The Advantages of Year-Round Schools

* In John Perez’s article (“Politicians to Blame for Sorry State of Our Schools,” July 16) the finger-pointing at the politicians in the Legislature remains in the same posture as all other finger-pointing--i.e., with four fingers reflecting back to the pointer. In the case of overcrowded Van Nuys High School, unable to house potential students in its magnets, the finger-pointers neglect to mention the reasonable solution of a multitrack, year-round school. With such a schedule, the high school could have housed the three magnets.

The multitrack school makes use of the taxpayers’ school buildings every day of the year. Moreover, it accommodates students and families in a closer community relationship. Each track is a mini-school with teachers, counselors and students relating to each other.

Why the antipathy to a change that would easily benefit students and schools? First, any change is difficult. “We’ve always done it this way” is a treacherous argument to overcome in anything, but particularly in an area as close to the hearts as schools. Yet the multitrack school is not only economical, its other advantages are overwhelming.

First and foremost, we are no longer an agrarian society--indeed we have not been for the past 70 years. There is no reason to release thousands of hands for the harvest or the hay field.

Multitrack change is a renewal of the soil of the system; it compels a rethinking and replanning of each course taught and of all school activities. As teachers and instructors are forced to reconstruct their programs, families can make use of the freedom of the September to June restrictions to use the new choices for their individual benefits. Families now use the eight weeks in fall or winter for travel at reduced rates or to enjoy more time for winter sports. For others, division of tracks serves for more jobs for teen-agers throughout the year and for division of child care among family members or families.

Instructional programs and real-world training for all other students will be further adjusted as the colleges and universities, city programs, parks and recreational activities, commercial enterprises, hospitals and nursing homes develop more and more postures to use the talents of young people.

All changes mean adjustments. In the case of year-round schools, our traditional Yankee ingenuity can bring benefits to all of our city, and Van Nuys High School can accommodate six magnets.

DR. ANNE L. FALOTICO

Woodland Hills

Falotico is principal of Los Angeles High School in Los Angeles.