Cobb calendar wars flare up: It is time to just a pick a starting date and stick to it?
I am not sure how parents in Cobb County are supposed to plan their lives with this continued uncertainty about the school calendar.
I’ve been fascinated to watch the Cobb calendar battles as my system adopted the same “balanced” calendar and my twins go back this year Aug. 2. But Decatur is not changing back, and there doesn’t seem to be any momentum to do so among parents.
Full disclosure: I don’t like the Aug. 2 starting date. No profound reason except it cuts short the summer, and I am not a fan of the September and February breaks. But I have adapted. In Decatur, the more contentious issue now is the starting time of classes at the high school, where some parents are petitioning for a later first bell, reflective of the research that teens do better when schools begins later in the morning.
Cobb kids would have gone back with Decatur but the school board, under the influence of newly elected members, junked Cobb’s three year commitment to a balanced calendar halfway through the first year.
Now the AJC is reporting that the board will reconsider the calendar. After terse exchanges Wednesday at a board session, the board voted to consider the calendar later this month at the insistence of board member David Banks.
Banks proposed a third new calendar for Cobb, with an August 8 start date and the same weeklong breaks in September and February as well as the two-week winter break. However, his concept requires extending the school day by 10 minutes or so to ensure kids are in class enough. (I am also not a fan of compensating for the loss of full days by tacking on 10 minutes. Haven’t seen any research that shows this is a fair trade in terms of student learning.)
In any event, I would think that a new calendar would not be put in place until 2012-2013 as Cobb parents already have plans in place. So, there could be another six months of this battle. (Posters are saying that Banks wants the change to take place this year, but it seems insane to approve a new starting date six weeks out and expect parents, teachers, bus drivers, food service workers and maintenance folks to walk away from travel plans, vacations, airline tickets and camps to show up earlier. I can’t see a change until 2012 given what is at stake.)
The Cobb school board will consider a new school calendar at the June 23 meeting, following a vote at Wednesday’s work session to add it to the agenda. Earlier this year, a divided 4-3 school board voted to ditch the balanced calendar and its earlier school start date for a traditional format. After several attempts to revisit the vote, board member David Banks succeeded Wednesday by proposing a third calendar, which would combine elements of the two. The measure passed 3-3, with traditional calendar advocate Kathleen Angelucci absent.
–from Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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67 comments Add your comment
Active in Cherokee
June 9th, 2011
5:43 pm
Thanks Maureen…..The summer slide is a hard thing to combat. I don’t know what the answers are, but I think the balanced calendar starts to find some solutions in a day and age where we cannot afford many state funded summer programs.
DavidBanksNOTfor Schools
June 9th, 2011
6:40 pm
Straight off his DavidBanksforSchools.com website. This speaks for itself:
School Calendar
The School Calendar continues to be an issue each year. I believe that there are too many non-instructional days allotted in the school calendar. If some of these days were eliminated, then the schools could begin on the first day after Labor Day and end no later than the last Friday of May.
The School Calendar policy should state that school begins the first day after Labor Day and ends the last Friday of May. This would give a higher degree of predictability for parents and their summer schedules as well as summer school scheduling for students that have a need to catch up. No longer would there be ambiguity with respect to when does the school year start and when does it end.
This fixed policy would allow for students, who plan to take summer jobs, to be able to plan their schedule with their employer. Also, I believe for those teachers who plan to further their education would have more time to attend classes in the summer.
The parents and teachers need this issue resolved so that they can have predictability in making their plans.
Jackie Ellison
June 9th, 2011
7:35 pm
I am in Cobb County, and wanted the balanced calendar. I’m mad as hell that it was reversed after being promised to us for 3 years. It’s been proven now with test scores that have risen, and absences that have decreased among teachers and students. They never should have changed it back until the 3 years were up.
We have wanted to move to Decatur for some time now, so I’m really excited to know that they have the balanced calendar! This is more incentive to leave this incompetent school district behind!
Involved Parent
June 9th, 2011
7:38 pm
I agree completely. I’m 100% in favor of the balanced calendar, but 6 weeks is not enough lead time to make that type of change. I’d love the board to reconsider and adopt a balanced or compromise calendar for 2012, though.
The AJC really needs to look into the Cobb School Board’s ethics problems – especially when it comes to allowing the special interests of individuals influence their decisions. There is plenty of proof out there showing it. The question is – is the AJC going to report it or are they going to turn a blind eye?
GeorgiaNeedsEducation
June 9th, 2011
8:18 pm
Cobb IS under the influence of Georgia Needs Summers, emails went back and forth between Kathy Angelucci, Scott Sweeney and many members of GNS. Ms. Angelucci even ran her proposed calendar by them. When Ms. Angelucci and Mr. Sweeney discussed comprise with Tim Stultz them member of GNS told them they are wishy washy and they owed them for getting them elected. So the real problem of the calendar is from a small lobby group. It embarrassing that GNS has such control of our board. Then the other day, Ms. Bartlett CCSD chair had the nerve to call another board member a word that rhythms with witch. It is a sad time in Cobb right now, because it is not about education, it’s all about politics.
Teacher-Mom in Cobb
June 9th, 2011
9:46 pm
As a Cobb teacher, I am definitely hopeful that the balanced calendar will return for next year. My students were absolutely fresher and less burnt out with the September and February breaks. Eighty percent of them preferred a balanced calendar over a traditional one, and that was before the real stress of high school classes hits. Change is fine by me.
Cobb History Teacher
June 9th, 2011
10:19 pm
For the most part it doesn’t matter to me as I get paid the same either way. The problem i have is the way the board handled it and the fact that their seemed to be infighting and the stories / reasons fro changing back were not clear and seemed to change. Two questions: 1. Why did four the board members who ran on the platform of changing it back to the “traditional” calendar put out a survey? 2. Why did they disregard the “de-rigged” results? I can take either calendar, but I don’t like the way the board handled it.
Cobb Parent
June 9th, 2011
10:25 pm
While I appreciate the discussion, I will not get into a debate about whether or not the balanced calendar is good for Cobb County. Our family is for it- based on the test scores and health of our children this year.
What I do want to comment on are two things:
First, if you are not a Cobb County resident, thank you but no thank you for your opinion. “Pick a Date and stick to it?” Sure, we’d love for a decision to be made, but the right one! One where a discussion takes place and taxpayers feel heard. Because of the way this was handled (taking away a 3 year calendar that we were promised), it seems difficult to know if that can be achieved. but Cobb County parents, teacher and students are AT THE VERY LEAST allowed another discussion on the matter that was so abruptly changed. if they would have allowed it on the agenda earlier, it would have been discussed BEFORE 6 weeks out. Take that up with the Board Chair who would not allow the discussion at any previous meetings.
Two: Making David Banks a bully doesn’t solve anything. From what I’ve seen everyone knows his name because he is involved, opinionated and listens to his constituents. Can you all name anyone else on the board? All this says is that if a public servant sticks their neck out for their taxpayers, they will be attacked. But, what’s new about that?
Good Luck Cobb County Board- you’re going to need it to get our trust back.
Title I teacher
June 10th, 2011
4:19 am
I work in a title I school, and I’d like to see data broken down at least by area, if not school to school. I do not believe test scores or attendance improved in all areas of the county. This is how Cobb has historically dealt with their lower performing socioeconomic schools – cover it up with overall data and maybe no one will notice. There are real problems in Cobb, and I’d much prefer this board start dealing with those problems. As far as attendance goes, principals made sure teachers knew that attendance mattered in the case we needed another RIF…
catlady
June 10th, 2011
8:54 am
Thank you, Title 1 teacher! I am confused about the tie in between attendance and RIF, however, Would you explain?
seen it all
June 10th, 2011
9:46 am
The issue really isn’t about the calendar at all. It’s a power struggle. A quest for control, dominance, and attention. You have a group of people, from East Cobb, who simply want things their way. Like spoiled brats. Kathleen Angelucci is one of them. What difference does one week of school make? It’s the control that the small people want.
Simple. No need for long explantations.
WAR EAGLE
June 10th, 2011
1:10 pm
What is the big deal about ADDING ten minutes to the day? A balanced Calendar is good for teachers and parents. I enjoyed my Cruise in February to the Caribbean and paid hundreds less than if I went during srping break with all the hip hop reff raff! just goes to show you- once a politician- ALWAYS a politician. First thing they do is break their promises. This was to be for three yrs and they went back on their word. We should go back on ours. RECALL. Good article Maureen, but 10 minutes is not going to kill you. Ask your husband to make it up to you! Also, how many divorced fathers are ticked off b/c in their divorce decree, they get their child during that break. Without the break, they don’t get their child for that week. Bring up THAT topic Ms. Maureen, please!
Cobb History Teacher
June 10th, 2011
7:11 pm
@Maureen
“(I am also not a fan of compensating for the loss of full days by tacking on 10 minutes. Haven’t seen any research that shows this is a fair trade in terms of student learning.)”
I agree 100% I’m a supporter of adding days not minutes. 10 extra minutes a day is easily wasted but adding 10 days to the school calendar is a much better investment. I’m all for a longer school year with increased compensation for time worked, however this will never fly as it breaks from tradition and we all knew Georgian’s need summers.
@catlady
June 11th, 2011
8:17 pm
Sorry – out of town. When the RIF happened last year, one of the factors in the new RIF plan was attendance. After the PDP’s, and Unacceptable Evaluations, teachers who frequently used sick leave were devalued, and many were let go. Teachers were told that attendance was critical, and was included in teacher evaluations. It may be that the balanced calendar reduced absences, but it also may be that teachers decided to minimize absences to insure they were not placed at risk in case of further lay offs. Many of the factors used by the balanced calendar people could be attributed to other factors. Classic problem with isolating variables in studies.
Warrior Woman
June 11th, 2011
10:32 pm
School councils are a medium for all parents? Not in my experience.
VetTch
June 12th, 2011
1:10 pm
Schools are not in the business of childcare. May seem that way, but it is in the business of educating your children. If systems want to save money, then why do they start at the beginning of the hottest month of the year. Systems should not have to be threatened with SACS if parents do not always get their way.
I am thinking there are a lot more pressing matters than then school calendar that needs to be addressed. So what, they changed the calendar. What abt the changing of teacher pay, increasing your child’s classroom size, and important issues such as that. I seriously doubt any of those parents have made a three year plan around the 3 yr “balanced” calendar. Get over it and find childcare for your children around the school calendar bcs it is your responsibilty NOT the teachers and systems. You can plan vacations around a calendar when it comes out just like everyone else that works in the school system.
Warrior Woman
June 13th, 2011
6:51 pm
@ War Eagle – Actually, the new board members kept their word. They were elected on a platform of returning to a traditional calendar, and did so.