Most students in school districts in Northern Santa Barbara County have been back in classes for more than a week, and now—as of Jan. 21—the Santa Maria Bonita School District has followed suit.
District information officer Maggie White said the district starts later than most for two reasons: “Partly, it’s a hold-over from when we were year-round. The other reason is that a lot of our families travel to Mexico and other places during the holidays.”
White said that in the past, families’ travel plans posed problems for the district because many students would fall behind in the curriculum, and the Parent Teacher Association would see dwindling attendance at meetings scheduled shortly after the winter holiday.
The extended break, however, doesn’t mean the district has less overall class time than its counterparts. White explained the district has a shorter summer break—approximately two months long, instead of the traditional two-and-a-half or three months.
The Santa Maria Bonita School District oversees a total of 19 schools in the Santa Maria area, including 15 elementary schools and four junior
This article appears in Jan 22-29, 2009.
