High school district changes school calendar High school district changes school calendar (February 09, 2005)

** Should elementary districts follow?

By Marjorie Mader

Almanac Staff Writer

Two key school issues that can rile parents, teachers and students are: homework -- too much, not enough, but rarely just the right amount -- and changes to the yearly school calendar.

Sequoia Union High School District's recent decision to change its traditional school calendar, starting in the 2005-2006 school year, is filtering down to discussions in the elementary districts that have tried to align their calendars with Sequoia's.

Many families have children in both districts. Unaligned calendars can make it difficult for such families to plan trips and other activities.
Calendar changes

Under the new calendar, high school students at Menlo-Atherton, Woodside, Sequoia and Carlmont will start school earlier, on August 25 -- 11 days before Labor Day.

They will finish the first semester on December 23 and return to school January 9 for a longer second semester.

The spring break will be from April 10 to 14, the week before Easter. High school students will get out of school on June 8, earlier than most elementary students.

Generally, elementary districts follow the high school calendar with one key exception. Many observe the time-honored mid-winter break (don't call it ski week) in February while Sequoia's calendar in 2006 has a four-day weekend with no school on Friday, February 17, and Monday, February 20, for the Presidents' holiday.
Why the change

Superintendent Pat Gemma of the Sequoia high school district, said he's confident this calendar change "will improve the academic performance of all [Sequoia district] students." They will be better prepared for spring testing, including advance placement exam, he said.

The earlier start date, he said, enables students to finish first semester before winter break and allows them and their families to have "a truly stress-free winter break."

The second semester will be slightly longer than the first semester to help compensate for time devoted to the state-mandated testing that takes place in spring, he said.

"The increased educational benefit will outweigh the loss of time," said Mr. Gemma in his letter to parents.
Comment sought

Superintendent Ken Ranella of the Menlo Park City School District raised the calendar issue at a recent board meeting. He has asked parents to e-mail their comments to him at kranella@mpcsd,org and to voice their opinions at board meetings. The school calendar is subject to collective-bargaining agreements with a district's employee associations.

While Mr. Ranella said he applauds the high school district's considering the best interests of students and its educational program, he said Sequoia's new initiative is "irrelevant to our elementary school year" that is scheduled into trimesters.

He frames the calendar dilemma facing Menlo Park, and perhaps other districts, as: To what extent do we as an elementary school district break with tradition for purposes of alignment with the high school district?
INFORMATION

** Las Lomitas Elementary School District: A decision to align or not to align winter vacation with the Sequoia district is planned for the Wednesday, February 9, governing board meeting. Superintendent Mary Ann Somerville said she expects alignment to be approved. ** Woodside Elementary School District: The governing board approved a 2005-06 winter vacation that begins December 19 and ends January 3, out of alignment with the Sequoia district, said superintendent Dan Vinson.

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