Time To Take Summer Back, Start School After Labor Day: Letter

Schools re-opened on August 20th this year. Let that sink in—August 20th!! Really, have we lost our minds here in Highland Park? What is going on? August is the hottest month of the year and we are sending our kids into buildings without air conditioning. We need to get back to a schedule, as most of us of a certain age remember, where school starts after Labor day. It is just common sense which doesn’t seem to be very common these days.

This has gone too far. NSSD112 needs to look at this schedule. It is time for us to take summer back!! Do we work for the school district or does the school district work for us?? We need to use some out-of-the-box thinking on this one to pick up about ten days on the school calendar. Perhaps the new superintendent can show some real leadership skills and mandate to his staff to just get it done. Let’s not allow all of the reasons that we can’t do it to get in the way. It is a problem, now solve it. Period. Please don’t tell us that putting air conditioners in all of the buildings is the answer. That would probably be way too expensive of a solution for a self-inflicted problem and not particularly fair to the taxpayers. The reality is that there are only a handful of extremely hot days, which ironically come in August and early September, that AC is needed. In my mind, it doesn’t pass the cost/benefit test with the public’s dollars.

A few areas where days could be picked-up include:

Institute days-do we really need to lose school days for these? Can’t they be scheduled before the school year or done on Saturdays, as those of us in the dreaded private-sector can attest to, that we must work on from time-to-time. I love our teachers. They are dedicated, professional, selfless and care for our kids as if they were their own. My guess is that, if asked, they may give up a few Saturdays for the overall benefit of everyone. It is in their best interest since working in oppressive heat conditions are not ideal for them as well. This is the idea behind the concept of “shared sacrifice.” The rest of the world works about 50 weeks per year with two weeks vacation. With two months off in the summer, it doesn’t seem to be extraordinary to give up a few days during the school year for a pretty good cause.

Conferences-once again, we lose two days for these. Can they be scheduled in the evenings or on a Saturday? Most families have two working parents so it would be more convenient for them not to have to miss work during normal business hours. I know it is asking our teachers to put in some extra time, but see the aforementioned comments about the “shared sacrifice.”

Christmas holiday-why not end classes a few days before Christmas (e.g. December 22 or 23) and then start classes back up on January 2nd? Two full weeks off at this time of year seems a bit gratuitous, especially when weighed against baking our kids in August.

Add a day or two in June-I do recall going to school on Flag day (June 14th) as a kid. While some may argue that it is hot then, and I agree, but perhaps not as bad as August. Something to think about.

I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I think for the sake of our kids, we should start the conversation. August 20th is just too early. Let’s challenge the NSSD112 administrators and school board to figure out a way to save summer for the current generation.

Peter Henry, Highland Park