Copyright 2000 The Miami Herald
All Rights Reserved
The Miami Herald
August 5, 2000 Saturday FINAL EDITION
SECTION: LOCAL; Pg. 1B
LENGTH: 692 words
HEADLINE: STUDENTS GET EARLY START AT 4 SCHOOLS
BYLINE: ANALISA NAZARENO
BODY:
As most of the county's children slumbered Friday morning, the Edwards sisters in Opa-locka buoyed themselves up before dawn, rubbed their eyes of sleep and got themselves ready for their first day of school.
"I don't think I'm ready," said Sanika Edwards, 10, the eldest of the three sisters who attend Opa-locka Elementary School. Her sisters are 7-year-old Shannelle and 6-year-old Samantha. "It's going to be a longer school year."
To be exact, the school year at Opa-locka, Charles R. Drew, North Miami and Toussaint L'Ouverture elementary schools will be six weeks longer because they are participating in a statewide experiment on the academic effects of a lengthier school year.
Friday was the first day of the experiment - two days after the end of summer school - and only half the students at the schools decided to participate. The other half stayed at home or played in the park.
"Opening day has been great, even though we've got five or six kids in some classrooms," said Opa-locka Principal Bettye Woodson. "You have to consider that it's Friday, and it's an early-release day. And if you take that into consideration, it's good that these students made it."
At one point, Drew Principal Frederick Morley hopped in his Buick Skylark to hunt students down at the parks.
"We were expecting 600 and about 280 showed up," Morley said. "It's the first day of growing pains. I'm sure that the children will be here on Monday. I drove around, and the kids that I saw told me they would be here."
If these principals had their druthers, school would have started on Monday or in the middle of the week.
Miami-Dade school district administrators and the United Teachers of Dade chose Friday as the start date to mirror a calendar adopted by the staff at Henry E.S. Reeves Elementary School in North Central Dade.
The privately operated public school has been operating on a longer school year schedule since 1996.
"Starting on a Friday is a nice way to start because there isn't a stampede of people at the school on the first day," said Peggy Green, the union steward at Reeves. "The teachers get to know a small group of kids on Friday and the rest on Monday. The kids pick up their supply lists and buy just what they need on the weekend and they get the word out to their friends."
School leaders are expecting the bulk of the children to show up Monday. For the children who don't show, the only consequence is poorer grades.
"They'll miss critical instruction," said Eduardo Rivas, the district's director for educational planning. "What we'll have if a child comes in late is a child that is behind the rest of the class."
For the diligent students who showed up Friday, the first day was bittersweet.
"I like school," said Candice Jeudy, a 10-year-old fifth-grader at North Miami. "But I don't think it's fair that we have to work hard while the other kids are on vacation."
Candice's solution to this perceived injustice: "I think that everybody should go to school longer."
Classes for the extended-year schools in the county end July 13, 2001. Classes for all other Miami-Dade schools end June 13.
"School is fun, but I like summer vacation better," said Jafari Carlos, a third-grader at Opa-locka. "I like being cooped up at home, lounging around the house, listening to the radio with my brother."
Jafari's mother, Cherill Carlos, who dropped him off for morning breakfast at the school, said she hoped the longer school year will be the antidote for many of the students' low reading skills.
"Some kids are not ready for the tests that they have to take and I hope this helps get them ready," she said.
This Miami Herald owns the copyright to this story. To read more of this story, please e-mail Analisa and she will e-mail you the clip or send you one via snail mail.
All Rights Reserved
The Miami Herald
August 5, 2000 Saturday FINAL EDITION
SECTION: LOCAL; Pg. 1B
LENGTH: 692 words
HEADLINE: STUDENTS GET EARLY START AT 4 SCHOOLS
BYLINE: ANALISA NAZARENO
BODY:
As most of the county's children slumbered Friday morning, the Edwards sisters in Opa-locka buoyed themselves up before dawn, rubbed their eyes of sleep and got themselves ready for their first day of school.
"I don't think I'm ready," said Sanika Edwards, 10, the eldest of the three sisters who attend Opa-locka Elementary School. Her sisters are 7-year-old Shannelle and 6-year-old Samantha. "It's going to be a longer school year."
To be exact, the school year at Opa-locka, Charles R. Drew, North Miami and Toussaint L'Ouverture elementary schools will be six weeks longer because they are participating in a statewide experiment on the academic effects of a lengthier school year.
Friday was the first day of the experiment - two days after the end of summer school - and only half the students at the schools decided to participate. The other half stayed at home or played in the park.
"Opening day has been great, even though we've got five or six kids in some classrooms," said Opa-locka Principal Bettye Woodson. "You have to consider that it's Friday, and it's an early-release day. And if you take that into consideration, it's good that these students made it."
At one point, Drew Principal Frederick Morley hopped in his Buick Skylark to hunt students down at the parks.
"We were expecting 600 and about 280 showed up," Morley said. "It's the first day of growing pains. I'm sure that the children will be here on Monday. I drove around, and the kids that I saw told me they would be here."
If these principals had their druthers, school would have started on Monday or in the middle of the week.
Miami-Dade school district administrators and the United Teachers of Dade chose Friday as the start date to mirror a calendar adopted by the staff at Henry E.S. Reeves Elementary School in North Central Dade.
The privately operated public school has been operating on a longer school year schedule since 1996.
"Starting on a Friday is a nice way to start because there isn't a stampede of people at the school on the first day," said Peggy Green, the union steward at Reeves. "The teachers get to know a small group of kids on Friday and the rest on Monday. The kids pick up their supply lists and buy just what they need on the weekend and they get the word out to their friends."
School leaders are expecting the bulk of the children to show up Monday. For the children who don't show, the only consequence is poorer grades.
"They'll miss critical instruction," said Eduardo Rivas, the district's director for educational planning. "What we'll have if a child comes in late is a child that is behind the rest of the class."
For the diligent students who showed up Friday, the first day was bittersweet.
"I like school," said Candice Jeudy, a 10-year-old fifth-grader at North Miami. "But I don't think it's fair that we have to work hard while the other kids are on vacation."
Candice's solution to this perceived injustice: "I think that everybody should go to school longer."
Classes for the extended-year schools in the county end July 13, 2001. Classes for all other Miami-Dade schools end June 13.
"School is fun, but I like summer vacation better," said Jafari Carlos, a third-grader at Opa-locka. "I like being cooped up at home, lounging around the house, listening to the radio with my brother."
Jafari's mother, Cherill Carlos, who dropped him off for morning breakfast at the school, said she hoped the longer school year will be the antidote for many of the students' low reading skills.
"Some kids are not ready for the tests that they have to take and I hope this helps get them ready," she said.
This Miami Herald owns the copyright to this story. To read more of this story, please e-mail Analisa and she will e-mail you the clip or send you one via snail mail.
