School daze, school days

[azsnowman]

Geesh.....were has the summer gone??? I heard on the news this a.m. that some schools in Phoenix return tomorrow :o They must be on the year round program. I know my daughter, she lives in Prescott Valley, Az, fastest growing city in the nation according to the Az Republic, goes back 11 August this year, school here on the mountain starts 18 August.......is it me, or is school starting a WHOLE LOT earlier than it use to? I can remember back to my school daze, we got out the Weds before Memorial Day weekend, went back to school the Tues following Labor Day Weekend! For those of you in school and have kids in school, when does yours start??

Dennis

[breeze]

It's not you, Dennis - it's true! I remember going back to
school after Labor Day weekend, 1st or 2nd week of September.
Nearby Maury County, TN schools register July 31st! They're
going to start the year-round school, too, this year. I don't
have kids, but, I understand that, every few months, they'll
get a week or two off, then back to school. That will help
them to remember what they learned the year before...
Like I said, I don't have kids, but, I do remember forgetting
a lot of stuff in a three-month summer vacation period.

[Lindaloo]

I remember going back to school after Labor Day too. My children start back August 6th. I think now the kids have to go to school a certain number of days, which now cuts into their summer vacation.

[streetsoldier]

I started school after the Labor Day holiday (last family barbecue of the year), and completed it first weekend of June.

Coppertop starts on 20 AUG...if he is a deer hunter, he can apply for "exemption" for the first weekend of the season...and he ends his year in mid-May (this, so that those needed on the farm are available).

[Stephanie]

It still is around here the week after Labor Day and then to the middle of June (depending on snow days).

Now, if we're talking about school DAZE...

[azsnowman]

I know a lot of it has to do with "ALL" the other holidays thrown in the school year, it started year before last in Az, "Fall Break!" Now why on earth do they get a fall break? Yes.....same here Bill.....kids who hunt with their folks get opening day of deer, elk season off but now this fall break thing.......they get days off for ANYTHING now........"first full moon of autumn, first snowfall day", came you sense a *little sarcasm there?*

I don't understand, my how times have changed, now I know what our parents feel like.........

Dennis

[Colin]

We don't go back to school until September 2nd...I think. Thank Goodness we have about a month yet... :o

[Miss Mary]

I remember starting back the day after Labor Day also. And half days at that in the beginning. Yup, I'm an oldtimer. Most mom's then were home during the day so school could be let out at noon. Starting back that way seemed easier. We had half days at the end too!

My girls start back Aug. 21. This is by far the earliest start their district has ever had. Usually it's a full week later. I secretly think the teachers/admin want a full week in between the start and then the 3 day Labor Holiday break. And each year I hear how rusty the kids are - they need to review for the first few weeks. I don't know what the answer is. I do know the traditional 3 month summer break is a thing of the past. At the most my girls have about 10 full weeks to enjoy. That's it! I hear teachers have even less, with required workshops, summer school (personal or students), seminars, etc. Their total break time is about 6 weeks, at least in our district. And before you say you should be so lucky to have 6 weeks off, I know many teachers and they work so hard. 12 hour days, weekends grading papers, no breaks within the day. Kids needing them all day long. I could not be a teacher - no way! They sure have my respect.

[nystate]

Watertown schools start back around the 5th or 6th of September; they got out June 26 (but Watertown has a bonus that most other schools don't have- a February break (1 week long) and also a spring break (more than 1 week long) in addition to Christmas, Thanksgiving etc. breaks.

[JetMaxx]

Like many, I remember school not starting until after Labor Day here...but that was in the days before total air conditioning (and we weren't allowed to wear shorts in those days

School here in Douglas County starts back on August 12th this year (but the last day next year is May 23rd).

Where my sis lives near Portland, Oregon, school doesn't begin again until September 8th -- but they pay the price for starting late....school doesn't end until mid-June

[ColdFront77]

The first day of school for me (1984 to 1996), in [southeast] Massachusetts was always the Wednesday after Labor Day. We got out for the summer in mid June, mid to late June when five or more snow days were used during the course of the year.

Students here in central Florida start school in two weeks and get out in early (if not mid) May.

[Lindaloo]

The rules changed here right after Hurricane Elena. The kids were out of school for a month after she blew through here and the days were never made up. There was alot of damage to the high school and one elementary school was destroyed.

[Miss Mary]

Speaking of year round schooling vs traditional schooling (9+ months), I read an indepth article about some KY schools adopting year round. The year entailed 9 week units, testing at the end of each unit. At the end of each unit, students/teachers had at least one week break. Sometimes depending upon the time of year, as many as 3 weeks off (summer). They also might have been given 3 off at Christmas too, into January, typically a snowy period for rural areas. When I thought about this new way of schooling, it made perfect sense! Students didn't get rusty and they preferred the smaller units. I'm not sure how exams were handled though on the HS level. I just always thought that was interesting. Biggest complaints though were from working parents with little children. Smack in the middle of say October, the kids were home now for 5 days. I'm sure that was a challenge. I imagine YMCA's were picking up the slack with day camps. I don't think year round would fly in our district. So many families take off at spring break - must be nice - and they would miss that. The breaks would fall at other times of the year.

[j]

When I moved down here from Massachusetts..I couldn't believe the kids went back to school first week in August. Unless I'm wrong....they still go back after labor day up in the Bay State.

The reason for this is simple....the schools are not air conditioned, and August can be a brutal month up there. It's bad enough in June but they keep them out for the 2 hottest months.

[azskyman]

Most start the third week of August here...but some are already starting in some districts. Noticed one nearby started this past Monday. They spread break times and vacation times throughout the year.

With the intense heat here these days, many moms are having kids indoors all day...something that rarely happens in most parts of the country in the summer.

[Colin]

My school does not have A/C at all except for a few rooms...imagine that in June!!! :o

[therock1811]

Speaking of year round schooling vs traditional schooling (9+ months), I read an indepth article about some KY schools adopting year round. The year entailed 9 week units, testing at the end of each unit. At the end of each unit, students/teachers had at least one week break. Sometimes depending upon the time of year, as many as 3 weeks off (summer). They also might have been given 3 off at Christmas too, into January, typically a snowy period for rural areas. When I thought about this new way of schooling, it made perfect sense! Students didn't get rusty and they preferred the smaller units. I'm not sure how exams were handled though on the HS level. I just always thought that was interesting. Biggest complaints though were from working parents with little children. Smack in the middle of say October, the kids were home now for 5 days. I'm sure that was a challenge. I imagine YMCA's were picking up the slack with day camps. I don't think year round would fly in our district. So many families take off at spring break - must be nice - and they would miss that. The breaks would fall at other times of the year.

I hope Boone County doesn't start that............ but then it would probably not have much effect on me... I'm a HS senior this year YAHOO!!!!!!!! We restart on August 14th... 5 days before I turn 18 can you tell I am not too happy about that prospect??

[isobar]

I'll tell you exactly why schools are starting earlier and earlier. It's because of standardized testing. Curriculum is built around the tests and schools are trying to get as much teaching time in beforehand, so they can get their A rating, more funding, etc. The whole thing is so far reaching that real estate values go up in districts that have the best scores. Oh, don't get me started.

[Lindaloo]

You are absolutely right isobar!!!

[TexasStooge]

I don't go back to school until August 21st.