The Crosby Chronicles: Summertime is school-time

With less than a week left of summer vacation for Burbank children, Glendale kids have two additional weeks off before starting school. However, that’s about to change.

Come 2014, the first day of school for Glendale schoolchildren will be Aug. 12.

The rationale behind the movement starting school in August is to have winter break be the halfway point.

For the past several years, Burbank schools have started in mid-August and ended by Memorial Day weekend. However, Glendale’s plan is to start at the same time, but end a week later. Instead of kicking off summer with the Memorial Day weekend (and having graduation ceremonies occur at the start of it), students will be studying for final exams over the holiday, having to return for testing.

Since Glendale allows an extra day for Thanksgiving and a longer winter break to accommodate those who celebrate Christmas on January 6, school can’t finish earlier.

I remember starting school during the third week in September. Now technically kids have part of the spring and the summer off. Should that be called sprimer or summing?

Brian Crosby is a teacher at Hoover High School and the author of Smart Kids, Bad Schools and The $100,000 Teacher. He can be reached at brian-crosby.com.