Celia Tice
While students are facing difficulties during the transition from quarters to semesters, professors are confronting problems of their own.
Under the quarter system, Ohio University’s spring break coincided with the break of Athens City Schools, which proved convenient for professors with children enrolled in the local public schools.
Although the university worked together with the school system to agree upon the same dates for spring break of 2013, Athens City Schools superintendent Carl Martin said the district was forced to change the dates.
This change interrupts vacation plans for many families and leaves some questioning who will watch their children during the public school’s week of break.
Athens High School students are required to take the Ohio Graduation Test to receive their diplomas. The spring break that was originally agreed upon by OU and the district was set for the first week of March — one week before the OGT.
The test date is set by the state and is not allowed to change.
“It would not be responsible of us to not change the spring break schedule with high-stakes testing when they are (currently) placed,” Martin said.
Martin added that staff members of the Athens City Schools think it would be unwise to take a week off right before such an important test.
David Descutner, the University College Dean, said university staff members were surprised that Athens City Schools announced their spring break to be different, but they understand the reasoning.
Individuals from the Registrar’s Office, Quarters to Semesters Transition Office, faculty, and staff are forming a group to discuss what steps to take next, Descutner said.
This group will set up a meeting with representatives of Athens City Schools later in the spring to try and reach a solution.
Bernhard Debatin, a professor in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, has two elementary age kids to think about for next year.
He proposed the possibility of education majors at OU providing an activity day camp for children of professors during their spring break.
This is a beneficial suggestion to consider both for parents and the education students, who will gain experience, Debatin said.
“We are hopeful that OU will take this into consideration in future years when they schedule their spring break, but it is no fault of anyone,” said Martin.
ct881910@ohiou.edu
