Now that the days are getting longer again, most school aged children in Minnesota can see the bright sun of summer on the horizon.
Yes, the countdown to summer vacation is definitely in full-swing. Well—unless you're a kid who attends a school with a year-round academic calendar.
There are quite of few metro area schools that offer the year-round model, such as Crossroads Elementary in St. Paul and Paideia Academy in Apple Valley—and the model is getting more popular.
According to the Minnesota Department of Administration, a study around 1999 showed that many Minnesota schools began adopting either block scheduling or year-round education calendars to improve overall student achievement. Block scheduling gives teachers and students more time in each class period and focuses students’ attention on fewer classes at a time; year-round education either increases the time students are in school or rearranges school days to make learning more continuous. In addition to improving student performance, other factors, such as reducing costs, have also motivated schools to adopt alternative schedules. However, results are mixed on how beneficial this model is.
You'd think that most kids would be opposed to losing their summers, even though comparable time is given in a year-round school model. However, in a recent post on the Richfield Patch Facebook page, a local mother said her son had many friends who attended schools with year-round schedules and he was even considering approaching the Richfield School Board about making the transition.
So, would you support your school district changing to a year-round academic calendar? Do you think your child would go for it? What benefits or disadvantages do you see with the year-round model? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
As a FULL TIME mom and working parent, I would at least the option of sending my kids year round. You may want to double check this, but I believe that there is a school in Woodbury that already is year round. It is not for everyone, but change is tough for a lot of people and this would be a big change. What about the option to pay extra (just like what they do with all-day kindergarten) to send your kids year round? FYI - summer school in most districts are reserved only for those students having difficulty and are recommended by their teachers to do additional prep before passing into the next grade. It could be a win/win if they gave the parents the option - give the teachers that do want to work the opportunity to make income year round and give parents the opportunity to have their kids in a school environment versus at a childcare facility/comm ed classes/random activities or with a nanny. Every school district is so different, so maybe I am just partial and are very satisfied with how our schools are run so that makes me more intrigued by the idea....
As a school employee, I would love to be able to have some of these parents come work at a high school for at least a month, and see the challenges that teachers and staff have to face each and every day. Then see how excited that they would be to have year round school. Only then will they realize how much school employees need a three month long break from their kids.
Have a 21st century school calendar year discussion and compare the frameworks. You will like it!
Kids need to be able to play baseball, etc. without adult supervision and organization, trade baseball cards in the summer, ride their bikes wherever they would like, go to the swimming pool, learn arts and crafts, and go on a two- or three-week vacation with their parents. Plus, in this part of the country, there are precious few nice months of weather. Too many kids are growing up in such structured environments nowadays that they won't be able to think for themselves when they grow up. I feel sorry for a lot of the kids who didn't know how fun summers were in the 50s and 60s, and their moms said "just be sure you're home for dinnner."