3/4's of nations schools now starting before Sept

[mommykds]

I am in NY & our kids start school the Wed after Labor Day (9/7 this year). I like our school schedule but I would trade a week or two in August for a week or 2 in October!

 

[JoiseyMom]

I wonder if it has to do with the tons of Jewish holidays in September. I know for public schools they have a holiday every week in September. Not a good way to start the school year in my opinion.

There is not a ton of Jewish holidays in September. There are two holidays. One is for 2 days, and the other is for 1 day. As a matter of fact, they are not always in September. This year they are in October. Three days off is not a "TON".

 

[tn_disney_addict]

my DD started school today. I don't mind that they start early. It's too hot & humid to do a lot outside here anyway. By starting earlier, we get a week fall break in October. We love to vacation then (to WDW!!!). We also get out a week before Memorial Day.

Hello Maryville! Oak Ridge here , and my DD7 starts on Aug 15th...thank goodness!! She is bored and ready to see her friends and have a routine!

I am finding that with kids not playing outside as much as we used to when we were young, they get bored with a long summer. I would much rather have breaks through the year and a shorter summer! Other than swimming, the youngsters don't seem to be able to handle the heat of summer!

 

[JoiseyMom]

Does it depend on where you live, about the Jewish holidays? I live in the midwest and have never heard of days off for the entire school for a Jewish holiday. No problem with it. Just wondered about it.

Nancy

In NYC, LI, and in some of the towns in NJ, since there is a larger population of Jewish teachers, and students, they do close the schools on those days.

 

[madge]

with some districts starting classes as early as next Monday.

Next Monday? My oldest started school yesterday, LOL...

 

[bigOlkid]

I work for a school district in Alabama, We start next week (Aug 10). Alabama has started in early August for a long time. No prob. I'm yanking my kids out the second week in Sept. to take advantage!!

 

[KarenW]

I live in the Pensacola area, and our schools started this past Monday - August 1st. (It made me wonder if they're just building in some hurricane days on the front end this year.)

That is what I figure they are doing here in Panama City. We start today, Aug 4th. My kids are homeschooled, so it doesnt really affect me, but I can see the pluses (too hot to do anything anyway), but it still seems a little crazy to me.

 

[pooch]

we only get to disney once ever 5 or 6 years (dh not a big fan) and the last 2 times, we went right around labor day. kids miss the first 3 or 4 days of school. so far, based on past experience, hasn't been a huge issue and we work hard when we get back to get them caught up. did a may cruise a couple of years ago & again pulled kids out of school for a week. every child is different, my daughter handles it better than my son for instance, but looking back on your life, do you remember the first 4 days of 7th grade? I have teacher friends who patiently explain why this isn't a good idea and I do understand their reasoning, but I do it anyway. Does this make me a bad parent??

 

[Worfiedoodles]

We live in Boston. My ds ended school June 23rd, and goes back Sept. 6 (basically 10 weeks of vacation). For all of you early starters, did you end that late as well? I'm guessing the amount of summer vacation is actually about the same, because your school year ended in late May/early June.

Oh! and we have school districts that close for the Jewish holidays as well, just depends on the population. Individual children are excused for whatever religious holiday they might be celebrating with a note from parents. We have a very diverse community with children from all major religions.

 

[MNmom]

WOW!!!!

We have always started the Tues. after Labor Day although a few larger districts have moved it up a week or so the past few years! This has made many very unhappy. Our MN State Fair is always billed as the "last 10days of summer" and ends on Labor Day. They have a heck of a time finding workers and attendance drops when schools start early. We have even had a push from the Legislature to keep schools from starting before Labor Day due to the tremendous pressure from the tourism dept. from the many summer lake resorts throughout Minnesota.

Personally- it was really hard to do our camp shopping this year during the end of June when all of the swimsuits were gone and the "back to school" supplies and uniforms were already in the stores

I am very happy to go on a great family vacation to WDW in August and have it be value season at the resorts. My kids won't miss any school and we have very low crowds at the parks

 

[cobbler]

Here kids start Tuesday August 30th. Go to school Tues, Wed and Thurs, have Friday - Monday off and go Tues - Friday. Its the 3rd week into school before they finally go the full 5 days.

To me its just plain dumb to go 3 day in the middle of the stupid week and have a long holiday weekend off

 

[mom22boys]

Here kids start Tuesday August 30th. Go to school Tues, Wed and Thurs, have Friday - Monday off and go Tues - Friday. Its the 3rd week into school before they finally go the full 5 days.

To me its just plain dumb to go 3 day in the middle of the stupid week and have a long holiday weekend off

Sounds very similar to the district where I used to teach. For older students, I would agree that this makes it more difficult to get into a routine. However, I taught second grade and it worked well for the little ones. It is amazing how even a seven or eight year old finds the transition back to school physically challenging. They were tired, hungry, and always going to the bathroom at the beginning of the year!

 

[kadaten]

I live in the Pensacola area, and our schools started this past Monday - August 1st. (It made me wonder if they're just building in some hurricane days on the front end this year.)

We're in Tampa.

My private school kids started August 1, but the public school kids started today, August 4. We both get out May 26!! You might be on to something with the hurricane days....I wouldn't be surprised!

I know when I was little in SC, we started mid-August (whatever Thursday fell in the late "teens") and were out the last day of May. 'Course, we just moved from VA, where it's still law to start the Tuesday after Labor Day...which meant my kids didn't get out this past year until June 15....then back August 1....they got robbed! he he he he he

 

[tazleiten12]

I think that that is crazy. I know in Wisconsin that they supposedly pass a law that they couldnt start school until after Labor Day. In my kids district it only happened that way once. It was great. I usually end up having to take the kids out of school on the Friday before Labor Day so that we can do our final vacation of the summer (ATV riding). I really liked it when it started after Labor Day. Now that my DD16 and in High School, we cant pull her out for stuff like that. It is a shame that the districts pushes kids into school earlier and earlier every year. I know that two of the major attractions near us Six Flags and Wisconsin Dells really hurt when this happens.

HI! I'm in Wisconsin too. I heard about that law, and that year we started after Labor Day. But every year since then we start before. This year we start Sept 1st. So they go to school Thursday and Friday and then the 3 day weekend! I think that is just stupid, why not start 2 days later after the holiday!

 

[bigmac5]

Our kids go back to school the week after Labour Day..the 7th or 8th.

We'll have a long weekend for CDN Thanksgiving in October,
a day off for Remembrance Day in November,
2 weeks at Christmas,
March Break the week of the 15th
Good Friday, and Easter Monday
Victoria Day in May....

And school's out the 28th of June this year.

Ontario is the same except we don't get Remembrance Day off. They do celebrations in school that day.

 

[daisylove]

They said a part of the reason for public schools in Miami & Broward starting so early is preparation time for the FCAT test we have here.

 

[fanofmickey]

Just a little to ILuvWDWorld and ScoJo 15 - I am also in Cherokee County and visiting the World on our week off in September! It seems like half the people I know are going down that week!

Sing it with me, now:

It's a Small World After All;
It's a Small World After All;
(you know the rest!)

 

[LisaMayTX]

I'm in North Texas and my DD (13) and DS (12) start school on Monday 8/8. Having grown up in Oklahoma, we always started school the first part of August and got out in mid-May. I'm also with one of the previous posters - I think it will be an outrage if our legislature changes our school calendar. My DH is in the A/C business, so we depend on our fall break (October) and spring break (usually early March) for our vacations! Unfortunately, we can't make it back to WDW until March 2007, but BOY am I ready!!? And, BTW, have you ever been to Texas in August?!

 

[tallpkb]

Here in Silicon Valley, which is in Northern California, they do it for one reason, and one reason only. They give so many %$(*@$ days off during the school year, they have to make it up somewhere. It's completely rediculous! They get five days off in November, two weeks off in December, one week off in February, and one week off in March/April. And that's in addition to all the other days off for so many other things. And that doesn't even include the "teacher prep" days off they have!

 

[DisneyRow]

That's crazy, at least we've been to Disney this year already