Year-Round School Schedule
The Los Angeles Board of Education has a one-track mind. With the vote to implement the 90/30 calendar, most LAUSD schools will be on Track A of the multitrack year-round system (Metro, April 2). There are major problems with this plan. At the elementary school level, these include inadequate child care and blistering heat in classrooms. And, with approximately 70% of all high schools going onto Track A and closing for a long winter break, the problems rise dramatically.
Athletic activities offer a prime example. On Track A, even though school will be out during January and half of February, winter sports teams will retain a schedule that pretends it is still in session. Schools will be specially opened for games to be played, teams will be bused to those schools, coaches and staff will be specially paid and, of course, adult and student fan attendance will drop dramatically. At last count, the price tag for this folly alone will be $1 million-plus.
It is time for the board to expand its vision. There is a viable option to Track A for schools on single-track. This is a combined schedule in which students attend school for the fall semester on Track A (Aug. 19-Dec. 20) and move to Track D (Jan. 2-May 13) for the spring semester.
This option, the A/D track, eliminates the problems associated with a Track A program. The A/D track does not add to the LAUSD budget burden.
MARIANNE HUDZ, President
Community Advisory Council
Reseda High School, Tarzana
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