the    sides

Amy went to an informational meeting last night at our local school. They are returning to a track schedule. For the last 3 years they’ve been on the ‘conventional’ schedule.

Amy said the meeting went fairly well. With track, they are able to get class sizes smaller, lower teacher to student ratio, and more opportunities for students to take elective classes. Conventional is more convenient in terms of schedule. All that really means is that conventional is what we are used to - it’s convenient for us.

I’m sure if I was a single parent who had to figure out child-care when the kids are out of school, I’d feel a bit more passionate about this. We’ve been told that if you have 3 or 4 kids in different schools, they will place you all on the same schedule. Let’s pray that happens.

It’s going to be a mix bag for me. I’ll love having the staggered times in the year to just go skiing with the kids or take off when everyone else is in school. But as a youth pastor, this could seriously jack up our schedule. Summer trips - most of my volunteers could have their kids in school and not be available to go on the trip. The traditional “calendar year” for student ministry will have to be re:thought (which is okay, really).

It further confirms my thoughts that the “summer camp” experience for teens is dying. Culture is demanding it which I honestly think that’s okay. We’re doing a mission trip this coming summer - in downtown Denver - plus a couple of retreats. Less money, more bang, more relational connection.

But it won’t be ‘convenient’ and easy.