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Adoption of a Continuous Calendar
Adoption of a Continuous Calendar by the Mason City Community School District
Mark A. Young
Educational Leadership 271 (EDL271)
Leadership and the Profession
Drake University
Dr. Elaine Smith-Bright
November 27, 2011
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Adoption of a Continuous Calendar
There is a famous and likely apocryphal Chinese curse that goes “May you live in interesting times!”. With that in mind, there is no question that we are entering an interesting period in the field of education. Over the past decade, we have seen attempts at innovation at the Federal level through the passage of NCLB. We have also seen the adoption of standards by various states in an attempt to standardize measures of achievement and learning and improve education. Iowa is in the process of developing a blueprint that Governor Branstad and the new head of the Department of Education, Jason Glass, hope to use to raise the bar for Iowa teachers and students.
Among the strategies set out in the Blueprint is a commitment to foster change and encourage innovation in how we organize our schools and teach our students. It promises flexibility to try new ideas and to approve waivers based on those ideas. At Mason City Community Schools, we pride ourselves on innovation and are always looking for ways to think outside the box to benefit our students.
We were one of the first school districts in our area to implement all-day, every-day kindergarten. Our district took the lead in organizing the other schools in Cerro Gordo County and as such we were one of the first counties to adopt the one-cent local option sales tax to provide revenue for school infrastructure. Mason City established a comprehensive four year old pre-school program using certified teachers based on
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Adoption of a Continuous Calendar
best practices, data and curricula, and we have now collaborated with one local private pre-school program to further expand the program to meet the needs of the community.
Identified as a DINA school district, and having one SINA-2 school building, Mason City needs to raise the achievement levels and close the gap between those students of lower socio-economic status and those who have been more fortunate economically. Although our students generally achieve at a level that exceeds that of the State of Iowa and that nation as a whole, those students who suffer from poverty, family discord and mental health status are in need of our time and attention and the security that quality public education can provide them. The gap between low-SES students and the general population continues to be a primary focus of our Administration, our school board and our staff.
It is long been established that certain students populations, including those of poverty, ethnic minorities and special education students lose ground compared to their peers during the time spent away from school, particularly during the summer break, which traditionally has been nearly three months long. (Cooper, Nye, Charlton, Lindsay and Greathouse, 1996). The data is clear that for those students, the time off in the summer is not productive, and that many of the achievement gains during the school year are lost during the summer.
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Adoption of a Continuous Calendar
The data regarding a continuous calendar is somewhat mixed in terms of results for all students and at least researcher believes more study is needed to prove the long-term of a continuous calendar. (Cooper, Valentine, Charlton and Melson, 2003). The same research showed that there is evidence that those students most impacted by the time away from school can benefit greatly from a non-traditional calendar, one that uses
shorter breaks spread out over the whole year compared to the traditional calendar where students do not attend school at all during the summer months. The agrarian calendar, adopted in the United States back in the 1800’s, was created to meet the needs of a society that no longer exists, where the children were needed to work at home during the long productive summer months.
The idea of year-round education is not new. In 2007 according to the Digest of Educational Statistics, more than two million public school students attended year round schools. The most cited criticisms, including building issues in the summer and having more than one schedule in the district, are not applicable here as it contemplates one district-wide schedule and all buildings in the district are now air-conditioned.
Although there is a legitimate disagreement about whether a school district should adopt a continuous calendar that may primarily benefit those students of poverty and those that are struggling academically, at least one reviewer found that even if the benefits to certain students were minimal, students, parents and staff found the year-round educational experience to be generally a positive one. (Cooper, et al., 2003).
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Adoption of a Continuous Calendar
As part of the adoption of this initiative, I have prepared the following attachments that I believe would be appropriate to its success:
FAQ
Timeline
Samples of continuous calendars from other Districts
Letter/Survey to Athletic/Activities staff
Two alternative calendar examples for continuous calendar
These documents are attached to the end of the assignment. As stated, because our buildings are equipped with air-conditioning, the costs of operating an additional few weeks in the summer should not be substantial, when offset by an additional week in the winter break. Other than the time necessary for administrative time and attention to ramping up a new school, there should be no need for additional staff hiring or costs associated with the change in schedule.
The primary focus of the community meetings, and particularly the staff and professional development preparation would be focused on how to structure the remediation and/or intercession programming. I believe that the keys to buy-in with the staff is to ensure that any intercession work is voluntary and that those teachers who work those weeks have some break as well. Ideally, one week of each break would be used for intercession and at least one week for a break for all students and staff.
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Adoption of a Continuous Calendar
At the elementary level, it would seem ideal to utilize existing staff in the building who are willing to work those extra three weeks a year (one per quarter) to assist those students who are in need of remediation. Students could be identified and grouped by grade level and would attend school on a schedule similar to that utilized during the regular calendar. This would promote stability and consistency for those students in need of this structure. Hopefully, during the second week, most of these students could utilize the all-day programming with those students who are not in need of remediation.
As noted, there will also be a need to provide space for any students whose parents have trouble finding day care or who already use our after-school programming run by local for-profit agencies. This will create some possible transportation issues, particularly for younger children, as running busses during these periods will negate some the of cost-neutral aspects of the initiative.
Finally, it should be noted that the opportunity would exist for other students to be part of enrichment programs in art, music, science, or other areas, subject to funding availability. The focus of the breaks is to help those students who are struggling and that is the selling point to the community so it would not be appropriate to make enrichment the focus of communications with the community.
At all levels, it may be possible to utilize retired or semi-retired teachers or professional to take one week out of their year to teach in the classroom about their favorite area of expertise. This would be a wonderful public relations outreach and give
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Adoption of a Continuous Calendar
those experienced teachers who don’t want to devote themselves to teaching full-time the chance to teach a week-long course on web design, Shakespeare or the Civil War. It could also be an opportunity to offer an ACT prep course or assistance in applying for college and scholarships.
At the high school level, focus of remediation should be to get those students who are failing or in danger of failing the opportunity for more one on one time in the classroom. In a one-week period, four ninety minute blocks would seem to be appropriate. If a student has four areas, they would be in school all day, but most students would only need to be in school for a portion of the school day.
The work of the various committees outlined below would be focused on working out the details and preferences of students and parents, and would be reviewed each year for effectiveness and possible calendar changes. This would ease some of the burden on administrators who will have to implement the new calendar.
I believe that this initiative is one that has the potential to benefit all of the stakeholders in the community, but it is important to understand that there will always be some push back from some in the community who are uncomfortable with change. Attention on helping those students with the highest level of need and communication that makes it clear that the data shows that adopting a continuous calendar will accomplish this task will make this new initiative a plus for the whole community.
FAQ
(FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS!)
1. WHAT IS YEAR ROUND SCHOOL?
Although it depends on the school district, year round school, or continuous calendar, is just a different way of scheduling the school year. The traditional calendar was adopted over a hundred years ago when children were needed on the farm and with the family during the summer to work in the fields, raise animals, help with chores, plant gardens, etc. Many researchers believe that a different type of school calendar will enhance learning and make school a more positive experience.
2. WILL MY KIDS STILL GET A BREAK IN THE SUMMER?
Absolutely! In fact, the plans at this time call for a six-week break during the summer. Plenty of time to schedule family vacations, reunions and just relax and have fun! Plus, at least twice during the year, spring and fall, most students will have a break of two to three weeks so that you can plan vacations or other family time when the weather is nice but vacations spots are less crowded (and cheaper).
3. MY CHILD HAS STRUGGLED IN SCHOOL AND HAS DONE SUMMER SCHOOL IN THE PAST. SHOULD I BE CONCERNED?
Research tells us that children who struggle in school benefit most by moving to a continuous calendar, because there is less time in the summer to lose the knowledge and skills gained during the school year. Plus, the plan is that any child who is not making adequate progress each quarter will be able to spend part of the extended break time at school working on those areas of concern, rather than waiting until the end of the year to catch up. They will still have some time for a break as well.
4. I HAVE HEARD THAT DISTRICTS THAT HAVE A YEAR ROUND CALENDAR ONLY USE THE SCHEDULE FOR ONE BUILDING? WHAT HAPPENS IF I HAVE CHILDREN IN DIFFERENT BUILDINGS?
Although some school districts that have adopted a continuous calendar have done so only with one or more buildings, Mason City School District believes that it is important that all families with children in the district utilize the same calendar. The board has determined that if a continuous calendar is adopted it will be used district-wide, so that all students in the district will be on the same schedule.
5. WHAT ABOUT SPRING BREAK?
Mason City Schools have made a commitment to keep the traditional spring break on the calendar, and as in years past, the break will occur during the same week as the NIACC break to allow families and staff to plan family holidays and vacations, and to allow the many MCHS students who also take NIACC classes to get a break from their busy schedules.
6. CAN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AFFORD TO CHANGE THE CALENDAR?
One of the best things about moving to a continuous calendar is that because we are continuing to operate the same number of days each year (180), the cost of switching to the new schedule is cost neutral. There will be a cost for intercession programs in the spring and fall which will be paid for with existing funds now used for programming in the summer and other funds that are available from the state to assist the district in reaching our achievement goals. By closing our buildings for an additional week during the winter break, there may actually be some cost savings from utilities. There may be some additional costs overall, but we believe that the achievement results are worth any additional costs of moving to a continuous calendar.
7. I HAVE CHILDREN IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND MY SPOUSE AND I BOTH WORK. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO FOR DAY CARE DURING THE BREAKS?
As part of our surveys we identified day care as a primary issue for our parents who have children in pre-school through 6thgrade. Mason City Schools already partner at each elementary school with local providers for after-school programming onsite. It is our intent to expand those programs so that during the breaks those students not involved in intercession or remedial programming will have quality care and wellness programs available at their school so that their routine is not interrupted. We are looking into transportation costs and schedules and hope to provide the same transportation for those students who already ride the bus to school.
8. ATHLETICS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR FAMILY. ARE YOU GOING TO CUT ATHLETIC PROGRAMMING?
The Mason City School District is committed to offering as many athletic programs at all levels as possible. There are no plans to change any athletic programs due to the adoption of a continuous calendar. There will be some changes to some of the athletic routines depending on how the new school breaks affect individual families. Being involved in high school athletics creates many scheduling issues for families, but nothing about the continuous calendar will substantially change those issues. For example if you have a child in football, practice now starts in early August even though school does not start for two or three weeks. Your family now has to take vacation time prior to August 1st. Those challenges will remain. All Mohawk sports teams are bound by the Iowa High School official calendars and will follow their rules in terms of practice start dates, etc.
Thank you for your interest in the continuous calendar. If you have any questions or comments, please email the committee c/o Sue Deike, School Board Secretary at
TIMELINE
December, 2011Mason City School Board holds committee of the whole meeting todiscuss possible adoption of continuous calendarfor 2012-2013 School year
Jan.-March, 2012Community forums held at each building - distribution
of FAQ’s
April-May, 2012Community surveys emailed, texted and mailed to
teachers, staff, parents, community members and students
May, 2012Formation of committees formed with members from: a. District Comprehensive School Improvement Planning committee and booster club;
b. School board and administrators;
c. Teachers and staff;
Four committees focusing on the following:
1. Transportation
2. Intercession programming
3. Day care/after school programs
4. Activities/Athletic scheduling
September, 2012Committees report recommendations to joint public meeting of school board andDCSIP committee
October-November, 2012Administration and board take suggestions, prepare
recommendations and at least two proposed calendars for review
December, 2012Public hearing on adoption of 2012-2013 calendar
School Board makes final revisions and proposed calendar
January, 2013Vote at school board on adoption of 2012-2013 calendar
Comparison of Continuous Learning Calendars
Des Moines Continuous Learning Calendar - 7 week summer break
School StartsJuly 15th
Fall BreakSept 26-October 14(3 weeks)
1st Semester endsDecember 21(2 weeks)
2nd Semester beginsJanuary 2
March BreakMarch12-23(2 weeks)
April BreakApril 23-27(1 week)
Last Day of schoolMay 23rd
Gadsden, New Mexico- 7 week summer break
School StartsJuly 27
1st quarter endsSeptember 30
Fall BreakOctober 1-8(1 week)
1st Semester endDecember 15(3 weeks)
2nd Semester beginsJanuary 9
3rd quarter endMarch 2
Spring breakMarch 3-19(2 weeks)