11/18/98
The Auburn Bulletin11/18/98
Article: Parents petition against YRS
By WILLIAM WHITE Auburn Bulletin
More than 30 people spoke out against an alternative calendar for Auburn's schools at their board's November meeting in the high school's multi-media room.
One teacher, who had taught in a system with an alternative calendar, spoke favorably of her experience. More than 15 teachers had spoken favorably about the change to an alternative calendar in a previous board meeting.
Also, a parent called for more art teachers in Auburn's schools. There is only one art teacher in the city's elementary schools.
But before the Nov. 10 meeting, members of the Stop Year Round School Citizen's Group called for parents and teachers to work together to improve Auburn's schools through proven programs and not by simply changing the days students are in school.
"I'm a concerned parent," said David Strobel of Auburn, "one of many parents in Auburn who want nothing but the best possible education for all children in Auburn City Schools.
"After all the research, exploration and dissemination of information, the informed public has reached the same conclusion as even the fact subcommittee. That is, year round school or alternative calendar does not improve academic achievement, not for the average student, not for the gifted student, not for the at-risk student."
Strobel pointed out several things about an alternative calendar:
"Year-round school disrupts family life and family decision making.
"Year-round school places a community such as Auburn out of sync with 97 percent of the rest of the country that ls on the traditional calendar.
"Since 1978, over 680 schools involving 400,000 students that adopted single-track, year-round schools later rejected it and went back to the traditional calendar.
He said Auburn has one of the best school systems, not only in the state, but in the entire country.
"We urge them (the Board of Education) to review the literature, to listen to the community and do the right thing - vote no on year-round schools.
"Then let's work together as one community - parents, teachers and community - to improve our schools and the education our children are receiving through proven targeted programs within the traditional schools."
After the public forum, members of the group of parents went to various public events, like football games, asking for signatures on petitions opposing to changing the school calendar.
"We've collected nearly 2,400 signatures," said Alice Pate of Auburn. "Among these are 424 from middle school and high school students."
The parents presented the petitions, a long position paper and a video tape to board members during the November meeting.
The group has put out about 1,000 yard signs throughout the community.
"The overwhelming majority of those that we met are opposed to changing the calendar," Pate said.
She encouraged everyone to complete the alternative calendar survey and return it to the Central Office across from Auburn High School by 5 p.m. on Nov. 19.
A copy of the survey was published in the Nov. 14 edition of The Auburn Bulletin.
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In the presentation to PTA meetings in each of the system's schools as well as the public forum in the high school auditorium, the administration's pros and cons on year-round school or alternative calendars were:
ADVANTAGES
*Opportunities to provide review and enhancement during intersession.
*Learning and relaxation periods could be more evenly distributed throughout the year.
*The need to review could be less following a shorter summer vacation.
*Vacation periods in each of the four seasons could provide a wider variety of family vacation experiences.
DISADVANTAGES
*Summer job opportunities for students could be lost.
*Childcare could become inconsistent for working parents.
*Church and community activities could be difficult to plan.
*Vacations spread throughout the year could disrupt extracurricular programs.