By: Chris Meeks and Chris Winfield An Informative Presentation On Their Genius

Year round schools are growing in size. Year round schools are all around the country: California, Texas, Florida, and Kentucky have two million students in their systems. Montana is also gaining students. Most communities, towns, and cities are against the seemingly confusing calendar. But in Minnesota there are twenty-seven year round schools and they have ALL succeeded. Year round schools should be considered more by school districts and parents because it is a space saver: More students fit in a year round school. But most school boards shy away: it is considered controversial and not well understood by parents. However, in one school district, parents are asking for a high school year round program.

In the traditional calendar, there is a long summer break of twelve weeks and nearly three more months of classes until a three day Thanksgiving break. Then, a month later, the winter holidays come for up to two weeks, and then fifty-five more school days occur and a week long spring break comes. Then, forty more school days pass before the summer break comes again. Students are usually exhausted by March and slowly lose their academic skills. In the balanced calendar, there is a shorter, but still refreshing summer break of thirty days. Then, there are forty-five days of learning and a rehabilitating fifteen days of fall break. There are another thirty days of learning, and then a three day Thanksgiving break. Then, a set of fifteen days of learning comes before a fifteen day winter rest. Then, another session of forty-five days of learning occurs. A fifteen day spring break, double the traditional calendar, brings students back in the mix for a final forty-five days of learning.

Single Track: provides a balanced calendar for a more continuous period of instruction. Students and all schools personnel follow the same instructional and vacation time. Single-track does not reduce class size, nor does it it allow a school to accommodate more students. The longer summer vacation is shortened with additional vacation days distributed throughout the school year in periods called ‘intersessions.’ Multi Track: primarily to alleviate overcrowding, although it also requires the educational single track YRE, including intersessions. It was designed specifically for schools for a shortage of classroom space. Multi track divides students and teachers into groups, or ‘tracks’ of approximately the same size. Multi track is a “school within a school” concept.

A middle school turned into a need for space. It was created alongside regular schools with little controversy and had the support of the administrative system, school board, and staff. That same school now has grades five through nine of and allows for an ease on space for other schools. The parents also wished for a year round elementary school and now works in the same building as the normal elementary school. No child is forced into the programs. The year round school is good for needs students and gifted students. Data is showing students do better with shorter summer vacations and refreshing breaks through the year.

US National Totals Total number of states47 Total number of public schools districts483 Total number of public schools3009 Total number of charter schools119 Total number of private schools78 Total number of public/charter/private schools3206 Total public/charter/private enrollment As you can see it, it is the way to go.

Number of states45 + D.C. Number of districts487 Elementary Schools 2353 Elementary Enrollment Middle Schools309 Middle School Enrollment High schools265 High School enrollment Total Public Schools3009 Total Enrolled

But what about OUR opinions: Chris Meeks: I believe that it would be a good system, but it is too different and I am not used to it. Chris Winfield: I personally believe that year round schools is very smart, and I would much rather have many breaks than what was made for farmers who needed children in the summer.