Anybody have any experience with the year round education? We are seriously considering it for our 4 year old ds when his school career begins. He just started year round pre-school today.

We don't see any down side to the year round. Everyone we have spoken to that has kids in the year round are quite happy with it.

Do your kids go to year round? If you had the option would you do it? If you have had any bad experiences with it I would like to know.

Thanks for your input!!!

I don't have any experience with them as they're not in my county yet (sure it won't be long though) but I have plenty of opinions on them! I think they don't give the kids the free summers that they need - they need to have carefree days where they can do whatever and get bored. Going nine weeks with three weeks break doesn't afford them that.

Also, from studies I've read, year round schools haven't produced the higher grades or been shown to be more cost effecient like is claimed. Yet I'm sure there are studies out there that do show that. I'll stick with the ones that support my decision!

And I may get attacked for this, but most parents that I know that are in favor of year round schools are parents who both work and send their kids to daycare anyway. So year round schools are a better option to them than paying for daycare during the summer as a lot of schools, YMCAs, rec departments, daycares, etc. have tracked-out care and charge less for those weeks. Plus their kids aren't use to having those carefree summers like stay at home kids are so it's not as big a loss to them. JMO.

I am a SAHM mom and I like the idea of year-round school, but I don't think we will ever see it here (the one school board member who even dared to bring it up was almost run out of town). There was a county one over from us in our old town that tried it, and the teachers did say that the kids seemed to retain more info - I will take the teachers' experience over test scores any day. I think most kids actually get bored by the end of summer, and as a kid I would have loved three weeks off in a row several times a year more than a long summer vacation.

The parents who didn't like it were actually the working parents, but that was because it was new and the neighboring counties didn't also switch, which made it more difficult for them to find child care. If the entire region had switched, then most daycare companies would have adapted.

We homeschool year round, always have always will. I think it's wonderful, it allows us to go at a slower pace and take a break whenever we want.

I think it would be better for schooled kids also. They have more frequent breaks and they retain the information better.

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I agree with full year schooling. My school district doesnt have it nor do I think they will anytime soon. (heck we just got full day kindergarten!) I home school during the summer to give a leg up on the upcoming school year. I am a working Mom but my kids are home for "daycare" 2x a week.

As a teacher AND parent, I would absolutely LOVE a year round schedule.

I fully believe children 'lose' stuff over the summer. I recall MYSELF at the beginning of the year having trouble remembering how to write my name and such as a lil kid,, FREAKED me out. And, I was a straight A student.

As a teacher, I would LOVE the schedule for my own benefit. Teachers are plumb TIRED by the end of the year. It would be so nice to have mini breaks,, long enough to get things done in your personal life AND the 'extras' you want to do for your students.

I truly believe it's a win win situation for students and teachers,, which of course feeds into a win win cycle!

I HOPE one day to be in a district that does the year round schedule.

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We have the option to go to a year round school but haven't done it. The skills learned during the summer are just so important for us. Right DD is at chess camp. Next week she is going to a week long theater intensive. She's also learning golf and she went to away Girl Scout Camp. Once a week each month she goes to the art museum for a week long art intensive. These programs aren't offered on the year-round schedule because not enough schools offer it. DD would miss out on so much if she was in school.

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My boys' charter school is talking about this. I really like it, but I do have mixed emotions. Here are the reasons I am a bit hesitant.

The local school district is traditional, therefore all kinds of activities my kids like to do are held in the summer. Also, since I work for the local school district, my kids will have different breaks that when I am working, making daycare an issue for me.

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But don't kids deserve the right to "lose" stuff over the summer? They aren't little robots or little adults but kids and need time to just be kids. Three weeks isn't long enough at all to kick back and relax - once they let loose a little it'd be time to get started back with school. Let them have carefree summers to enjoy, they'll have fulltime jobs soon enough.

What kind of 'year round' schedule are you looking at? My sister's school district switched to what they call a year round schedule - basically they start a week or two earlier than they used to - so around Aug. 7-13. Then the students get a 1.5 week fall break (teachers get 1 week). The week teachers are out they also do 'academy' for any children who may be falling behind.

They get a normal Christmas break - no academy. Then a 1.5-2 week Spring break - with one week being set aside for 'academy'. They end up getting out about the same time as other districts or maybe a week or two later depending on snow days - so they still have at least a 6-8 week summer break.

I'd love to have my kids on this option just for the fall break & extended spring break!

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