Lyme2kila -- Hey, buy a clue behind door #2! Didn't your parents teach you when to close your mouth! Jeez!

In addition to high school students having weekend jobs, it must be pointed out that many teachers do, too. Which job should a teacher call in "sick" to? Or should the teacher use a personal day at school and work the other job? Also, it is stated in the "old" contract that school (student contact days) cannot be held on Saturdays, Sundays, or holidays. This can be read on http://www.voy.com/215211/
Also, beginning in May, there can only be one teacher or aide absent per day. How can this personal day be applied for (1st-come, 1st-serve), when the possible Saturday dates haven't been decided upon as of today? One final comment: teachers who take classes as part of earning the required credits for re-licensure may be taking a class that is offered through Cardinal Stritch and the JSD on Saturdays in the Spring. There are as many layers of schedule conflicts as there have been ice/snow storms this year. I for one am ready for a meltdown.

I hear ya, booch11. I have been trying to figure out how "1/2 day = 1 full day" throughout this discussion. And with that being realized, how come no parents are upset that their children are repeatedly cheated out of school time? If it counts as a full day, it should be a full day! No wonder American students trail much of the world.

state of WI says we have to make up the time, but yet the days don't have to be "full" days?

then why bother?

adding 5-12 minutes a day? for what purpose?

does anyone else see that this makes no sense?

if it's important to be in school for X amount of days, then the days should be full, busy days, not a couple of blow off minutes or three blow-off days.

as a parent, my daughter will go - please don't waste her time or mine.

to have the days as time-wasters or minutes tacked on to a day proves the rules come bureaucrats and truly have no meaning (other than "having a rule").

trish - you are absolutely right!! It makes me sad to think about it.

Thank you guys. Its nice to know I am not the only one that feels that way.

I just wanted to put t hese 2 posts up again because thy will undoubtedly get lost amongst all the jargon. "Trish" and "all4one"...well said!
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My kids will be attending school on Saturdays if scheduled. This is a requirement of the school year ~ a requirement. Prior commitments and logistics problems are understandable, but keeping your kids home because of laziness or because you are rebelling the decision is irresponsible. We need to teach our kids that there are some things we have to do, we don't have to like them, but we have to do them. Parenting isn't always easy and it's surely not a popularity contest, but we need to raise good moral, responsible kids here.
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really don't understand why everyone seems to have such a problem with the make-up days being "fun" days? I remember when I was in school we used to have Christmas, Halloween,Valentine's Day parties and more. Right after lunch, the party would start. 3 hours of playing musical chairs, bingo,etc. and munching on the homemade treats everyone brought in. Am I the only one that remembers that school used to be fun and we learned too? Kids don't get that any more. 15 minutes at the end of the day to quickly munch a cookie and some punch. Most times, my child brings it home in a baggie because there was no time to eat it at school.

Why not reward the kids that show responsibility by attending? Why can't they find out that school can be fun too? Teachers are expected to teach more in less time with less resources every single year. Maybe they would like to have a less pressured day to bond and have fun with their students.

Call me stupid but I think it would be great if the kids could have that. My most special memories of school revolve around watching my teacher trying to beat us in musical chairs(to this day, I don't think I have laughed harder), playing word scramble and trying to get all the words right the fastest so I could get the candy bar, the excitement of being one number away from a bingo and repeating that number a hundred times in my head, praying for it to be called. Being able to have fun with my teachers made me like them and liking them made me try harder to do well. What's wrong with that?

Trish - I agree with you 100%.

Lobby your legislators to do just that.
Also to drop the days requirement and just go with HOURS requirement.
If people put as much effort into that as they do with these blogs, it would probably get passed.

If the state would change the law so school could start before Labor Day, the snow days would not be an issue.

I really don't understand why everyone seems to have such a problem with the make-up days being "fun" days? I remember when I was in school we used to have Christmas, Halloween,Valentine's Day parties and more. Right after lunch, the party would start. 3 hours of playing musical chairs, bingo,etc. and munching on the homemade treats everyone brought in. Am I the only one that remembers that school used to be fun and we learned too? Kids don't get that any more. 15 minutes at the end of the day to quickly munch a cookie and some punch. Most times, my child brings it home in a baggie because there was no time to eat it at school.

Why not reward the kids that show responsibility by attending? Why can't they find out that school can be fun too? Teachers are expected to teach more in less time with less resources every single year. Maybe they would like to have a less pressured day to bond and have fun with their students.

Call me stupid but I think it would be great if the kids could have that. My most special memories of school revolve around watching my teacher trying to beat us in musical chairs(to this day, I don't think I have laughed harder), playing word scramble and trying to get all the words right the fastest so I could get the candy bar, the excitement of being one number away from a bingo and repeating that number a hundred times in my head, praying for it to be called. Being able to have fun with my teachers made me like them and liking them made me try harder to do well. What's wrong with that?

I think Dr. Evert could have come up with something better than a Saturday. Our children just had time off last week. I heard from teachers they would have rather taught last Friday, than come on a Saturday. Another idea, couldn't we do with out early release the last few Mondays of the year to use as makeup. Our face to face with children is suppose to be more important than noncontact time.
As for weekend commitments, our family time is important. Teacher and children mindsets on a Saturday are going to be very different than regular school days. Are we getting the most out of Saturday teaching.
Going at the end of the year. Isn't the regular school year more important than missing a few days of summer school. We all know summer school classes are mostly fun classes, not remedial. I hope Dr. Evert reads these and gets an idea of the views in our town. He doesn't seem to be in tune with it most of the time. It is his way or the highway. I know some of these ideas were brought up to him by current educators, but none seen to have been taken seriously.

Why is it that all the surrounding districts have said what days they will make up? Janesville and Dr. Evert still sit just speculating on what will be done. Teachers, staff, parents and students need to plan accordingly so, please Dr. Evert, hurry up and let us know what days to plan for.

intheloop. Just how would you propose that the teacher's not make the last day of the year anything but that? Exams are over at that point in time. How would a teacher provide meaningful instruction on a day that doesn't really matter as far as grades are concerned. There would be very few kids that actually put forth effort that day no matter what the teacher provided. I think my last comment may make sense, watch a movie that can tie into some sort of lesson and then brainstorm that lesson.

all4one: Well said. It really isn't that big of a deal. Come in for 4 hours and be done with it. The negative comments about what will or will not be taught are not necesary here. Those of you complaining about the movie/play being shown need to think back to when to when you were in school, as it happpened back in the day also. I'm also sure that most teacher's, if they show a movie, will tie some sort of lesson or brainstorming discussion into it as well. This sort of classroom interaction is very beneficial, in most cases can be better than book learning!

I am willing to send my children to to school on those days as long as the school district/teachers are willing to live up to thier end of the bargin and actually do some teaching instead of making it a screw off day.

My kids will be attending school on Saturdays if scheduled. This is a requirement of the school year ~ a requirement. Prior commitments and logistics problems are understandable, but keeping your kids home because of laziness or because you are rebelling the decision is irresponsible. We need to teach our kids that there are some things we have to do, we don't have to like them, but we have to do them. Parenting isn't always easy and it's surely not a popularity contest, but we need to raise good moral, responsible kids here.

Twice when I was in school we had one makeup day. In both instances the day was added at the end of the year. The added day took place after exams, textbook turn-in and graduation. For four hours the doors to the school were open and my parents made sure I went. Beyond fulfilling some arbitrary requirement, nothing was accomplished. No effort was made by any teacher I had to pass on any knowledge or further test that which we had acquired. The only constructive thing we students did was locker clean out. Then movies were watched, year books were signed, soda was drunk and chips were eaten. Then school was out for the summer. Sure I'd have rather watched movies, drank soda and eaten chips at home, but all in all it wasn't a bad way to kill four hours on a sunny Friday morning.

The state has a rule that 180 days must be completed and, like it or not, that isn't going to change. The required days will be met and, by the time school starts next fall, be nearly forgotten. So to all the parents out there, send them to school or keep them home. It's your call. But really, what's with all the complaining? If you don't like it, suggest a reasonable alternative that would fulfill the requirement. But keep in mind that whatever solution is proposed and adopted will upset a fair amount of people. There is no perfect solution.

A play Simondavid? isn't watching "Anchorman" good enough. Maybe the teachers could act it out for you. My kids will be there, and if they are made up in April or early May, something may be accomplished, but that day at the end of the year is worthless.

tibe, I believe, (please don't shoot me if I am wrong) there are 2 requirements. 1 requires a certain number of days school must be in session. 2 requires the number of hours of 'face time' at school. Janesville is saying they are good for their hours, but needs to make up days. So if they go for a 8 hour day it will still only count as 1 day. I think they generally consider anything over 4 hours 1 day. So if they go for 1 day 8 hours it will only fill 1 missing day. If they go for 2 days, 4 hours each, it will fill 2 days.
I think no matter what the school does people are going to complain. People need to remember why they are sending their children to school. If you have something going on that you feel is more important than school on a day that a make-up day is scheduled, use your judgement as an adult and either send your kid to school, or don't. That being said, I think everyone should make an effort to send their children to school on these make-up days. If it isn't possible to send your children, it won't be the end of the world. Let's just get over it and move on. There is so much more in the world for people to be concerned about than making up a couple snow days.

Ok...if the kids have to go for a short day on a saturday, why not have them fulfill the requirements for both needed days, on that one day? If they only have to go for 4 hrs, why not have them be there 8-3 like normal? Or am I missing something?

Let's don't forget Friday Feb. 29 is an extra day this year and it is a school day! Let's use it wisely.

well first of all
i think that sheriff Bob Spoden
for the snow days
*round of applause*
but i still think taht we shouldnt have to make up those two snow days..
give us a break i mean like,
if we go to school on those three days
including saturday...
that they shuld have and all school
assembly.
like a play.
that would be cool...

Evansville also added 5 minutes to each day

I think all the students should be bused to Madison to watch over the shoulders of the lawmakers who make these decisions work. After 2 days they might come up with a better idea.

how will the saturday's affect extra curricular activies like sports games that are scgeduled on saturday's, concer/band, drama, and etc. Will the the sudents that participate be excused? What about teacher/coaches how many subs will be needed on the Sat.'s? just some food for thought.

tickle_32
I believe there are two issues involved here.
One is the total number of HOURS required and the other is the total number of DAYS required.
Janesville will meet the HOURS requirement but not the DAYS.
It sounds like Elkhorn will meet the DAYS but not the HOURS. Thus they can add the 12 minutes to satisfy the HOURS requirement, but that won't work for Janesville because they fall short on the DAYS requirement.

Elkhorn High School has added 12 minutes per day to make up the snow days. I wonder if they are aware that it is not legal to do that.

Remember that in 2006 Gov. Doyle vetoed a bill that would have eliminated the 180 day mandate??? This came at the request of the state teacher's union by the way.
So had Rock County schools been told they didn't have to make up those extra days, I would have expected the local teacher's union to be the first to complain and DEMAND they get to work those extra days....
As if.

Everyone just needs to relax...2 Saturdays is NOTHING, especially if it's only for a few hours! What else is Tom Evert suppose to do? Summer School starts the week after school gets out and I'm sure he doesn't want to cut Spring Break short for the people who already have vacations planned. I'm sure we will all get through this. It's not as big as deal as you people are making this out to be....

I think it's important to go to school as it's scheduled, but I honestly think everyone's making too big a deal out of this. This happened in my school district when I was in probably 3rd grade (I'm 23 now) and we just dealt with it. We had to go to school on a Saturday til noon, and if the parents want to keep their kid from school that day they will, just like they would any other scheduled day of the year. No, not every kid is going to show up on Saturday because of conflicts, but they have to make up the days, so just do it and deal with it. It's the end of the year, if the kid misses a day, it's not going to make that big of a difference.

I seriously doubt wether those make up days will have any influence on the student's lives, education, job, future or whatever. It's three days, cut them some slack.

When ever the days are that they come up with (sounds like the last Friday and two Saturdays) I guarantee my two step boys will be at school. I'm trying to teach them about responsibility. If they have to give up a couple of Saturdays, big deal, they will have plenty of over weekends in their lifetime.

Amen, wtp!

I guess parents will have to decide which is more important. Education or missing 4 hours of visitation. I know if I was living out of town and my child had to do make up time at school I would gladly give up my few hours of time with my child. Yes I do love my child but I hopefully will be able to have my child around for 70 yrs or more to visit. School is a 1 time thing and in todays job market, education is required in all job sectors. So people stop your bickering and get on with life and just love your child and send them to school.

i dont think so. i refuse to take my brother to school on a saturday. he needs to come up with a better plan beacause there are plenty of others who agree with me.

What about all of those that had to work on the days school was closed....you get it worked out so you child/ren are taken care of.

Whatever....

So what happens to those who work Saturday's, what do they do for child care for their kids for only part of a day. What about the people who have court ordered visitations??

I hope there long enough so the students will get to see the whole movie.