Summer is no longer children's respite from schoolSummer is no longer children's respite from schoolJune 27, 2003
Alice Cooper's 1974 hit "Schools Out", from which the famous lyric "School is out for summer" comes from, no longer applies for many of the today's children. At least not here in Oakley. Officially, Wednesday was the last day of school at Vintage Parkway and Laurel schools for three of their tracks. School for those tracks starts again July 10.
For those who aren't familiar with the track system that the Oakley school district uses, it allows for year-round school in order to help keep smaller class sizes and allow for the influx of students that is plaguing our district. The track system is only used at Vintage and Laurel schools; Gehringer and Oakley schools use a modified traditional schedule. Students at those two schools start back to class July 29 and continue through June 3.
While Gehringer and Oakley schools and one track from both Laurel and Vintage schools will have approximately two months off and a sort of summer vacation that will provide a chance to unwind from one grade to the next, the year-round students get their two weeks and then it's back to the salt mines of higher learning.
Surprisingly it is split as to whether parents and students like year-round schooling. For the most part parents seem to feel that there is no choice, especially because it gives students the chance to have smaller class sizes -- kindergarten through third grades keep it to 20 to 23 students, while fourth and fifth grades are at 30 students. Unfortunately, some families find it confusing.
One parent told me of her embarrassment this last year when she dropped her son off at school and headed off to work in Oakland only to receive a call when she got there that her son's track didn't start until the next week. She said it was hard to tell because, except for holidays and common days off, there is always a group of students that are attending classes in a year-round school system.
So what are students going to do during that time? Many families are heading on vacation and won't have time to worry about what to do with their kids for only a two-week period, but others who are home will have the opportunity to enroll their children in city-run programs that sound like fun. The only problem is that some students will be left out.
Most of the track students were in school until this past Wednesday. The city's basketball program for kids ages 5 to 15 ran three sessions. Classes for kids ages 9 through 11 ran this past week from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Unfortunately, that is elementary school age and those kids won't be able to participate in the week long program. It would have been nice for the program to be able to include all of the students.
There are other activities available over the two-week period or at least a couple of days. The city's Summer Blaze events will include: Splash Day, July 7 at O'Hara Park; Olympic Day, July 8 at the Laurel Ball Fields; and Ice Scream Day, July 9 at Crockett Park. All activities happen from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Unfortunately again for the students who have to head back to school July 10, they will miss Science Day at Vintage Parkway School, the July 11 Sports Day at Oakley School, and a series of other events during the week of July 14.
One good thing is that the Freedom High School pool will be open for kids to enjoy during those two weeks. The pool is open for recreational swim time Monday through Friday, 1 to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 12:30 to 5 p.m. The cost to swim is $2 per person (2 and younger free with paying adult). Discount passes also are available at $30 for 20 visits and $40 for 30 visits.
Lap swimming is available Monday through Friday from 5:15 to 6:30 p.m., and Saturday from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. The cost will be $3 per visit. Swimming lessons run by the city will include group lessons Monday through Thursday for two-week periods, with morning and evening classes available. The cost for the lessons is $41. For more information on city-sponsored events, call 925-625-7000.
Roni Gehlke's column on life in Oakley appears each week in the Brentwood News.
Distributed by the Contra Costa Times