Petition for a Balanced Calendar in Cobb Schools

#31: - Re: MomO3

I agree.  I think we should be more concerned and on fire to add back the days they took out of the school calenday!

#40: MT - Re: Look at Tax Revenue in Sept and Feb

The problem is that the teachers give work that needs to be completed over these breaks.  It's only a break if the kids don't have projects, upcoming tests, etc. due when they get back!

#226: - Re: Re: MomO3 

 Interesting point.

With those days gone from the school calendar, the students/teachers are already getting more time to relax, blah blah blah.

#227: - Re: Re: Look at Tax Revenue in Sept and Feb 

Not only do they have school work to do over the breaks but they are also not released from any school related practices. We cannot take a break when the school is closed but  the coach or band director is still calling practice or even scheduling extra ones. We might as well go to school.

#210: - Re: Re: Re: School Calendar 

 

So your saying that they couldn't wait a couple of days for the regularly scheduled board meeting and were forced to call a special meeting and that SAC's and the Grand Jury were both wrong in chastising them for this? Wow your right they've done nothing wrong at all, oh and. An you tell me how many other campaign promises, other then changing the calendar, they've completed? That's what I thought!

#41: - Memorial Day to Labor Day is IMPOSSIBLE

I disagree.  I'm only 48 and when I was a kid school started immediately after Labor Day and ended either at Memorial Day or in the first week of June.  How did we turn out?  Just fine, thank you.  There's no reason that kids today can't benefit from the same schedule.  What's all the fixation on the 180?  It's just a number, and we can easily change that to 170 if necessary.

 

#130: - School Calendar 

 

Wow so the schools leave the air off all summer and turn it on in mid July for the kids? How do the teachers stand it when they return to they're classes to prepare for the upcoming year? Oh yeah they turn on the air when the teachers return and turn it off after work hours and on weekends. So the air gets turn on on or around the SAME TIME EVERY YEAR!

#130: - School Calendar 

 

So waiting 1 or 2 weeks saves how much money on gas? And the price of gas is so much better in May and June. Wake up and quit making excuses that don't hold water! The county is going to have to pay for gas 1 way or the other and they're going to have to pay to heat and cool the schools regardless.

#84: Guest - Re: Love that Balanced Calendar 

 

"His stupidity?" how about yours? He's a representative doing what his constituents have asked, what a novel concept, representing your constituents interests, you know the other board members might try this and then maybe we wouldn't be having this pleasant conversation now.

#231: - Re: Memorial Day to Labor Day is IMPOSSIBLE 

 

Or 160 or 150 or even less, hey we can do away with school all together and let the Chinese take over! This isn't the same world you and I grew up in and our kids are behind in education, even with the rest of our own country. Why are you so opposed to trying something new? The old system isn't working as well as it should so lets try something new.

#72: Guest - Re:  

 

So true, summer camps are much more important then school and they would never alter their calendar based on the school calendar. And you right about the heat too, much cooler the second and third weeks of August, it's a virtual winter wonderland then.

It is what was agreed on so it should be honored

#236: - Re: Re:  

 

. 2 weeks makes a big difference!

#237: -  

 

What should be honored, the balanced calendar that was put in place for a three year test or the changing the calendar six months into the first year and not giving it a chance? And I'd watch saying anything about honor around the four as they have shown they have none!

#181: - Which one?

The results from the survey taken in Feb 2011 could only be presented to the board by its creators. They didn't choose to present it then - for reasons unknown - but they could present it now if they so choose. The results of THIS survey will be presented to the board this year whether it gets more signatures or less.

It would be really nice if all neighboring school districts were on a similar schedule.

#109: -

They were voted in to change the calander back to the traditional version as all of the East Cobb parents had their tails in a twist over the balanced calander.  After having their vacations they suddenly liked it and all the screaming about our kids on oven temp buses went out the window!

You have got to be kidding me. I can't believe some of the crap I'm reading. Since when does having a balanced calendar give anyones family more time to be together. The calendar doesn't change the number of days of school each year, it only changes when the students are out. Also, I keep reading about the balanced calendar giving teachers time to re-energize. The average person not working in education only gets 2-4 weeks a year off so teachers have it made when it comes to having time off to get re-energized. Even with the standard calendar teachers get a week off in Nov., 2 weeks at Christmas and another week in April; not counting 10-12 weeks during the summer.
Whether people realize it or not, or like it or not, tax revenue does play a role in this so if you don't want to pay higher property taxes you might want to wake up and smell the roses.
Also, when people claim they want what's best for the students they need to stop and think about what they're saying. With a balanced school calendar it puts our students that want a part-time job at a serious disadvantage to other standard calendar students. Employers want part-timers that can work the whole summer, not just part of it. It also makes it difficult for students involved in extracurricular activities (i.e.- band, football, cheerleading, etc.) to participate in summer programs (i.e.- camps, Boy Scout high adventure trips, etc.) because they're returning to school during the middle of summer, so if you want what's best for students a balanced calendar is NOT the way to go. Think about it.

Our daughter started school three weeks after I began teaching in Cherokee County in August, 2011. This was a hardship on our family. She is an honor roll student, and of course attendance is a priority for our family, which means that she is in school during the third week of September and February, when her mother is on break. Winter Holidays were another nightmare, as her mother was off from December 17 to January 1, while Cobb County was in session through December 22, and did not return to school until January 10th! Once again this placed a hardship on our family, and her mother had to take personal days off from her job to assure her child's safety.
Please reconsider a balanced calendar for Cobb County Schools.

#244: -  

 

The school board doesn't care and has demonstrated this time and time again. So tell us how does the balanced calendar work for everyone in Cherokee? All my friends in Cherokee love it. And as for the Cobb Christmas break, I'm just wondering who took a vacation from the school board then? Or was it one of their supporters?

#243: Common Sense thinker -  

 

You make some very good points, but the problem is Cherokee Co has been using the balanced calendar for 4-5 years now and love it. Oh and if you want to keep the taxes down then start taxing everyone in apartments like you do home owners and charge all the illegals that send their kids to school for free! That should make up the tax differance!

#246: - Re:  

Uhm, who do you think pays the taxes that the apartment owners pay to the county?

#246: - Re:  

Name a leading national school district that uses the Cherokee calendar/August 1 school date calendar?

#244: -  

 Could you imagine working in the real world where the september and february vacations weren't there in the first place?

1. From a teacher's perspective and a mother's perspective, I think the kids did much better with breaks last year!
2. It works for Cherokee!
3. The majority of the voters asked for this calendar!!!