Soon, It's Back to School

Despite the fact, we are in the heart of summer it's Back to School time.

Many places are heading back to school now or very soon.  In some areas of the country, school rolls year-round with two or three week breaks sprinkled during the year.  In Wisconsin, school districts generally don't start until after Labor Day.

Justification for the change came from the tourism industry.  If kids are still out of school, the thinking goes, parents will be inclined to schedule a final hurrah of summer in late August or through the Labor Day weekend.

It used to be the agricultural industry that moved the school calendar.  Planting and harvest were labor intensive in the early days of education, so many older kids were needed at home.  One of the things, I learned in the Old World Wisconsin schoolhouse was some kids graduated later or tried to make up classes when farm work slowed down.

Local control is a good place for these decisions to rest and our changing culture is part of the drive toward more year-round academics.  Families with two working parents may struggle to find adequate daycare in the summer, so school seems like a better option.  School is a better option when fewer parents stay home to supervise children and run them to swim class; the library; or shoo them outside to play.

Years ago, when I was in school - we seemed to start in mid - August and finish the first or second week of June.  While working and living in Indianapolis, the start of school came earlier in August, but they wrapped up by Memorial Day.

It seems to me kids can only handle so much free time and activities before being ready to get back to the routine of school.  Studies indicate many kids are like to forget enough of what was learned the prior year that the new academic year requires a step back before moving ahead.

Which brings us to the concept of year-round school; which may be a good idea.  Back in my day, schools weren't air conditioned which made the idea of going to school in summer difficult to imagine.  Most buildings of the last 20 or 30 years are climate controlled, so that's not an issue.

Summer can't arrive quickly enough for a kid stuck in class on a beautiful spring day.  And, while no one wants to admit it, walking into a school with friends and having something to do sounds like a good option in mid-August when there really is nothing else left to do.

Drive carefully - it's back to school time!