Old School Calendar Is Backed : Ventura: A report urges that 15 campuses not convert to a year-round schedule.

Ventura school officials have recommended that 15 schools where parents were surveyed about a year-round schedule remain on a September-to-June calendar.

In a report scheduled for a vote at Tuesday’s Ventura Unified School District board meeting, officials said the schools should not convert to the year-round schedule, at least for the 1991-92 school year.

“It is quite obvious that year-round education is supported by a significant number of parents throughout the district,” the report said. Support is evenly distributed among the schools, it said.

But the report added: “It is also very evident that a significant portion of our parents prefer maintaining the traditional calendar and their preference has been heard loudly and clearly.”

The survey, conducted in January, showed that 39% of parents supported the year-round schedule, but 46% wanted to remain on the traditional calendar. Another 15% were in favor of year-round schools only if both their elementary and middle schools converted to the schedule.

Of teachers and other staff members polled, 66% favored year-round schools.

The report noted, however, that the recommendation “should not be interpreted as a final resolution to the question” of expanding the year-round program in the 15,000-student district.

Cheryle Estes, a parent who lobbied for keeping the traditional schedule and who helped count the surveys, said Friday that she hopes the board accepts the recommendation.

“Logically, I don’t see how it could be interpreted any other way,” Estes said, noting that the largest voting block involved parents who want to keep the current schedule.

“I still feel very strongly that it’s the best schedule,” Estes said.

At a public hearing earlier this month, other parents questioned how the district could ignore the 39% of parents who want the year-round calendar unconditionally.

“You have to keep in mind that there is a large percentage of parents who want this,” parent Gary Jacobs told the board.

At the meeting, district officials said board members would decide whether to adopt the calendar on a school-by-school basis.

Three elementary schools--E.P. Foster, Mound and Sheridan Way--are already on a year-round schedule. Three others--Arnaz and Oak View elementary schools and De Anza Middle School--will convert to the calendar in July.

The board’s decision Tuesday will not affect those six schools, officials have said.

Under the calendar, the number of instructional days is 180, the same as the traditional calendar. The school year, however, starts July 29, summer vacation is six weeks instead of 12, and other breaks are more frequent.