THIS IS FOR ALL PARENT THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM DOESN'T CARE ABOUT ARE KIDS .IF THESE KIDS DON'T LEARN TO HUNT THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FEED THEIR FAMILY'S CAUSE SO MANY OF THESE KIDS ARE DROPPING OUT AND THEY WILL HAVE TO DO WHAT THEY CAN TO MAKE IT IN LIFE .THERE IS SO MUCH VIOLENCE IN THESE SCHOOL'S AND ITS NOT ONLY OTHER STUDENTS ITS TEACHERS' AND PRINCIPLES .THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT FIXING THE BUILDINGS THEY NEED TO FIX THE PROBLEMS IN THE BUILDINGS WITH THE KIDS FIRST .KIDS GET IN FIGHTS ,SELL DRUGS , GET BEAT BY THE STAFF AND COPS . COME ON .THOSE IEP FOR KIDS ARE JOKES AND THEY DONT FIX THEM .IF I SOUND UNEDUCATED WELL I MIGHT BE BUT AT LEAST I HAVE COMMON SENSE.HELP ARE CHILDREN CHANGE THIS SYSTEM .

Everyone is going on about Thanksgiving, Snow Days, bake sales, fund raisers, field trips, etc. Let's get to the real problem.

Part of the problem is "Transplants". They are not from here and want to change everything to make them fit in better. They are the ones who are making or buying the laws.

I am not a hunter. I did not grow up in a hunting family. As an adult, I have come to know several hunting families. Hunting is a way of life to them. They start as soon as they can walk and continue until they can no longer beathe. Generation after generation come together during that time of year. They really talk not a lot about nothing. They really hear one another. So leave well enough alone. Those two days are not going to make our children stupid. If nothing else, for some those two days may bring a part of the present together with the past.

Snow Days! Come on. If you have any knowledge of this area, Snow Days is part of it. With the first snow falls, all children wonder if there will be a Snow Day called by the next morning. Do they really wants everyday to be a Snow Days? No. It is some what part of the magic and excitement of winter. How hard is it for a teacher to make Snow Day Packets? Really now. A good teacher be prepared for their students.

Parent involvement. This school system does not want parents involved unless it is reaching into our pockets. Too many parent involvement programs are closed for one reason or another.

ISE Days. My understanding, this is a program coming from Washington. It looks good on paper but in day-to-day it's not. Another example of "Transplants". Outsider changes will no real idea how the days are really ran. If the number of days the school is in matters so much, why have a day off the help only a few students. Have normal school days. Our school use to have a parent program that had parents come into the class rooms to give that extra help to the students, but it was cancelled.

When was the last time one of these law-makers came to our school to see what was really going on. Not to make a public appearance but to really help? And not to play kissy-kissy with the person with name on the door, but with the teacher -- the parent.?? Another case of "Transplants" -- an outsider looking in making changes to our lives!

180 Days IS NOT THE ANSWER!!!!

The question should be what is happening during the days school is in. Too many times, our children come home only to say they did nothing today. A child's answer. May be sometimes. But if a Senior in High School know what topics to bring up in class knowing the teacher will waste all day talking about nothing, I should say not.

Our children are burnt out. This is not something even thought of when I was in school. But it has become a major problem today. What ever happened to the old-time teacher and hands-on teacher? They were a lot better than these book teachers of today. The best way to get a child to learn is not the let the child not he/she is learning. Make learning fun and they will want to learn.

The school year was once after Labor Day and ended the first week of June. Most of the law makers had that type of school year I should hope to think that they are not saying that they are not smart because they did not have 180 days of school. And if you ask anyone of them the one teacher who taought them the most, I would guest it was the one that got involved - Not the book teacher.

Do not misunderstand me. A fun learning day is not the same as a do nothing day!!!

There are too many reasons 180 days is not the right answer. You can even bring up the cost. Where is all this extra money going to come from? Not the poor -- they have nothing to give. Not the rich -- they know how to get around it.

If you tell a teacher here is the school year (Labor Day - June). Here is what YOU have to teach these students. A good creative hands-on teacher will complete the task at hand. But not a BOOK teacher. ALSO! Instead of teaching the students for these tests. Teach them to learn in general. THEN if the student does not learn enough, take a look at how the teacher teaches the day. NOT the number of days the student is in class.!!!

Just airing off. Not too much sure how far this will go for I am the average parent - average person -- Just Me.

this year around school is not the answer they need to put the schools back in the towns and quit having to bus the kids from one end of the couty in preston we are gone have to go back to the farming days to survie this mess the contry is in now

I teach English/Language Arts in a special education resource setting in Preston County. As I understand it, the 180 day ruling is going to be limited due to the fact that service personnel work on a 43 week contract. What that means, in essence, is that we will still have some sort of de facto "start" and "end" date. We have 43 weeks from when we begin until when we must end, or there will be no service personnel (cooks, bus drivers, aides, etc.) to keep the schools running.

I'm not sure how this issue will be worked out as I know that many service personnel (along with many teachers) work other jobs during the summer to help make ends meet. Service personnel would have to agree to a different contract, and I'm not sure that's going to happen without a fight or monetary compensation.

Additionally, Preston County Schools seem to be one of the major "offenders" that make this change in law necessary. Why are Preston County Schools closed so often? Part of it would have to do with the geographic location. Also, I believe we have something along the lines of 5,000 miles of primary and secondary roads. I'm not sure of the economics behind the decision, but I assume that allocating additional funds for plow trucks, salt, and workers was not considered to be a viable option.

Regardless, I would hope that WESTEST2 testing dates would be moved back to accommodate extending days in the school calendar. If we end up going to school until the middle of June, testing students at the beginning or in the middle of May would not show the full breadth of what they have learned. These are the tests that they use to judge schools, teachers, and to a FAR lesser extent...students. As it stands right now, my teaching is judged by the Writing Assessment which is administered in the first week of March (the 3rd grading period). That test accounts for 40% of each students Reading/Language Arts score. Administering this test after less than 3/4 of the school year has been completed doesn't seem prudent to me.

I am tired of hearing that teachers do not want to teach. We have NO say so in the calender. The folks at your local board and Charleston make the decisions. I would be glad to come in on snow days, and use the ISE days to tutor kids. Call your local board they are the ones that make the final decisions. I would love not to have a week off for Thanksgiving but there is not enough bus drivers and parents can not be bothered to bring their kids to school. I would prefer no spring break also. Let's go straight through till we hit 180 then schedule all the meetings you want!!

Several thoughts on the 180 day calendar. First, there is NO reason we can't reach 180 days. We can schedule a week long spring break, with the understanding that all five of those days will be used, if needed, to make up snow days. Parents could be sent a notice, to make sure that they DO NOT schedule a vacation at that time. Second, we can obviously go further into the summer to make up another five or so days.

The teachers union is against calendar changes to make up the time. We need to make sure that their contract says that they have to TEACH for 180 days, to get their full salary for the year. It doesn't make sense to me that teachers don't have to work on snow days, even though the rest of the world does, but then they don't want to teach for 180 days, to earn their pay.

Also, we really need to stop delaying school because of the cold. At the risk of soundling like my grandparents, when we were in school, we did not have a delay due to cold. Are our kids less tough than we were? Can they not handle cold today? These same kids often would be out playing in the same cold if there was no school.

Lastly, we take the "safety" issue to the extreme when complaining about school not being cancelled. Look at the hundreds of thousands of miles that county school busses travel in the region, with absolutely NO serious accidents or injuries. It seems to me that the drivers and their bosses must be doing it right!

Thanks for the chance to vent!

Appalled,

Do not begin a sentence with a subordinating conjunction. Starting a sentence with the word "and" is not correct grammar.

I am not sure just what you are referring to, as I did proof read what I wrote. Maybe YOU should enlighten me...

Appalled, Your grammar, for the most part, is pretty decent. Although, if you are going to “school” people, pun intended, on their grammar, you should proof read yours first.

I have set here and read over these comments, and I am appalled at the lack of good grammar being used. In most cases, there are no punctuation marks, capitals at the beginning of the next sentence, to children thought it was two, etc. And we are concerned about the children's education and other states talking bad about WV. Where did the parents get their education?? I am a mother of five grown children (adults) and twelve grandchildren. So don't think I have not had my fair share of issues with proper grammar, but I take the time to correct them and show them what they have done wrong. Let's get to the lack of education and snow days. I agree with the year round schooling. And have for many years, since I first heard about it while visiting our son in Virginia. Virginia has the year round schooling, it works well for them. With the bad weather we have, wouldn't it make more sense to give the students days off when the weather is unsafe for them to be out or on the highways. And send them to school when the weather is nice. While our sons come home for hunting, I really don't agree with taking the whole week off. Just what is the percentage of those who are off the whole week and those who actually hunt? Would be interesting of find out. Ok, this is my opinion on this matter. And we have all heard what opinions are, right?

You could get 180 if common sense prevailed. When the legislature madates things they have no knowledge of is when we get things in a jam. Have the teaches do the calender with in the 43 weeks and it will be done with common sense. It seems the locals in Mon county spend their time seeing how they can stick it to teaches and end up making things worse for kids. Look at Ise days when can a child actually use those for free tutoring?? My child is not going to school on Christmas Eve.. is yours

It's time you Appalachian Americans get up to speed with the rest of the U.S. on education. This is not some radical new idea. As I'm sure you have already guessed, I'm one of the "Transplants" who was recruited to come to this state and work due to the fact there aren't that many educated persons to fill certain positions. This is a great state with great people but, you cannot deny WV is lacking the in education department. I've never heard of such a thing as getting a full week off for Thanksgiving until I came to this state. I love to hunt just as much as the next person and think learning about natural resources and wildlife is great, but in no way should that take time away from education. And you wonder why this state is the subject of such stupid jokes. Get it together.

I was born and raised in Preston County. My kids went to school in Preston County until Jan 08. Then we moved to a suburb of Chicago. The kids go to school in some odd weather and it don't matter the temps or how bad it is outside. I thought it was strange the first day I seen them get on a bus to go to school in -25 degree weather. That is when I asked there princapal about it and she said that they might miss one snow day in 10 years. Preston needs to figure out something that is gonna work so that the kids get 180 days whether it is going all year long or adding days.

I agree about the year round schooling. The students would retain more. It seems that the first 1-2 months of each year is spend reviewing. Also, they have the same number of breaks, just spread throughout the year. The kids would be less burnt out, and They would get their days of school. I wish someone would look into how year round schooling would accomodate the athletic seasons and schedules.

I like the idea of year round schooling. Yes, I love my children, and enjoy spending time with them. I also know that they would retain more that they are taught through out the year, if year round schooling was implemented. They would have their breaks, but would also get taught, IF the teachers would actually teach them, instead of teaching to a test. Take a look at what they are actually being taught compared to what we were being taught. My children bring home homework, and I ask if the teachers have went over it with them in class, and sometimes, I will get a yes, but mostly, I get told that they were just told to do this work sheet or this page. They are just rushed through the texts books. As for parent involvement, not sure about your schools, but I know of one that doesn't allow the parent to come into the class room to be involved as a volunteer. You are shut out, unless you want to talk to the teacher at a teachers meeting. They want a raise? Well, let them earn it. Teach my child, that is your job. I do my part at home, you do yours. What good does it do to send them home with a list of 25 spelling words a week when they don't even go over those words and let them know the meaning? One of my children are in 5th grade, they don't even have an English class?!? I was told they would pick that class up the last 9 weeks of school. So, when he goes to 6th grade next year, he will have only had one 9 week course of English. To me, that puts him and his entire class behind. No wonder people make fun of our State, and those of you so worried about Hunting season...that is a bigger joke. That is really going to look good on your child's job resume. Experience? I can kill a BUCK! I know how to hunt!

I have to boys in school in Mon County. The no child left behind has only hurt our middle son. I am a working mom I do all that I can to help him. I do not want my kids in school year round. I enjoy the Winter break and Summer. There are always things to do together. My kids never say we are bored.

ok here is my answer to this problem i think that we should have school from march to december cause that would cover bad weather and holidays what's more important vacation or your child getting the best education so he or she can have a career someday instead of a job

ok you say that snow days burden parents because they have to watch their kids, what about the working parent, with the boss who is a jerk, should snow days or any other days off be claimed as a burden, now a days it takes either both parents working or a single parent to work 2 jobs to make ends meet and make sure that child is well taken care of, so are you the parent whos children burden them when its a snow day because you are stuck at home all day and you are not able to sleep til noon? When the burden is on the children because if we have a bad winter and there is a lot of snow days and they are unable to make those days up, it robs the children of an education, when a student is struggling with a subject the one to what ever amount of days missed is taking away from that child on extra days he could have went up to the teacher raised his hand what ever and said, could you explain this a little more clearly, it also burdens the teacher because if they have X amount of days off for snow days or emergencies they have to cram their lesson plans in to that childs head and miss a lot of important points to where if 5 days was tacked on to the end of the year they could pick up right where they left off instead of cramming that snow day or days in to one lesson. Remember also, that when we was growing up we did not have to learn half of the stuff that these kids are learning, some of the stuff like the advanced math was college classes 20 years ago, personally, i think school should start September 1st, and run til July 31st that away it still give the children a vacation, and time with the family, but also give them more of an education and maybe even a better start on life, there is a lot of stuff that is core classes in college that we could be teaching in the later years of high school that if knocked out of the college scene could make it easier on a college student, in return they could graduate maybe a little earlier than before. So before you say that your child or someone elses child is a burden on the parent because they have to stay home and watch them, think of the burden that is being put on the child, when he or she is getting that education robbed from them.

wv mama - I hat to say it, but a few more days of school might make your post readable.

Adding days to reach 180 days of school isn't going to create a craze to drop out of school. If a kid is going to drop out of school because he has to stay there a few extra days, he or she might not have been the most dedicated student to begin with.

The US averages 180 days per school year, and you see what that's getting us. The world average is 200. Can't we get the kids to meet the AVERAGE, then jump on the schools to do a better job while they are there?

BTW, what does having babies and a few more days of school have to do with each other?

well, here i am again today.i am not for the change ,but i think we need to stand up for the kids they have no say .what about all the drop outs thats going to take place.everyone is thinking about what they think will help,but what about the way the kids think they dont look at things the way adults do.also everyone is blaming teachers and schools about not teaching and the field trips...why...parents have to get involved with thier kids to dont use the school system for a babysitter. their are so many 13 year olds and up having babies.do we blame the schools or the parents? my point is keeping the kids in school longer is not going to change NOTHING it takes parenting too.i know when i was in school the last week of school we done nothing but set in class or go outside.how is adding days going to change that , it has always been like that , it should not be that way, but it is.so i say leave things alone and let the parents do parenting too.i have two 3rd graders that come home asking me about drugs,sex, and gays so what are they learning in school ? my kids right now in 3rd grade know more about those things than what i did at the age, i didnt really start learning about these things till jr .high. so its not about how many days they should attend school to get a better education its about the parents stepping up to the plate.it dont matter rather they attend 180 days or 365 days of school i dont feel it is going to change for the better its only going to get worse , more drop outs,drugs,sex,teens having babies.when are people going to start thinking about the long hall of desisions they make.

I think the others hit the nail on the head. For many parents it's not about the 180 days it is that they do not want to be parents. They do not want to make arrangements for snow days or delays and they are to lazy to take their kids to school if the bus does not run. Let's not have snow days except for extreeme cases. If the majority can get there have school. The parents can decide if they want to bring them or not. If they miss they can get assignments on line or when they return. Why punish the many for the lazy few.

Ok when I was a kid we had the first day of buck gun season off,then went 2 days.As I understand it we did that because of the danger of it being "the 1st" day of deer season.Then later in my school days we got the entire week off...the difference of 2 days.I do NOT think any breaks that our kids already get should be cut out or off in any way.

As in many homes in West Virginia(mine also) it is not considered Thanksgiving break...it's BUCK season!!I would much rather my son be hunting then getting into the drugs and that kind of crap. Leave our deer season out of it!

A good teacher can meet the goals for the year in 170 days. Other teachers would not be able to meet the CSO's if there was year-round schooling. Adding days on to the end of the year is ridiculous, as is starting any earlier in the summer. When I was a child, we were off until after Labor Day. We were always out the first week of June. That is how it should be. I agree with the individual that stated that Thanksgiving break should only include Thanksgiving Day and the Friday afterwards. If school employees want the first day of deer season off, let them use a personal day.

The truth is that our school calendar was created when most families lived on farms and the children were needed to help during the summer. This is no longer the case. When people hear the term "year-round" schooling, it automatically creates fear. The truth is that we could go "year-round" and still only attend 180 days. Other states that follow this calendar do things like three weeks on and one week off, or seven weeks on and three weeks off. The long weeks off are timed during the holiday breaks. This gives children a break but it still allows them to retain the information that they have learned in school. I think it would be nice to have time off with my children in the spring and fall, as well as the other seasons. I am lucky enough to be a stay-at-home mother and I enjoy my time with them. I do not support them being penalized for weather conditions that are out of their control. Also, it is a common fact that school is over at the end of May anyway. They would just be adding game-days on...more money wasted. Either fix it all the way or leave well enough alone!

What is the big deal about a few extra days added in June to get to 180? Are all of you going on vacation as soon as the final bell rings? Something has to be done. Our kids fall behind the rest of the world more and more. They can't learn if they are not there. I'm sure that kids can't learn at home. Yes kids should be able to let loose and be kids, but at what cost. If your kids teacher is worthless than do something, you are their boss. Its called taxes. I do agree that if they are not being taught than why are they there, so that is a route to go to try to fix the problem. Every time I turn around my kid brings home another permission slip for some kind of trip. I can take my kids to museums, teachers should teach at school. Shoot my kid took a field trip to the bowling alley. I can't tell you how much education is there.

On the issue of calling school off, most of the time they call off when they shouldn't. A few weeks ago Harrison was the only one that didn't call off and it didn't even start snowing until after about 1700. What's up with that? Well I'll tell you. If by some chance something would happen to a bus on the way to school than the school would have to shut down because of all the law suites. Leave the schools open and if the bus driver uses discretion and don't run then don't count the kids absent and give them the chance to make up the work, but that might mean that the parent will have to get involved and help their kid with the work.

Clear as Mudd, GOD Bless

O.K. Lay off hunting season. It might not mean much to you transplanted "mountaineers" but to those of us that are multi-generational natives it means quite a bit. When done right it is a hands on classroom of nature and culture that many kids get more out of anyway. All education should be so interactive and connected to outcomes. I fear the day when the last flicker of our regional Appalachian culture is bulldozed by a nationalized mass market New York and Los Angeles hegemony. Wall Street, Broadway, Madison Avenue, Hollywood. YAY!

My youngest daughter is a senior in Harrison county. She came home last week and informed me that they would be doing nothing Thursday and Friday in class. The teachers informed the kids, it was the end of the grading period, and evidently there was nothing for them to do....WHAT.....This happens throughout the year, especially toward the end of the school year. They watch movies. Hey folks something is messed up here. We need to wake up and see what is really happening. It is time for a change. We need to pay attention. From the Matrix.....do you want to take the blue pill or the red pill?

Wow! Some of these comments are so hard to read. Most of those that are difficult to read oppose and protest the 180-day rule. It seems that those protesting didn’t get their 180-days’ worth. Ouch.

However, I have never heard of so many early releases, in-service days, or delayed starts. Add in the mentality of some of the parents. For example, as I waited with my children for the bus that was late, I overheard a parent say, “Come on kids, get in the car, the bus is ten minutes late, we can go home now.” You don’t go home and head back to bed; you drive their butts to school.

My daughter’s teach sent home the class schedule for parent-teacher conferences. Of 20 kids, only 10 names appeared. This is unacceptable.

So, if you are one of these parents, don’t complain, you don’t have the right. If you don’t care enough to send your kids to school, and don’t make the attempt to discuss your kids’ works with the teacher; you don’t need the extra days.

Complain about taxes, I dare you. I only pay $1,000k a year in property taxes. Before I moved to this state I paid $6,500/year in property taxes. My school district spent over $7k per child a year. I am currently trying to sell my house to go back, my children deserve it.

My kids’ teachers have been great, but the school is deplorable, and the administration is struggling, at best. The county board is even more benign.

Give the kids the 180 days, it can only help!!! Parents, support your kids in their path through the school years. Make in enjoyable, help them learn, look at their school work, make sure they do their homework. GET INVOLVED!

As a former teacher i can tell you WE have no say in the calender. We vote and then they choose the one they want. The county BD. of ED. decides on the ISE days. They are the ones taking free one on one tutoring from the students and placing days where they want. Flood Devano and the Board members who let this go on.

I would just like to say that I also enjoy the long breaks with my kids. I live in Preston County, Terra Alta and our weather is very different than the next town over sometimes so I would invite you to visit are area it gets pretty bad. How much longer are they talkng?

You people that are complaining about the school year on a news website are wasting your time. If you are really concerned, start flooding the governer's office with phone calls expressing your concerns. Remember, he has to get re-elected too. I agree with what people are saying, kids do get burnout, but WBOY can't fix that. The only one that can fix that now is the governor himself. We need to start there people.

i do NOT agree with yr round schooling ... they should cut back on the different holiday breaks .. should get a petition going

In my opinion the school calender does not need to be extended we just need to better utilize the days we have.First reduce the # of ISE days second deer season is not a holiday and thanksgiving break should be thanksgiving day and the friday after. Next we need to quit calling snow days for 1-3" of snow this is WV 3" is nothing if the bus drivers are not comfortable with this replace them.And for the quality of education our kids are getting it sucks. The problem i see is we are trying to teach them computers and all this new technology before they even know the basics for crying out loud my 1st grader has computer assignments.

What ever happened to Snow Day Packets (Elem School)? I went to Wilsonburg in the early 90s and we had snow-day packets where there was an assignment to do at home and it counted as a grade.

Also with weather forecasts as they are, why can't teachers have assignments and/or tailor their curriculum with the expectation of snow days. I mean in the real world, workers have to get their work done even in bad weather. Why not students and teachers?

really.....I know what the laws are on attendance,and as for home-schooling....umm we pay taxes and should be able to send our kids to school to get an education...as many of my former teachers always pointed out...I did NOT go to college for 4 years and therefore I am not qualified to teach.

I am also in upshur county(concern parent)...it only gets worse.

In my opinion all these people that are all for kids going to school so much are either teachers or people that want rid of their kids for babysitting reasons or whatever.I personally enjoy the long breaks that the kids get...I ENJOY having my child home.I also believe that the kids can get "burnout"if they are going to school for months without a break.For instance between Christmas and Spring break..do you kids complain about needing a few days off?..Most I know do.

What good would it do to extend the year, if the teachers are not doing their job. First off, what I am saying does not apply to all teachers. I had some great tachers in school, and I also had what I refer to as "textbook teachers". Those teachers tell the kids what page to do in their books, sit down at their desk and have a snack. My teachers used to walk around the class and look over our shoulders at our work. If we had a problem, it was taken care of right then. Now, they would rather send that work home for the parents to take care of. I can help my son with his work, and I don't mind, but those teachers need to understand that we have things to do also. All of this while they are complaining about raises and pensions plans. I got a graded paper home from school last week where my son had missed everyone of them. If I was the teacher, I would have noticed the problem and addressed it. Instead, she let it go. He received a 6% for that paper. Two days later I got another paper, with the same kind of math work, again, he missed all of them. Why would this teacher allow this to happen without stepping in and TEACHING him what he was doing wrong. I ending up going to Wal-Mart and buying a math work book to show him how to do it the right way. It took me less than a minute to show him what he was doing wrong. How low does a child's self-esteem have to be for him to say he must be stupid, when I question him about bad grades. How much do these teachers really care about our children. This is an issue I will be taking up with the principle of the school as well as the teacher. They must be held accountable for performing their jobs. They need to stop devoting so much of their time to bake sale, fundraisers and field trips, and get back to the basics of teaching. Will exteding the school year will not help the plight of our children. Holding teachers accountable for their students educations is the key to our childrens future.

heres the way i see it, i have two kids in the 3rd grade they already complain about going to school , they like it ,but after 5 days of it they are done. i think if they pass this bill the drop out rate will increase in the jr high and high schools. also my kids are involved in out of school activities like scouts and ball.the kids needs to be left alone and given time to be kids. i am only 34 yrs old and the kids now days has to grow up alot faster than what i did and thats not fair to them.another thing that is not being looked at is the travel time some of them are on the buses.where i live some kids are on the buses as early as 6:30am and dont get to school till 8:15am and evenings dont get home till 5:00pm and 5:30pm THAT IS CRAZY TO MAKE THESE KIDS GO YEAR ROUND !!!! MY KIDS WILL NOT GO YEAR ROUND !!!!!! i think it is good the way things are and they need to leave the kids alone. ...I have 2 questions 1.)before now was school year round ? NO and we are not dumb or stupid . i just think there are some parents that dont want to deal with thier kids ,so school is the answer for them.2.) if school goes year round wheres the money going to come from ? Our TAXES will be raised and who can aford that because we cant.look at the gas prices for the buses , look at the lunch prices , NOW i dont even want to think about that if it passes and goes year round.. i would rather them miss some snow days then to have to pay more money that i dont have. Things needs to thought through a liitle better and dont rush it .ITS GOING TO BE TO MUCH ON THE KIDS OF ALL AGES !!!!!!!

Don't get me wrong.. I know we have lots of good teachers in WV but we also have some who are not doing what they should. I hear about a teacher who wrestles with students in class, that do their instruction by handing out packets for the students to do by themselves and hand in. I was so lucky to have gone to school in the 50's. This year we were told there would be work listed online for the students to do to help with the time lost. Nope....not a single one. If they would spend the first couple of years in teaching these children to read, write and spell...then move on to the other classes we would not be graduating students who do not know how to read and write. I know the system thinks they need all these other math skills etc. but without those basic skills they are just left without the ones they need to get the rest. If they are not prepared why pass them on. They may pass them but they are still being left behind.

either way all these 2-3 week breaks they are getting they can be done away with and there you go extra school days that can be used to make up

Next let's hold the lawmakers accountable. If they do not finish their work in the regular session let them stay with no extra pay and finish. I bet we would never have another special session. What should be a PART TIME job has turned into a way to make lots of extra money at our expense. If they want accountaability let them be accountable. No more PAID special sessions and then maybe they would do their jobs.!!

First of all to (really?) board is spelled bored. To just another person it is not called a CHRISTMAS break it is called a WINTER break...so they technically are seperating church ( and this is how you spell CHURCH) Let kids be kids they are growing up to fast the way it is let them enjoy their summer like we did!

I don't know why they have the Aug 26 to June 8 law. Sounds rather ignorant when in some counties there is no possible way, with out endangering the lives of the students, that 180 days of instruction can be met. I really don't understand why some parents are upset over this either. Granted some of these counties the education is lacking but they are still learning something. Personally I wish school was year round. They still only do the 180 days it is just split up better. As a mother with 5 kids about 2 weeks after school lets out all I'm hearing is "I'm board. There is nothing to do." I do the best I can but I run out of ideas. I feel really bad for those with kids who work. They are swamped with day care bills. Then the kids back slide and the teacher has to re teach in Aug everything that was taught back last June. That is an even bigger waste of time. Now for those of you who are upset your kids aren't learning anything ... if you want something done right do it yourself..there is always homeschooling and all you need is a HS diploma to do it. Oh and if you "refuse" to send your kid to school and they miss more than the allowed days with out a medical excuse, have fun with the trips to the court house. My kids missed 5 days, I informed the teachers and had the work they missed given ahead of time. I still got a nasty gram from the BOE telling me if my kids missed any more I'd land in court.

personally since they are always making the case to separate curch from state i don't think they should have a Christmas break that alone would help make up the days they are missed, and personally i think kids should go to school year round then they are ready for colleges sooner and have a head start on a career.

I agree with WV Bekah my son is in 4th grade in upshur county school and is on second grade level he is just passed from one teacher to the next no more then they teach what makes the diference how many snow days the kids have

I will NOT send my child to school any sooner than August 25th nor any later than June 8th.I think they could have plenty of "make up"days on those ISE days,how many meetings do teachers really need?I would feel differently about sending my child to school if he were being taught properly.But since "The no child left behind" started,they shove the kids on through so they can graduate dumber than dirt instead of TEACHING them properly!

If this happens the lawmakers need to stay out of it and let the counties make up days when they can. The counties should make the bus drivers work during hunting season so we are not off a week for Thanksgiving and make spring break a long weekend. Have they thought about Seniors and how it will effect their college application? Have they thought about summer school, athletics, at the end of June. Instead of all those in service days at the start of school , just have school and when they 180 is done do all the inservice you want. The ISE days were meant for students to get extra help from teachers. What child is going to get tutored on Christmas Eve, spring break or after school is out. Leave it to Mon county to take it away from the kids. The only reason were are going to online summer school is bcause Matterns husband is selling the program, yet our excess levy pays her salary because she is not qualified.