Post C - Rob and Katie on the Idea of Year-Round Schooling

Rob and I only have one car. It actually works out perfectly for us because our work schedules line up exactly and it means we get to spend at least 45 minutes of everyday in the car together. We talk about a variety of things and this morning we got to talking about summer break.

Katie Says -

I work for a school in Oswego and we are all looking forward to our time off. Rob was teasing me about how lucky I am that I don't have a “real” job. This led us to a conversation on year-round schools.

I am a huge proponent of year-round schools. I think that kids would retain much more than they do in the traditional model. I also think it would cut down on burn out among teachers and students. A few short breaks a year would give us all time to rest and recharge our batteries, and the shorter breaks would mean that you wouldn't be reinventing the wheel every August. There are arguments about the cost of keeping the school air conditioned during the hottest months of the summer, but I don't think that cost should stand in the way of educating our children the best way we can.

Rob has been wonderful this year and has volunteered three times to come read to my kids. Every Friday we have “fun Friday” in which the kids get to play educational math games. He stayed to play with the kids one week and ever since he has referred to my job as “cush.” He says it with a smile, but I think it is a belief that a lot of people hold about educators. There has been some talk in a lot of places about cutting teachers, and education reform, and cutting pensions.

I fully support reforming our education system. I think we have to if we want to stay competitive on the world stage. I do not think that cutting teacher benefits is the way to do this. I think increasing teacher compensation based on personalized educational standards is the way to go. I also think we can do whatever we want to the schools, but if we cannot find a way to make education a priority at home it will all be for naught. Parents have to get involved, carry over discipline at home, and reinforce skills learned at school. Family involvement is the only way for a child to be successful.   

Rob says -  

I am not opposed to the idea of year-round schooling. As we shifted from agrarian to manufacturing-based economies, we developed a high standard of education. Of course that was a high standard for a different world, and a different economy.  

I think that in today’s America where we all work year-round, going to school year-round makes sense. However, my concern is what Katie refers to as “nostalgia.” I do think Summer Break offers a great chance for kids to do things like play baseball, go to camps, go on vacations, and explore their interests. During the school year, academics come first. Summer breaks offer a chance for a child to immerse themselves in dinosaurs, astronomy, music, art, and even baseball. Children have the chance to find their interests and establish their identities.  

However, in this age of constant diversions and distractions, I think that it is pretty important that children learn how to manage time. The additional lessons that would come along with a 9-week-on, 3-week-off school year would be prioritization, planning, and familiarity with the decidedly un-seasonal work lives a great majority of us live.  

To be honest it’s not something I’ve spent a ton of time thinking about. I’d really be interested in seeing the financial impact something like shifting to a year-round schedule would have on the taxpayers. Are there maybe ways to negotiate better gas-rates for busing if you’re buying year round? Is the cost of heating and air-conditioning going to be predictable and reasonable? Are school employees going to demand more money, now that they’ve lost their opportunity to work a summer gig?     

I guess year-round schooling is the subject matter. We're curious what Yorkville's parents think about the idea. Leave a comment below.