Spring break calendar confusion

Wednesday, January 12th 2005, 10:40 am

By: News On 6

Many parents thought lawmakers settled this issue years ago, but once again some Oklahoma school districts are staggering spring breaks. Different breaks for different schools in the area are creating a little calendar confusion.

News on 6 reporter Ashli Sims has the breakdown on spring breaks.

Spring is still a good two months away, but that's not stopping many students from counting down the days until spring break. But some students will have to wait a little longer than others for their spring vacation.

Tulsa Public Schools spokesman John Hamill: â€œIt'll be the third full week in March, rather than the third week in March." For Tulsa County school districts the break falls on the third full week in March -- the 21st through the 25th. But just about everyone else is taking their spring break the week of the third Wednesday, which is March 14th through the 18th. "Their understanding is the third week and to the county superintendents it was very clear a week is a week not a partial week that's the third full week of the month."

Lawmakers made a push several years ago to give all Oklahoma students the same spring break. But it was just a suggestion, not a law. So Tulsa County superintendents decided to stick with their dates, even though their break is different than other area schools, as well as many of the state's colleges and universities. "I think where you have a discrepancy is if you have a faculty or member of your family attending or teaching at an institute of higher learning and the childrenâ€™s break doesn't mesh with the colleges.â€

With a later spring break, Tulsa County schools are shortening the last stretch of the school year, a time when students usually get pretty antsy. "The sun is shining the birds are singing and I'm stuck in the classroom. So I think there was a sense of keeping that last period shorter rather than a week longer."

The State Department of Education has suggested spring break dates for the next two years on its website. March 13th through the 17th are slated for the 2006 spring break.

Although many school districts are still discussing the 2005-2006 calendars, it looks like Tulsa county schools once again will take a spring break different from the state's dates.