Tuesday, August 08, 2000
School bells ring for early start
Silver Grove begins classes
By Lori Hayes
The Cincinnati Enquirer
SILVER GROVE — It was back to the chalkboard Monday for Silver Grove Independent Schools, kicking off the school year at least a week or two before other Cincinnati-area districts. This fall marks the first year for Silver Grove's alternative calendar, the first of its kind in the region.
When the kindergartners at Silver Grove Elementary started school Monday, they didn't miss a step.
“They just came right in and sat down and knew just what to do, because they hadn't forgotten the routine,” said Lanee Philippe, the school's preschool teacher.
Ms. Philippe taught those kindergartners many of the routines last year, and usually their new teacher has to start from the beginning each fall. But after a shorter summer vacation, the kids are more prepared, she said.
That's the basic idea behind Silver Grove's new calendar.
Although it's often described as year-round school, the alternative schedule has the same number of school days as a traditional calendar.
Silver Grove students, however, will have a six-week summer vacation, a two-week break in October, three weeks off in December and January and a two-week break in March.
The calendar is designed to prevent students from losing ground over long summer vacations.
“Usually, when they get off two months, it would take a long time to regain the knowledge they had at the end of the school year,” Silver Grove Superintendent Bill Brown said.
Research has shown that the alternative calendar is most beneficial for poor and minority students. Lower-income families often don't have the resources to provide educational activities throughout the summer.
The small independent school district in Campbell County is preschool through 12th grade, and about 68 percent of Silver Grove's students participate in a free- or reduced-price lunch program, eligible because of the federal government's measure of poverty.
Dr. Brown acknowledged he was a little worried that his classrooms would be a bit bare because of the early start date. But about 98 percent of Silver Grove's 312 students were in attendance.
Monday's opening day was two years in the making.
Dr. Brown researched the alternative calendar while getting his doctorate and then spent two years trying to persuade Silver Grove's parents and teachers to support the idea.
The biggest concern was the scheduling problems the new calendar could cause, especially for parents who work or have other children in other schools.
In response, Silver Grove will offer activities such as basketball and science camps during the breaks, and students who are behind can get remedial help.
Several teachers said they were looking forward to the new schedule. The quarter breaks will give students and teachers a chance to relax during the year.
“We can saturate them with knowledge for eight weeks and then they get a break,” said Phillip Chapman, a math and science teacher for Silver Grove High School.
But some parents and students weren't as excited about the early start. Freshman A.J. Smith, 14, said he wasn't ready to come back.
“I need more time in the summer to work for a car,” he said. “You can't get a job for two weeks in October and then quit.”
Glenda Dishman's attempts to drag her 10th-grade daughter out of bed Monday morning were met with groans.
“Starting early was very difficult, but I think I'm going to like that two weeks in October and three weeks at Christmas,” Ms. Dishman said.
Despite the earlier start, opening day ran relatively smoothly, administrators said.
There were a few quirks, however. The school's one bus, which got some minor repairs over the summer, wasn't ready to roll on Monday, so a van had to pick up the dozen or so students who don't walk to school.
The biggest adjustment for the school will be getting summer maintenance projects finished faster, Mr. Weldon said. The school is still working on some small repairs.
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