Balanced Calendar

[sonia barski]

Hi to all of you. I'm a grade 3 teacher in a ELL school in British Columbia, Canada. Several schools are trying various forms of a balanced calendar in hopes of reducing student absences, as many go on extended vacations to visit family, and improving academic progress. My school is in the beginning stages of researching the effects of a balanced calendar on students and teachers and the many variations of calendars. We are finding it hard to find research that has followed students over a significant time. However, we do have a list of pros and cons. Two big concerns are teachers who have their own children in other schools that will not be on the same calendar and the other is that their will still be extended vacations and student absences will not decrease. I'd like to hear from you. What you've experienced and what calendar you school was on.