21 responses to “Summer Daze”

1. Patrick Jensen

   January 27, 2005

   I think you are right, family time is important. However, it has been my experience that I test better and learn more when finals are over before winter break. Additionally, as a student, it really allows you to relax and enjoy your time off… There is probably some happy compromise out there.

2. Jim

   January 27, 2005

   My children have always had finals before vacation time. They think its a great system because they don’t have to study over the Christmas break! Those vacation dates have always worked for our family and we have great family time!

   Volunteering in a classroom of 30 energetic students I know how hard our teachers work and if these dates help them, then perhaps that is another reason why we have to adapt.

3. Jenn

   January 27, 2005

   In Europe, summer vacation is only 6 weeks, but it begins in July. They have other weeks free, in addition to the standard ones, and there is probably an historical backround for those. Maybe here, there should be a compromise, like a period of time within the year, where there is another break, perhaps added to the short President’s holiday, or even in the fall, when the weather is really wonderful, so that there is another chance for a family to arrange time together. Again, the mechanism for feedback is pretty weak. I’d like to see this discussion come out in the open so that all aspects can be considered.

4. two kids

   January 29, 2005

   It is NOT TOO Late! The SMUHSD and the teachers union are still working out the details and the teachers have not yet agreed to this calendar. In fact, the SMUHSD has told the teachers union that it will ONLY consider an August 15 start date DESPITE the fact that MANY teachers in the district are opposed to this calendar.

   Why hasn’t the public been informed or involved in this PUBLIC decision. If many of the teachers don’t want the calender, and the parents don’t want the calender, then who does want the calender? The School Board is supposed to represent the community… it is time that they heard from the community.

   By the way…. have you heard the one about the seven period day? It is going to come at the cost of reduced class size in math and english and the employment of about 50 teachers. Remember…this is YOUR school, you need to fight for it!

5. cathy baylock

   January 29, 2005

   I am also concerned about the divergent school calendars for those of us who have kids in both elementary and high school… In total, this will shorten our summer break by 30 days (15 days in each direction). Our kids will be off the college soon enough and we will never have those summer breaks again… Yes, we want them to be brilliant, but we also want them to be kids. I hope the SMUHSD will make the effort to take input from the community at large, not just the stalwarts that attend their meetings. Hey, all of you local newspapers, where are the articles??

6. KRN

   January 29, 2005

   Whoever told you that it was too late change this decision is trying to keep you quiet or uninformed. I find this very disturbing as the calender is a matter of public impact. The dates don’t help the teachers. The teachers asked for a choice between a LATE August and an early Sept start to be voted upon by the teachers. The SMUHSD rejected this offer and has ONLY advanced the August 15 start date as an ultimatum. If the teachers don’t agree to this date, then outside parties may have to be brought in to remedy the situation.

   The calender fails to take many issues into consideration and focuses upon what seems to be a simple solutions. The new calender has MANY flaws as it was thrown together without extensive discussion or public comment.

   Myth #1-Students will have no work during the winter break.

   MOST teachers do not assign work over winter break. Students have work because it is left over from a long-term assignment. Teachers who do assign work over break are most likely HONORS or AP teachers and do so because the students need to finish the curriculum by national exam time. These teachers will now simply assign work between semesters. (remember summer reading!)

   Myth #2 The calender offers benefits to learning.

   This may only be true for part of the school poplation. The new calendar places finals up against winter break ending on December 21. Put yourself in a teachers shoes… you are going to prepare and give extensive comprehensive finals with essays, grade the finals, prepare for the holidays, pack for vacation and grade the papers. I’ve got three words for you… multiple choice test. Finals will become easy to grade activities to keep students busy before winter break. English teachers have already commented that they will NOT be grading essays over break AND preparing for the new semester.

   Seniors will be STRESSED OUT.

   Seniors will be stressed out by this new calendar. In a four week period between November 23 and December 21, high school seniors will be required to: complete all regular coursework , complete all CSU and/or UC applications including essays, complete many private school applications inlcuding essays, prepare and take final examinations. This is a sample list for these students and does not include sports, band, drama, jobs, travel with family over Thanksgiving, getting sick, etc. Under the current system, student may finish applications, go on Winter Break and return to study and take finals. This is a much more humane approach to educating our youth and give them a more restful break!

   This calender is driven by one simple topic, state test scores. Should we really trade family time and local values to raise test scores that really don’t measure anything of value?

   This proposal will place BHS up to THREE WEEKS out of line with its feeder school. Families with students in two systems will be placed under undue stress. I can’t imagine being a single parent in this situation.

   I suggest you ask the SMUHSD to address your concerns NOW and not next year.

7. Rosaline

   January 29, 2005

   Thank you KRN for a teacher’s prospective because I was wondering if the teachers liked these new school dates.

   Wait until you have kids in college – because whether the college is on a semester or a quarter system determines when they are back home and asking for more pocket money!

8. KRN

   January 29, 2005

   I want to spend my time with my children NOW because I know that they will grow up and move on.

   I believe that family IS a missing piece of the school success puzzle. A calender that “promotes” academics at the “cost” of family time does not meet my standard of success.

9. KRN

   January 30, 2005

   Each campus has an organizaed parents group and the presidents of the groups meet once a month. It would be very easy for the SMUHSD to get input from the parents on this decision to change. Word has it that the SMUHSD TOLD the parents that the change was going to take place rather than asking for input and participation in the process. Schools are public units and require public participation. What do the parents think.

10. Jenn

    January 30, 2005

    One thing I’m confused about is that we parents are constantly told that the calendar year of a public school is a Union issue, that the teachers’ union votes on it. So if so many teachers don’t want this, then why is it looking as if this is going to happen anyway?

11. KRN

    January 30, 2005

    The calendar is bargained between the teachers union and the district. The School Board must approve the calendar. In Folsom, (Sacramento) this issue was brought forth and the school board held public discussion to get community input. This is the same process that the government uses when making public policy.

    You are not being given the entire truth for a simple reason, it will keep you out of the discussion. Isn’t it time that parents joined in on this disussion of how their children are being educated rather than being told what to do and how to do it. This decision has sweeping impact upon families and should not be limited to a closed door debate. I wonder what the public opinion would be like on this issue if it were on the front page of one of our local papers.

12. Fiona

    January 30, 2005

    The newspapers do read the blog so perhaps one of them will pick up on it.

    When I want something to be investigated, I email the newspapers and ask. They did this last week about two issues concerning our city government. The local journalists are often looking for story ideas. It is worth a try.

13. KRN

    January 31, 2005

    Do you wonder where all of this may be going?

    “Over the last three decades, calendar changes have been slipped into many communities with little or no discussion, often through incremental changes each year that push school start dates into mid-summer.”

    See http://www.summermatters.com for information and data against this move.

    Hillsdale High School is currently investigating moving to a year round calendar as part of its small learning communities program.

14. KRN

    February 1, 2005

    Here is more on the story from the Daily Journal. If you have a concern. I suggest you make your point before its too late.

15. KRN

    February 2, 2005

    Beware of INCREMENTAL 
    School Calendar changes

    http://www.summermatters.com (Early Start)

    The push for an early school start stems from pressures on state governments to improve school performance and high-stakes performance test.

    There is, however, little credible research to support the notion that starting school early will result in higher scores. Recent studies by school assessment and evaluation offices in Dallas, Texas, and Broward County, Fla., found no evidence of scoring advantage for schools that started earlier.  

    A wave of government reports in the 1990s served as catalysts for experiments to restructure the school year.  The reports focused on time and learning and explored many factors that impact school achievement. They made many recommendations for providing more classroom instructional time and examined schools with alternative school calendars.  

    Those same government reports also said improving the quality of instruction was key to better schools, but that recommendation has largely taken a backseat to a quick fix approach of school calendar reconfiguration.

    Earlier school start dates are occurring incrementally in many communities. They often occur in communities where the year-round calendar — an integral step toward a longer school year  — was tried and rejected or studied and rejected. 

    Incremental change in the school start date allows school districts to slip in unnoticed, and with less political opposition, a reconfigured calendar that is essentially a year-round calendar. A year-round calendar  is seen by many school reformers as the preliminary step toward a longer school year. A year-round calendar is defined as any school calendar with a summer break of eight weeks or less.

    Experts say the growth of summer schools, new, voluntary six-week summer enrichment programs, and after-school tutorial sessions are   “a precursor to what will eventually be year-round school.” (Quietly, the School Calendar Evolves,” by Kerry White, Education Week, Oct. 27, 1999.)

    Among the forces that push schools toward an earlier school year:
    High stakes testing.
    Teachers and school administrators have been misled into believing that  getting more instructional days in before the date of the state assessment tests  will give them a scoring advantage.

16. al

    February 3, 2005

    KRN,

    I’m attracted by the simplicity of the statement that “Those same government reports also said improving the quality of instruction was key to better schools”. Where I struggle is understanding why the teachers union fights so hard to retain a tenure system? Tenure is innately obstructive to the idea that we should weed out the bottom 2, 3 or 5% every year. Teachers are like anyone else, right? They can have personal problems, a loss of interest, or decide to take a second job and give less attention to the first job. Every low-performing teacher that holds his or her job due to tenure is preventing a new, possibly energetic teacher from getting a job. Can you explain this to us?

17. KRN

    February 3, 2005

    AL,
    the report above and others is attacking the quick fix of a school calender as a solution to school problems. It is not.

    It seems you may also assume that I support the current tenure system because I am a teacher. I do not support the current system of tenure and retention. Tenure is often distributed too quickly and not based upon fundamental proven qualities of the workplace.

    The current union structure in not responsive to the needs of the current state of education. Teachers unions hold on to tenure for the same reason that ANY union fights for longevity and security in negotiations–Market Power.

    “Every low-performing teacher that holds his or her job due to tenure is preventing a new, possibly energetic teacher from getting a job. Can you explain this to us?” No I can’t because it does not make sense. Unions were intended to “self-regulate” and weed out members who could not make the cut. It seems that in the current era, many unions (including those beyond teachers) have chosen to protect their members rather than cut them loose. Unions also LIMIT the compensation and work rights of teachers. Some of our best teacher SHOULD be earning more than their peers and should be able to teach more courses for more pay if they choose. Let the market have some say in the process.

    Get rid of tenure-NO. Modity it-YES!

    Want to know who the best teachers are? Ask the students and the parents. They know who is getting the job done and who isn’t.

    Now, when do you want to start school.

18. Jenn

    February 3, 2005

    If I think back to my days as a San Mateo High School student, there were probably 3 or 4 absolutely exceptional teachers. I still know their names and each one left a life-long impression on me. Conversely there were certainly at least that many “coasters” who might have started out well, but who go burnt out or just weren’t meant to be teachers in the first place. Every school kid in every school probably has the same story.

    In my opinion, I think that if teachers’ pay were vastly improved, to be competitive with most well paid jobs out there, the quality would greatly improve. I don’t think there wouldn’t be coasters any more, because they wouldn’t make tenure. In most other civilized countries, teachers are well-paid and there are often quotas of how many future teachers go into the university system, so that only the best make it. They are very well-educated and the requirements take longer than here. It is quite rigourous.

19. al

    February 3, 2005

    KRN,
    Thanks for the enlightened response. Sorry if my tone seemed to imply that you supported the current tenure approach–I didn’t mean it that way, since I had no idea how you felt. Now I do, and I agree with you.

    I don’t much care when we start school as long as we all start, take vacation, and end together. Seems obvious to me.

20. Fiona

    February 5, 2005

    TheSan Mateo County Times has an article about the new calendar.

    Teaching is a hugely tough job. I am working with a teacher at the moment who is absolutely awesome – she is creative in her teaching, strong, caring, funny, strict, adores her students and is teaching her kids more than how to add and subtract. I am sure her students will remember her when they are all grown up!

    Al, I agree — if shifting dates around will make it easier on many fronts, why can’t all the schools coordinate and choose the same approximate dates. It doesn’t seem like rocket science to me!

21. KRN

    February 5, 2005

    Everyone keeps stating that it will make things better. Where is the research to prove this statement? It looks better….. but is all that pressure before break really a better choice? If so, then why did S. Carlolina pass a state law banning the start of school before August 25?