Don’t you like how my title is so non-committal?
No recipe for success. No promises. Just “We’re trying something new! Here’s what I’m thinking …”
Before the pandemic I had been heavily leaning towards a year round school year. Then stay at home orders arrived and we buckled down and really plugged through our schoolwork. So now, we’re ahead and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to just keep going, then pause when we can actually go out and adventures some. Plus, we all thrive in the routine that school brings and I especially am drawn to the idea of a paced term schedule with seasonal breaks throughout the year.
So I read up on the perks of year round school:
- A Year Round Homeschool Schedule
- Our Year-Round Homeschool Schedule
- Our Year-Round, 4-Day Homeschooling Schedule
- The Benefits of Homeschooling Year Round
It sounded so wonderful! A great fit for our family!
In Washington we school for 180 days each year so in this year of transitioning we’re wrapping up now, planning a short break and then diving into our 2020-2021 school year … Preschool, 2nd, and 4th grade!
I’ve chosen to try the six week term schedule. *I think* this is how I’m mapping it out:
- Term One: May 18 – June 26
- Summer Start Break: June 29 – July 10 >>> This encompasses the end of traditional school which is wonderful because both my mom and sister are teachers and will come visit plus the 4th of July holiday.
- Term Two: July 13 – August 21
- Summer End Break: August 24 – September 4 >>> This helps us catch the upswing of the “real” back to school season.
- Term Three: September 7 – October 19
- Fall Break: October 19 – 23
- Term Four A: October 26 – November 20
- Thanksgiving Break: November 23 – 27
- Term Four B: November 30 – December 11
- Holiday Break: December 14 – January 8 >>> This is our longest break of the year, family usually visits and we can focus our time on seasonal projects while enjoying Christmas.
- Term Five: January 11 – February 19
- Mid-Winter Break: February 22 – 26
- Term Six: March 1 – April 9
- Spring Break: April 12 – April 16 >>> This could adjust by a week or two to time with either my mom or sister’s actual spring break.
- Tidy Term: April 19 – April 30 >>> Wrap up, organize, tidy, and fit in all that end-of-the-year fun!
- Graduation Break: May 3 – 7
This schedule actually gives us 190 days so I might adjust a little as we go. I’m not 100% where … ideas? Then again, I’m sure we’ll have some half days scattered throughout and the catch-up/tidy term will ensure we finish the year well and on track.
We’ll kick off the next year on May 10, 2021 and do it all again. Or adjust based on what I learn during the 2020/2021 year.
Do you homeschool year round? Think we’ll like it as much as I think we will?!?