Now that the holidays are over and Lawrence County children are back in school, the countdown has begun for summer.

Wednesday, January 05, 2000

Now that the holidays are over and Lawrence County children are back in school, the countdown has begun for summer.

After the holiday breaks – and even more so around Easter – children all over the country have a lot more trouble concentrating on their studies. They are thinking about swimming pools, four-wheelers and baseball.

And this is a time when their parents should start thinking, too. Their assignment, however, centers on the amount of time their children will spend in the classroom next year.

In the past, a couple of Lawrence County districts have considered yearround school schedules and have either decided against implementing the change or have canceled the program.

And while there are some problems inherent in a yearround schedule for parents planning family vacations, there seem to be many more advantages than disadvantages for the children and their ability to learn.

More time in the classroom and breaks that still exist, but are much shorter, make it easier for children to grasp and maintain concepts they are learning in school. More exposure to knowledge means better grades, better test scores and more opportunities.

And the children really don’t lose anything either. They still get at least six weeks during the summer.

Whether yearround schooling is the right decision for Lawrence County schoolchildren is still debatable. However, if area residents are serious about creating top-notch schools in the county, looking at ways to help our children learn more is critical.

Any extra help we can provide them in reaching their goals will come back to help us years from now.

And that is a proposition definitely worth considering.