Last Day of School in Walton County...

[ShallowsNole]

June 10, 2008.

This fact JUST dawned on me when I pulled the school calendar in order to prepare our household calendar for 2008.

OK, I know that we all got alarmed at school starting in early August, so the start date got pushed further up. Educators panicked that there wouldn't be enough time to prepare for FCAT. Yet, those of us with children in school know that the pace of instruction slows greatly after FCAT testing each year, or at least the amount of homework drops to little-to-none.

What I want to know...maybe I've had my head stuck in the sand for the past 25 years, but I grew up in the Walton County School District. We typically started school a week or so before Labor Day (the dates August 22 - August 27 stick out in my mind). School always ended the week before Memorial Day. We graded on a six-week period (now it is a nine-week period) and there were teacher planning days at the end of every six weeks, plus all the major holidays.

WTH happened? Why do our kids have to attend school ten months out of the year? (Walton GOP, help me out here...)

[jodiFL]

I wondered about that myself. Maybe they were planning on them having to make up those non-existent "Hurricane days" this year.

[NoHall]

They're sneaking you into year-round school. If you don't want your kids in school in June or July, you need to get to work now to put cutoffs on the calendar.

[wrobert]

June 10, 2008.

This fact JUST dawned on me when I pulled the school calendar in order to prepare our household calendar for 2008.

OK, I know that we all got alarmed at school starting in early August, so the start date got pushed further up. Educators panicked that there wouldn't be enough time to prepare for FCAT. Yet, those of us with children in school know that the pace of instruction slows greatly after FCAT testing each year, or at least the amount of homework drops to little-to-none.

What I want to know...maybe I've had my head stuck in the sand for the past 25 years, but I grew up in the Walton County School District. We typically started school a week or so before Labor Day (the dates August 22 - August 27 stick out in my mind). School always ended the week before Memorial Day. We graded on a six-week period (now it is a nine-week period) and there were teacher planning days at the end of every six weeks, plus all the major holidays.

WTH happened? Why do our kids have to attend school ten months out of the year? (Walton GOP, help me out here...)

Look at the crazy school schedule. They go back next Thursday and are out again for two days two weeks later. Every time you turn around it seems they are out of school for something. I just do not remember than when I went to school. That is one of the reasons I was happy to see the legislature step in and stop this constant moving up of start dates. They have to get in 180 days in a school year. The year is not getting longer, they are just spreading it out for some reason.

[Camp Creek Kid]

They're sneaking you into year-round school. If you don't want your kids in school in June or July, you need to get to work now to put cutoffs on the calendar.

There ARE cutoffs on the calendar--no start date before Aug. 15--is new this year thanks for the FL State Legislature. That is why the calendar is so messed up this year with school lasting until June 10th. As for the huge amount of vacations--4 day weekends for Labor Day, MLK Day, Memorial Day, and 7 days for Spring Break (not including the weekends) we can thank the teacher's union which negotiates the calendar every year.

The Aug. 15th start date is supposed to allow teenaged employees to work until the end of "the season." I don't know how this will work though since the kids will be in school two weeks at the the beginning of the season instead of two weeks at the end of the season.

[ShallowsNole]

Just realized something else we didn't have when I was in school...SPRING BREAK.

We, since we are already in beautiful, sunny Florida, did not have spring break when I was growing up. I remember that other states did, most notably Alabama. My parents ran a grocery store; we were always very cognizant of when "AEA" was. (Anybody else remember it being called that? ) I think Georgia did too, but we didn't get very many people from Georgia back then. Just singinchicken and his folks.

But back to the point. Take spring break out, let our kids out at Memorial Day. Ugggggghhh.

[scooterbug44]

I'd definitely check the number of official holidays and teacher inservices. That is a ridonkulously long school year. IMO year round school is silly - kids need a summer vacation and time to be KIDS!

We always started school a couple days before labor day (did thurs/fri to help get us back into the swing, then a long weekend) and ended the first week of June. That schedule included days built-in for snow days and plenty of vacation time, but we also had longer school hours - roughly 8-3:30.

[NoHall]

There ARE cutoffs on the calendar--no start date before Aug. 15--is new this year thanks for the FL State Legislature. That is why the calendar is so messed up this year with school lasting until June 10th. As for the huge amount of vacations--4 day weekends for Labor Day, MLK Day, Memorial Day, and 7 days for Spring Break (not including the weekends) we can thank the teacher's union which negotiates the calendar every year.

The Aug. 15th start date is supposed to allow teenaged employees to work until the end of "the season." I don't know how this will work though since the kids will be in school two weeks at the the beginning of the season instead of two weeks at the end of the season.

The teacher's union is the one who is pushing hard for year-round school.

Just realized something else we didn't have when I was in school...SPRING BREAK.

We, since we are already in beautiful, sunny Florida, did not have spring break when I was growing up. I remember that other states did, most notably Alabama. My parents ran a grocery store; we were always very cognizant of when "AEA" was. (Anybody else remember it being called that? ) I think Georgia did too, but we didn't get very many people from Georgia back then. Just singinchicken and his folks.

But back to the point. Take spring break out, let our kids out at Memorial Day. Ugggggghhh.

We had spring break in Georgia, but we started at Labor Day and ended the first week in June--with built-in snow days, etc, we had all the county's graduations scheduled for June 5th-ish through about the 10th.

The teachers and administrators I've talked to ramble on and on about the benefits of year-round school, but I still don't like the idea. All of the summer camps are down the tubes. Long summer trips are impossible. How in the world will a family with kids in K-12 sync up vacations with kids in college? Some kids count on summer jobs for income and experience. Will they be expected to work evenings instead?

Summer vacation was originally for the benefit of agriculture--kids had to work on family farms in the summer. Very few kids still have to do that, but many of them still depend on the summer to meet other goals.

Teachers also complain that retention is negatively impacted over summer holidays; they have to spend too much time re-teaching in the fall. The other side of that is burn-out. I just spent a week at a school getting to know the students, and I can't count how many times teachers told me, "They'll be better when they get back. They're always antsy right before Christmas break." My experience is that they're that way before summer, too. They're nuts because it's time for a break. Will they be nuts all year long if they don't have a long break to look forward to?

Nap times and long vacations. Why can't Americans just relax?

[wrobert]

Learn something new every day in this world. I knew that the district appointed a calendar committee that set the calendar every year. Never knew that it was negotiated on by the teacher's union.

[wrobert]

August 20, 2007 Classes begin for students
August 31, 2007 No School Day (12 month personnel work)
September 3, 2007 Labor Day (all personnel out)
October 8, 2007 Columbus Day (all personnel out)
October 25-26, 2007 Teacher Planning, Professional Day (students out)
November 12, 2007 Veterans’ Day (all personnel out)
November 21-23,2007 Thanksgiving Holidays (all personnel out)
December 20, 2007 – Jan. 2, 2008 Christmas Holidays (all personnel out)
January 18, 2008 Teacher Planning (students out)
January 21, 2008 Martin Luther King Day (all personnel out)
February 18, 2008 Presidents’ Day (all personnel out)
March 21, 2008 No school day (all personnel out)
March 27, 2008 Teacher Planning (students out)
March 28-31, 2008 – April 4, 2008 Spring Break (all personnel out)
May 23-26, 2008 No School Day, Memorial Day (all personnel out)
June 10, 2008 Last Day for Students


I believe we could take some serious study of the teacher planning days. Maybe if we just paid them to work a little longer each day without students present, we could do away with them.

[scooterbug44]

I personally question how much "planning" gets done on the first day of a 4-day holiday weekend. Teaching IS an underpaid and underpaid profession, and I would definitely be for paying them more, but I have always felt teacher inservice days were hooey.

As far as "paying them longer to work each day w/o students present"...........when exactly is that going to fit into their schedule?

Yes, I've been out of school for almost 10 years, but I seriously doubt that in those years, teachers have stopped also being coaches for sports and a WIDE variety of extra curricular activities, staying after to work on lessons, correct homework, holding prep and review sessions for AP tests, and meeting w/ parents and students. My teachers' work days started at 7:30 am and ended at 6:30 or 7pm when our after school activities ended...............unless they were taking us to a weekend tournament or there was a meet or game that night, or a concert, or parent conferences.

[Teresa]

shallows, you scared me when I saw the date for last school day! our school, South Walton Montessori Academy (rosemary beach), usually follows the county school calendar as far as holidays, start/stop dates, etc. but I just checked and our last day is May 22 - about a week earlier than usual for some reason. whew!

sorry for all the kids having to continue school into summer. what a bummer.

[Camp Creek Kid]

I personally question how much "planning" gets done on the first day of a 4-day holiday weekend. Teaching IS an underpaid and underpaid profession, and I would definitely be for paying them more, but I have always felt teacher inservice days were hooey.

As far as "paying them longer to work each day w/o students present"...........when exactly is that going to fit into their schedule?

Yes, I've been out of school for almost 10 years, but I seriously doubt that in those years, teachers have stopped also being coaches for sports and a WIDE variety of extra curricular activities, staying after to work on lessons, correct homework, holding prep and review sessions for AP tests, and meeting w/ parents and students. My teachers' work days started at 7:30 am and ended at 6:30 or 7pm when our after school activities ended...............unless they were taking us to a weekend tournament or there was a meet or game that night, or a concert, or parent conferences.

When I was in elem. school we had a "short day" every Thursday when we'd get out of school about 90 min. early. The teachers would use this time to plan. It worked great for kids--we loved the short day and I'm assuming the teachers liked it too because the schools are still doing it 30 years later.

[cp]

it's down hill after spring break,but you gotta hold their feet to the fire until 1st week in May for the almighty test and by that time kids are tired as well as teachers.In Ms we started early Aug. because we moved the test date to the first week in Oct. for several years back in the mid 90's.But around 99 the tradition spring testing was resumed. They just didn't go back and change the time school started. I hate school in Aug. its too hot and by Thanksgiving week you feel like it should be January.The past couple of years,teachers reported back on Aug.1. I always said when they back up to us going back in July that's it for me.I used to always teach summer school (over at 11:30am , good $$$$and zero discipline problems) I got paid 2 checks for June and July and I spent the 3 weeks in between in sowal...

[ShallowsNole]

The almighty test in Florida is tentatively scheduled for mid-March.

However, perhaps due to the block scheduling, our high schoolers will be just as busy post-FCAT as pre-FCAT, and put all those extra days to good use. Because I KNOW that for the last 4 - 5 years, after FCAT was over, Squirt had very, very little homework, and his grades improved. Effectively, all meaningful study ceased.

Personally, this is really cramping my style, as I'm supposed to be in South Florida on June 10, and I had hoped to have my family in tow. Guess I'll just have to get over it.

[BeachSiO2]

The almighty test in Florida is tentatively scheduled for mid-March.

However, perhaps due to the block scheduling, our high schoolers will be just as busy post-FCAT as pre-FCAT, and put all those extra days to good use. Because I KNOW that for the last 4 - 5 years, after FCAT was over, Squirt had very, very little homework, and his grades improved. Effectively, all meaningful study ceased.

Personally, this is really cramping my style, as I'm supposed to be in South Florida on June 10, and I had hoped to have my family in tow. Guess I'll just have to get over it.

And why can't he be sick then you know they won't be doing anything important THAT late in the year

[cp]

I'll bet if you first talk w/the teachers and principals he could go with no problem that late in the year. It would just be a matter of taking exams a few days early. I'd certainly ask!

[wrobert]

I'll bet if you first talk w/the teachers and principals he could go with no problem that late in the year. It would just be a matter of taking exams a few days early. I'd certainly ask!

I know they do finals in the higher grades on those last days, but something I find annoying is in the elementary levels, they turn grades in a week before school is over. So after that, what is the point?

[Santiago]

I know they do finals in the higher grades on those last days, but something I find annoying is in the elementary levels, they turn grades in a week before school is over. So after that, what is the point?

I don't think there is a point. I will have a hard time getting mine to school that last week when I know that no teaching will be going on.

[InletBchDweller]

I called JDarg shocked this morning when I was checking our dates for spring break. Off good friday and then back to school monday through Wed and then out again for a week??? I have a feeling people who can plan a holiday around Easter will be gone those extra days right after Easter... Little IBD missed the 2 days last week and her teacher said no problem b/c they were not going to be starting anything new until the following Monday.

AND JUNE 10..UGH, What a bummer....

[tistheseason]

Am I the only one who likes the new schedules????? June 10th is a little extreme! We get out after memorial day. But we start in early August. Our kids get fall break, spring break, 4 day weekends, a week at Thanksgiving, close to 3 weeks at Christmas. I think it's neat to have time spread out all during the year to go on vacations -- not all vacations are best in the heat of the summer with the masses. It's not what we had when we were growing up. . . when we spent the summers walking to town or playing in the creek. But nothing is like that any more.

[InletBchDweller]

I just checked a camp schedule for little IBD. She cant go to the first session for her age b/c it starts before school is out. (May 31 - June 4) the other session for her is August 12-17. I dont know when school starts but I bet it is close to those dates.

[NoHall]

I just checked a camp schedule for little IBD. She cant go to the first session for her age b/c it starts before school is out. (May 31 - June 4) the other session for her is August 12-17. I dont know when school starts but I bet it is close to those dates.

I've worked with camps for years and years. This is one of the things that scares me about the new schedule--there is no way to fit in camp AND family vacation AND have some sort of break for the kids.

And for the kids who depend on summer income...? Those sorts of summer work experiences were so valuable in getting jobs later. is right...

[wrobert]

I just checked a camp schedule for little IBD. She cant go to the first session for her age b/c it starts before school is out. (May 31 - June 4) the other session for her is August 12-17. I dont know when school starts but I bet it is close to those dates.

The new calendar is not out that I know of, but I am guessing the first day of school would be August 22nd.

[InletBchDweller]

The new calendar is not out that I know of, but I am guessing the first day of school would be August 22nd.

thanks....is the calendar discussed at a school board meeting? Does the board listen to parents about how they feel about the dates???

[wrobert]

thanks....is the calendar discussed at a school board meeting? Does the board listen to parents about how they feel about the dates???

If memory serves me correctly, the Super appoints a calendar committee that includes one board member, some teachers, and at least a parent. They come up with a calendar that is then brought up to the school board for discussion. I have seen them make some minor changes in the past. But you get a lot of the administration blaming the calendar on the State, FCAT, and hurricanes. Since none of them really have any school aged children that I can think of, I do not think it really affects them. In fact, right now I can not think of even an elected school official that actually has a child in the system with the exception of Sharon Roberts.

[wrobert]

Okay they are working on the school calendar for next year. It was presented and sent back to the committee for further work. This thing has some very interesting dates in it. I will try to post it tonight or tomorrow.

The next meeting of the committee is April 24th, 3:00 pm at the West DeFuniak Elementary School. It should be noted, the committee is made up of district employees and union representatives. I do not see any parent representatives on the committee. The meeting is at 3:00PM, during a work day.

I guess this explains why working families feel the calendar does not take their situation into account. They are not represented. If people want to get involved in this, you need to contact your school board members now and let them know.

Pay particular attention to the half day requests for elementary schools. I know I always had my high school daughter taking care of my elementary school son when she was still at home.

[ShallowsNole]

I was wondering about the calendar. June 5 next year is better than June 10. But I still maintain that there is no reason they can't start the week before Labor Day and end the week before Memorial Day. We did it, in Walton County, in the 1970's/1980's. And we had all the major holidays, and plenty of time at Christmas, and teacher inservice every six weeks. We did NOT have spring break...

[Goddessgal]

No teacher that I know of (including me and all of my immediate family-all teachers) wants a year round school! Of course, we're not in any unions. For those who are really quality educators, I just see burnout becoming more of a possibility. Summer is a time to regroup, rest, and do our own enriching activities (whether it is travel, summer camp, art, spending time in nature, further reading and study) which only improves who we are and what we are able to contribute to others. Just my opinion....

[NoHall]

No teacher that I know of (including me and all of my immediate family-all teachers) wants a year round school! Of course, we're not in any unions. For those who are really quality educators, I just see burnout becoming more of a possibility. Summer is a time to regroup, rest, and do our own enriching activities (whether it is travel, summer camp, art, spending time in nature, further reading and study) which only improves who we are and what we are able to contribute to others. Just my opinion....

Year round school is such an awful idea...

[beachyteachy]

Well said...I totally agree!

No teacher that I know of (including me and all of my immediate family-all teachers) wants a year round school! Of course, we're not in any unions. For those who are really quality educators, I just see burnout becoming more of a possibility. Summer is a time to regroup, rest, and do our own enriching activities (whether it is travel, summer camp, art, spending time in nature, further reading and study) which only improves who we are and what we are able to contribute to others. Just my opinion....

[30ABandMan]

August 20, 2007 Classes begin for students

August 31, 2007 No School Day (12 month personnel work)
September 3, 2007 Labor Day (all personnel out)
October 8, 2007 Columbus Day (all personnel out)
October 25-26, 2007 Teacher Planning, Professional Day (students out)
November 12, 2007 Veterans’ Day (all personnel out)
November 21-23,2007 Thanksgiving Holidays (all personnel out)
December 20, 2007 – Jan. 2, 2008 Christmas Holidays (all personnel out)
January 18, 2008 Teacher Planning (students out)
January 21, 2008 Martin Luther King Day (all personnel out)
February 18, 2008 Presidents’ Day (all personnel out)
March 21, 2008 No school day (all personnel out)
March 27, 2008 Teacher Planning (students out)
March 28-31, 2008 – April 4, 2008 Spring Break (all personnel out)
May 23-26, 2008 No School Day, Memorial Day (all personnel out)
June 10, 2008 Last Day for Students

I believe we could take some serious study of the teacher planning days. Maybe if we just paid them to work a little longer each day without students present, we could do away with them.

Teacher planning days aren't used to sit around and "plan", they are used for inservice classes and seminars where we gain vital training that helps us teach your students better.

[tistheseason]

No teacher that I know of (including me and all of my immediate family-all teachers) wants a year round school! Of course, we're not in any unions. For those who are really quality educators, I just see burnout becoming more of a possibility. Summer is a time to regroup, rest, and do our own enriching activities (whether it is travel, summer camp, art, spending time in nature, further reading and study) which only improves who we are and what we are able to contribute to others. Just my opinion....

The teachers that I know that have "close to year round school" (I don't know any that are totally year round) actually really like it. They may have fought it going in -- but once they get use to it, they really like it. They regroup, rest and do enriching activities throughout the year -- during the breaks. It's still the same number of school days. And the same number of days off.

But there is a big grass roots effort in Georgia -- and probably Florida too -- to "bring back summers". Here is the link to their site http://www.georgiansneedsummers.com

[Jdarg]

Teacher planning days aren't used to sit around and "plan", they are used for inservice classes and seminars where we gain vital training that helps us teach your students better.

Hey Bandman- I know y'all do use the true in service days as enrichment/learning days for teachers. It did seem that this school year was full of random days off for everyone- days tacked on spring break, Good Friday, memorial Day, etc. that were not in service related.

I wonder if it will be too late to discuss the calendar at the SWHS parent meeting next Tuesday (April 29), and do any of the teachers have input, or just the teachers on the calendar committee?

[Goddessgal]

Thanks for the different point of view, tistheseason. I will check out that link, as well. I was talking about this with my husband, and he pointed out that Dutch schools (he's Dutch) are close to being year round as well. Of course they have many holidays and vacation days there. The kids all go home for a long lunch and they also go home early on Wednesdays. The teachers and students I met there seemed well-adjusted, not stressed out or stretched thin. I would like to find out how many days a year they attend. I guess we all resist change, but I still like knowing I will have a block of time off - for now...

[Teresa]

No teacher that I know of (including me and all of my immediate family-all teachers) wants a year round school! Of course, we're not in any unions. For those who are really quality educators, I just see burnout becoming more of a possibility. Summer is a time to regroup, rest, and do our own enriching activities (whether it is travel, summer camp, art, spending time in nature, further reading and study) which only improves who we are and what we are able to contribute to others. Just my opinion....

totally agree with this gg. also, children need a break from school. they need time to rest, enjoy summer, have leisure, etc. I realize its a hardship for working parents to have to find other activities for children to keep them busy and then pay for them as well. I am looking for activities for my kid for the summer but not many. he can just enjoy being a kid without a scheduled life for a while.

[wrobert]

Teacher planning days aren't used to sit around and "plan", they are used for inservice classes and seminars where we gain vital training that helps us teach your students better.

I know some teachers use it for this when these things are scheduled. But a significant number also use the days to burn up comp time they have earned since they can only take it during non-student contact hours. And many also take personal days.

[30ABandMan]

Hey Bandman- I know y'all do use the true in service days as enrichment/learning days for teachers. It did seem that this school year was full of random days off for everyone- days tacked on spring break, Good Friday, memorial Day, etc. that were not in service related.

I wonder if it will be too late to discuss the calendar at the SWHS parent meeting next Tuesday (April 29), and do any of the teachers have input, or just the teachers on the calendar committee?

I have never personally been asked for any input on the calendar. I'm like the rest of you and wait for the e-mail to come from the county office. My wife and I have looked at moving to other states simply because we would have the same number of student contact days but on average 16 less "professional" days a year.

[30ABandMan]

I know some teachers use it for this when these things are scheduled. But a significant number also use the days to burn up comp time they have earned since they can only take it during non-student contact hours. And many also take personal days.

That may be true to a point but no of us really get much comp time during the year. I've been here for 4 years and only have 10 hrs.

When we stay after or come in early, it is not compensated. Just like the band program. I get no extra compensation or stipend for all of the after school practices, performances, parades or contest the band attends. My stipend is tied directly to the band performing at 10 football games. If I wanted to do the bare minimum I could choose to rehearse the band only during school hours and save all of my weekends for my family but that doesn't make a strong band program IMO.