Summer School Will Be 3 Weeks Shorter

The Oxnard Union High School District’s 13,398 students will have to stay in their classrooms seven more days than usual this year, but district officials are trying to give their summer school students time to bask in the sun.

In an attempt to boost academic performance, the district extended school instruction from 180 to 187 days this year with $1.75 million in state funds. But to preserve a bit of summer, the district announced last week that it will decrease the number of summer school instruction weeks.

“What we tried to do is afford our students and teachers some vacation time after graduation,” Assistant Supt. Gary Davis said. Summer school, which typically lasted eight weeks, will span five weeks this year.

“Traditionally we would begin the Monday after graduation, and that doesn’t leave them any vacation time,” Davis said. “Therefore we will start Monday, July 7.”

In the past, high school students received 80 hours of instruction during half-day summer school sessions. The district now offers 85 hours of instruction during morning sessions from 8 to 11:30 a.m. and afternoon sessions from 12:10 to 3:40 p.m.

Classes will be held at all five district high schools from July 7 to Aug. 8. The district will start the 1997-98 school year Aug. 25. The current school year ends June 24.

Officials anticipate that state money will be available to extend the next school year by an additional eight days for a total of 195 days of instruction.