UGH, school starting before Labor Day!!!

[timeos2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close timeos2]

Fixed weeks aren't a good choice most of the time

When we bought our Maui timeshare we bought a fixed date of August 27 - September 2. We thought that would be fine, since school always started after Labor Day. We were fine for a few years, then bingo, the district changed and schools started before Labor Day. That's when we started trading the Maui unit and started visiting other islands.

One of the myriad of reasons there are VERY few fixed weeks that make good sense to own. Having travel plans always fall on predetermined dates for years in a row is almost an impossible dream. While we do own two fixed periods only one - the Cape Cod late July week - makes sense, as if you don't own it's almost impossible to get and trades like few others. The second would be much better if it was float or in a good points system as we have only stayed in that week / unit once in over 15 years of ownership.

[bezerk Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close bezerk]

Schools start in August in Mexico. Son will start flight school in Mexico ( college) then and I am so happy....have homeschooled for about 7 years now and well I am done, totally and forever, thank goodness......Now someone else can teach him LOL.

School starting early on the North East Coast, well guess have to get a babysitter and go on honeymoon, come on all....might be a good opportunity LOL. No, being a former New Englander I do feel bad for you all....heck it is your last hoorah before that cold creeps in...ugh...

Wow, Michigan has a law on when schools cannot start, different!

[Carlos Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Carlos]

Another Perspective on It

But we don't have snow where I am. Still trying to figure out the rationale for moving the date.

You may not have snow, but your child's high school may be taking AP tests and they are certainly take California's Standards Tests. This gives the teachers more instructional time for both the AP tests and standards tests. Please note that your childrens' peers in many other states particularly in the South have much more time to prepare for the advanced placement tests.

Also note that schools' schedules were originally made with an agrarian society in mind back in the day. Spring breaks and summer breaks were made to accommodate the farming seasons. With everyone being so accustomed to years of this. It is difficult for schools to break out of this cultural expectation. School years could be longer, but parents would revolt if that were to happen.

[Ann-Marie Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ann-Marie]

What school district are you in? Oyster Bay starts 9/9. I babysit for school teachers from 3 different local districts. They have all said that when a district has classes when most others are off, there is a very poor attendance rate. Sometimes you have to do what is best for you. If your district starts that early and most parents don't know it yet, I'm sure others have plans as well. I would think that a lot of them will keep their plans. Especially since the first week of school starts out with a lot of review. Also, the kids will have 2 days of school, and then 3 days off. I would go ahead with your travel plans and not worry.

[bnoble Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bnoble]

School years could be longer, but parents would revolt if that were to happen.

I would have no trouble with a longer school year. While it would make vacations more difficult, it wouldn't be a bad thing. We have no farm on wich the kids can help...

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

I would have no trouble with a longer school year. While it would make vacations more difficult, it wouldn't be a bad thing. We have no farm on wich the kids can help...

I've heard recently that some districts were considering 4 day weeks, in order to cut down on costs.

[Twinkstarr Member Find all posts View Profile Close Twinkstarr]

Michigan is similar. By law, as of a year or two ago, schools cannot start any earlier than the day after Labor Day.

Cedar Point amusement park and other vacation industries here in Ohio took notice of what MI did and have started lobbying for post-Labor day start here too.

Now that runs against the Gov.'s plan of wanting to add the equivalent to 20 days to the school yr. One of the Toledo Public schools(one of their specialized ones) has been doing this for a few yrs. Added some dates and extended the school day.

My eldest is in the 6th grade at our Jr. High and he comes home shortly after the Gov's plan is announced complaining about going to school for 20 more days. Ask how he knows about this, reply "all my teachers were talking about this and they don't like it either."

[Twinkstarr Member Find all posts View Profile Close Twinkstarr]

Yeah, it makes sense for the hotter parts of the country to do it differently, but here, summer really starts in July and ends at Labor Day. We can get some great days in June, but it's "iffier."

I am in some real trouble over this, btw, it is throwing a major monkeywrench into my Newport plans.

Our spring break in OH has always been around Easter since I was in school many moons ago.

So when I look at the school schedule at the beginning of the year(or when they post it in Feb for the next yr) I assume Easter is spring break time. About 4 yrs ago, I look and think Easter is really early. We actually had Spring Break 2 WEEKS before Easter, reasoning was the state hadn't set the State Testing dates and going from history they would fall around the 2 Easter weeks.

You should have seen some of the school board meetings! Pitchforks, torches and parents upset that they couldn't go on break with Aunt Flo and Uncle Bob to their TS in Orlando.

It will be interesting to see what our district does for 2011 with Easter being on 4/24.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

It's very different on LI, tho......Our summers (true warm weather) start way later than many parts of the country, so it's important to get every single week in August, including those first few days in Sept. And besides, everyone knows summer isn't over until after Labor Day.

BTW, even my DD's college in Manhattan doesn't begin until after Labor Day.

My DD was accepted into Grad School in NYC and the start day is 8/28!

August is the BEST month at the beaches of Long Island/Jersey shore....

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

My DD was accepted into Grad School in NYC and the start day is 8/28!

August is the BEST month at the beaches of Long Island/Jersey shore....

Congratulations, Pat! Except for losing her for that last week in the Hamptons...

If my kids were younger, I would take them out. But missing the first week of high school is really not a good idea. Among other things, I would lose the opportunity to make any necessary quick changes in their schedules, and teachers announce required supplies that week, expected homework and testing schedules, etc... (the advance/online supply lists are only available for middle and high school). In addition, they can't afford three "illegal" absences in the beginning of the year - they oversleep so much that one of them is having to fight to keep his grade in first period because he's missed it too much (our school starts ridiculously early, the bus comes at 7).

[StressCadet Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close StressCadet]

Congratulations, Pat! Except for losing her for that last week in the Hamptons...

If my kids were younger, I would take them out. But missing the first week of high school is really not a good idea. Among other things, I would lose the opportunity to make any necessary quick changes in their schedules, and teachers announce required supplies that week, expected homework and testing schedules, etc... (the advance/online supply lists are only available for middle and high school). In addition, they can't afford three "illegal" absences in the beginning of the year - they oversleep so much that one of them is having to fight to keep his grade in first period because he's missed it too much (our school starts ridiculously early, the bus comes at 7).

Um. first bell here is 6:59 AM...my daughter is going to be in for the shock of her life next year

[Twinkstarr Member Find all posts View Profile Close Twinkstarr]

My DD was accepted into Grad School in NYC and the start day is 8/28!

August is the BEST month at the beaches of Long Island/Jersey shore....

I graduated from Purdue University and we always started the last week in August. Every other yr my dad couldn't make the trek, as the big forest products trade show was held the weekend I needed to go back.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

GrayFal

My DD was accepted into Grad School in NYC and the start day is 8/28!

Too bad about the 8/28 start date, but congrat's on the grad school acceptance.

[bnoble Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bnoble]

Graduate school: the best seven years of my life.

[jlwquilter Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jlwquilter]

Michigan is similar. By law, as of a year or two ago, schools cannot start any earlier than the day after Labor Day.

In Palm Beach County FL, 2 years ago, a similar law was passed... but that school can't start any earlier than X days BEFORE Labor Day. For 3 years before the law was passed, the start date crept up several days each year. Right before the law passed school was starting August 8th!! Now it's about mid-August. And the sole reason for the start date creep was to get as many days in before FCAT testing as possible... which isn't until February or March anyway.

The kids get out the first week of June so we do get a jump on summer vacations. A trade off, as previously posted.

A 4 day school week would cause major issues with working parents though, I would think. They'd have to come up with a full day of child care every week on top of after school care expenses. Woof! That would be so expensive!