ask her what their curriculum standards are?
Lisa_SchneiderCipriano is a discussion leader in the North, North very tip of Phoenix for arizonamoms.com. She has 6 year old triplets.
My kids start back July 29 -
My kids start back July 29 - a Tuesday. They have modified year-round school.
My biggest problem is having long fall and spring breaks (two weeks and a day or two the following week). It just adds to the stress of having to find something for them to do, especially that extra day or two. I can guess they do this in part to encourage family vacations at this time, but I see plenty of kids pulled during the year for trips.
I've heard that about the review time, too. I know it's hard on teachers and kids to spend so much time reviewing after a long summer. In some ways, I think it would be great if teachers sent a packet home for summer filled with subjects to review.
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Thank you for the feedback,
Thank you for the feedback, I really appreciate it. It just seems like we get into one flow of going to school, into summertime programs, racing back to school only to have a couple of days off two weeks later. Kinda crazy but, I guess I get it.
Thanks!
Lisa_SchneiderCipriano is a discussion leader in the North, North very tip of Phoenix for arizonamoms.com. She has 6 year old triplets.
My kids go to Tempe schools
My kids go to Tempe schools and this upcoming school year will begin on August 4. How heinous is that? A group of parents from our school actually sat on a committee look into rolling the school year start date back. Several meetings were held and studies were done and in the end we adopted a later start date by two weeks. Then the high school district got wind of the later start date and they got all upset about not being on the same calendar. So the changes were dropped and here we are, spending mass amounts of money on air conditioning for kids to be in school, when they should be swimming to beat the heat.
sure, fine, whatever
I was informed the reason we
I was informed the reason we start so early is the teachers want the quarter to end before the winter break (known really as the Christmas break). Otherwise they come back from the break and have to finish up the quarter instead of starting fresh. I am not sure I buy this. I have heard it has to do with testing. The testing can not be pushed back and schools like to get the kids up to speed as much as possible before they start.
I think the no child left behind plays the biggest role in the start dates for schools. After all we are teaching to test aren't we?? I wish they started later and went just a little longer into June when it isn't so blasted hot.
KarilouMomof2 is a discussion leader for arizonamoms.com living in Tempe. Her daughters are 9 and 6.
Going back to school when
Going back to school when the temp. is over 110 is crazy. I think the administration is moving toward year around school. I agree with the frustration of so many half days and days off in the middle of the week. It would be better if we could stick to the traditional schedule of Sept thru May or fully convert to a year around school--3 weeks off, 6 weeks on, etc.
soccermom