Page 4 - AASBO EDGE Summer 2023 WEB

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

BY DALE PONDER
Is it Summer Break Already?

Dale Ponder

How can it be the summer break already? It just seems We’re only two-and-a-half hours from San Diego and I
as though we were kicking off the school year, and now wouldn’t be truthful if I said that our family doesn’t visit
it has already come to an end. that area every summer.

I’m a “why” person, so I must ask – why is there even This pattern affected the school attendance and learning
a summer break in schools? How did we get to where progress since school attendance wasn’t mandatory at
we recognize this within our society today? The now- that time. As this continued, legislators and school reform
standard 180-day academic calendar, with a long advocates argued for counterbalancing a more regulated
summer break, didn’t come about until the early 20th summer break schedule for students. It was agreed that
century. Previously, urban schools operated year-round the idea of learning year-round was not ideal for children
with short breaks between quarters. since the brain is a muscle that needs to be rested. As time
went by, the summer break became a norm and was fully
At Crane Schools, like some of you, we operate a instituted with various districts reducing the instructional
“modified” year-round calendar where sessions are 9 days of their academic calendars to accommodate this
weeks (45 days) and separated by varying lengths of breaks newly conceived summer break.
instead of a true year-round calendar of 9 weeks in session
and 3 weeks on intersession. I guess we are kind of “old Do we have summer breaks because of the agrarian
school”. As I understand, our district’s implementation calendar? Some argue that students in rural, agricultural
was primarily to address surging enrollment with limited areas were more needed in the spring, when most crops
physical capacity to accommodate the students, which had to be planted, and in the fall, when crops were to be
required the implementation of a multi-track system. As harvested and sold.
I understand from those who experienced it firsthand,
those were some good times. Yeah, not really. OK, fine. In the end, it doesn’t really matter why we get
the summer break – just that we get one and it’s nearly
Anyway, before the Civil War, kids never took a break here! Finally, right? I know that staff, students, and
from school during summer. In 1842, Detroit’s academic parents are all eager to have this time to rejuvenate, rest,
year lasted approximately 260 days (equivalent to today’s and, maybe, escape the heat.
12-month employment term), New York’s was 245-ish,
and Chicago’s rested at 240. It seems challenging to As the white flag waves on my term as President and I
get adequate funding for a 200-day academic year in make the last trip around the track, let me thank you for
Arizona, so could you imagine seeking funding for 260 all that you do to make the opportunities for the students
days? and staff members of public education in Arizona the
best possible experience. It feels that each year is more
Some believe that the origin of the summer break had demanding than the last, yet we seem to be able to
a lot to do with the rising middle and upper class in overcome those circumstances with perseverance, grit,
American society. Do you know what schools and homes and toughness. Thank you for your determination to work
did not have in the 1840’s? Yes, air conditioning. During through those challenges, learning and growing with
the summer period, the more affluent families seized any one another, leaning on one another so that the product
reason to escape from the hot and harsh summer weather that we are associated with in our local communities is
to the cooler countryside. Can anyone relate to this? something to be proud of.

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4 THE EDGE SUMMER 2023