Speak up: Gilbert readers debate GPS calendar

Gilbert district leans toward 2-2-2 academic calendar for next three years

I retired from GPS last summer after 13 years at Campo Verde.

When GPS was surveying families about this (they did it for about three years) each year they heard back: YES! So several years ago we went to that formula.

Pros:

The longer breaks are great for the kids and families. Vacations are no longer tied to June/July when all the tourists are out and prices are at their highest.

It truly seems to really "reset" the students and teachers.

It aligned with Chandler schools which many families liked as the two districts are next to each other and families have friends, etc.

Cons

Egad, starting school on the 18th of July was painful! It's hot, most folks are still out enjoying the summer, and you're back in the classroom.

Those are my pros/cons; other folks have different opinions I'm sure.

All in all, I liked it. — Steve W.

I think it's just another scheme for giving the teachers more time off. They should keep the old calendar. — Larry B.

Larry, More time off? Uh, we didn't get any more time off than we do in a normal school year. The kids are still required to attend the same number of days.

There is NO difference in the number of days students/teachers are in the classroom with this schedule than there are in the "old" calendar. — Steve W.

Larry, It’s actually a pay cut to teachers. They get paid the same for either schedule. At least the old schedule makes it easier to get a longer summer job for some extra cash. — Dave F.

We had this schedule when we moved to Arizona from South Carolina. They called it year-round school; our kids actually loved it. Losing three weeks of summer was not a huge deal to them as they were missing their larger group of friends. We also save tons on camp fees because as working parents we did not have nine weeks of vacation but could work in those longer spring, fall, and holiday breaks. — Kristy B.