School starts here ...

[MartySews2]

On MONDAY, JULY 30TH... it's too bad that the children have to go back so early. The children at Campus School only got 8 wks off this summer instead of 12 wks. What a shame!!! Children need more time off to be children & play. They don't have to be minature adults. Grrr ...
Marty

[sewingmom]

Our state moved the school start later this year canceling fall break. They stated that it was for a cost savings. I'm wondering if it will effect Thanks Giving holliday.

[Mom of Six]

In Michigan unless a school is registered as a year round school they can not start until after Labor Day.
The schools are now required so many hours of instruction time instead of a certain # of days. That keeps them from counting 1/2 days as full school days.

[Bama]

It does take away from Thanksgiving Holiday sewing mom. We'll only get Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this year instead of the entire week. It also shortens the Christmas Holiday a bit. Kids here cannot start before August 20th but still have to end the year by May 24th. By lengthening summer breaks it's supposed to boost tourism and so raise state sales tax and income tax collections that go to the Education Trust Fund. Can you imagine how much will also be saved by not having to run air conditioning for as many weeks? Seems crazy to me why they made the early start date years ago. Kids in our state attend about two weeks longer than they did when I was a kid, so they have to cram a lot of days into the calendar. We don't even have weather days added in our calendar this year. I guess we'll make up any missed days on Saturdays. I remember having to do that when I was in elementary school when a tornado hit the area.

Marty, I feel sorry for the kids there. It's too hot to send them back to school so early.
I'm glad our state finally changed it, but wish it was still like when I went to school. We started back the day after Labor Day.

[kjh9835]

Aug. 14th here, out by end of May. We have had snow days built in and if not used, they get Fridays off in May. Makes sense but not for working parents who need childcare or the day off on Fridays in May, glad my kids are no longer needing childcare. My last one is a senior this year (hurray). She told me not to pay her book bill yet b/c she wants to change some of her elective classes but we are getting supplies this week. Thankfully we have a bunch of leftovers from previous years so I won't have to buy much as I stock up when stuff hits clearance price.

She wants to drive this year and we never let the others drive to school on a daily basis but she did pay for her 1/2 her car, all the insurance and gas and we do live out in the country now and we didn't when the others were seniors except for dd19 who had no car and no job so we will probably let her even if it does cause an arguement with the others (that's daily around here anyway, teen drama and PMS)

Kathy

[MartySews2]

I should mention that the city & county schools start Aug 6th. They only get Wed, Thurs, Friday off for Thanksgiving & 2 wks off for Christmas. There are 5 snow days built into the calendar & they get 3 days off for Fall break (not a week). Teachers go to in-service training during Fall break. Campus School is a special school that operates under the auspices of the Univ of Memphis. They go 9 wks, then get 3 wks off, until summer when they get 8 wks off. It's weird. Next weekend is tax-free weekend on clothing, shoes, school supplies & electronics for school.
Marty

[Jeke]

Teachers here start the 18th and kids the 22nd. We have never gotten more than Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday for Thanksgiving and never two weeks at Christmas. We get a couple of shorter breaks in the spring and are out the Friday after Memorial Day. It is what it is. This may be my last year. If not this year then the year after. It is a hard decision to make. Usually I am more than ready to go back, but so grateful to have the time off. Have been working on a denim quilt and have made four skirts for my daughter. Not near as much accomplished as I planned ~ that is the usual though. Have spent a lot of time with my grandkids though and am grateful to be able to do that for sure.

[momquilts]

In my school district in NJ, we are going back to school on Friday, Sept. 7th which I think is absolutely ridiculous! If you're waiting that long to give the teachers the 3 days of meetings, why not wait until Monday for the kids??? We have a 4 day weekend for staff development/Columbus Day. We're off November 8-12 for state teacher convention and Veteran's Day. We have Thursday and Friday off for Thanksgiving, December 24-January 1 for Winter break, Feb. 15-18 for President's weekend, March 28-April 2 for Spring break, and are scheduled to be done the year on June 19! During the school year we have 6 whole days and 5 half days off for staff development. If we didn't have so many of them we could get out much earlier. Our teachers are one of the highest paid unions in the state and they have it in their contract that the day before a holiday is a half-day. With all this time off and all the half days, no wonder our standardized test scores are dropping! There is no continuity of teaching, IMHO.

OK, thanks for letting me vent about my crazy district.