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Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School in Alexandria, Va., implements a modified school calendar, which adds about 25 extra days to the year. (Jane Park/MNS)
WASHINGTON — Both President Barack Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan recently endorsed lengthening school days – even years – for students.
Although no legislation has been introduced on the issue, school officials and teachers said reforming the school calendar could be one way of overhauling education. Curtailing long summer vacations can help prevent students’ learning loss, they said, and minimize the time spent on catch-up at the beginning of the school year.
Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School in Alexandria, Va., is in its sixth year on a modified calendar. Students receive short, two-week breaks interspersed throughout the year and a summer break half as long as traditional vacations. Friday marks the end of its first intersession, during which students took either academic courses for remediation or elective courses in varying subjects from piano to hip-hop.
Teachers said parents and students are supportive of this type of calendar, because it’s a refreshing change from the routine. Fifth-grader Tita Fereda said some of her friends from other schools sometimes envy the intersessions that Samuel Tucker students have.
“They’re like, ‘Aw, man,’ and they get mad and start to get jealous,” she said.
However, school principal Loretta Scott said such a calendar – however effective – could not be mandated by the federal government.
“I think it’s something a community has to really think about and study and see if it’s right,” she said.