LENAWEE COUNTY, MI (Toledo News Now) - Withall the canceled school days this year due to the weather, it may seem likestudents are going to be in school all summer. But now a Michigan schooldistrict is actually considering changing their calendar to have year-roundschool.
Theidea is being tossed around at the Madison school district, just outside ofAdrian. They call it a balanced school year, and parents could have the optionof signing their kids up for it as soon as next year.
"We'vehad meetings with our faculty, we've been doing research, we've been looking atwhat possible schedules could look like," explained Superintendent Jim Hartley.
Hesays they're ready to offer year-round school for elementary students once theyget school board approval.
Howit works:
Students would start school in July, about 20 days earlier than the currentstart date. They would have extended breaks during the school year, and finishat the same time as students on the traditional schedule in June.
Hartleysays the plan has its benefits.
"Basically,it's to eliminate that huge learning loss that occurs when children have 10-12weeks off in the summertime," he said.
Someparents say they want to wait and see how the optional program goes beforesigning their kids up for it. Others think it's a great idea.
"Ifthey get breaks spread out during the year, I think they don't lose as much[as] during that long break over the summer," said Angie Sword, a resident ofthe area. "I think the summer break, they just lose too much."
SuperintendentHartley says they've had enough interest from parents to fill at least oneclassroom at each grade level in the elementary school. They want to see how thatgoes before looking at offering it for the middle and high school.
"It'ssomething we're open to," he said. "We want to get some data ourselves and seehow students perform on the new calendars."
Theschool board is set to vote on the balanced schedule later this month.
