WCS Calendar Update

Q: Where have you guys been?

A: Since the “balanced” calendar was defeated for the 2006-07, and we thought the 2007-08 calendar was pretty much resolved, we’ve been making up for all the time we lost with our “real” jobs and responsibilities. However, we have continued to monitor the ongoing calendar discussions at School Board meetings and work sessions.


Q: What will the 2006-07 calendar look like?

A: The 2006-07 was finalized at the February School Board meeting is very much the same as the 2005-06 calendar that we just completed. The first ½ day for students is August 14.


Q: Where do we stand on the 2007-08 calendar?

A: This is a tougher question. In response to the chaos surrounding the 2006-07 calendar, the Board decided it would be beneficial for everybody if they began planning the 2007-08 calendar a year in advance. The Calendar Committee has constructed a proposal, but the School Board has not yet approved the calendar.

While the proposed calendar for 2007-08 is not a year-round calendar, it is the opinion of CCC that this is a major step towards “calendar creep,” a phenomenon by which year-round calendar advocates move toward their goal a little bit at a time. Due to a nearly week-long Fall break and an increased number of Professional Development days, the calendar forces students to begin school a full week earlier than need be in August, thus “sprawling” the calendar over more of the year.

As of this writing, the 2007-08 calendar has not been finalized because the Board is still debating a myriad of Professional Development days that have been piled on. At issue are “Power Mondays,” “Flex Wednesdays” and “Focus Days.” If you’re unfamiliar with these terms, suffice it to say that all of these interruptions to the steady flow of the educational process are focused on teacher development . . .not student development.


Q: Is there any good news?

A: Yes! There are at least 3 positive developments at this point:

1) At the May Board meeting, Board member Janice Mills spoke up and asked, in essence, what affect this calendar and all the interruptions for Professional Development would have on the education of our children. Eureka! This might seem like an obvious question, but it’s something that has been almost totally absent in any discussion of the calendar over the past several months. Much has been discussed about what the Principals want, what the contract with the Teacher’s Union requires, how we need to comply with State laws, but almost no meaningful discussion has taken place about how to most effectively use the calendar and the classroom time we already have to educate our children. This is a major turning point!

2) The upcoming School Board election this Fall will feature a challenger in Brentwood (6th district) whose views mirror the basic principles of CCC. Terry Leve is a WCS parent and a former teacher who has publicly addressed the School Board on more than one occasion advocating positions in line with those of CCC. A formal announcement of CCC’s endorsement of Mr. Leve will follow in a few days.

3) There is a growing national trend by state legislatures to reign in “out of control” School Boards who have increasingly encroached on the time that belongs to parents and their children. Although local advocates of the “balanced calendar” tout this change as a new, innovative educational style, the reality is that this is a failed fad. Increasingly, states that have already gone down this path are passing laws that set specific parameters for school calendars to bring some sanity back to this issue. Watch for an in-depth report on this from CCC member Greg Weaver in a couple of days.


In conclusion: This is a time of great opportunity for those who support a traditional school calendar. While there are still those in leadership positions who are focusing on the wrong things, the backlash from the “balanced calendar” debacle has shed new light on how we’re managing time in our schools. CCC will continue to monitor and report.