Show Year round schools not rosy on inside A three day three trip to schools to In Jefferson C County Colo was a r al opener eye e as to what year round schools are all about Principals teachers district staff the media and interested individuals numbering about 40 traveled to the Jeffer son School District of students to talk with principals teachers and staff about year round schooling which has been in effect in the Colorado district for 10 years The picture wasn't all rosy Ray a principal of one of the year round high schools said that the year round school system is not trouble free nor is it a panacea for all district problems The disadvantages outweigh the advantages A list of advantages provided by one of the principals of a year round school included accommodating more student In Inthe Inthe the schools family vacation pattern building utilization increased students can attend a term to make makeup makeup up work and better retention Disadvantages and problems to year year- round schools include a shortened school year a marked lack of educational con con- not enough special education personnel students leaving and entering the system loosing half a year of school constant change of classrooms buildings never clear little teacher planning and the list continues Superintendent Phil Ellis who ho made the tr trip p said year round school ed the work load for the teachers teach rs Dr Coleen Colton principal at Discovery Elementary said tha that t before visiting the Jefferson School District she favored year round schooling but since the visit she has had second thoughts Its something I wouldn't choose to do lt It would be like signing my death war war- warrant warrant rant Dr Colton said The impression I got was that year year- round schools is something you dont don't do unless youre you're up against the wall said Roger Beckstead principal at Central Elementary Reasons for Beckstead's comments are twofold year round schools arent aren't as asgood asgood good as traditional schools which he said people on the front lines in the district concurred with and that the public would never buy it it Beckstead said they found by visiting the Colorado schools that year round schooling isn't less expensive than if the district built new buildings in that they had to hire more teachers to staff the schools Despite the many disadvantages of year round school Superintendent Ellis and others in the group agreed that year year- round schooling is a viable alternative if the Uintah School District is found to be bein bein in the same situation of the Jefferson County School continued on page 2 l tK a J tr M t c SUPERINTENDENT Philip Ellis right receives 1 1 million In prepaid property taxes from Ken Ken- Kenneth Kenneth neth Fisher representing Deseret Generation Y and Transmission The money is tor the Davis Elementary School behind them and the La- La Lapoint Lapoint point Elementary School I II I School trip Continued from page T 1 We need to be prepared to do it If we have a large increase in students Ellis said Many of the students at Jefferson County Schools seemed to like year year- round school but there were some com com- complaints plaints about not being able to meet students on different schedules We have tried about everything we could while struggling to accommodate Dr William D White assis assis- assis assistant tant superintendent of the district There needs to be a compelling reason to bring the community along to this schedule We never intended to stay on year round schedules eternally Its It's on on- on only ly for the overcrowding over Presently most of the schools in the Jefferson School District are not on the year round schedule and many are swit- swit switching switching ching back to a modified regular schedule with a two month vacation in inthe inthe the summer and a longer vacation in December Most Mod people who went on the trip to the Jefferson School District agreed that it was very informative and we learned a lot of things that we wouldn't have any other way said Lyle Southam Maeser Elementary principal |