Yeshiva Sanity: No More Pencils, No More Checks...

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

No More Pencils, No More Checks...

Why does the last day of school have dismissals around noon? Whom does that benefit? Why not just give the day off at that point. No one's learning anything and parents can't get any work done that day?

It's not a rhetorical question, I really want to know? Is 10 weeks just not enough vacation?

(Props to Moriah for extending school to the end of the week)

Enjoy summer vacation!

-YD

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AztecQueen2000 · 666 weeks ago

Unless the last day is a Friday, I tend to agree with you. Public schools don't release kids early on the last day.

2 replies · active 666 weeks ago

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guest · 666 weeks ago

Seriously. public school releases early everyday!

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AztecQueen2000 · 666 weeks ago

3:00 isn't early by PS standards. They are not responsible for teaching the history, language and nuances of a 3,000-year-old Semitic faith. Moreover, many elementary schools offer latchkey programs for working families so that the kids can be somewhere safe until 6:00.

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Michael · 666 weeks ago

Yeshivas do it because they can get away with it. Hopefully with Heatid on the scene progress will be made which will benefit all working parents - even those that don't send to Heatid.

1 reply · active 666 weeks ago

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guest · 666 weeks ago

Heatid is closed for chol hamoed sukkot. How does that benefit working parents?

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I've Had It · 666 weeks ago

Michael: I'm glad to see that you are enamored with Heatid. Personally, I find it curious that the Heatid lovers are almost all of one mindset: Heatid good, everybody else bad. This got me very suspicious from day one, and the meeting I attended about Heatid just confirmed to me that the founders of this school (as well meaning as I believe they are), have a very limited understanding of education in general and blended learning in particular. I personally would not risk my childfren of this experiment today. Still, there is room for everyone, so good luck in your choice and hope it works out for you.

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legit? · 666 weeks ago

Perhaps people need to stop looking at a school as a babysitting service!!! If that is what He'Atid is setting out for [long hours on extra days], great. However, perhaps there are team meetings with employees / departments and other constructive reasons for the early dismissal. Perhaps, knowing it is the last day, with most kids taking it lightly, the school rather have solid learning Monday - Tuesday, and have a "closure" session today for "good bye", enjoy summer, etc...

If one is choosing a school based on what time the child is dismissed on last day of school year, those kids may have trouble...not with their schooling, but with their upbringing by their parents.

1 reply · active 666 weeks ago

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AztecQueen2000 · 666 weeks ago

Before you come down too hard on the parents, remember this. Yeshiva is not free. Dual-income families are rapidly becoming the norm. Those kids have to be somewhere while Mommy and Daddy are out earning the next round of tuitions.

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JS (hello) · 666 weeks ago

Just curious what people here do with their kids over the summer. Maybe a topic for the next post?

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Yeshiva_Dad 69p · 666 weeks ago

legit?,

Are you saying that parents need to hire near full-time babysitters to cover all the ridiculous days off in addition to paying tuition?

3 replies · active 666 weeks ago

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guest · 666 weeks ago

Yes, parents need to arrange for coverage when their children do not have school. School is not babysitting & school is not daycare.

Breaks in the schedule are actually good for the students.

While yeshiva costs a lot of money, its gotta be a heck of a lot cheaper to hire a babysitter than to pay extra tuition so the schools can pay the teachers, run a facility, and programs for those extra days.

Working parents of public school children also need to find coverage every single day since school ends so early. They have a similar amount of vacation as well. While their 8:30 - 1:00 pm day is "free", their 1 pm - 6 pm day probably costs them a pretty penny.

Let's not act like Jewish families are the only ones that need to figure out childcare and spend money.

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Michael · 666 weeks ago

"While yeshiva costs a lot of money, its gotta be a heck of a lot cheaper to hire a babysitter than to pay extra tuition so the schools can pay the teachers, run a facility, and programs for those extra days. "

Here is an idea. Have extra days in the calendar and not pay teachers any more money so there is no incremental increase in tuition needed (other than the minimal cost of keeping utilities running on these extra days). If teachers don't like it then they are welcome to leave and find a better job. That is how capitalism works.

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guest · 666 weeks ago

Good incentive for the teachers to want to do a good job teaching YOUR children or go that extra mile for you!!

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Yeshiva_Dad 69p · 666 weeks ago

Schools talk a lot about how safety of the students is the most important thing. That indicates that babysitting is in fact, one of the functions that a school is supposed to provide. But whatever the most important function of the schools is babysitting, education, teaching middos etc., the point is that today they did not do their job (except Moriah). And they have a big vacation coming up so they don't need a day off today.

1 reply · active 666 weeks ago

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Ugh · 666 weeks ago

I find this response quite disgusting. The teachers are the ones who work at the camps over the summer and many are not taking a vacation. In order for camp to start next week , the teachers need to be there these next few days. If you want school to go later, pressure the camps to start later. Or pressure the camps to start earlier with a babysitting service. Neither camp nor school are babysitting services.

Not to mention that many of the schools rent/run summer camp programs. This revenue directly impacts your tuition bottom line. They need the few days to flip the buildings over.

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guest · 666 weeks ago

"The teachers are the ones who work at the camps over the summer and many are not taking a vacation."

So my children will have teachers as their counselors this summer and not some 16 year old kids? Most teachers DO NOT work at camps.
And the fact that many are not taking a vacation, thats something we have in common.

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