News: Tourism industry: Give kids a break; it's good for business

http://www.pointbuzz.com/news.htm?id=1053

If starting school one weekend earlier caused the attendence to dip, I'd hate to see what would happen if they went to year round schooling like a lot of people are trying for.

Troy Bouts talks about tradition. Well, during my entire grade school career, we started school on the Wed. after Labor Day. It just makes sense to wait until after Labor Day. I still had about two weeks off for Christmas and one week off for Spring break. I don't see what the problem is.

That's the way it's alway been here Pete, except we started the Tuesday rather than the Wednesday. Kids finish school the weekend before Christmas and get 2 weeks and then get a week off in the middle of March. I always loved that, it's a nice balance. The past couple of years we would take a trip to CP in the last week of August 'while the American kids were back in school,' but this year the park was pretty busy.

Actually, up until 2 years ago, we used to start in late August. That year they had the entire district (Walled Lake Schools) staff vote, and guess what? Now we start the Tuesday after labor day.

And we used to have 2 weeks off for break, but now its a mere ~9 days. They call it "holiday break" so as not to offend anyone or something, but we don't get Hanukkah or the like off. Why not just call it Christmas break? Hello, separation of Church and state, anyone remember that?

But alas... :(

When I went to school the school year was just like the Pete mentioned.

My son's school year has almost a week of days-off for meetings scattered throughout the year. The week of Thanksgiving they only went on Monday. Tuesday was a meeting and Wednesday was a day off. We went three days Thanksgiving week years ago. What are all the teachers meetings for? Can't they be scheduled during the summer and Christmas vacations?

Late August has some of the best weather of the year. As a parent I feel squeezed in planning a summer vaction. As mentioned earlier, the first part of June can still be cool around Ohio. The lake is still cool for those of us interested in swimming.

I would like to go back to starting school after Labor Day.

From the "missed something in the translation" file:

http://www.news-register.net/editorials/articles.asp?articleID=13580

*** Edited 12/6/2006 11:03:16 AM UTC by Walt***

Wow.

Note to self: Be sure you know what you're talking about before you write an editorial.

From my viewpoint as a teacher (10 years) in two different states with all sorts of opening dates before and after Labor Day, I have found that it is better (from a teaching standpoint) to start school before Labor Day and get them out earlier in June.

I find that once a student goes through Winter and the weather starts to get nice, he/she starts to pack it in, so to speak, and is ready for vacation. He/she wants to be outside more, not stuck in a classroom, and I find that my students' grades historically go down once the weather gets nice.

Just my experiences, yours may be different.

Boy, that editor sure missed the point. Here in MI, we still are required to be in school for the same number of hours. Many schools have added minutes to the day to reduce the total number of days required, but the instructional time remains the same. I didn't mind going back after Labor Day.

The article is amazing in it's stupidity.

I don't know how many else did this, but in my district we simply had roughly 12 minutes added on to each day.

We get out around June 8th, which is maybe a day or two earlier than just three years ago. As well, we start a couple weeks later, after labor day.

They are *supposedly* considering 7 courses next year, now that scares me. That would require either cutting things from the class, or lengthening the day further. Now that's what scares me.

Wow, way to miss the point, that article that is. *** Edited 12/7/2006 1:56:31 AM UTC by topthrilldragster4lyf***

"Hildebrandt said Cedar Point wouldn't be affected as much if students got out of school later in June because of starting after Labor Day.

"The weather and everything is better at the end of August than the first week of June," he said."

Exactly. The students (being me) would love to get out when the pools are starting to get warm. ;)