 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
Students relish early breakBy SAUNDRA AMRHEIN © St. Petersburg Times, published May 25, 2001 When the last bell rings today and the school doors fly open, Hernando County students will spill out happily into summer vacation a week earlier than last year, leaving behind a few harried teachers. This is the first year for the altered school calendar, which started one week earlier and ended a week earlier. The School Board approved the change last year to give middle school and high school students a chance to finish their midterm exams before the winter break. The later start in the past meant older students faced semester exams in January, after a two-week break, then immediately had to start preparing for state achievement tests. Hernando High School principal Elaine Sullivan said the school this year gave semester exams in December instead of January. The switch gave teachers time to accomplish more during the spring, she said. Ericka Douglas, 17, said it helped that some things had to be rushed in the end. She said there was less of a gap between classroom exam reviews and taking the actual end-of-the-year tests. "The information was fresh in our minds," she said. "So it was good." Freshman Travis Croft was happy just to have more time off. "I go fishing a lot, so this means I can start earlier and catch more," he said with a smile. Not everyone was pleased. Although several parents said they were happy to have more time with their kids, others said it presented problems. Tammy Rentz has three children, and she and her husband work. The change threw off her routine. "I had to take off extra time, so it definitely poses a problem," she said at Brooksville Elementary School on Thursday. "Thank God I also have grandparents to call on. If I lived in another state, I'd have to put them in day care and spend more money." On Thursday, some people at Deltona Elementary said the school year seemed rushed at the end, maybe because they came back from spring break only about a month ago. One thing that got squeezed out was Father's Day crafts. Deltona principal Janet Dunleavy said she felt a little sad for the fathers who might not get gifts because their kids weren't in school to make one. Next year, Dunleavy suspects teachers will find a way to help students make early Father's Day gifts. For some youngsters, the calendar change made the year fly by. "Last year it felt like forever," said Alex Mosley, 11, a fifth-grader at Chocachatti Elementary School. "This year it feels like two minutes." Eating his cinnamon-coated cereal Thursday morning in the cafeteria, he didn't hesitate when asked what he'll do with his free time. "Play my Play Station," he said. -- Staff writers Jamie Malernee and Robert King contributed to this report
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
From today's Hernando Times |
