July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Time for schedule change
Letters to the Editor
To the editor:
It is time. The time has come for a major change in our school calendar. Whether or not the state passes new regulations, I feel that a change is needed - unless it is preferred that our students continue to attend school into the month of June. I realize the changes I am proposing will not be popular, but I feel it is necessary to maintain a solid academic calendar for our students. This new calendar will build in a few 'snow days', but more importantly it will allow the use of more days in May as make-up days so that our students are not going to school sometimes two weeks into June. My proposal is as follows: (specific details are limited due to space).
August - School starts on the 17th. Eliminate time off for the 28th for the Gas Engine Show. Streets affected could be blocked off during certain time periods to allow bus accessibility. Our priority is to educate the children; not the Engine Show.
September - Only day off is Labor Day
October - The nine weeks ends on the 16th. If allowed by the state, a 2-hour delay schedule is followed on the 19th to allow time to enter grades/prepare for new nine weeks (cycle). Grades K-6 will have conferences on the evening of the 21st & 22nd. No school for grades K-6 on the 23rd for day conferences. Grades 7-12 will have night conferences in March. No other fall break.
November - Staff in-service on the 9th. Thanksgiving break 26th & 27th.
December - Nine weeks ends on December 22. If days are needed to finish out nine weeks, they will take place after Christmas break. Break - December 23-January 1.
January - School resumes on the 4th. No school on the 18th for Martin Luther King Day.
February - "Floating" conference time for grades 7-12, depending on when the semester ended. All students would have Presidents' Day weekend off; 12, 13, 14, & 15. The 12th is reserved as a make-up day for weather. Presidents' Day is honored.
March - The third nine weeks ends on the 9th. The 10th would have a 2-hour delay schedule for grades. The 22nd would be a teacher in-service day.
Now the unpopular part - no spring break. The students' priority is to go to school - not going to Florida or elsewhere for vacation. If teachers and administrators wish to go somewhere, they may use personal days. Any work students miss would be expected to be made up. With a 74 percent graduation rate, I do not feel our students need a 'break' from education. They need to be in school; not on the beach.
April - 1st-5th Easter break. The 1st and the 5th are optional weather make-up days.
May - School would end around the 18th or 19th. Total make-up days available before entering June: 10 (one from Feb., two from April, and seven in May)
Total days in school 180, with 2 staff in-service days. One other in-service day would take place during the first week in August. That will account for three in-service days; same as now.
Our focus has to be the education of our children. The academic standards placed upon our students are tough; teachers need to be able to educate children with continuity or 'flow' which can be attained with a more fluid calendar. I am cognizant of the challenges facing the high school teachers who switch classes every cycle. That is why I have built in the 2-hour delays at the end of each cycle so that all teachers have time to enter grades in order to 'hit the ground running' for the new cycle. I do not feel an entire day needs to be devoted to this. I know the amount of time involved in preparing grades. I teach four different classes in two different grade levels.
I simply do not feel we can hold onto the old calendar ways. Times, standards, and rules are changing. So must we. One thing must not change though - the importance of our children's education. It has to be the first priority in order to prepare them for the future. Vacations can wait; the students' education cannot.
Karen Schwieterman
Portland
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It is time. The time has come for a major change in our school calendar. Whether or not the state passes new regulations, I feel that a change is needed - unless it is preferred that our students continue to attend school into the month of June. I realize the changes I am proposing will not be popular, but I feel it is necessary to maintain a solid academic calendar for our students. This new calendar will build in a few 'snow days', but more importantly it will allow the use of more days in May as make-up days so that our students are not going to school sometimes two weeks into June. My proposal is as follows: (specific details are limited due to space).
August - School starts on the 17th. Eliminate time off for the 28th for the Gas Engine Show. Streets affected could be blocked off during certain time periods to allow bus accessibility. Our priority is to educate the children; not the Engine Show.
September - Only day off is Labor Day
October - The nine weeks ends on the 16th. If allowed by the state, a 2-hour delay schedule is followed on the 19th to allow time to enter grades/prepare for new nine weeks (cycle). Grades K-6 will have conferences on the evening of the 21st & 22nd. No school for grades K-6 on the 23rd for day conferences. Grades 7-12 will have night conferences in March. No other fall break.
November - Staff in-service on the 9th. Thanksgiving break 26th & 27th.
December - Nine weeks ends on December 22. If days are needed to finish out nine weeks, they will take place after Christmas break. Break - December 23-January 1.
January - School resumes on the 4th. No school on the 18th for Martin Luther King Day.
February - "Floating" conference time for grades 7-12, depending on when the semester ended. All students would have Presidents' Day weekend off; 12, 13, 14, & 15. The 12th is reserved as a make-up day for weather. Presidents' Day is honored.
March - The third nine weeks ends on the 9th. The 10th would have a 2-hour delay schedule for grades. The 22nd would be a teacher in-service day.
Now the unpopular part - no spring break. The students' priority is to go to school - not going to Florida or elsewhere for vacation. If teachers and administrators wish to go somewhere, they may use personal days. Any work students miss would be expected to be made up. With a 74 percent graduation rate, I do not feel our students need a 'break' from education. They need to be in school; not on the beach.
April - 1st-5th Easter break. The 1st and the 5th are optional weather make-up days.
May - School would end around the 18th or 19th. Total make-up days available before entering June: 10 (one from Feb., two from April, and seven in May)
Total days in school 180, with 2 staff in-service days. One other in-service day would take place during the first week in August. That will account for three in-service days; same as now.
Our focus has to be the education of our children. The academic standards placed upon our students are tough; teachers need to be able to educate children with continuity or 'flow' which can be attained with a more fluid calendar. I am cognizant of the challenges facing the high school teachers who switch classes every cycle. That is why I have built in the 2-hour delays at the end of each cycle so that all teachers have time to enter grades in order to 'hit the ground running' for the new cycle. I do not feel an entire day needs to be devoted to this. I know the amount of time involved in preparing grades. I teach four different classes in two different grade levels.
I simply do not feel we can hold onto the old calendar ways. Times, standards, and rules are changing. So must we. One thing must not change though - the importance of our children's education. It has to be the first priority in order to prepare them for the future. Vacations can wait; the students' education cannot.
Karen Schwieterman
Portland
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