House Considers Later School Start

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Posted: 10:47 AM Feb 9, 2010 House Considers Later School Start Jackson, Miss. Mississippi lawmakers are considering whether school districts should be banned from starting the academic year before Sept. 1. Reporter: The Associated Press

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Mississippi lawmakers are considering whether school districts should be banned from starting the academic year before Sept. 1.

That proposed mandate passed the House 65-54 Monday, but the bill containing the provision was held for the possibility of more debate.

House Tourism Committee Chairwoman Diane Peranich of Pass Christian says coastal attractions have lost business because many districts start school in early August.

The state requires 180 days of instruction and seven days of staff development each academic year.

House Education Committee Chairman Cecil Brown of Jackson says the School Boards Association and the Superintendents Association oppose a mandated later starting date.

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Posted by: Teacher and Parent Location: Meridian on Feb 12, 2010 at 06:13 AM

are, if they got enough sleep last night, if they have eaten breakfast, do they have a coat in the winter, who our administrators are, what policies they uphold, and a multitude of other issues. All of THESE items, not start and end dates, are what drive instruction in the classroom. If you have a class that comes from a positive environment and you know how to manage your class and your time, the students will be successful. If your children are hungry, cold, and don't have any support, or if you don't get any support from your supervisors, it is much more difficult to get your job done. Perhaps the real issue here is that some parents in this area do not understand the importance of education (because in some way the "system" has sadly failed them), so they don't support their child's education. We should find some way to reach out and teach them as well as their children. God bless all children, parents, teachers, and administrators at MPSD. I pray we can learn to work together!

Posted by: Teacher and Parent Location: Meridian on Feb 12, 2010 at 06:01 AM

I have been reading the progression of this conversation. It seems that there are a lot a misunderstandings and misinterpretations. I don't understand how the issue of late-starting schools and ignited so much sarcasm. I am a teacher. I honestly don't care when they decide to start school. August, September, it's really all the same. Teacher's don't bring home a huge paycheck, but considering the amount of days we are physically at work a year, I don't think we have too much to complain about. The real issue is this: It doesn't matter how many days we go to school a year, how many holidays we have, when we start, or when we get out. What matters is how well our children are educated. This depends on so much. Some things we can control: our classroom environment, our attitude, our teaching strategies, the amount of time we spend planning, and the amount of money we are willing to put into the resources that we need. The others we can't: where our children live, what their experiences

Posted by: Amazed Location: Meridian on Feb 11, 2010 at 11:33 AM

I remember being in middle school at Magnolia with no air conditioning. Heck, I remember being at Meridian High with no air conditioning. School started at 8 a.m. and ended at 3 p.m..Mid August was for preparing for extra-curriculars such as football and band, and the school year didn't begin until the day after Labor Day. My graduation date was June 2, and as seniors we were released two weeks early. In the fall, the first break we got was for Thanksgiving, Christmas/New Year's was the traditional two weeks long, then we got a day for Easter and a week for Spring Break. There was no "Fall Break". I agree dealing with kids with discipline problems would be enough to drive anyone crazy. I wish teachers' hands could be untied to allow them to discipline these kids without fear of some no-good parent threatening to sue. Too much time is wasted on dealing with discipline problems and teaching standardized test-taking. Kids need a well rounded education, and teachers need higher pay.

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