Modified Calendar
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Eagleton staff, community, and students have spent three years giving careful consideration to the possibility of adapting a modified calendar for our school. A modified calendar would mean that important changes would take place in how vacation and educational instruction time is distributed throughout the calendar year. The Modified Calendar would provide a five and a half week summer break and a two week vacation in October. Winter and Spring Breaks would both be three weeks in duration. Students and teachers would have the same numbers of contact days as provided by the traditional school calendar.
Study, discussion, and input from our community took place during faculty meetings, 'Modified Calendar' Community/Parent Forums, and meetings with staff members and administrators from Colfax Elementary, which has successfully implemented a 'Modified Calendar' for their school. On August 31,1998 the Eagleton staff participated in a 'neighborhood walk'. The staff distributed copies of the proposed modified calendar and visited with our parents, community and students about the possibility of adapting this 'new look' for our calendar. We were pleased to find that the majority of the people we talked with were very supportive of this change.
A Modified Calendar Committee has been in place at Eagleton since the CDM made the decision to organize such a committee in October of 1997. This committee has studied current research relating to the benifits and disadvantages of a 'Modified Calendar'. The committee has met with staff, and community members to discuss and sample their opinion and explain the benefits of adapting a 'Modified Calendar'.
Voting by Eagleton staff members resulted in 92% in favor of implementing a 'Modified Calendar'. Students voted on October 1, 1998 and approved the issue by 90%. Fifth grade students designed the ballots and were in charge of carrying out the voting by students. Parents and community members voted during parent conference dates which were October 22 through October 28. This Eagleton community vote resulted in a 88% approval rating. The CDM of Eagleton voted 100% in favor of adapting a 'Modified Calendar'.
Eagleton's decision to adapt a 'Modified Calendar' was based on the goal of improving achievement for all students at Eagleton Elementary. Current research indicated that the adoption of a 'Modified Calendar' should result in less time spent reviewing skills already taught and more time for teaching new concepts. Students and teacher attendance has been shown to improve with this type of a calendar. Providing a 'Modified Calendar' which offers a more continuous learning experience should result with the opportunity for improved achievement for all students.