Aiken Co. parents air concerns about year-round schedule for 2023-24

Monday, May 22nd 2023, 10:32 PM EDT

Updated:

Tuesday, May 23rd 2023, 12:55 PM EDT

By Ansleigh Edwards

AIKEN COUNTY, S.C. - Months ago, the Aiken County School Board approved a plan for year-round school calendar starting this fall. As that plan is closer than ever to becoming a reality, opinions are mixed. Some parents and students think the change could be beneficial, others aren't happy about it at all.

THE YEAR-ROUND CALENDAR YEAR HAS THE SAME NUMBER OF SCHOOL DAYS, opting for FREQUENT SHORT BREAKS OVER A LONG SUMMER BREAK.

THE BOARD CITED TEACHER BREAKS AND REDUCING BURNOUT AS REASONs FOR THE CHANGE. BUT, STUDENTS LIKE CHANLEY SEWELL TELL say they actually NEED THE LONG SUMMER BREAK TO PREVENT BURNOUT.

“AFTER GOING TO SCHOOL FOR A WHOLE WEEK, EVEN FRIDAY, I START GETTING DISTRACTED MORE AND MORE," Sewell says. "I FEEL LIKE THE LONG SUMMER BREAK IS NEEDED.”

ON THE OTHER HAND, SOME FEEL THE FREQUENT BREAKS WILL ALLOW FOR MORE OPPORTUNITIES.

“I GO BY WHAT MY GRANDKIDS SAY," Nancy Hammett says. "THEY’RE EXCITED ABOUT IT. SOMETIMES SUMMER’S GET A LITTLE BIT TOO LONG AND HAVING MORE TIME OFF DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, THEY ARE THINKING MAYBE THEY’LL BE ABLE TO DO MORE FAMILY TIME, MORE EVENTS WITH SCOUTS DURING THE YEAR, BECAUSE THEY LOVE TO GO CAMPING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.”

THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL IS JULY 25^TH.THERE will BE A TWO WEEK FALL BREAK from oCTober 2-13th, aS WELL AS A TWO-WEEK SPRING BREAK APRIL 1-12th. THE LAST DAY of classes will be held ON MAY 30^TH.

And wITH LIMITED DATA,PARENTS LIKE GREG MUSGROVE DON’T KNOW FOR SURE IF IT WILL BE SUCCESSFUL OR NOT.

“IT’S SO DIFFERENT FROM WHEN I WAS THEIR AGE AND WE LOOKED FORWARD TO YOU KNOW HAVING SUCH A LONG SUMMER," Musgrove says. "UNTIL IT HAPPENS, IT’S DEFINITELY GONNA BE HARD TO TELL. BUT, I MEAN, IT FEELS LIKE SCHOOL’S ABOUT TO GET OUT AND IT’S GONNA GET BACK RIGHT BEFORE WE KNOW IT THIS YEAR AND I KNOW HE’S NOT GONNA CARE FOR IT TOO MUCH.”

QUESTIONS STILL LOOM WHAT ABOUT HOW THIS WILL IMPACT SUMMER SCHOOL, SUMMER CAMPS AND STUDENTS STRESS LEVELS. fox54 DID REACH OUT TO THE AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR COMMENT, BUT HAVE NOT YET HEARD BACK.