Second La Crosse school set to have year-round classes

Another elementary school in La Crosse is going to year-round classes.

Five years after Hamilton Elementary did it, Northside Elementary gave a presentation to the school board Monday night, presenting its 45-day-on, 15-day-off calendar.

Principal Laura Huber said in the several conversations they had with parents, one issue kept popping up.

“We learned that the childcare issue was the No. 1 issue,” Huber said. “They wanted to make sure that, if they were working parents, there was a safe place for their child to go.

“So, hearing that, then the next thing we did was schedule meetings with the BGC and the Y to come in and talk with families.”

As for the education aspect, Huber says the response was universally positive by both teachers and parents. The year-round school is set to start next in July 2019.

Huber and Todd Antony, the director of elementary instruction, gave the presentation. Antony said the philosophy helps make sure students are retaining information more effectively.

“Because you’re reducing the time that students are away from school,” Antony said, “the slide during each of those sessions will be shorter than the slide a student on a traditional calendar would experience through the summer months.”

Antony also pointed out students are still attending the same amount of days as traditional students. Huber said they’ll likely follow the Hamilton schedule.

Huber said Hamilton’s example, over the past five years, will help her better handle issues.

“I can follow their footsteps,” Huber said. “I can learn the challenges and how they overcame them. And then, also, I think we can kind of join them in the excitement.”

Huber added students will retain more knowledge with 15-day breaks set throughout the year.