Calendar Controversy
Parents concerned with changes to school year
By Jennifer Torrens
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Cutting into summer vacation, daycare difficulties and student self-esteem issues are some of the reasons Emporia parents are talking about proposed changes to the Emporia school district’s calendar.
At a public forum held Tuesday morning at Mary Herbert Education Center, parents, calendar committee members, and board members got a chance to discuss some of the issues with the proposed calendar, which would begin with the 2007-08 school year.
The proposed calendar would start the 2007 school year on Aug. 8 and end May 29, not including possible snow days that would extend the year further. In between each quarter there would be three extended learning days available for students who need extra class time or enrichment time. Starting school earlier and having extended learning days during the school year are what have many parents at odds with the new calendar.
The calendar committee presented its goals for the calendar at the forum. The committee, made up of teachers, parents, and administrators, spent the past year working on changes to the calendar with the goal to have 100 percent of students improve their individual state assessment scores in reading and math and have 100 percent of students graduate.
“We can’t expect to see change without changing the way we do things,” said Katie Adams, a literacy teacher and committee member.
Through their research, the committee members studied school districts similar in size to Emporia that used the traditional school calendar and a year-round format. The group found that students need more time for learning and that summer breaks create a loss of learning. They also found that other English as a second language students would benefit more from more class time.
“We wanted to put that extended learning time in the school year and not wait until the summer to try and catch those students up that need to be caught up,” said Adams.
Several parts of the calendar have stayed the same — teacher contract days, school year running from August to May and traditional summer, winter, holiday and spring breaks would also stay the same. But, the addition of extended-learning days at the end of the winter and beginning of spring breaks could turn those times into eight- or 11-day breaks from school.
“This calendar gives students time to catch up before falling too far behind and hopefully student achievement should grow over time,” said Adams.
But parents attending the forum saw several holes in the new calendar’s plan and raised questions, for which the committee and board members did not have answers.
“This is way too early of a start date,” said George Durler, a parent of Emporia students. “We already start earlier than most schools in the state. The lack of vacation time or family time causes problems for families, schools and the students. Not a single parent I’ve talked to wants school to start earlier and it’s disheartening to my children.”
Another question raised by parents was what the extended learning time was specifically going to cover and accomplish and how it would work.
“I don’t think the extended learning days will achieve what you want them to,” Durler said. “The kids who need it most will be the ones who don’t show up. Parents who don’t spend extra time at home or on a weekend will not be concerned with sending kids to extended learning days.”
Steve Turner, assistant principal at Emporia High School and a calendar committee member, said the extended-learning days would not be mandatory at the high school. Teachers would talk with parents about why their students should attend to get them to come. Extended learning days would be similar to the regular school days with lunch served and a full staff at the school. It would not cost extra for students that attend, but the make-up of the courses covered would depend on student needs.
“This leaves a lot of things hanging in the wind,” said one parent. “You have these extra days where kids can go and learn, but you don’t know what you’re going to teach them.”
Karen Belford said she saw problems with the extended learning because students with different needs might feel as if they are being punished.
“The kids who need the extra help are going to feel stupid if they see the other kids off on a field trip,” Belford said. “They’re going to feel punished and left out.”
Other questions unanswered by the committee’s plan were how three days at the end of a quarter could catch up each student, how parents would get daycare for students who didn’t attend the extended learning days, whether or not the school district would still offer summer school and how much it would cost.
“Why are we asking the school board to pass something we don’t have a price tag for?” asked Gwen Longbine, an Emporia parent. “You still have not answered the most important question — what is this going to cost?”
Committee member Ann Coulson said she identified with some of the concerns parents had, but also suggested that this is just an option and may not be a permanent change.
“We have given teachers an impossible job these days,” she said. “They have to teach at all levels and sometimes I fear my students are not receiving the education they need.
“We need to help the students that need help without having the others twiddle their thumbs at remedial learning.”
Kristi DeBauge, an Emporia parent, suggested after-school programs for students who need extra time, instead of the extended learning days. But DeBauge also suggested the board look at the bigger problem facing Emporia’s students.
“Why is there such a wide range between students in each grade level,” she said. “Maybe we need to look at that.”
Coulson agreed. She said her frustration with the school district is what prompted her to join the calendar committee in the first place. And even with these changes she said she is still concerned children are not receiving the education they need.
“We have to prepare our children to compete with all children,” she said. “Not just the ones in Emporia or Topeka, but the ones in India and Japan. Our kids are growing up in a different time. This is a global economy and our students aren’t ready.”