Year Round School

**imported_Sportsman** · March 7th, 2007, 10:45 PM

Delegate Kilgore is on Channel 10 and is talking about how year long school is being considered by the General Assembly......he says 8 weeks on and two weeks off.

What are peoples thoughts on this?

**jtw61194** · March 7th, 2007, 10:55 PM

I'm a teacher and I think I would like it. Six to eight weeks off is too much. Plus, the kids should have an easier time retaining information. I also believe that teacher and student burnout would decrease. I think this will happen somewhere down the line.

March 7th, 2007, 10:58 PM

lol, July in our schools, lol.... wait, lol.

**imported_Coach** · March 7th, 2007, 10:58 PM

i too teach and would absolutely love it. the main reason this would be good in my opinion would be the decrease in burnout. both teachers and students.

**gchsajs** · March 7th, 2007, 11:09 PM

Hey im a student, and i would love it. Definately would help, seems like it'd make high school go by faster.

**UTVols2** · March 7th, 2007, 11:17 PM

How many other states use the "Year Round" school policy?

Or what is a round about % of schools that implement this type of schooling?

It would not suprise me for the State of Virginia to do something like this. They have a habit of making things harder on everyone, at least more than most states.

If I were a student I would not like this or if I were a teacher I would not agree with this. I have about 5 other family members who are teachers and we have talked about this before and they think it is a bad idea as well. They feel that for them once you get into a rythym and finally get the students back into rythym you go on another 2 week break and the students have forgotten everything up to that point and you have to start again every eight weeks and I just feel it would be at a disadvantage to the students and teachers.

**jtw61194** · March 8th, 2007, 12:50 AM

I think there would have to be a lot of research as to the pros and cons of year-round school. Some schools are still on a six class period day while others only have four. Some schools have an alternating schedule with odd number (1,3,5,&7 Periods) one day and even number (2,4,6,&8 Periods) on another. Then you flip-flop every week so you get the same number of class periods in a two-week period. Then you have a 4x4 schedule where you have the same four classes every day and you finish four complete classes in a semester. The second sememster you take another four. There would definitely have to be some uniformity around the state. we started school this year two weeks before Labor Day to end the first semester before Winter Break, so that there wasn't a 10-14 day lull and then another two weeks before the end of course tests. I think the trend of reviewing what you learned last year, because of an 8 week break, is starting to get people leaning toward year round school. Also, in all actuality, I'm sure that most teaching is done in 5 six weeks and the last six weeks is spent reviewing for SOL tests. Teachers have to cram six weeks of stuff into five weeks of instruction. Needless to say, everybody gets antsy. I would think that just maybe spreading the work out over a longer period of time would make this a little less stressful and allow students with academic deficiencies to get the extra help they need, rather than, "Sorry, we have to move on." I have always hated the long Summer breaks. I think the school year is like a big roller coaster ride and it needs to be smoothed out to be more efficient and productive.

**imported_trumpet1988** · March 7th, 2007, 11:18 PM

Year-round school?

As a future band director, I would probably like it. Especially in the summer months because I would not have to chase my students down so much. And we could get a lot more done to prepare for marching band than just band camp.

As section-leader at PV, it could be kinda difficult-by no fault of the younger marchers-to really help the section out during summer.

I'd like it. I think it might work.

So as a future band director, yes, I like the idea.

**aphrodite4ever** · March 8th, 2007, 12:15 AM

Im not really sure how I would feel about year round school. Every kid likes to have summer off, and I know a couple of teacher that teach just so they can have the summers off like that. I can see some advantages to it though. it would really make a lot of sense, you would have enough time at school to get through a grading period and then have a break before the next one begins, not just the half day for teacher work day. That way you dont get burnt out on it. But then you would have some students forget a lot while on break. So im not really sure.

**imported_trumpet1988** · March 8th, 2007, 12:24 AM

For my field, there really wouldn't be too much summer vacation. I mean I would have to schedule many practices in order for my band to be prepared for marching season.

But really. I think they should try it for a year. If they like it, they can k,eep it, if not, then go back to what we usually do. But I think it would work a bit more than people think.