Year round schools

http://www.msde.state.md.us/Fact_She...ved/fact3.html

1. What is a year-round school?

A year-round school is a school that operates on a 12-month
schedule instead of the traditional 10-month schedule. Under
a conventional school schedule, students attend school for
180 days between September and June, with approximately
10 weeks of vacation during the summer, one week off in the
winter, one week off in the spring, and 10-15 days off for
holidays. A year-round school schedule (utilizing a 45/15 plan,
which is common) requires students to attend school for 180
days with the vacations spread throughout the year. Students
attend school for 45 days (9 weeks) and then have a vacation
for 15 days (3 weeks). There can also be a one-week winter
vacation and one week spring vacation with an additional 9
days off for holidays.

2. Are there different types of year-round school schedules?

In a single track schedule, all students are on the same
schedule. In a multi-track schedule, students attend school
on a staggered schedule, some students attending school
while others are on vacation. This approach, which
increases the utilization of school buildings, can reduce or
eliminate the need for additional schools to meet increasing
enrollments.

4. What are the benefits of year-round school?

Though the evidence is not conclusive, some studies
suggest that year-round schools produce higher student
achievement. Some educators in systems that use
year-round schools report that students retain more of
what they learn, in part, because their studies are not
interrupted by one long summer break. This evidence
bears further investigation.

Some studies also suggest that at-risk students benefit
from the uninterrupted pace of learning. During their
scheduled breaks, they also have an increased opportunity
to receive additional instruction in areas where they are
experiencing difficulty or for enrichment.

Schools operating on year-round schedules also report
these other benefits:

Frequent breaks that enable teachers to relax, travel, study,
and pursue other recreational activities which may reduce
stress factors.

Improved teacher and student attendance.

Reduced vandalism costs.

Opportunities for students to be employed in the community
throughout the year, not just during the summer months.

Greater enrollment capacity of existing schools, reducing
the need to build additional facilities. One Florida school
system estimates that it will save $63 million by not
building 8 schools.


--
Dorothy

There is no sound, no cry in all the world
that can be heard unless someone listens ..

The Outer Limits

4. What are the benefits of year-round school?

Disadvantages: Insuffient time off to let kids be kids, forcing them into a
year-round (even with breaks) stressful schedule of near-constant schooling.
Just because adults pack themselves into a work cublicle nearly 24/7/365 is no
reason to force kids to do the same with a school desk. But then I think our
modern society has no real place for genuine children -- just adults that act
like them. Not that I think the public school system is a fit place for a child
regardless of the school system's schedule.

toto wrote:


Frequent breaks that enable teachers to relax, travel, study,
and pursue other recreational activities which may reduce
stress factors.



I'd be interested to hear what teachers on the group think about this.
I would have thought a 2.5-month summer vacation would be better for
travel, study, etc. (Are there many certification-related courses you
can take in a 3-week period?)

From my own personal standpoint, I think the 2.5-month vacation would be
one of the few tangible benefits of a teaching job. (My mother, a
retired teacher, concurs.) But I'm sure there are others with a
different view.

Looking at it solely from my 7-year-old's standpoint - I think she'd
thrive on the 45/15 plan. She loves her school, and while she likes
summer vacation, too, she's really getting bored by the first of August.
The weather/mosquitoes are so miserable here by early August that I
can't bear to do any outside activities - it's not like she'd be missing
out on a lot of my time in the park or by the pool. It'd be nice to be
able to schedule 1-2 week family vacations throughout the year without
interrupting school work.

I realize this could really complicate child care arrangemnents for
people without a parent at home, though.

Clisby

"Clisby" wrote in message
...


toto wrote:


Frequent breaks that enable teachers to relax, travel, study,
and pursue other recreational activities which may reduce
stress factors.



I'd be interested to hear what teachers on the group think about this.
I would have thought a 2.5-month summer vacation would be better for
travel, study, etc. (Are there many certification-related courses you
can take in a 3-week period?)

From my own personal standpoint, I think the 2.5-month vacation would be
one of the few tangible benefits of a teaching job. (My mother, a
retired teacher, concurs.) But I'm sure there are others with a
different view.

I was teaching and will likely do so again. I prefer more shorter
vacations to the longer ones. More frequent breaks would
revitalize me and give me time to pursue my interests, including
ones that would be of aid to me as a teacher, on a more regular
basis. The 2.5 months is nice, but it drags at the end and I'd get
more out more shorter breaks.

Locally, for those schools that go year-round, the longest
"short" break is still 5-6 weeks, over the summer. A week
is added to SB and the Winter holiday, and a week or
two is taken in the Fall. It adds up to the same number of
days and, to me, a more preferable schedule.


P. Tierney

"GI Trekker" wrote in message
...
4. What are the benefits of year-round school?

Disadvantages: Insuffient time off to let kids be kids, forcing them into
a
year-round (even with breaks) stressful schedule of near-constant
schooling.

It isn't constant, but is the same number of days. And I agree that
kids need to be kids. I don't think that they are only able to be kids,
however, during just one season of the year.


P. Tierney

On Sun, 9 Nov 2003, Clisby wrote:



toto wrote:


Frequent breaks that enable teachers to relax, travel, study,
and pursue other recreational activities which may reduce
stress factors.



I'd be interested to hear what teachers on the group think about this.
I would have thought a 2.5-month summer vacation would be better for
travel, study, etc. (Are there many certification-related courses you
can take in a 3-week period?)

From my own personal standpoint, I think the 2.5-month vacation would be
one of the few tangible benefits of a teaching job. (My mother, a
retired teacher, concurs.) But I'm sure there are others with a
different view.

Personally, I prefer the 2.5 set-up. I need a long recovery period!
(I also do a lot of school work/planning because the school year
is sooooo busy for me that it's often like trying to change the tire
while driving down the freeway full speed ahead).

But a lot of teachers here seem to like the year round, and because
it's so common, the university responds with a wide variety of
opportunities. It might also be nice to be able to escape to warm
places in the winter for a change! And some of the teachers here
substitute during their track breaks - so they can make more money.
Personally, I think they're nuts! I need the time, but clearly they're
okay with it.

On 9 Nov 2003, GI Trekker wrote:

4. What are the benefits of year-round school?

Disadvantages: Insuffient time off to let kids be kids, forcing them into a
year-round (even with breaks) stressful schedule of near-constant schooling.
Just because adults pack themselves into a work cublicle nearly 24/7/365 is no
reason to force kids to do the same with a school desk. But then I think our
modern society has no real place for genuine children -- just adults that act
like them. Not that I think the public school system is a fit place for a child
regardless of the school system's schedule.


I think the breaks give them ample time. You can see our schedules
at:

http://ccsd.net/news/calendar/calendars.html

Each track gets at least one 5-week break plus several smaller
breaks.

In article , Clisby says...



toto wrote:


Frequent breaks that enable teachers to relax, travel, study,
and pursue other recreational activities which may reduce
stress factors.



I'd be interested to hear what teachers on the group think about this.
I would have thought a 2.5-month summer vacation would be better for
travel, study, etc. (Are there many certification-related courses you
can take in a 3-week period?)

From my own personal standpoint, I think the 2.5-month vacation would be
one of the few tangible benefits of a teaching job. (My mother, a
retired teacher, concurs.) But I'm sure there are others with a
different view.

Looking at it solely from my 7-year-old's standpoint - I think she'd
thrive on the 45/15 plan. She loves her school, and while she likes
summer vacation, too, she's really getting bored by the first of August.
The weather/mosquitoes are so miserable here by early August that I
can't bear to do any outside activities - it's not like she'd be missing
out on a lot of my time in the park or by the pool. It'd be nice to be
able to schedule 1-2 week family vacations throughout the year without
interrupting school work.

I realize this could really complicate child care arrangemnents for
people without a parent at home, though.

Clisby



It could really mess things up for families with more than one child in school,
unless it's really well implemented (at the least, based on consistent
assignments between elementary/junior high/high schools).

But from my standpoint with one child, it'd be great. (I presume summer camp
outfits would begin to work around the schedules.)

Banty

It's hard for "kids to be kids" during the summer when parents have to work
and those kids get to be with the babysitter or home alone all summer.


"P. Tierney" wrote in message
news:qvwrb.155323$Fm2.136506@attbi_s04...

"GI Trekker" wrote in message
...
4. What are the benefits of year-round school?

Disadvantages: Insuffient time off to let kids be kids, forcing them
into
a
year-round (even with breaks) stressful schedule of near-constant
schooling.

It isn't constant, but is the same number of days. And I agree that
kids need to be kids. I don't think that they are only able to be kids,
however, during just one season of the year.


P. Tierney

Banty wrote:
In article , Clisby says...



toto wrote:


Frequent breaks that enable teachers to relax, travel, study,
and pursue other recreational activities which may reduce
stress factors.



I'd be interested to hear what teachers on the group think about this.
I would have thought a 2.5-month summer vacation would be better for
travel, study, etc. (Are there many certification-related courses you
can take in a 3-week period?)

From my own personal standpoint, I think the 2.5-month vacation would be
one of the few tangible benefits of a teaching job. (My mother, a
retired teacher, concurs.) But I'm sure there are others with a
different view.

Looking at it solely from my 7-year-old's standpoint - I think she'd
thrive on the 45/15 plan. She loves her school, and while she likes
summer vacation, too, she's really getting bored by the first of August.
The weather/mosquitoes are so miserable here by early August that I
can't bear to do any outside activities - it's not like she'd be missing
out on a lot of my time in the park or by the pool. It'd be nice to be
able to schedule 1-2 week family vacations throughout the year without
interrupting school work.

I realize this could really complicate child care arrangemnents for
people without a parent at home, though.

Clisby




It could really mess things up for families with more than one child in school,
unless it's really well implemented (at the least, based on consistent
assignments between elementary/junior high/high schools).

You mean if the different schools had different year-round schedules?
Yeah, that would be a tremendous problem. I know one of the counties
south of Atlanta has year-round schools, but AFAIK they're all on oe
districtwide schedule.


But from my standpoint with one child, it'd be great. (I presume summer camp
outfits would begin to work around the schedules.)

Banty


Yeah, and if the breaks were at different times of year, the camps could
do different things. I love the idea from a family vacation standpoint.
It would be great to be able to visit the S.C. relatives in the fall
or spring, which IMO are much better times than summer to stay at the
beach.

Clisby