Schools looking at balanced calendar

CLAY COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) - Possible changes in store for your student's schedule. Several Wabash Valley counties are looking at moving away from the traditional school year; at least one will vote on it next month.
     
Wednesday afternoon students stepped off their bus at the end of a normal school day, in a normal school year in Clay County.
    
But it could be the last traditional school calendar that Clay County ever puts out.

"It’s something that numerous school corporations I think have been considering or have been implementing over the last few years and we feel like there are advantages to a more balanced approach with the school calendar,” Clay County Superintendent Kimberly Tucker said.

This year clay county proposed the idea of a balanced schedule to their school board. A balanced calendar shortens summer breaks, but adds time off throughout the school year right after grading periods.

We spoke with Indiana State education professor Dr. Terry McDaniel who said:
"The advantages teachers see in (the balanced schedule) is that when you have a long summer vacation kids lose learning. The longer you're away from school the less you retain."
    
Clay County is not alone in looking at changing. Several school officials across the Wabash Valley including Greene, Daviess, Knox, and Vigo County all say they also have looked at or will look at possible switches to a balanced schedule.
    
Which brings us back to Clay County's proposed balanced calendar that went before the school board last week.   

"That calendar was met with some considerable push back by some parents who's children are in 4-H or who them, themselves are involved in state fair activities,” Tucker said.
      
That vote on the balanced schedule was pushed back and the superintendent and her staff have now worked on a modified balanced calendar to vote on next month.

"It's kind of a long fall, but it does give us the two weeks at Christmas. It does give us the two weeks at spring break," she said.
    
Balancing the communities desires with education.

The clay county school board will hold an informational workshop January 30th at the central office to explain the traditional, balanced and modified balanced school calendars.