Summer vacation to be shortened
for city schools

By By Georgia E. Frye / staff writer
May 31, 2004
After 10 months of reading, studying and taking tests, students usually can't wait for summer vacation.
But this year, summer break will be a little shorter than usual for some local students.
Officials with Meridian Public Schools are introducing a new school calendar that will bring students back to class on August 5 a few days earlier than a year ago.
Meridian School Superintendent Sylvia Autry said she wanted to change the school district's calendar to reflect some of the higher performing districts in the state. She said she wanted students to have larger chunks of instruction that wasn't interrupted by holidays.
Autry said the new calendar will not change the number of days students have in class.
Autry said she wanted students to have as much class time as possible before statewide standardized tests are given in May, and she said she also wanted spring break to coincide with Easter.
Lauderdale County School students will return to class on August 9 the same as last year. Some students, however, think that is not enough time off.
Alan Hunter Smith will be in the sixth grade at Clarkdale Attendance Center next year. He said he thinks summer vacation is too short.
Smith, 11, said if summer vacation was longer, he could hang out with his dad more and practice baseball. He also said he could practice shooting his bow and arrow.
Autry said a calendar committee made up of one teacher from each of the city's schools drafted the new school calendar and teachers voted on the one they liked best. The Meridian Public School Board approved the calendar at its May meeting.
Other changes to the calendars include, Meridian and Lauderdale County students will have a week off for Thanksgiving break, Meridian's spring break will coincide with the Easter holiday and students and teachers will have a day off for fall break in late October and a day off for an April break.