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NORWALK, Conn. – The new school year is underway in Norwalk, but should it start before Labor Day?
The district opened its doors for some students Wednesday, and all students reported Thursday. But this was before Labor Day. Some may welcome an early holiday weekend. But some say starting after the last summer holiday would make more sense because it would give families more time for vacation and to prep for the new school year.
What do you think? Should Norwalk schools schedule the first day of classes for after Labor Day or should it leave well enough alone? Let us know by leaving a comment below. You can also share your thoughts on our Facebook and Twitter pages, or send an email to nchapman@dailyvoice.com.
Comments (12)
hate to say it, but Catholic or Private schools if you live in Norwalk and want your children to have good educations.
Wasn't it the Chris Craft, or was that Columbus' boat ?
@ OLD TIMER;
I was afraid to give a hint, such as major moving company for fear I'd hear in return " U-Haul "
Good one. LOL!
I want to agree with that. School openings and closings used to be tied to the crops, even here in CT.
The job of teachers is to teach people how to learn not necessarily to teach information. A group of middle school kids catch their bus in front of my house. I was out there with my dog. They all looked pretty spiffy. Assuming they would all know the answer, I asked. What was the name of the boat the Pilgrims arrived in America on?
Nobody knew.
The so-called "Mayflower" problem is currently a big issue in American education. Unlike other developed countries, where students become well versed in "core content," students here -- because "skills" generally trump "content" -- end up with minimal to virtually no knowledge of the world in which they live. Ironically, much of the serious research in literacy indicates that truly focusing on content inevitably leads to acquisition of skills.
Broad River, that is because teachers have to "teach to the test" so that the schools get the fundings they need.
@ rerbc;
wouldn't mayflower, plymouth, squanto massachusetts compact etc be answers on a test? These kids are 6TH graders, minimum. I hear what your saying, I do. How can you pick a best answer if you don't have any answers in mind. I agree with the other poster, core content leads to competency, otherwise I would have taken microbiology in first grade,..It's kind of hard to grasp material without any background. I bet a few of the kids that morning could have given me the answer last november. That's the reason I think school could begin sooner than Labor Day, they lose core content over the summer. They don't read books over the summer, if they read at all. I'm not blaming teachers for doing what they're told to do with the kids. It's the teaching model that is ruining them. I put three kids through Norwalk schools and they luckily are all successful. Sometimes parents could push a little bit also. Accepting a grade simply because it's a passing one isn't properly challenging your kids either.
If the kids went to school after Labor Day then they would get out of school later in the year as a result. So the amount of time to lose information would be the same. I agree with your thought of the teaching model being ruined. I look at my kids syllabus for each class and they stop mid year to focus on state test. That is what everyone is graded on from kids to teacher to prinipals. The model is failed although I never really considered it until you pointed it out. Also, you can get copies of the state tests and request your child's results at the end of the year. If you have ever seen on of the CMT tests you would see that mayflower, plymouth, squanto massachusetts compact etc are not on the test sadly.
In years past, school ALWAYS started AFTER Labor Day. Thats the way it should be.
One of the issues is that the State Department of Education requires 180 school days - no exceptions. When we had that wind storm a few years ago and schools were closed for a week because we couldn't get the buses through the roads, the State Department of Education wouldn't budge a millimeter. That year, I believe school let out on something like June 30th. They took it to the wire because they had to.
I'm going to be kind and thoughtful and not get up on my soapbox about teaching to the test. It's not good for my blood pressure to get that high.