The timing of "summer" vacation (public schools, exam, teachers) - universities, high schools, elementary schools, teachers... - City-Data Forum

newtohouston2 · 05-24-2011, 09:55 PM

I wonder if there are some areas/states where having 3 consecutive months off would best be during a different time of the year. Or perhaps they would be better off split into 1 month breaks at different times of the year.

For example, in some areas, it might be better if school kids aren't arriving home in the winter so close to sunset (ie maybe unsafe in a lot of areas). Also, I wonder if keeping schools closed in the coldest parts of winter would save more money (on heating) that keeping them closed in the summer. I know kids like playing in the summer, but kids like playing all the time. I know we used to still have fun in the winter.

Ceece · 05-24-2011, 09:59 PM

Yeah, I believe year round school would be better with time off throughout the year instead of in one big hot chunk. That is how the world works.

golfgal · 05-25-2011, 06:44 AM

I agree that year round school is best for the kids but I seriously doubt that people would pony up the tax money to support that change.

Living in the north I can tell you that it is better to have the school closed in the summer vs winter because you would still have to heat the building in the winter so pipes don't freeze, year round staff will need the heat on as well. In the summer they can localize the AC (window unit in the office for example) vs having it on in the entire school--IF your school has AC to start with.

toobusytoday · 05-25-2011, 08:42 AM

I would be in favor of year round school. Our schools have heat or have a/c on whether students are in the building or not. If we're talking about what's best for the students academically, I think year round is the way to go.

MrRational · 05-25-2011, 09:04 AM

but, but, but! We need those kids to help us plant the crops and work the fields...
and don't even get me started on what happens at harvest time!

When I was a kid I spent a year at a "country school"...
(most of the students lived on working acreage of some sort... I didn't)

They didn't start classes until first week of Oct and ended classes 1st week in May
and the daily classes during that year started at 9am and ended at 1pm

4 hours per day over less than 7 months (and less the holiday breaks)...
and they still managed to do the academic instruction hours required by the State.

In fact, I learned more in that one year, not least of which being an appreciation for reading...
than in any other school I attended before or since.
---

Public schools today are expected to do far more than the just education.
This can sometime be a good thing... but it absolutely confuses and complicated their role in society.

jtur88 · 05-25-2011, 02:41 PM

Years ago, rural schools used to schedule the holidays according to when there was the greatest need for labor in whatever agricultural activity was prevalent, since so many kids were required to work on the family farm during peak times. In North Dakota and Montana, school would not start until late September or even October, when the wheat harvest was over.

I suspect the tradition of the three month summer school holiday came about as a result of so many families needing their kids to work during those months, which would have been variable, according to whether there were fish to be caught or cattle to be branded or wheat to be threshed.

Bulldogdad · 05-25-2011, 02:44 PM

Lots of school districts in California have year round school schedules.

The three month summer vacation is 19th century hold over. Time to let it go.

Katiana · 05-25-2011, 03:43 PM

I'll join the chorus. I'll add, in states with short summers, e.g. Colorado, it would be nice if everyone got some time off in the summer. The year-round schools here in CO do have a common vacation the last week of June until after July 4, and each track has some summer break time.

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namomof3 · 05-25-2011, 03:57 PM

it'd be a hard sell for teacher unions (a whooooole 'nother issue). Teacher's value their summers off. I'd go as far as saying it's a driving force as to why "teachers" become "teachers" to begin with!

Katiana · 05-25-2011, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by namomof3

it'd be a hard sell for teacher unions (a whooooole 'nother issue). Teacher's value their summers off. I'd go as far as saying it's a driving force as to why "teachers" become "teachers" to begin with!

The teachers I have known who have worked yr. round schools have liked the scheudule.