District 300 floats mid-August start for classes

Students would be sitting in class in mid-August and out for summer by the end of May under Community Unit District 300's proposed calendar for the 2010-11 and 2011-12 school years.

Officials say the calendar would allow high school students to take final exams before Christmas break and give teachers more time to prepare students for state assessments in the spring.

"It just makes common sense, I think," Superintendent Ken Arndt said. "When you take two weeks off (for winter break), you have to regroup ... it's kind of a waste of time."

District 300 schools have started classes the first week of September or last week of August for the past three years because of construction at district schools.

Under the administration's proposal, classes would start Aug. 16 this year and Aug. 15 in 2011 - three weeks before Labor Day.

Because school started relatively late this year and would shift to an earlier start next year, the 2010 summer vacation will be shorter than in years past.

While they understand the rationale, parents say the proposed calendar would cut into vacation time and conflict with summer sports, some of which, they say, run until the end of August.

"When we're not getting out until June ... you have your summer sports that you're working around again, and when school starts on Aug. 15 or 16, it doesn't leave you much time for vacation," said Gina Pearson, a Hampshire mom.

District 300 school board members say they're sensitive to parents' concerns.

"It might just present too many difficulties to the families to start that early," said board member Dave Alessio, a father of District 300 students. "I'm all for increasing instructional time ... but I don't know if that extra week is worth the effort."

Board members also have some unanswered questions.

"It's a great plan ... but if we have a snow day, then what?" board President Joe Stevens said. "I don't know if there's enough flexibility to add a day so they could still accomplish the goal of taking the exams before Christmas break."

The board is set to vote on the proposed calendar on Monday. The 7:30 p.m. meeting will be moved to the auditorium at Carpentersville Middle School, next to the district's central office, at 100 Cleveland Ave., Carpentersivlle.