SILVER GROVE — As most Tristate students headed back to class this week, children in Silver Grove were enjoying another week of vacation.

        After a three-week break, the small independent Campbell County school district starts back Monday.

Naturalist/biologist Jo Hargis shows a green iguana to Silver Grove Schools students Thursday. The iguana was among several animals shown to students during their three-week winter break. (Patrick Reddy photo) | ZOOM |

        “It's really nice to have a few extra days. I hope it helps the kids ... to get all the holiday things out of their system and be ready to start back,” said Kim Harden, a second-grade teacher.

        Last fall, Silver Grove became the first Northern Kentucky school district to adopt an alternative, or year-round, calendar.

        Only three other schools in Greater Cincinnati, all in the Cincinnati Public Schools system, are on a year-round calendar.

ALL-YEAR SCHOOLS ON RISE

In the past 15 years, the popularity of year-round education has increased steadily.    In the United States, more than 3,000 public and private schools use a year-round calendar — up from about 400 schools in 1985, according to the National Association for Year-Round Education.    In Kentucky, 129 schools use some form of a year-round calendar. Ohio has 26 year-round schools.

        Although it's often called year-round school, most alternative schedules have the same number of school days as a traditional calendar. Silver Grove students, however, have a shorter summer vacation and quarterly two- and three-week breaks during the year.

        The calendar is designed to prevent students from losing ground over long summer vacations. The quarterly breaks also allow schools to offer remedial help to students who need extra time.

        Year-round school improves attendance and discipline, advocates say.

        It's too soon to see big changes in student performance in Spring Grove halfway through the first year of the new schedule, officials say, but teachers do note improved attendance and behavior.

        “Attitude has improved immensely,” Principal Ike Weldon said. “So far, it's been fantastic.”

        Ms. Harden noticed a difference in her students just after the two-week break in October.

        “They came back more eager to learn,” she said.

        Staff attendance has also improved, Superintendent Bill Brown said, as more teachers are waiting until the breaks to schedule doctor visits or other appointments.

        During the quarterly breaks, the school offers optionaleducational and recreational activities. This week, students attended a two-day technology camp, got a visit from the zoo and went swimming at the YMCA. In October, the school offered arts and basketball camps.

        At the beginning of the year, some students weren't that excited about starting school one to two weeks earlier than most other Cincinnati-area schools. But now, the quarterly breaks are a welcome addition.

        “I really like the longer Christmas vacation,” said Elizabeth Sloan, 15. “Every grading period we get a break from it, so it's nice. By now, usually I'd be pretty sick of school, but I'm not.”

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