Imagine being 15 again. Now imagine being 15 with no summer break from school.
That’s the idea Patti Bacchus, former chair of the Vancouver School Board, is suggesting, saying it’s time to review what the school year looks like and to consider sending kids to school all year round.
LISTEN: Should B.C. schools run year-round?
In an interview with Lynda Steele Thursday, Bacchus said that people have gotten so used to having the traditional school calendar that no one has really looked into benefits of changing the system from traditional, to a “balanced calendar.”
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The year-long program Bacchus is referring to would run the same number of days as the regular school year does, simply with the summer and holiday breaks spaced out in between.
She said during her time as chair she became frustrated one day when she was trying to decide whether spring break should be one or two weeks long.
“There really wasn’t much research to indicate which was better for kids. It was really more about what was convenient and what families liked,” said Bacchus.
She did say, however, that there is some research that shows that children who are low income, have learning disabilities or who are language learners do benefit from the year-round schooling.
“A lot of teachers will tell you they can spend a lot of September bringing kids back up to speed. It’s a long gap, I remember that…you practically forget how to write,” she said.
She believes children who are less stimulated during the summer by playing video games and watching T.V. instead of reading or travelling, may run a greater risk of falling further behind.
“I felt it was always important to look at what research tells us. And if there’s a benefit to kids and if there’s a way to help the kids who may be less likely to succeed — then I think we need to take a real look at that,” said Bacchus.
She said there are already some schools picking up the balanced calendar schedule in Langley, Richmond and Maple Ridge.
“There are some wellness benefits—and going through some of those long stretches without a break can be pretty grueling,” said Bacchus.
She said one of the biggest concerns parents have is what they’ll do with their kids during the winter break when there are less activities to busy their kids with.
While she acknowledged those concerns, she said the balanced calendar still has its benefits.
“There are some real advantages to having a more regular cycle, where you know you are going to have a rest coming up, get restored and tackle it again.”
Bacchus said in her visit to France recently she observed their balanced calendar schedule which offered a longer summer break, and allowed long enough gaps to recharge throughout the year.
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