By Lynne Hendricks
Staff Writer
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NEWBURYPORT — The city's public schools have heard the criticism loud and clear — parents want to go back to the tradition of starting classes after Labor Day.
When parents caught wind of last night's expected vote on next year's 2011/2012 school schedule, which laid out plans to bring students back to school for a pre-Labor Day start on Thursday, Sept. 1, they took the opportunity to voice their displeasure.
For the past two years, schools have opened before Labor Day because of the late date on which Labor Day fell. Parents effectively pleaded their case with school administrators that schools should go back to observing the traditional schedule for the good of families with kids in school.
"They were compelling," said Superintendent Marc Kerble of the many e-mails, letters and phone calls he received on the subject. "I think people saw it was on the agenda, and everyone started weighing in. I was surprised at the reaction, because I had thought the district was in 'before-Labor Day' mode for two years. I just thought it was a new way of doing business here. So, I'm getting more of a reaction than I expected."
The response caused Kerble and other administrators to take another look at the 2012 schedule and come up with an alternative. The plan now is to bring back the tradition of a Labor Day end-of-summer schedule, he said. The exact schedule is yet to be determined but at least will bring students back after the holiday, he said.
"We did come up with a determination that we will start school for students after Labor Day," Kerble said. "It won't start later than Thursday, Sept. 7."
That should please parents like Dawn Laliberty, who urged school committee members to consider families like hers when it makes a decision this year on school start times.
"I have seen the proposed calendar for the '11/'12 year, and it shows the children attending school for two days before Labor Day," Laliberty said. "Unfortunately, for children and families, accepting this calendar causes families to lose a whole week of summer vacation for the sake of two days."
Laliberty reminded committee members of the heat wave that greeted students this year at the start of school and suggested June was a more comfortable month for students to be holed up in the classroom.
"As a taxpayer, I contend that week was not very cost-effective, as those classrooms that have air conditioning had to run them for the week. On the other hand, the temperatures are usually more pleasurable in June when classrooms should not have to run the A/C."
Parent Alexandra Coir voiced similar concerns.
"My understanding is that two years ago, it was changed due to the fact that Labor Day fell as late as it could," Coir said. "At the time, we were told it was a one-time (or one-in-seven year) deal. When it occurred again for this year, many of us were shocked and disappointed. Has something changed that makes you believe that a schedule that is tried-and-true over generations should be changed?"
Kerble said many factors went into the decision to start school before Labor Day, primarily the belief that more learning happens at the beginning of the year than later in the calendar. He said that if it were left to him, he would choose a pre-Labor Day start, but he thinks the right thing to do is to follow the wishes of the majority of parents. He said he has no problem reverting back to the traditional start, which will be proposed at Monday's School Committee meeting.
"To start after Labor Day gives us an opportunity to get the school ready," Kerble said. "And also, and probably most importantly, families are able to be together and celebrate that last week. For some people, that's the only time they have to vacation together all year."
Amesbury calendar
Amesbury is also in the process of deciding when to commence the school year — before or after Labor Day.
"It's an issue we debate every year," Superintendent David Jack said.
In an effort to get some outside opinions, all of the schools in Amesbury have been tasked with surveying their students' parents as to whether they would prefer to begin the school year before or after the holiday.
"We're trying to get a sampling of what people want," Jack said.
Surveys were posted online, e-mailed to parents and sent home in children's polys. At the request of the School Committee, both a one-year calendar and a two-year calendar are being looked at so that this very issue doesn't have to be debated every year.
Jack said that an overwhelming majority of parents, close to 70 percent, preferred the school year would start after Labor Day.
A vote on the matter was originally scheduled for last night's School Committee meeting but has been pushed back to the first meeting in February, both because of inclement weather and to give more time for public feedback.
