Gattiker letter: School dates

My family is passionate about backpacking Idaho’s wilderness. Our time together in the backcountry is fulfilling like no other family activity. We are unplugged, engaged, reflective and revel in our shared wonder at the natural beauty. Regrettably, our window for exploring Idaho’s high country is limited to the six weeks between July 4 and the start of school due to snow cover and swift streams. The window of time is precious to my family, and that’s why I oppose the Boise School District’s proposal to start school one week earlier in 2018.

The district offered us parents no credible facts to support its claim that the change in the school calendar supports improved academic excellence. Furthermore, the district offered us only one option for achieving its goal of completing the semester before the holiday break: start school earlier in August. All summer days are not created equal. May and June offer limited recreation opportunities relative to July and August.

Please join me in asking our elected Boise School District board of directors to offer parents and taxpayers a calendar proposal that focuses on student achievement without compromising our unmatched dog days of summer.

This story was originally published August 30, 2017 at 10:53 PM with the headline "Gattiker letter: School dates."