How does three months of school at a time sound? School are required to have 180 days of school per year, but no one says that has to be all in row. The usual year-round set-ups are 45-15, 60-20 and 90-30, the first number in each set being the number of school days in a row and the second set being the number of days off (so 15 days off is three weeks). I propose that we change it to 60-60 so our schedule could be the same every year, rather than rotating like most year round schools do.
This would mean three months in school, March-May and September-November, and three months out between.
1. Baby, It’s Cold Outside.
It can be such a struggle to leave that warm coziness of your bed when the wretched alarm goes off in the morning. You know all that’s waiting for you is a trudge through snow, fighting against a biting wind. You finally make it to class and there you sit, your toes still frozen, listening to the sniffles and coughs of your classmates. You look around and think, “Why are we even here today?”
It’s a good question, and one without a good answer. The truth is, it can be dangerous for anyone (but especially the elderly, ill, and very young) to be exposed to cold. Here at the University of Kentucky, 30 students are being monitored for mumps, which is highly contagious. Being stuck inside all the time with all your fellow sickly students (because our immune systems aren’t acting up to snuff during the winters) means you get sick. And because there are so many different cold and flu viruses, you could spend the whole season sick, with everyone spreading their gross winter diseases around.
2. Feel The Burn
Guys, August, it’s just so hot. It’s too hot. Do you really want to sweat your way across campus and then sit in a classroom hoping no one notices that your makeup has melted or you’re rocking pit stains? No. No you don’t. And every year, students suffer from heat illnesses and sunburns, particularly our student athletes. So why do our school systems keep starting school earlier and earlier every year?
3. Businesses on the Struggle Bus
Here in Kentucky, Senate Bill 50 was recently proposed to ensure that schools can’t open before the Monday closest to August 26th. That wasn’t for student benefit though: A study showed that the current school start dates in August cost the state over $45 million in local and state tax revenue because of the drop-off in tourism in August. It also showed that 6,000 tourism jobs ended earlier than necessary due to the decline in visitors to the state, and businesses statewide lost $432 million in 2014. Sen. Chris Girdler, R-Somerset, who proposed the bill, says that studies have indicated that there are great savings to be had for the taxpayers in cooling costs by starting the school year later; one district was slated to save $260,000.
4. Happy Students
Do I really need to explain this? Yes, we would lose our spring break in favor of a longer winter and summer break. Yes, the three month semesters would be more intense. But if you’re like me, you’re still burned out from the fall semester when the spring starts. Longer summer breaks means more opportunities for students to take internships and save spending money for the school year during their seasonal summer jobs.
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