With a newly structured school schedule starting August 2 for TUSD students, Tucson isn’t the only place reorganizing their school year. A Denver high school started school this week, beginning a 210-day school year, 39 days more than usual and the longest school year in its history. Not only is the school year longer, each school day at Manual High School will last an hour longer as well.
These extra days and hours are part of an ongoing stride toward finding the key to a successful and effective teaching method for the students attending. Additionally, the extra time is allowing for more field trip opportunities. Students may be upset at first at an extra month of school with 60 more minutes in the classroom, but those field trip opportunities may make up for it.
Besides, if the longer school year and field trip content make them more prepared for college, the long run may foretell a trendsetter for other schools in the area and possibly further.
This article appears in Jul 12-18, 2012.
What do the teachers think of this?
Too bad all that extra time still won’t include MAS!
I’m a teacher, and although some of my colleagues weren’t thrilled with the change, many were part of voting for the fall break option, which meant a shorter summer (yes, we were actually asked what we thought). I am satisfied with the change…summers here are long, hot, and mostly boring (unless you are well-to-do); even my teen-aged daughter is looking forward to going back! As much as the media bitches about public schools (and TUSD in particular), school is, for many low-income kids and families, a second home and a safe haven…I’ve heard very few kids complain when school begins.