Making the Grade or Losing Track?

Although many school-age children are spending the summer in camp, hanging out at the beach or working, thousands of Valley students began the 1999-2000 school year July 6 at some of the area’s 49 year-round schools.

Since its inception in 1974, the Los Angeles Unified School District’s multitrack, year-round calendar--created to ease overcrowding--has stirred controversy, most recently, at Burton Elementary School in Panorama City.

DIANE WEDNER talked to two teachers, a student and a parent about the pros and cons of the year-round calendar, in place at nearly one-third of the district’s campuses.

SHERYL ROSEN / Second-grade teacher, Parthenia Street School, North Hills

My first year as a teacher was on a traditional schedule. Now I’m on year-round and get six weeks off in November and a six-week break at the end of March. There are four different tracks at my school.

I am in favor of the year-round calendar. I like having two vacations. It keeps me from burning out. The month-and-a-half that we’re off doesn’t allow the children to forget where we left off. When they come back, I’m still their teacher, so we easily pick up the curriculum.

The one downside to the schedule is that every four years my students and I have to “rove.” That happens because four teachers share three classrooms. While my track is off, someone uses my classroom. When I return, my students and I move to another teacher’s classroom who is off-track. We’re trying to make the best of the situation, and it works pretty well.

CINDY GILMORE / Fifth-grade teacher, Chase Street Elementary School, Panorama City

I’m opposed to the year-round schedule. I don’t believe it’s a good system for the students. While it eases overcrowding, it’s very confusing for the teachers and kids. With four different schedules in one school, I think that the whole system is off-track.

Kids need time off in the summer for social growth. I hate to see them start a new year after only one week off in between.

I understand that teachers want time off from school when it’s not summer. It’s easier in terms of traveling, but schools aren’t for the teachers, they’re for the kids. To ease overcrowding, the district should reopen the campuses that have been closed. Schools can also get portable classrooms. We can be flexible to accommodate everyone.

THOMAS WHITNAL / Monroe High School junior, Mission Hills

I’ve been involved in year-round school for two years. Before that I was on a regular schedule. I like year-round better. On A Track, which is my track, I start in September, have a break at Christmastime that lasts two months, then I go from March until June. I get the whole summer off.

Year-round school gives me the opportunity to attend intersession--the time when I’m off-track--to make up a class I did poorly in, or take a class that I don’t want to take in the regular school year. It’s like summer school.

Most of my friends also like year-round, but we’re on the best track. When the school year is broken up, on B and C tracks, they forget the stuff they learned and have to start over.

TSAHAI KENYATTA / Parent at Lankershim Elementary School, North Hollywood

I have a daughter attending year-round school at Lankershim, and a 14-year-old son at a school on a traditional schedule. I don’t like the year-round calendar. No child likes to attend school in the summer when it’s hot. They want to be involved in the activities that other kids do. My daughter is not motivated to come to school when her brother is on vacation.

It’s difficult for working parents to find summer after-school programs for their kids. Siblings enrolled at other schools are often off during the summer, so it breaks up the family schedule. When the year-round kids are off in April and parents are working, they have to rearrange everything. It’s a bother.

I understand that it’s overcrowded. If we have to have year-round school in order for kids to get the proper attention, I guess we just have to grin and bear it. I’d like to see the district build more schools instead.