Should Schools Move to a Year-Round Calendar?
At the end of another school year, questions predictably arise about the continued value of a long summer break.
On the side of maintaining the traditional summer break side are arguments that it’s good for family bonding, that students simply need the long hiatus from academics, and good-old-fashioned nostalgia about summers past.
Those for adjusting the summer break argue that it’s unduly burdensome on parents, that students fail to retain important concepts when out of school for three months, and that many students don’t even enjoy the idleness that can accompany the long respite from school.
In this latter camp, some have proposed that students should move to a year-round calendar. To give you an idea of what a year-round calendar entails, one need look no further than Crossroads Elementary in St. Paul. The school uses a 45-days-on, 15-days-off schedule, spreading out vacation days throughout the year.
Here is a copy of the calendar from their website:
What do you think? Could you see students preferring a year-round school schedule such as the one above?