Does anyone start the new school year in January?

[mama2annabelle]

It just make more sense to me do start off the new year with a new school year rather than starting in Aug/Sept. We just got back to HSing at the end of November after a year in public school. We have been really laid back so far, trying to find our groove and I am doing an overview planning thing right now.

I guess it doesn't really matter when we start right? We are going to be schooling year round anyway. We are doing school 4 days a week since I work part time...it just seems to work out better this way.

[Collinsky]

It really doesn't matter when you start, IMO. There's no developmental reason for the school year to run when it does -- in this country it's based on farming, I believe, and summer was the most labor-intensive time for that, when the kids were needed at home to help with that. In Japan it starts in May, when the cherry blossoms bloom. There's no standard around the world, although there are commonalities among some nations.

We officially started in September, because we had to submit a letter of intent and it's just easier to go along with that start date since the portfolio at the end of the year will be expected to cover Sept through May. That doesn't mean you have to live your life by it, but for any required record keeping it may be simpler to have a conventional start date. (Requirements vary by state/country, of course.)

However, we didn't really get started until after the New Year... the fall was my first trimester, and thank goodness for unschooling!!! I think a January start date is very sensible, particularly if you plan to homeschool year round. We aim for about 4 days a week as well. So what you're doing sounds just fine to me.

[Smithie]

I'd much prefer to start in January, but I'm not sure exactly how I'd manage it. There is a homeschool accountability group in my area that offers year-round enrollment - I may call them up and see how this squares with our state's laws.

OP, as long as you are following your state's laws, your schedule sounds ideal to me!

[pageta]

We start some of our curriculum in July and some in January. We school year round, ten weeks per quarter. We take an official break between Christmas and New Years, but other than that, it's just whenever we have something else we want to do. Generally I aim for 4-day weeks, but during the winter when we're cooped up inside, we do more, and then when spring comes and it's glorious out and everyone else is making up snow days, we take "spring days" and enjoy ourselves.

[CariOfOz]

Yep Well, at the end of January anyway ... that's when schools in Australia start their year so we just follow along because it's convenient We have about 6wks off from mid Dec -end of January and several 2 week breaks through out the year. Realistically though, I have an idea what we need to cover by looking at our curriculum so we take longer breaks if we are ahead of the game

[InstinctiveMom]

Yes

We begin in January and do 6 weeks of school (4 days per week) and then have a one-week break (where I plan the next 6 weeks). We end up with 7 six-week class sessions, and take the entire month of December off before starting again fresh in January again.

... at least, that's the plan
I am pulling my kiddos from school at the end of this week. We homeschooled in pre-k and that's the schedule we followed and it worked very well for us.

[AngelBee]

We do and we school year round.

[briansmama]

I really think it makes a lot of sense to start the year along with the calendar year. I usually ask for homeschooling resources for Christmas (e-reader this year, laptop a few years back) so I end up planning a lot around the holidays anyways.

Plus, my ds was born late in the year and seems to be ready for the next "level" after the holidays (so far).

OP- there's really no reason to stay tied to the traditional school calendar, especially if you hs year round.

[nov05mama]

Since we will have to report to the state and take the EOY tests, we will somewhat follow 'traditional' dates for school. Technically, we are going to do year-round, but I start the 'new year' at the end of August/beg. of September Although, considering we were out of town so much this time around, we may has well of just waited til January anyway...