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Petition for a Balanced Calendar in Cobb Schools

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Guest#126 Jan 15, 2012, 17:31

Re: Re:

Cherokee has a balanced calendar and has had it for years.. Their scores are high, so it is not the calendar's fault the scores were low.
Guest#127 Jan 15, 2012, 17:32
It seems like this is what everyone was happiest with, except the school board!
Guest#128 Jan 15, 2012, 18:08

Re: Re:

#116: Guest - Re:

Re: 4. Here's the bottom line: If the school board representatives wish to stay on the board past one term, they will vote for the balanced calendar. If they are interested in making campaign money, they will vote for the traditional calendar.

-  here's the bottom line - every board member who voted for the balanced calendar and had to face the voters after the vote - lasted only one term"

 

That's wrong. The people who were elected had a mandate of transparency and openness, not to quickly get rid of the balanced calendar. And they failed by changing the calendar that quickly- even though through their own poll, they knew it was the most unpopular decision. Nice spin, though.

But this NEXT election WILL be a referendum on the traditional vs. balanced calendar. There are three members up for re-election- two who supported the balanced calendar and one who went for the traditional calendar. We will see by the next election if the traditional calendar stands.

 

Guest#129 Jan 15, 2012, 20:27
It is a Joy for me and Refreshing for my children to have the extra breaks during the school year!!!!
Lynn Abel :)
Guest#130 Jan 15, 2012, 23:47

School Calendar

Wake up people - by starting on Aug. 1st or so several years ago, did you see how it effected the busses and GAS! Did you see how it effected the electric bills in the schools because they had to start turning on the AC in mid-July to make sure the buildings were cool enough once school started. Now, all the counties are dealing with budget issues because of these cost increases for those of you who like to start on Aug. 1st. Also, we have had more heat stroke problems with kids in Fall sports starting to work out in July & early August.
Camps are still going on and fun, educational events are still going on in and around GA but no, we can not get our kids enrolled because we start school on Aug. 1st. Who said we had to get out by Memorial Day. When I grew up here in the Atlanta area, we went back to school in late August and got out the Friday after Memorial Day, so an extra 4 days. It did not bother my family at all. If our teachers and kids need a short break, then take a long weekend in February and actually celebrate President's Day - these were some of our founding fathers and take a long weekend in September if really needed! Educating our kids is more important than week-long breaks right after starting school in August and then again after the Christmas break.
Kick out the unbalanced four#131 Jan 16, 2012, 03:09

School Calendar

The school board voted a calendar in for 3 years to see how it would work and after 6 months the unbalanced four voted it out against the wishes of the public. The 3 new board members were voted virtually unopposed, at least 1 of them was supported by a group call Georgia needs summers, the 3 new board members and 1 existing members had a private meeting voting 2 of themselves as chairman and vice chairman on a Sunday before a regular meeting, they have refused to talk to the other 3 board members and continued to have private meetings amongst themselves, have strange ties to an individual who has told at least 1 of them to hold strong on the calendar vote and not to forget who put them office and who can take them out, this same person was given by someone a copy of the names address and employment records of everyone who voted to keep the balanced calendar and that person then created a hit list and on at least 1 occasion 1 of the 4 tolled 1 of the 3 to quit being a bitch in front of people for asking about the hit list. If changing the calendar was truely a matter of upholding a campaign promise then tell me how many of the other promises have been kept and why won't any of the unbalanced 4 hold regular town hall meetings like they promised? Those seemed to stop when things went south on the calendar vote, I guess refusing to return phone calls, letter and emails wasn't good enough they had to make sure they stayed away from the public. These are the facts like them or not and I for 1 would like to know who's running our school board! It's time to bring back the balanced calendar and get rid of the unbalanced 4!
teacher#132 Jan 16, 2012, 04:32

think before making changes

#1: -  

As a teacher, the balance calendar is nice and the breaks are good, however, the orginal balanced calendar was not well thought out and the breaks did not make academic sense. If reviewing the schedule again, consider that all kids need routine  and predictablitiy.They thrive on it.  Breaks should be logical, for example: at mid-term or end of quarters, not at week 6 or 7... it just causes confusion and the  loss of academic momentum. Plan wisely and the balance calendar could be a win for all those involved. Example back out of the calendar from December break... ensuring that the quarter is complete before the kids have the 2 weeks off. And back out from the end of quarters so students don't need to complete major assignments or study for exams during "breaks"-- honestly, for most kids the work just won't happen . Overall . in making these kinds of decisions teachers in all age groups should be asked for input.

Guest#133 Jan 16, 2012, 04:41
Our family is highly upset that we wanted the Balanced Calendar and were ignored! Scheduling doctor and dentist appointments for three children in high school with no weekeays available is a nightmare!
Guest#134 Jan 16, 2012, 04:42
Bring back the Balanced calendar!!
Guest#135 Jan 16, 2012, 04:43
Stop ignoring the voters who elected you!
Guest#136 Jan 16, 2012, 04:45
We need the breaks that a Balanced Calendar give us!
We work hard and deserve them!
Guest#137 Jan 16, 2012, 05:25

Compromise

Why is it that we have to have one extreme or the other? What about a calendar that breaks when the 9 week semesters break? How about more frequent, shorter breaks, instead of a full week off every 6 weeks? August 1st is too soon. 1 week off in September is too much, too soon. How about a nice break in October instead? How about getting the December break started before the 24th and returning after the New Year? Jan 9th was too late this year. Can we put some actual thought into this?
Guest#138 Jan 16, 2012, 05:26

Re: think before making changes

#132: teacher - think before making changes 

 Yes, yes, yes.  Breaks with the semesters make sense.  Someone needs to "balance" the balanced calendar so that it makes sense. There is a compromise here!!!

This comment has been removed by the person who wrote it.

Reason for the removal: no one will listen anyway

Guest#140 Jan 16, 2012, 05:51

Re: AGAINST; where is the petition for THAT?

#36: PArent of 6th and 10th graders (and college freshman) - AGAINST; where is the petition for THAT?

Wow, I never felt that teachers just 'took off whenever they feel like it'...

Feel what you may about the calendar, but please let's remember that these teachers are professionals and spend more time with our kids than we do in a day...

parentof1#141 Jan 16, 2012, 13:59

Not everyone gets on a computer to voice their opinion...So please know that there are lots more than 7 people who are in favor of the traditional calendar. I am hoping that the committee can come to a resolution that will be a great compromise for both the traditional & balanced calendar. And I hope that the committee can do that in the very near future.

ptaxadvisor#142 Jan 16, 2012, 14:30

Balanced Calendar

Do we really need to do this again. The last outcome was pretty clear. See http://www.cobbk12.org/centraloffice/communications/news/2011/Calendar_Survey_Board_Report.pdf
Save our Summer#144 Jan 16, 2012, 14:55

Not Early August Start Date

I would support a balanced calendar, working in an additional break, but not with an early August start date. Have a break in October. Remove some days from the Thanksgiving week. Shorten the Christmas/Holiday/New Year break by a couple of days. Have a February break and Spring Break.
Guest#145 Jan 16, 2012, 15:32

I don't get it

I grew up in Germany, where we have what you call a balanced school calendar. Why I understand that a few breaks are necessary for the kids (I disagree that the teachers need extra breaks), there are a few things I just don't understand:

- why start early August, one of the HOTTEST months of the year? Have any studies been done to asess how much money could be saved on air conditioning for this month county-wide? Why not start at the beginning of September and go beyond Memorial Day?

-Christmas break was 2 weeks long (10 days), why was there a need for 2 additional Student holidays on Dec 23rd and Jan 9th??

Guest#146 Jan 16, 2012, 15:34

Regarding True Compromise

Here's the issue:

The traditional calendar will be gone really soon- if not this Spring, then next Spring. The reason why I say that is because there will be an election this Fall and it's going to be a referendum on the Balanced vs. Traditional calendar. Given the popularity of the balanced calendar, it will be an uphill battle for those who support the traditional calendar.

Given the state of affairs, I think a true compromise should be discussed. I am in support of the balanced calendar, but can understand the views of the other side. Therefore I think that we should at least have a proposal and vote on having breaks in October and February. Having an October break should be right after the first 9 weeks.

So I think the actual discussion should be between the Balanced Calendar as it is written and a different version of a Balanced Calendar. The Traditional Calendar, as it stands now, is no longer a viable option, in my opinion.
Guest#147 Jan 16, 2012, 15:37

Re: I don't get it

#145: - I don't get it

Because it's hot in June and August. Either way, you're going to be hot.

guest#148 Jan 16, 2012, 15:59

Re: Not Early August Start Date

#144: Save our Summer - Not Early August Start Date 

 My thoughts exactly. Start school late August to early September and then do the balanced calendar thing. I do prefer a traditional school calendar for sure but my biggest complaint against the balanced calendar is the early start date. However, Cobb County has its mind made up that students cannot remember what they learned over the winter break so they MUST do finals before the break. The best performing schools in the nation(mostly in New England) do not have this policy. They all take finals after the break. This is why they won't go for the late start date. My argument is that if they cannot remember for 2 weeks they never learned it all.

Guest#149 Jan 16, 2012, 16:13
bring back BALANCE!
Guest#150 Jan 16, 2012, 16:20
Will the 4 on the board do the right thing?