You are not a teacher are you? LOL

I do think it starts back a little earlier than is needed. I understand the need for time to study for the CRCT, but isn't that the overall problem with this test? We are spending way too much instruction time in the classroom with preparing students for a test at the end of the school year instead of teaching the basic fundamentals of Math, Science, History, and Grammar/Literature.

I attended Forsyth Schools (been awhile) and we always started back at the end of August and ended classes the week after Memorial Day. We had plenty of breaks (teacher work-days, Thanksgiving break, Christmas break, MLK holiday, more teacher workdays, spring break, and early release) that balanced out the school year and during my Junior and Senior years in high school we took our mid-term exams the week before Christmas break. That schedule could still be applied, but as noted above, schools prefer having ample time to prepare for the end of year tests in Georgia.

Other states across this country; and in the southeast; who are more successful in education than Georgia start school back as late as Labor Day and still end the school year one to two weeks following Memorial Day. They have time to instruct, test, and graduate their students so why can't Georgia schools do the same?

I know many parents who agree with the new start times simply because of extra breaks during the school year. Look, students don't need a week long break just six weeks into the school year. Nor do they need a break several weeks from returning from a two week hiatus over the Christmas holiday and with spring break just around the corner. Plus, added breaks throughout the school year do more damage to students retaining knowledge and getting into a routine than an 8-10 week summer break will. I know right now Forsyth doesn't do these extra breaks, but many surrounding systems do and I have just mentioned their main reasons as to why they do it. I am all for local control and the board and parents working out an acceptable calendar. But I believe the school year can start back the first full week in September and then get out the second week in June. You will still have the normal breaks and can still schedule semester exams accordingly. With this, you allow the weather to cool somewhat before having students pack the buses and schools again and it is still technically Spring when school lets out.

I believe that with the cost for schools to air condition their facilities, it is way too early. Just waiting until Labor Day could result in Drastic Savings for the taxpayers. School needs to start after Labor Day, which is the unofficial end of summer, and then they would finish in early June, just before the heat of summer hits. A day or two following Labor Day is the standard in Many states (which have all the districts start on the same day by statute), thus it ensures that if students move from district to district in the same state they would not fall behind or be well ahead, which can easily happen here in Georgia, as we have a School District starting Today and some that don't start until after Labor Day. But that is just my 2¢.

Well said, everyone! I totally agree that school starts way too early. I don't see why this can't be changed with a lot of parent and local support, but where to start? If more parents would "speak up" and if the Board of Education would actually listen instead of planning their own agendas, we could make some progress.
Kids get too many early release days (one each month or more) and too many "Student Holidays". I agree it does affect the learning.
You all have my support.

cmw....while I agree school starts a little too early, please refrain from accusing the board from not listening to parents. The board drafted several calendars last year and distributed copies to the public for feedback. The current calendar was chosen by this process.

I agree that if more parents don't like the current calendar, then they need to get involved and speak out against it. The board will listen if parents make their point clear. We have a very good board of education who has turned our school system into one of the best. With this particular issue all that needs to be done is get more parent support.

DevsAd, LOL! I'm not a teacher, just a parent. Teachers I've talked to say the same thing, school here starts way too soon. Talking with so many people led me to start this blog so there would be mountains of support to change it. Coop3635, you're right. We did get to vote on the school calendar but the county gave us only 2 choices and they were extremely similar to each other, the differences were very minor...one offered taking a full week at Thanksgiving and the other offered the normal Wed-Fri at Thanksgiving and a few other small differences. The start dates and end dates were still May and early August. Petitions or better yet letters/emails to the superintendent would be my guess as far as a starting point?

Layers......not petitions, but when the school starts working on the next calendar, parents need to line up to be on the committee which proposes the calendar choices to the school board. That is why only two choices were given. The committee had dwindled several drafts down into one. If the large majority of parents would like this changed, then I suggest they start attending the meetings more and letting the BOE and Sup. know their feelings about it. I am with you on this one and do know a few teachers who favor the old schedule, but again the parents are the ones who can push the BOE to make the change.

As the parent of a senior who will be taking advantage of the new iAchieve Academy this year, this no longer concerns me. But, I have always felt like the school year began too early for many of the reasons you posted. I find it hard to believe that the BOE adopted a calendar that was chosen by a majority of parents when every parent I ever speak to is of the same opinion: School Starts Too Early!!

If the BOE wants to see a rise in test scores, they would be more willing to go to a year round calendar. Studies show that schools that have moved forward with a year round calendar have seen a significant rise in test scores
and a decrease in student absences.

Peachsalsa (love that name!), what you say is true....seems that the BOE has set this early start date "in stone" and then they present a couple of calendar choices to parents to vote on, that was my impression when I voted. I have a friend who went to school in the midwest who likes the year round school idea too. Regions of Alabama and North Carolina follow it (something like 8 weeks on, 3 weeks off but I wonder tho how they work the thanksgiving and Christmas holidays with that schedule?). Even with that type of schedule tho, we'd still be going to school during the sizzling months.

Tell everybody you know about this blog. This too early start date can easily be changed to a more sensible one.

I am a Forsyth County Schools student and I ride the bus. They really need to put A/C on those buses. With all of the kids on the bus it feels like 110 degrees on the bus. I just hope the County realizes how hot it is on those buses and does something about it!