I can understand how some parents feel the balanced calendar decision was rushed. I can also understand the district and school board’s sentiment that it wasn’t.
The study committee worked for a year on the balanced calendar. The research was done (arguably not to the liking of several who question the data), community input was sought, public support was garnered and a decision was made.
From the public side, many did not understand the background done and time spent by the committee. While the balanced calendar was presented to the school board in June, it was not brought before the public again until October. Then an online survey, community mailing, forum and decision was made in a span of three weeks.
As the decision still resonates in Noblesville, it’s interesting to note that what has taken place here is being looked at in communities around us. Hamilton Heights and Westfield are now exploring the option of a balanced calendar with their communities.
Westfield Washington Schools previously looked at a balanced calendar years ago, but the public interest was not there to continue discussions. With Noblesville’s decision, Supt. Mark Keen is providing his community another look at the non-traditional schedule for the 2014-2015 school year.
If approved, Westfield’s balanced calendar would likely look different from Noblesville because it uses trimesters. Instead of having to end one semester before winter break, Westfield would not have to start school the first week of August. It would also end after Noblesville as it traditionally does.
As with the Noblesville officials, Keen said there are benefits to both students and staff in having breaks of two weeks to refresh and still not be away from school too long for learning loss to set in. Interestingly though, Keen provided two differing points of view to his public:
“The original intent of a balanced calendar was to use the two-week break for remediation for those students who need a little more help. Unfortunately, that has not been done in many districts, and we would not do so here,” Keen wrote on his superintendent’s blog. “Summer learning loss reaches its peak at six weeks off from school. Balanced calendars still have around eight weeks off, which does not reduce the impact of summer learning loss.”
The Shamrocks are also taking a different approach from Noblesville. Three calendar 2014-15 options are available for view – traditional trimester, and semester and trimester versions of the balanced calendar – and a short survey will be conducted for 22 days.
It’s easy to say hindsight is 20/20, but it’ll also be much harder for Westfield residents to cry foul in two years if a change is made.