Petition for a Balanced Calendar in Cobb Schools

#27: - Re: Look at Tax Revenue in Sept and Feb

"The so called "balanced calendar" is a disaster for students who have difficulty with focus or are trying to improve grade deficits. The choppiness of the calendar is not conducive to steady cumulative learning.  It is nice when families have second homes or the ability to spend large amounts of money to take off for a vacation during the break.....of course that is fun for the kids and the parents...but does that help learning?  What about the families where both parents work or particularly in the case of single parents?  Children not able to go on extra vacations are at home with no activities while parents are working.  How anyone can see this as a positive environment for learning is beyond comprehension."

My 8th grader  has 2 learning disabilities and all of us in our family LOVE the breaks! Not only does it give him a break, a chance to decompress and relax, it also gives us a chance to schedule doctor/dentist appointments when he doesn't have to miss school. Missing school time to schedule these necessary appointments is more detrimental to his education than having the time off to relax.  We do not use the breaks to go on vacation or travel, but if families do than that is great for them! If parents are working and need childcare, they would need those arrangements whether the break is in the summer or during the school year. If the fabulous school board had not changed the calendar at the last minute, people who had those breaks covered with vacation days from work, or family/friends to help them would not have been in the bind that so many people were in. My son needed those breaks, so did we (his parents) and his teachers!