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Published Wednesday, November 12, 2008 in Education
When should school start next year?
The Times-Herald
The Coweta County Board of Education has posted online three optional calendars for the 2009-2010 and 2020-2011 school years for viewing and comment by the public.
At Tuesday's school board meeting, Superintendent Blake Bass said the first proposal reflects a school year that begins later in August than usual.
"You sometimes hear that parents like to see that," he said.
The first proposal has the 2009-2010 school year beginning Aug. 19 and ending June 4. The 2010-2011 proposed school year would begin Aug. 16 and end June 3.
The second calendar option is similar to this year's calendar. The 2009 school year would begin on Aug. 10 and end May 28. The 2010 school year would begin Aug. 6 and end on May 27.
The third calendar proposal is similar, except it includes a school holiday on the Monday after a Friday teacher work day in October.
"Some teachers have requested that at that nine-week break. That's a long stretch, so we're putting that out there," he said.
The calendars include 10 teacher work days and from 25 to 29 school holidays including week-long Thanksgiving and April spring breaks and two weeks for the Christmas break. The mid-winter breaks in February vary from three days to a full week.
The calendars will be posted on the school system's Web site for public input, which will be taken into consideration when the board meets to adopt the two calendars at its Dec. 9 meeting. The school system uses Zoomerang, an online survey tool, to collect and evaluate the opinions and suggestions. A link will be available to view each proposal and another link for parents to send their preferences or suggestions to the school board.
The board, which adopts the calendars every two years, has to follow certain requirements in developing them. Students must attend 180 days and teachers must work 190 days. The school year must end on a Friday. Because of block scheduling at the high school level and end-of-course testing at all grade levels, the first semester must be completed before Christmas.
On the web: http://www.coweta.k12.ga.us/calendar/calendars.html
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Why can't the proposed teacher work day and optional day off correspond with the National Holiday, Columbus Day?
Posted by Terri at 10:39 AM
I think school should go back to the way it was in the old days. School should begin after Labor Day and end around the first week in June. I also think that the mid-winter break and the week-long Thanksgiving break are too much. Kids need to enjoy their summer break and not have to worry about school until after summer.
Posted by CS at 5:10 PM
As a teacher I want to say, teachers need those work days to prepare data from testing(thanks to the state), progress reports, report cards, and to grade papers. In the time that we are at work from 7am until 5pm, and yes the majority of us do work those hours, then have to return phone calls after hrs to parents who are upset, attend meetings, plan lessons, shop for things for the room (I would hate for parents to supply us with too many pencils or construction paper), there needs to be a fair and balanced calendar! I really don't care when school starts or ends, its parents that get upset because it cuts into THEIR time, just like holidays, remember the election day holiday and all the parents that were upset!!What you need to think of are the kids, they cannot function for 9-10 weeks straight without a break. I personally want year round school, lets go 10 weeks have 3 weeks off, and do it year round. I also want longer school days so I can teach your children what they need to learn, why can't they go until 3 or 4. Look at the schools in Europe and Asia, those students have a well rounded education without all the flack of school holidays!!!!
Posted by Teacher at 1:21 PM
Happy, I'm not and never have been politically involved in any office. The reply was rather length and for that I do apologize. It is past time that we all wake up to realize there are so many more important issues to be concerned with, to argue over, and quite frankly whine about. We can't have everything the way we want it and maybe more people would be happier if they tried to just find things to be thankful for such as an education no matter when the school year begins/ends. There is plenty of notice to find someone else to raise the children on those days they aren't in school. We just live in a ME, ME, ME mentality world and more people than I realized are truly getting tired of paying the price in many forms for people who have children without considering how to care for them in the long range. We each should take responsibility for what we created: parent/child, school system/calendar, education/job, knowledge/power.... 180 required school days for all students mandated by the STATE so folks you have to take the other days to care for your children. (I know deep down we would all love to spend 24/7 with our children and just need to vent. That is what makes this country so great!)
Posted by CD at 10:45 AM
I would like for the students to have August off. I know when I was in school we started after Labor Day and went to the end of May.We had Thanksgiving, Christmas thru New Years, MLK, and spring break. We never had a winter-break. But going to school after News Years to Spring break was along time and kids and teachers get burned out and need a break. Maybe have a winter-break but not for a week but for 3 days Wed. thru Fri.
Posted by SR at 12:09 AM
CD, are you running for public office? That was quite a speech!
Posted by happy at 1:26 PM
I do agree with part of what you are saying JH and TB. There are too many teacher workdays built into the calendar that could easily be placed at the beginning or end of the school year since teachers are required 190 days. They could also be scheduled around other holidays instead of here and there. I would like to point out that 'back to the old way' was great for most everyone I know but something else to consider is this - the old way didn't suggest that schools and all school employees (not just teachers) were replacements for babysitters and/or childcare providers. Usually Mom was at home. Schools have turned into a place to 'keep the kids', feed them breakfast and lunch, in many cases provide dental and health care, counseling, provide clothing, arrange glasses and eye exams, held responsible for manners along with all the other behaviors (good or bad). Did you know that it is a priviledge to ride a school bus and not a right? There are complaints when homework is given and when it is not. Folks, please realize that the school board has a great deal of responsibility upon their shoulders that is then passed down to the schools. They must answer to the STATE. In general, teachers are no happier with the choices than the general public however when given choices we must all make the best one for us individually and make arrangements around the time we have together at school and at home. School personnel have families too. Personnel must also find a babysitter. Let's try to help each other when given the final decision, the decision that works for the majority of the people. I would love nothing more than to start school about mid August and end on the last day of May. Society choose some of these holidays, not the school board, not the teachers, not maybe us as a parent. I am truly thankful that I live in a country where my children have a right to an education. Thank you Coweta County Schools for giving us choices though they may not be exactly what each of us wants to see, at least we have a small voice.
Posted by CD at 9:22 AM
The mid-winter break needs to go!!! Why do we need 2-3 weeks off in Dec/Jan and then turn around and take another week in February???? This year, we started August 6th and still don't get out until the week after Memorial Day!!! It's the worst calendar I've ever seen. Let's please get a better schedule for the next two years.
Posted by Mom in Summergrove at 9:17 AM
Put it back the way it use to be!!!! Kids have tooooo many days off during the year. It is too much interruption during the school year. Just as kids get back in school and get use to the routine they are back home again just to start all over again. My 13 year old daughter agrees with me and my 7 year old.
Posted by Mom at 8:49 AM
I agree with JH. We didn't have all of the breaks that they have now. School should start after Labor Day, take 3 days for Thanksgiving, take 2 weeks for Christmas break, and 1 week for spring break. Why do they need 2 more teacher work days on Jan 5 & 6, when they'll have a teacher work day before the Christmas break? Does anyone realize how hard it is for the parents to find babysitters, arrange childcare, or maybe even have to take days off from work to keep the kids during these extra days off. Not to mention the Mid-winter break!
Posted by T.B. at 3:52 PM
What happened to Labor Day? When I was young school did not begin til after then and I do not recall school lasting much past June 5th ....ever. Why not go back to what worked for the longest time.
Posted by JH at 10:16 PM
I like getting out of school earily in May. The weather is nicer. You can enjoy 2 weeks the end of May better than 2 weeks in August. Next, lets cut out so many holidays and add an extra week to summer! 10 weeks is to short!
Posted by Mom at 8:57 PM
I absolutely hope they change it so that our children can enjoy more of the summer. Going back to school so early in the summer is ridiculous! Summer is not nearly over when they are already heading back to school. We need to go back to the way it used to be and let the kids enjoy the summer and let the parents not have to deal with so many breaks during the year. There were plenty before they started messing with it!
Posted by BAND MOM at 4:57 PM
All of the students look for extra days off, if they are given these later start days they will miss more of the summer. They will be more apt to goof off during school if we take them further into summer. If we just let it stay they will have no misunderstanding of when it should start or when school is out. I believe that the students are the ones that will benifit from these changes, shouldn't they have a vote in this as well. Maybe an in school vote?
Posted by Penny at 10:04 AM
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Get a life
11/19/2008
Link To This Comment
Back in the "good old days" no one, other that the school board, got say as to the calendar. As professional educators we tend to know better how and when the students perform. The school calendar is not arranged for everyone, it's arranged to get the most out of the students and trust me when I say those breaks are needed. My wish would be to back the start up 1 week and take an entire week off in October. Why? The students get burned out and performance drops. Those break help learning.
Posted by Current Teacher at 6:53 AM