Next Summer a student waits to return to Poway High School during the summer, so far there have been seven weeks of summer, but now there is only a week left.
Last summer we had an unusually long summer, often nine and half weeks but now it has been proposed to be cut by two weeks for the 2025-2026 school year.
Usually, summers are nine and a half weeks, but the district is planning to start the school year early on Aug. 13 because of new data reporting requirements from the state. Because the district has to prove data like attendance and grades by June 30. The district has to end and begin the school year earlier..
Last year we had a school year that was one week longer than our normal summer due to the school year ending on June 6 and beginning on Aug. 21 which resulted in a need to cut summer by two weeks instead of one for the following year.
The school year ending earlier could help hundreds of students in the long run. If there are students that have missed classes they would be classified as a fifth-year graduate, which would jeopardize their ability to gain further opportunities.
Seniors making up failed classes in summer school could complete their missing classes before the June 30th deadline which can make it easier to get into college, the military, and to start trade school according to Associate Assistant Superintendent Dave LeMaster.
The shortened summer will nevertheless be inconvenient for many students. Most teens have jobs during the summer allowing them to make money, so when the summer is cut short so is the amount of income they can earn.
A shorter summer will also substantially restrict opportunities for family vacations since many vacations are scheduled in the August weeks being cut out of summer. In addition, participation in various sports, religious, and educational camps may be affected starting with the shorter summer. Teens will need to completely rearrange their schedules to fit the time restrictions for next summer.
The shortened summer will be an inconvenience for many students, but the district must meet state rules and it could help seniors stay on track for their future goals.
