GUSD families still don’t know when summer vacation will end, though the Glendale News-Press reported that teachers and the district have agreed to an August 31 school year start date: “Both sides were scheduled to ratify the calendar Tuesday [January 26], but union officials canceled the meeting upon learning the district would not approve a separate issue, officials said.”
On January 14, however, union president Tami Carlson was quoted in the News-Press as follows: “We are very happy to unpackage proposals and look at them as individual proposals again.”
As groups, teachers and parents were split on a start date of August 16, first proposed by the district to end the fall semester before winter break, and to give high school students more instructional time before colege placement tests in May.
Teachers worried that air conditioning systems would be overwhelmed by crowded classrooms during August’s heat. Parents wanted a firm date so they could schedule vacations. More options, meaning any of the four weeks of August, are likely better for busy families.
Why the rush to end the fall semester in December? Instructors in this district have already adapted lesson plans to the AP college testing schedule. This year’s 2 1/2 week break (December 21-January 6) gave students extra time to study and complete class projects before finals at the end of January. The week-long break in April offers the same opportunity and balances out the spring semester.
Getting students to school, out for P.E., and back, during the peak heat of Southern California’s summer, isn’t best for students or for most teachers and families. It may even be detrimental to district finances because of increased utility bills. Awaiting an update from the district and the union…