When should schools start?

[bethbuchall]

We go back after Labor day- it actually stinks that some districts start earlier because AP exams have to be in May for the districts that have early summer break- it means the kids that start school in August have a month of instruction more for the AP exams than the kids that start after labor day, not really fair.

That is why most of our AP classes assign summer homework. Back before the common core push, our AP students used to get to kind of slack off after AP exams through the end of school. They didn't stop working completely, but there was more flexibility in the classrooms, less homework, and more fun learning. It seemed fair because they had already put in extra work before the school year started. Now, though, the district is requiring them to complete projects or other things that require a lot of time and effort.

 

[kimblebee]

That would suck for us. Year round schooling usually gets like a week or two off together but broken up throughout the year- would totally kill summer camps, travel camps etc- who wants to go to go to camp in the winter? And it would screw up vacation for us if only a week off, we typically go longer than that and last year went away for 7 straight weeks. I would not like that at all.

Winter camp is so much fun! Of course, the beach is out for swimming, but there's skiing and snowshoeing, and sledding.

 

[lesliekatya]

I wouldn't mind year round schooling either. The kids just finished week 3 of school and they are still reviewing material from last year.
I think Arizona has year round school, because the kids get 2 weeks for fall break, 3 over Christmas and 2 for the spring, plus another 6 over the summer.
I work full time so to me it really doesn't matter because I only have 3 weeks of PTO anyway which is enough for one vacation and a few days over Christmas break. The rest of the holidays, my kids would be at daycare.

Boy, that sounds like paradise to me! Provided the teachers didn't load them up with homework over their breaks.

 

[missbrooke06]

I'm from MI so all the public schools went back Tuesday and tourism in Michigan was saved because of it, I guess.

The thing that fails to compute for me is that after 4 days of school, fall athletics for middle school and high school students are completing week 3. If you have an athlete (or marching band player) in your family, you aren't going anywhere in August anyway without affecting their playing time.

I always went to paraochial school and appreciated the fact that starting in late August meant Semester 1 exams happened December 21-23 and that Semester 2 ended the Friday before Memorial Day.