The Benefits of Year-Round School

These days, more and more private schools are switching to a year-round calendar rather than having kids attend for only three seasons out of the year. Even preschools have begun switching to this model. And while it might seem strange at first to send your child to school through the summer, there are actually a lot of benefits to year-round school, including the following.

1. Kids don't forget as much.

Do you remember how, after a summer break, your teachers would have to spend the first month or two of school reviewing old material to refresh your memory before teaching new material? With year-round school and no long, multi-month breaks, kids don't forget as much, so the teachers can spend less time reviewing. This means they can include more material in the curriculum, and also spend more time concentrating on the finer points of certain topics as they teach them.

2. Kids get refreshing breaks more often.

School is hard sometimes, and your kids will feel like they need a break to de-stress and have some fun. With year-round school, they get these breaks more often. Instead of attending constantly for months at a time, they'll typically get a week off every month or two. Year-round schools give kids a similar amount of vacation time as traditional schools, but that time off is dispersed through the year rather than bunched together in the summer.

3. You'll have an easier time taking trips.

With the traditional school schedule, if you want to travel any time other than in the summer, you have to pull your kids out of school. And summer is the most expensive time to travel! With a year-round school, your kids will have other breaks during which you can travel. This will save you on travel costs and make it easier to schedule visits with out-of-town family members.

4. Teachers don't get as drained.

Teachers have incredibly demanding jobs. When the school day is over, they still have to grade papers, plan lessons, and attend conferences. By the end of a traditional school year, the teachers are as drained as the kids. With year-round school, they also get pauses to refresh themselves. They can plan a few weeks of lessons at a time during the time away from classes, so they don't have to work as late into the night, too. 

Year-round school may sound odd, but as your child approaches school age, it really is a smart option to consider. If you have especially young children, look into year-round preschool centers your child can attend.