Would you want the school system to change to a shorter summer vacation and instead switch to a longer winter break?

[Buzz Rules]

Would you want the school system to change to a shorter summer vacation and instead switch to a longer winter break? I’m curious if that would help the academic skills of students and help them retain knowledge better. Thoughts?

 

[fla4fun]

Well, it depends a lot on when the first semester ends. Our semester always ended in January, and we had midterms around the middle of the month. So those first two weeks after winter break were always review for the tests. If the semester ends in December, before the break, then I think extending the break an extra week or two into January would be OK. I believe it would be detrimental to have midterms after a longer break without that review time. I don’t think too many kids would be studying on their own over a long holiday break.

 

[MillauFr]

They need to get rid of the long Summer Break and replace it with shorter breaks through the year.

 

[Disneylover99]

No. I like the summer break for kids. Some need that extended break.

Great time for summer school - either remedial or getting ahead
Summer camps
Teens can get summer jobs.

 

[mjkacmom]

Heck no! My kids are finally out of school and our district FINALLY removed the presidents week break, if you don’t ski or want to ay crazy high airfares it’s pointless. My kids worked summers in high school, and although school starts back after Labor Day, sports started the beginning of august. School used to end around 6/23 but now it’s a week earlier without winter break.

 

[Lisa_lvspplmvr]

I would absolutely hate a longer winter break and a shorter summer one . Nothing to do outside in winter . I used to love fall but with kids summer is my favorite because I have them home and we can do stuff together.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

I’d be in favor of less school in general. Shorter days, longer breaks, virtual classes, independent study days at home, no-homework policies, whatever. I think our society as a whole needs to find ways to improve “balance” in our lives and I’m not sure children, especially the very young ones, need to be shouldering the weight of more than a full-time job week after week. (We should reevaluate our actual jobs, too.) Perhaps doing so would help with some of the mental health issues we have, as well.

 

[sam_gordon]

I’m not sure children, especially the very young ones, need to be shouldering the weight of more than a full-time job week after week.

How long are kids in school where you are? Or are you including transportation time?

 

[MamaMermaid]

High school teacher here. Summer break is so necessary!!

 

[Schneewittchen37]

I'm all for long summer breaks and just the week-long break in the winter we have right now. There is nothing wrong with the current state of breaks. Summer learning loss is a myth.

Summer camp is huge part of my kids social and athletic life. They do summer swim, winter/spring swim and fall cross country with kids from camp, but they don't go to the same schools. And yes, in about 4 years they will probably be either counselors at that camp or lifeguards at the local pool.

I also like the flexibility of being able to book 2 or 3 week long vacations whenever it's convenient during the summer.

 

[hhisc16]

Our public school district is going to a modified calendar next year: 6 week summer, 2 week fall, 2 week winter, 2 week spring breaks

 

[amylevan]

Our public school district is going to a modified calendar next year: 6 week summer, 2 week fall, 2 week winter, 2 week spring breaks

We’re going the opposite way. We’ve lost spring break (it’s now just the Friday and Monday at Easter). And with virtual instruction, our first 5 snow days are online so we don’t even get surprise days off anymore. (Rarely did we ever exceed 5 snow days).
We start the week before Labor Day and are out before Memorial Day. Who the heck needs 3 full months of summer break? A week in March would do wonders for morale.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

How long are kids in school where you are? Or are you including transportation time?

All together, my kindergartner has a 9 1/2 hour day.

Wake up at 6:10am to leave at 6:35am. Bus gets him to school at 7:03am. School starts at 7:40am, ends at 2:20pm, but he doesn’t board the bus home until 3-ish because the busses take half of the student body home first, then return to pick up the other half. He’s been getting dropped off at home somewhere between 3:20 to 3:40pm each day.

They do an hour and a half of math and two hours and 40 minutes of reading per day, which seems excessive for 5 year olds. That’s more in line with the time I spent on those subjects when I was taking AP classes in high school.

 

[DisneyOma]

I wish we'd have less time off in the summer, but then they'd have to put AC into our schools, and they won't do that. I'd love a later January, early February break that was two weeks long instead of the one week middle of February one we get. My kids are out of school, have been for a decade, but I work in a school so I am still tied to that schedule. They've been generous to let me use family sick days to visit my daughter and her foster kids during the school year, but I can't wait to retire in two years and plan some vacation time that isn't during the busiest times of the year!

 

[scrapquitler]

Would you want the school system to change to a shorter summer vacation and instead switch to a longer winter break? I’m curious if that would help the academic skills of students and help them retain knowledge better. Thoughts?

My preference would be a year round calendar with a week off every 7-8 weeks (or at whatever interval makes it fit the 52 weeks of the year)

 

[RedAngie]

I advocate year round school, like some California districts offer. (Not required.)

Six weeks of school, then a week break.
Two week break for Christmas. A three week break in July or August.

 

[Monykalyn]

High school teacher here. Summer break is so necessary!!

year round calendar would give teachers more breaks regularly vs a longer one that increases kids learning/retention loss

 

[leahgoogle]

Our public school district is going to a modified calendar next year: 6 week summer, 2 week fall, 2 week winter, 2 week spring breaks

This is exactly what I want our school district to do! It makes it so much easier to plan vacations during non-summer times. Our school district is not on-board though.

 

[amylevan]

What do people do for child care with the random weeks off?

 

[leahgoogle]

How long are kids in school where you are? Or are you including transportation time?

My kids' actual school day is 7 hours. This does not include transportation or homework required after school.