Year-round learning

Opinion

November 16, 2009

Northern panhandle county taking time to explore options

Anonymous The Register-Herald Mon Nov 16, 2009, 07:19 PM EST

Marshall County may be onto something.

The school board there is taking a look at year-round learning. Why? Because they want to do better.

“If we continue doing what we’re doing now, we won’t do any better than we’re doing now,” said Lori Kestner, a member of the Marshall County school board.

We must do better.

A recent report showed that fourth-grade math scores in the United States overall were unchanged since 2007. West Virginia was one of only four states with a decrease in math scores among fourth-graders.

Yet most West Virginia counties sit idly by, continuing to do things the way they’ve done for years.

Kestner also made another good point: “I really believe that the school calendar has not been designed for kids. It has been designed for employees.”

Marshall County hasn’t made any decision at this point. They are merely collecting information about year-round schools — the pros and the cons.

They realize working during the summer months could throw a wrench in vacation plans, summer jobs, continuing education, building maintenance and athletic programs. But they also realize that places where the year-round system has been tried have reported increased student and staff attendance and improved teacher morale.

The most recent news report on the issue did not address academic performance. Certainly that’s something Marshall County is examining as well, and it should weigh heavily on any decision they make.

Year-round education, school, or learning may sound intimidating, but it doesn’t necessarily mean children and teachers are in the classroom every weekday of the year. Breaks would be absolutely necessary. Instead of taking one lengthy three-month break, why not take breaks of a week or two at a time, perhaps during the worst weather of the year or during flu season?

Maybe we could do better if the required 180 days weren’t lumped together. Certainly a year-round program would eliminate the problem West Virginia has meeting the 180-day requirement.

More importantly, we must think of how a three-month break from school affects our children. How much of the school year do they spend re-adjusting after a summer break completely free of school?

Year-round school may or may not be the answer, but at least Marshall County realizes it’s worth considering, especially if it improves scores in math and other skills. Members of that board, at least, are not content with the status quo, and they are seeking to change it.

Don’t we all want to do better?

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