>
> By the way, I work in Texas where a lot of errrr should we say, less
> documented people live. Guess what, they go home to wherever to visit
> family once in a while. For now, having a 2.5 month summer allows them to
> do so without impacting school too much. However, it is still and issue
> during our 2 week Christmas vacation period. Many, and I mean many, of
> these students take the entire month of December of the first two weeks of
> January off to travel to their "home" countries. It is an issue that I
> think would be actually be exacerbated by a year round policy.

We have the exact demographics that you have and have the same problem with
the month long vacations. With that being said though we have the exact
opposite time situation. During the summer, our local plant, in which the
majority of town works at, runs non-stop 24 hours a day, with the workers
putting in 60-70 hour work weeks. This will continue from April- October.
The slow-down comes in the Dec-Jan-Feb time period.

We see large numbers of kids with little or no supervision over the summer,
with oders to stay in the house or not leave the yard. There is very little
educational happening in these houses/trailors over the summer. Then right
before the test-prep season really kicks in the plant slows down and we have
kids pulled out for month long vacations.

Our school is also beginning to talk about modifiying our schedule. In our
town's situation, it would probably be a very good thing. I'm not 100% sold
yet on the idea, but am leaning toward it, I can definitely see the
benifits.

On a personal note, I hate to admit the fact that when I compared the rates
for a week at World Disney world during peak season with a week in January,
all of a sudden the idea started to appeal to me. Especially since I would
be trading Minnesota winter weather for sunshine and beaches. I've always
wanted to go there, but the heat of a Florida summer and the peak season
cost have eliminated it as a vacation destination of choice.

I know, I know, that is a purely selfish, non-educational reason to want to
have time off in January. Then again even if we don't go to Florida, a
vacation in January could be nice. I like winter, as long as I don't have
to get out in it, especially in the dark early mornings to scrape ice. Two
weeks to hibernate and spend time with my kids sounds pretty nice to.

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