Wednesday, May 19, 2004

BoE eyes adding 5-day Oct. break By JOHN THOMPSON jthompson@TheCitizenNews.com Fayette County parents should know next month if they and their children will have a five-day break from school in October 2005. Though no one is mentioning “year-round school,” the leading option at this point would carve another week out of summer. The Fayette County Board of Education is currently evaluating three possible calendar scenarios for the 2005-2006 year, one of which would extend the school year by one week into June. Curriculum Director Lyn Wenzel told the board that she had conducted an Internet poll and a physical poll to gauge support for the different calendar options. By an overwhelming majority, the polltakers preferred a five-day break in October, along with a week off for winter break and a week off for Thanksgiving. If all the breaks were incorporated, students would start school Aug. 8, and have a fall break from Oct. 17-21. Students would enjoy a Thanksgiving break from Nov. 21-25 and get out for Christmas Dec. 22. Students would return to class Jan. 9. Parents and students would enjoy a winter break from Feb. 20-24 and spring break from April 3-7. But with students not getting out of school until June, school board member Janet Smola wondered how that would affect summer enrollment at local colleges. “We would actually be going to school after those schools have started summer classes,” Smola said. Wenzel said that was something to consider during the evaluations of the calendars. The other two options would have students starting school Aug. 8 and ending May 26. One option would also include three early release days for students, so that teachers could take training on the state’s new curriculum. Smola also had concerns about those days. Instead of releasing kids early on a Monday and Tuesday, she wondered if they could be released early on a Friday, and not return until mid-afternoon Monday. Wenzel said the logistics of bus transportation would probably not make that a feasible option. The calendar options will lay on the table for 30 days, and the board is expected to choose an option at its June 21 meeting.