Irma Lemus
BURBANK -- Trading summer vacation for more time in the classroom may
not be the holiday of choice for most Burbank students, but that's
exactly how many will be spending their time.
After a one-week break, more than 3,000 Burbank students returned for
summer school this week.
About 670 students showed up Monday at David Starr Jordan Middle
School, where the district middle school summer session is being held
this year.
Students were not the only ones less than thrilled with the prospect
of more time at school.
"I hate it," said Dana Besvold as she waited for her son, Zack, to get
out for the day.
"It's really hard for me to get out of work to pick him up, but he had
to come," Besvold said as stood in the shade to avoid the scorching sun.
Besvold, who is a nurse, said her 12-year-old son needed to attend
summer school to make up a math class.
Middle school summer Principal Henry Weikert said most -- but not all
-- of the students spending a portion of their vacation in a classroom
need to make up courses or are deficient in a particular area.
"A lot of students are required to attend summer school, but there are
some who come because they want to be prepared for next year," Weikert
said.
About 20 teachers representing all three Burbank middle schools are
teaching grades six through eight at Jordan this summer, he said.
Zack, who is in sixth grade, appeared to be taking the extra school
work in stride.
"So far it's good. I like it because it gives me something to do. I
would be sitting at home bored," he said.
Fellow sixth-grader Jeffrey Vurges, 12, said he was attending summer
school because his parents work during the day and are unable to watch
him.
"My mom wanted me to come and I hated it at first, but now it's ok,"
Jeffrey said.
High school students are attending summer school at Luther Burbank
Middle school this year, while each elementary school has its own summer
session, district officials said. The last day of summer school is Aug.
4.
