For many students nationwide, the last day of school is one of pure excitement. As they wait for the final bell to ring, their backpacks are zipped up, excited talk is pouring out, and hundreds of pairs of shoes tap the linoleum floors in anticipation. The sweet summer air is tempting, the idea of freedom almost too much to bear.
However, back in elementary school, my shoes did not tap with the others. Unlike my cousins who were free to wreak havoc in mid-June, I was bitterly chained to my desk for an extra two weeks, only to return back to school in late July — a whole month before my cousins had to. No, I was not being punished. I was simply part of the only year-round school in my city, a schedule historically less popular amongst United States public schools (4 percent, according to the National Association of Year Round Education). However, the popularity of this school schedule is increasing, which can be seen locally through the San Mateo-Foster City School District’s recent adoption of the year-round schedule.
According to NAYRE, 86 percent of all other American public schools follow a traditional schedule, including Aragon, where a long summer break is given in addition to a two week break in the winter and a week long spring break. A year-round schedule, on the other hand, compresses summer into six weeks and students receive three-week breaks in October, December, and April.
Many times I was more thankful to have a year-round schedule as an elementary school student because of the frequent, long breaks. Despite this, I believe as students mature, their heightened academic needs can only be met through the benefits of a traditional schedule. Thus, the traditional schedule is the best option for high schools.
To be fair, the year-round schedule could prove beneficial for many high school students. The academic rigor is much more intense than in elementary and middle schools, so students often feel more fatigued and could use extra breaks. This could also be an incentive for students to stay in school longer, especially those who are plagued with “senioritis,” a notorious “disease” that results in lazier seniors who cut classes their final year.
Some studies also suggest that students retain more information with a year round schedule because of the shorter summer break, theoretically helping students remember the curriculum better.
Despite all this, the bottom line is that this could not work for high school students. First, the curriculum loss theory is dubious; more recent studies show that the high academic performance is heavily influenced by socio-economic factors, not the type of schedule.
Furthermore, a year round schedule would cause students to lose access to the academic and college resources provided by the school. Students would not be able to see their teachers or counselors during break, resulting in less time for counselors to talk about letters of recommendation and transcripts, and less time for teachers to review essays.
Most importantly, high schoolers are unique in the sense that they are closer to discovering their individuality. As important as academic needs are for students, it is equally important to feed their passions through hands-on programs, especially for those who are hoping to pursue a specific college major or career in the future. All of these opportunities are available only when offered during the longer summer break.
Overall, though the breaks of a year-round schedule can be beneficial for the rest and rejuvenation of high school students, the loss of face-to-face contact with teachers and the loss of in-depth summer opportunities would ultimately be to their detriment. Everyone just needs to power through from one vacation day to the next, and sooner than later summer will be calling once more.
