Boca Raton News

Nicol Jenkins
8/15/05

Despite Labor Day marking the beginning of school for most of the nation, The School District of Palm Beach County (PBSD) begins the year the second week of August. The early start has left some Boca Raton parents upset that summer vacations are cut short.

“Everyone’s unhappy about it,” said Amy Grossman, whose daughter attends Spanish River High School. “It’s a bummer for [students]. Summer vacation is a sacred time to refresh yourself.”

The decision about the school year start date was made five years ago, allowing high school students to take exams before holiday break, but three out of four parents interviewed by the Boca Raton News were in fact unaware why the schedule change was made in the first place.

The assumption expressed most often was that the early start had something to do with the 2004 hurricanes.

“Up north everyone starts a week after Labor Day,” said Boca mother Annette Levin, who has two children attending Sandpiper Shores Elementary School. “I know we have to go so many days. We just have to go longer. And I know we have built in hurricane make-up days called EMD.”

“The problem was because of the hurricanes and they had to make up the school days,” said Cindy Overbey, who has a son attending Atlantic High School.

Boca dad Brian Howard thought his three teenagers were attending Boca Raton High School earlier to take exams before holiday break.

“Maybe they don’t want the students to worry about semester tests,” he said. “From a parent’s perspective, the one advantage is when they go home from holiday break they don’t have to worry about exams. When the semester is over, it’s over. The kids can take a much needed vacation without worrying about finals.”

Howard guessed right. The Aug. 10 start date came about five years ago when a calendar committee of high school students, parents, administrators and community members moved the date up to allow high school students to take exams before holiday break, according to Vickie Middlebrooks, spokeswoman for the district.

In the 2003-2004 school year, classes started Aug. 13 in the county. And from 2001 until 2003, school began Aug. 14.

“Most counties in the state and other states such as Alabama and Georgia start early,” Middlebrooks said. “Up North they hold on to the Labor Day but don’t get out until June. The benefits are having high school kids have final exams before holiday break. If they’re out for two weeks, they’ll lose subject throughout the year.”

Middlebrooks said the district is not trying to hide the reasoning behind an earlier school year.

“It’s been over five years since the switch was made,” she said. “It’s not something we hide. When the media and public ask, we tell them.”