CSD Board Approves School Calendar Changes for 2010-2011
Decatur Metro | November 23, 2009Superintendent Phyllis Edwards sent out a note this morning announcing that the Board of Ed recently approved significant changes to the 2010-2011 school calendar. The note can be read in full after the jump.
Here are links to both the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011calendars (both PDFs) so you can view for yourself.
At first glance at both schedules, the major changes seem to be that the school year starts a week earlier in August and there are now full weeks off in September, February and around Thanksgiving.
CSD Parents/Guardians:
As we end the second 6 weeks of reporting progress, I wanted to take an opportunity to remind you about the Board-approved calendar change for the 2010-2011 school year.
I notified you on March 11, 2009, after the Board of Education acted on the unanimous recommendation of the District Calendar Committee and myself, to adopt a 2010-2011 calendar that looks different from what most of us are used to. The back of this letter reminds you of those differences and provides an overview of the important factors used in the calendar recommendation process.
City Schools of Decatur has chosen to contact local child care providers and gather intents from these providers to offer learning experiences for your children during the interim breaks. This calendar only shortens the summer break by one week, combining other individual days into larger interim breaks. As of today, we have received positive intents from the City of Decatur Youth and Family Services, ColorWheel, and Decatur-DeKalb YMCA. In addition, I have authorized our school buildings to be used as locations for our own teachers to offer special interest camps, similar to the partnership last summer CSD enjoyed with the City of Decatur Youth and Family Services Department. Our employees are our most important resource, and you could choose to take advantage of their expertise and passion for content and engaging learners.
This calendar reminder is important for all families to understand. Please know that this is our current iteration of the calendar. As we all continue to struggle with a weak economy, Governor Perdue may choose to furlough more teacher days. CSD’s conservative budgeting process allowed us to not furlough teachers at this point. Another cut in funding may force us to revisit the 2010-2011 calendar.
While we understand that the new calendar will produce some challenges, we are excited about the change, and are hopeful that it will yield teachers and students who are even more engaged.
Sincerely,
Dr. Phyllis A. Edwards
Superintendent of School
So someone please ‘splain me why the changes – some sort of cost cutting?
Seems to me like the primary impact is more time/money spent on daycare for two-parent-working households. Granted, I don’t have a kid in CSD, but I wouldn’t like the idea of working parents subsidizing time off on the calendar.
Am I missing something?
When this thing passed I was surprised, because I think it has more of an impact on single-parent households, which predominate in the lower side of the socioeconomic scale. Not something you’d expect “progressive Decatur” to do.
The counterargument would be that having full week breaks, rather than sprinkling days off here and there, makes it easier for working parents to line up daycare options – camps and daycare programs can more easily put together week-long services than the one-offs that the current calendar requires.
I disagree. It’s easier for many of us to take a day off here and there than a week at a time.
Also, many summer camps are staffed by high-school and college students from all over, most of whom will be in school during these new weeks off. As Karass pointed out, there are far more options available (in a larger cost range) during the summer. Even during spring break we have more options, because most surrounding counties have spring break at the same time and there are lots of childcare options during that week. But since we are the only system anywhere near us to have these weeks off, we will either have to take the time off work (not possible for most) or we are tied to whatever options CSD and CIty of Decatur provide, which may or may not be affordable.
I’m pretty sure the 2010 calender is the result of a conspiracy between daycare centers (because there are so many) and CSD teachers: who wouldn’t want a week off every other month?
it’s okay, the rec center, first baptist and others will kick in some day camp opportunities. Not sure how much flexibility on the number of school days but i think it aways adds up to 180. i’m an all year school supporter which also adds up to 180 days, unfortunately my CSD days are almost over.
Maybe I’m missing something, but I don’t understand how this costs working parents additional $. Wouldn’t they also have to pay for childcare if that extra week remained part of summer vacation?
Also, coming from a family with lots of teachers, I can tell you all the teachers I know are pretty much unanimous in their contempt of year-round schedules. They would much rather put their nose to the grindstone and push through the year with minimal time off in order to have a longer summer break. Perhaps City of Decatur teachers are more enlightened, though.
For the record, I’m still unsure how I feel about it. I see the benefits (and drawbacks) of both.
Re time off in the summer vs during year: A wider range and more inexpensive options exist in the summer–church camps, family members, college students who babysit, jobs for middle schoolers and high schoolers, a wide range of educational and not so educational summer camps all over town. The options will be much more limited for these week-long breaks because only CSD is doing it those weeks. (There are other counties doing it but they are not close enough to offer camp sharing benefits). It’s unlikely that the middle and high schoolers can find a job for just a week.
On the other hand, given that CSD chose this calendar, it is absolutely doing the right thing by making sure that it lines up local choices for child care. If it also offers enrichment and/or specialty camps taught by teachers, then all the better.
I’m not sure about why the “break” really refreshes kids and teachers, if many of the kids will be in all-day camps and many of the teachers will be working those camps.
Biggest problem is the middle schoolers and high schoolers. Few options will exist for them and even when they exist, kids that age resist being sent to them. Lots of middle schoolers and high schoolers sitting at home while their parents are at work is not a good thing. I really hope that CSD’s creative educators can think up some options that will truly attract these kids to productive activities. Some kind of club or service activity that is cool? I’m not sure what but those kids need attention during those weeks just as much as the little ones do. Ideas anyone?
I agree, and, if I ever get a job again, I’ll be up the creek as to what to do about childcare for my two CSD students.
Naaman, you could start your own daycare-slash-“special interest learning experiences”. It could even be open bar!
Sample list of Naaman’s camp activities:
– Go to various Decatur restaurants to let the kids run around
– Field trip to the special “world of curious smells” exhibit at the Dekalb Farmer’s Market. (No refunds)
– Visit the smoky star chamber/war room in Westchester where the CSD cabal plots its next moves.
– Show the kids the movie Wall-E. Then take them to Peachtree City to meet some of the human characters.
– Educational workshops on tips for living in Decatur, such as how to fit 8 foot curtain rods into a green pay-as-you-throw trash bag, how to perfectly center your Obama sticker on your Prius gas tank door, etc.
– Teach them how to hunt squirrels.
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Tee, you may be on to something–though, I’m not sure about insurance…
“- Show the kids the movie Wall-E. Then take them to Peachtree City to meet some of the human characters.”
That’s hilarious. One more:
–Lunch every day at the Brickstore–I would use my connections, commandeer the upstairs, and educate the young-uns on proper pouring of Belgium beer.
LOL @ “Show the kids the movie Wall-E. Then take them to Peachtree City to meet some of the human characters.” Too funny!
Be clear, this is not a year round schedule. Nor is it a move to a year round schedule (per Dr. Edwards). Our current schedule has several partial weeks such as this week’s 2 day week for Thanksgiving. Many families (and teachers) travel and pull their students out of school for the rest of this week. That makes it difficult to get anything meaningful done. I, for one, am also exhausted. It makes sense to me to combine the short weeks into longer breaks. The number of days is still 180 but the breaks are more smartly planned. Also, CSD sent out dozens of surveys to try to get input from everyone. Like always, they try to do what the community wants. I love it! The breaks come at high burn-out times.
Actually, the surveys clearly showed that parents overwhelmingly did NOT choose the “balanced” calendar but teachers did. Parents on the CSD Calendar Committees report that the only option that was truly on the table was the “balanced” one. They were able to delay it for a year but that’s it. They were also able to convince CSD that it could not promote this calendar as educationally superior–the evidence is mixed on the effect–but only as good for teacher morale, recruitment, and retention (no small issue of course!). The CSD Central Office and the Board have the authority to choose whatever calendar they think is best, but it should be understood that parent surveys did not show support for the calendar at all. It was the teacher surveys that did.
Also, many of us have 10-month schedules specifically so that we can be home with our kids during the summer. While not a majority, those of us who have this schedule (includes teachers in other districts, private schools or colleges) will now pay for camps during the school year when otherwise that time would be free–and spent with our children.
Also, I am personally a big believer in keeping kids on schedule as much as possible. It’s going to wreak havoc on these kids to suddenly have a week when they don’t have school (presumably the camps will not start as early as school?). And how are they “resting” if they’ve got to be shuttled off to camps for the week? The trauma of interrupting a schedule to which by that time (sept) we have just become well-adapted will be more disruptive than “restful.”
Also, teenagers with full time jobs over the summer have now had their wages cut by a week.
Also, as a previous poster said, it’s going to be hard to find something to do with our middle- and high-schoolers during these weeks.
Also, I’m really happy for those lucky few who can willy-nilly take their kids out of school for a week to go skiing or whatever. I am not one to take my kids out of school for anything other than illness and I’m irritated that this schedule seems to have been adopted for two specific groups: those who can afford to take vacations throughout the year and now don’t have to pull their kids out of school, and teachers who welcome the breaks and won’t have to find childcare for their own children.
I am not anti-teacher, but I am vehemently against this calendar (can’t ya tell?).
I’m sort of having fun coming up with ideas to capitalize on these week breaks for the kids- and the schools themselves. Many options have been identified in prior comments and indeed in the planning of CSD, but some thoughts that come to mind quickly include (keeping in mind I would hope that scholarships are provided as needed):
* sports camps where the high school teams and Booster Clubs could help put on, w/ any “profits” from camp fees going to the Booster club(s) and the high school level players get experience coaching, assisting others and team building. Glenlake Tennis Center camps helping make Decatur an ALTA powerhouse for years to come…
** Same goes for the Arts students- High Schoolers help put on camps and earn funds towards an arts trip or tuition for their own advanced art classes (hopefully these extra weeks have already caught the attention of the Decatur Art Institute); a Play-In-A-Week in the new auditorium, a new community mural, marching camp for the middle schoolers put on by the high school band… and Eddie’s Attic open mic mini-camp…
** Agnes Scott enrichment classes “TA’d” by Agnes Scott seniors? other retirees volunteering to teach various short courses paired together in a themed week (ie each volunteer just takes 2 hours a day), with tuition “profits” going to the educational foundation…
** DBA comes up with job shadowing opps for high schoolers
** end of week dance as reward for perfect attendence at an officially sanctioned camp/activity?
can others think of local business tie-ins? kind of like the mash up last week, but with a purpose!
Speaking as a parent and a teacher, I think it would be a better calendar if they took out the September break and instead started school 1 week later. The Thanksgiving and February breaks don’t seem as strange or controversial to me.
Rachel, I could almost get on board with that!
I agree with Emily and Rachel that the September break is the most problematic for working parents. Employers expect a spring break. Employers from the North understand the concept of a February winter break. Making the Thanksgiving break a week instead of 3 days is not stretching things that much. But a week in September, the week after the 3-day Labor Day schedule, fits almost no one’s work schedule. September is a month usually packed with work deadlines, conferences, etc., a month when supervisors expect you to be totally on board, giving 150%, not taking time off. One problem is that some educators who have never worked much outside of the educational calendar do not understand what it’s like to work on the usual U.S. calendar. Unfortunately, the U.S. work culture does not allow for much flexibility or time off (not even unpaid leave) for employees especially during a time of layoffs, cutbacks, furloughs etc. Educators and consultants have the option of more time off for less pay (e.g. not choosing to work summers or on breaks) but many employees, even accomplished professionals, do not have that choice even if they are willing to work less hours. Their choice is a job at an intense pace or nothing at all.
More so than other issues, isn’t everyone’s position on this really just going to be about how the schedule personally works for you? And what % of disapproval from parents is necessary to revoke what is favored by the administration and teachers?
Interesting.
That’s exactly right. There’s a related article on this subject in today’s AJC and it makes the most important point: It is impossible to get consensus around a school calendar. What works for some folks is a disaster for others. There is no universally embraced scenario.
One upside though: It makes prolonged discussion and argument unnecessary because everyone’s perspective is personal. Hard to use one’s own circumstances and needs as a rationale to convince others.
“It makes prolonged discussion and argument unnecessary because everyone’s perspective is personal.”
Am I crazy, or is that a pretty ridiculous statement? Isn’t everyone’s perspective on everything personal? So you’re saying prolonged discussion and argument about ANYTHING is unnecessary?
No. Sometimes it’s about near-term cost. Sometimes it’s about long-haul cost. Sometimes it’s about weather or logistics or availability of resources. Sometimes it’s about impact on education. None of these criteria have anything to do with the child care difficulties or child availability advantages unique to each parent.
No one is saying parents in opposition to the latest calendar are wrong. I’m only saying that, were changes made to serve their particular circumstances, they would invariably impact some segment of other parents in a similarly negative way.
People’s *personal* circumstances will never align universally. That’s just the way it is.
Actually the parent survey showed that there WAS some alignment of opinions among parents–it was against the “balanced” calendar option. Central Office and the Board decided that was best wasn’t necessarily what parents preferred. That’s within their authority to do so but then they shouldn’t be surprised if they get pushback about the calendar either from the parents on the Calendar Committee or in the general school community. That’s just life in the big city. If the implementation of the calendar is handled well and parent concerns are either addressed or turn out to be unfounded, then another set of parent and teacher surveys might show different results. Or not.
I was under the impression that the calender was going to be the way it is regardless of parent input. Verdad?
The calendar is set for next year, i.e. 2010-2011. But another Calendar Committee is set to meet if it hasn’t started already. I’m sure it will be spoon fed what Central Office would like to see for 2011-2012, but there’s the possibility that the Committee can persuade Central Office to do some evaluation before deciding. Or at least before the 2012-2013 Calendar is decided. And you never know—sometimes decisions are revisited although I doubt it will happen for 2010-2011.
Find out who your school representatives to the Calendar Commitee are and let them know how you feel. One will be a parent volunteer and one will be a teacher/staff person. That’s the way it ought to work–that your school representatives get input although I don’t think it’s been happening.
Except that the “traditional” calendar is most widely used and therefore a structure of childcare opportunities, vacation opportunities, and employer expectations is already set up (spring break is a great example–most metro systems and even many colleges have the same spring break). Going with a non-traditional calendar when no one anywhere in the vicinity is doing the same thing means that we are essentially left with very few alternatives and every parent will deal with significant difficulties, whether it’s finding affordable childcare during these breaks, getting time off from work, or dealing with insano children who’ve been thrown off schedule. I’ll have to read the AJC article, but I feel like I disagree with the idea that it’s impossible to get consensus around a school calendar. We’ve sort of had that for several decades, haven’t we?
This is essentially more about the parents’ needs vs. the teachers’ needs. The teachers get a week off staying home with their kids or going on vacation with their kids. The parents are left to scramble to restructure their vacation leave at work, childcare, etc.
Emily,
Try setting it up. My son is already going to be at the first baptist church. They have a great program. If you really can’t find anything then start complaining again. But try first.
I love the new calendar and I was actually disappointed when it wasn’t introduced this year. I know that it is easier for me than some parents as I only work part time. However the reason I love it is because it gives the kids a break. My Kindergartener was so exhausted by December break last year. My kids may have to go to one of the camps at least during one of the breaks but playing all day is more restful than concentrating on school. Of course my kids have a night owl tendency so a later start in the morning is a rest for the whole family. It might take them a few days to get back to the early morning routine but all these days here and there have the same effect anyway. I think the Thanksgiving week is a no brainer because nobody is concentrating for the 2 days normally. Swapping a week in August for a week in September is great. The temps are nicer in September so it is a chance to take the kids outdoors more. Also a lot of the camps stop at the end of July. Not having two extra days in the first full week of Jan is a good thing too. Concentrating the single days in Feb and March sounds like a great idea.
Two full months off in summer is plenty for most kids. They start getting bored of the holidays by then and are less willing to entertain themselves. As for parents of middle-schoolers and high-schoolers maybe something could be organised where they run or help run some inexpensive camps around Decatur for younger kids with an opportunity to earn service hours which I think is an IB requirement. Or they could volunteer elsewhere with less competition from other students who will be in school, for other service hours. That may help older kids balance their year by not having to take on these things during the rest of the year.
Many I’ve spoken with like the new calendar; I do, too. I’m a full-time worker, and though I receive a number of weeks of vacation each year, we can’t take multi-weeks off throughout the summer. So, I have had to send my son to lots of summer camps. This new schedule enables me to spread out the weeks off that I’ve earned and spend more time with him, whether on a vacation or a stay-cation.
It may be that everyone just loves the balanced calendar but that’s not what the parents who responded to the poll a year or so ago indicated. The majority, ~70% I think, were against it. But maybe they’ll be proven wrong. Another poll after a year of the new calendar should indicate how parents feel after they’ve tried it. Listening to parents is just one element that influences a CSD or School Board decision. However, the last election, closer for both incumbents than any election in years, is what happens if people feel their representatives aren’t listening enough.