Sheldon to examine year-round education idea
Summer break could drop to six weeks
By Tim Gallagher Journal staff writer | Posted: Friday, August 31, 2007
SHELDON, Iowa -- School officials in Sheldon aren't simply turning the calendar pages.
They might be changing them.
The traditional nine-month school calendar is about to be debated here as the school board considers holding classes 11 or 12 months of the year.
"Physically, we could do it, as all of our schools are air conditioned," said Matt Meendering, high school principal. "The (nine-month) school calendar we have was created for agricultural purposes. It allowed kids to work on the farm."
As agriculture has become more mechanized and efficient, the need for a summer labor pool has shrunk.
At the same time, the need to compete academically in a shrinking world is growing. Proponents of year-round school, including former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, contend children lose too much knowledge during a three-month summer hiatus. Cutting the summer break to five or six weeks would lessen review time each autumn.
Educators in Davenport, Iowa, report success in their district, where eight elementary schools operate on a 180-day balanced calendar year. There are two-week breaks after each quarter. School dismisses for the summer during the last week of June, and classes resume the second week of August. All eight sites have air conditioning.
"Our test scores have come up, but I'm not positive that it can all be attributed to our balanced calendar," said Cheri Womack, principal at Madison Elementary, a K-5 Davenport school. "The shortened break means you don't spend a month getting three months back (in review)."
"If we're concerned about the growth of our students, we need to look at how much time we spend in review after they come back from the summer," Meendering said.
At least a few Sheldon students aren't buying their principal's case, though.
"It's bogus," said junior Brianna Vogelaar. "It would make our summer even shorter. If our school ever went year-round, I would transfer!"
"I like having 2-1/2 months of summer," added senior Tasha Boom.
"In some ways it would be good, as there would be more breaks," said Tara Ferguson, a junior. "But I think I'd forget the material over those shorter breaks."
Pluses and minuses?
Sherrie Zeutenhorst, a counselor at Sheldon High School, said teachers at the high school level haven't had to review old course work with students as a new year begins. Students who are studying Spanish, in fact, often pick up where they left off after as much as a year away from instruction. The review process, she admitted, could be much different in middle school and elementary levels.
At Madison Elementary in Davenport, students tested at 25 percent proficient in reading five years ago, Womack disclosed. Seventy-four percent tested proficient a year ago.
Madison is one of three elementary schools in Davenport that has seen an increase in test scores since adopting the balanced calendar, said Karen Farley, the district's communications specialist.
One drawback to year-round school, Zeutenhorst said, involves summer employment for high school students. She wondered if employers would be as willing to hire Sheldon students if their summer consisted of six weeks instead of 12 or 13.
"The summertime really gives kids the opportunity to work full time and to put away money for college," she said.
Garrett Crowl, a Sheldon junior, earned $300 per week this summer, working for the same roofing pro (Greg Sawyer) whom Meendering worked for when he was a Sheldon High School student. "With work, I would not want to have any classes," Crowl said.
"Summer is the best time to be out of school," added junior Dan Ridenour. "There wouldn't be much to do if you were out of school in January."
Nine weeks, then a break
How would year-round school be arranged? Meendering said he knows of districts where school begins in late August and runs nine weeks before breaking for two weeks. The second quarter ends before Christmas, allowing for an extended holiday recess. There is another two-week break after the third quarter.
"As a staff, we really like it," said Sue Brennan, a second-grade teacher at Fillmore Elementary in Davenport. "I'm nearing the latter part of my career, and I like that two weeks off (after a quarter break) to rejuvenate and get moving again."
"If you went 10 weeks on, then two weeks off and then had five weeks in the summer, I think I would be for it," said Steve McWilliams, an art teacher in Sheldon. "But the boys athletic association and the girls athletic union would have to fit their schedules to this."
Meendering said a decision is years away. Leaders in Sheldon are attempting to start the discussion now. The school board may appoint a committee of community members to examine calendar possibilities, study data and report on costs.
"You can't do this next year or the year after," Meendering said. "You must lay the groundwork in advance five, eight or 10 years."
Meendering is fairly certain the idea will soon become the norm, not the exception. "It is interesting to look at," he said. "Fifteen years from now I don't doubt that there will be a number of school districts using it."
Year-round/balanced sked
The National Association for Year-Round Education reports that 3,045 public, charter and private schools in 47 states featured year-round or balanced school schedules in 2006. Iowa schools offering this kind of school calendar can be found in Bettendorf, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Des Moines and Urbandale.
They might be changing them.
The traditional nine-month school calendar is about to be debated here as the school board considers holding classes 11 or 12 months of the year.
"Physically, we could do it, as all of our schools are air conditioned," said Matt Meendering, high school principal. "The (nine-month) school calendar we have was created for agricultural purposes. It allowed kids to work on the farm."
As agriculture has become more mechanized and efficient, the need for a summer labor pool has shrunk.
At the same time, the need to compete academically in a shrinking world is growing. Proponents of year-round school, including former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, contend children lose too much knowledge during a three-month summer hiatus. Cutting the summer break to five or six weeks would lessen review time each autumn.
Educators in Davenport, Iowa, report success in their district, where eight elementary schools operate on a 180-day balanced calendar year. There are two-week breaks after each quarter. School dismisses for the summer during the last week of June, and classes resume the second week of August. All eight sites have air conditioning.
"Our test scores have come up, but I'm not positive that it can all be attributed to our balanced calendar," said Cheri Womack, principal at Madison Elementary, a K-5 Davenport school. "The shortened break means you don't spend a month getting three months back (in review)."
"If we're concerned about the growth of our students, we need to look at how much time we spend in review after they come back from the summer," Meendering said.
At least a few Sheldon students aren't buying their principal's case, though.
"It's bogus," said junior Brianna Vogelaar. "It would make our summer even shorter. If our school ever went year-round, I would transfer!"
"I like having 2-1/2 months of summer," added senior Tasha Boom.
"In some ways it would be good, as there would be more breaks," said Tara Ferguson, a junior. "But I think I'd forget the material over those shorter breaks."
Pluses and minuses?
Sherrie Zeutenhorst, a counselor at Sheldon High School, said teachers at the high school level haven't had to review old course work with students as a new year begins. Students who are studying Spanish, in fact, often pick up where they left off after as much as a year away from instruction. The review process, she admitted, could be much different in middle school and elementary levels.
At Madison Elementary in Davenport, students tested at 25 percent proficient in reading five years ago, Womack disclosed. Seventy-four percent tested proficient a year ago.
Madison is one of three elementary schools in Davenport that has seen an increase in test scores since adopting the balanced calendar, said Karen Farley, the district's communications specialist.
One drawback to year-round school, Zeutenhorst said, involves summer employment for high school students. She wondered if employers would be as willing to hire Sheldon students if their summer consisted of six weeks instead of 12 or 13.
"The summertime really gives kids the opportunity to work full time and to put away money for college," she said.
Garrett Crowl, a Sheldon junior, earned $300 per week this summer, working for the same roofing pro (Greg Sawyer) whom Meendering worked for when he was a Sheldon High School student. "With work, I would not want to have any classes," Crowl said.
"Summer is the best time to be out of school," added junior Dan Ridenour. "There wouldn't be much to do if you were out of school in January."
Nine weeks, then a break
How would year-round school be arranged? Meendering said he knows of districts where school begins in late August and runs nine weeks before breaking for two weeks. The second quarter ends before Christmas, allowing for an extended holiday recess. There is another two-week break after the third quarter.
"As a staff, we really like it," said Sue Brennan, a second-grade teacher at Fillmore Elementary in Davenport. "I'm nearing the latter part of my career, and I like that two weeks off (after a quarter break) to rejuvenate and get moving again."
"If you went 10 weeks on, then two weeks off and then had five weeks in the summer, I think I would be for it," said Steve McWilliams, an art teacher in Sheldon. "But the boys athletic association and the girls athletic union would have to fit their schedules to this."
Meendering said a decision is years away. Leaders in Sheldon are attempting to start the discussion now. The school board may appoint a committee of community members to examine calendar possibilities, study data and report on costs.
"You can't do this next year or the year after," Meendering said. "You must lay the groundwork in advance five, eight or 10 years."
Meendering is fairly certain the idea will soon become the norm, not the exception. "It is interesting to look at," he said. "Fifteen years from now I don't doubt that there will be a number of school districts using it."
Year-round/balanced sked
The National Association for Year-Round Education reports that 3,045 public, charter and private schools in 47 states featured year-round or balanced school schedules in 2006. Iowa schools offering this kind of school calendar can be found in Bettendorf, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Des Moines and Urbandale.
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Pat wrote on Sep 1, 2007 1:54 AM:
TNORTH wrote on Aug 31, 2007 4:17 PM:
hmm wrote on Aug 31, 2007 3:54 PM:
PH wrote on Aug 31, 2007 11:14 AM:
all for it wrote on Aug 31, 2007 7:04 AM: