Come mid-August, "There's nothing to do! I'm bored," are phrases heard by all parents of children attending traditional calendar schools. For centuries American schools have implemented a calendar that caters to the agricultural industry, allowing for an 8-10 week summer break, for what was once, a common practice of children helping on the family farm. Today more and more school districts and parents have begun to consider the option of year-round schooling. According to Karen Rasmussen, a writer for ASCD.ORG, a diverse, nonpartisan, community comprised of 115,000 members, which includes superintendents, principals, teachers, and advocates from more than 128 countries, “Educators who have tried alternative schedules cite many benefits, including happy and focused students and teachers; students who return to school ready to learn; …show more content…
The difference lies in the how the school year is broken up. An example of a modified calendar would consist of; a 30 day summer break followed by 45 instructional days; a 15 day fall break followed by 30 instructional days; a 3 day Thanksgiving break, then 15 instructional days; a 15 day winter break followed by 45 instructional days; and to round out the year a 15 day spring break then 45 instructional days. Contradictory to many opposers; students, families, and teachers still enjoy a summer vacation with a year-round school schedule. In fact, a modified calendar offers families more flexibility when it comes to planning outings and vacations. With a modified calendar families can plan for a winter or even spring vacation. According to the National Association for Year-Round Education, when students and teachers return to school after a short break they are less stressed, happy, focused and ready to learn (BENNECKE