Michigan and New Yorkers Today?

I saw a LOT of Michigan license plates and people from bufallo new york. It was PACKED today. Whats up with that?

Michigan is one of the primary markets - it's hardly a surprise to see our plates down there. There's also "Michigan Days" 8/17 - 9/7.

As for Buffalo, NY, in particular, who knows? Did you ask if they were part of a large group that took a bus or buses out to the park?

I think Michigan Days (buy one ticket, get one free for guests from the Wolverine state) started today. As for Buffalo, I don't know. Outpouring of excellent taste from the Empire staters?

I was really hoping for some slow days now that most of Ohio but not my kids are in school.

It was real dead last Wednesday when I was there.

We may try tomorrow after high school orientation. We were going to do today but then the kids were actually worn out enough from camping with scouts the weekend and then wildwater Kingdom right after they got home Sunday they wanted a day to rest. I guess you know you're getting enough use out of passes when your kids admit to being too tired to go to the park.

I was hoping it would be dead today as well, being a monday but just all those people up there. At least i got in one ride on dragster, but that was it really. Everything else was an hour + wait. NO THANKS. I enjoyed the gorgeous day though and strolled around the park a couple different times and took in a show, the only one left being Country Rocks or whatever its called. And of course, got some good ice cream. It was too nice of a day not to go, plus it being my last day of vacation. Back to work tomorrow!!

^ Gosh, I hope it's not like that tomorrow...

It's my understanding that schools in Michigan go back later than in Ohio -- so with a buy one, get one free deal for people from Michigan that runs through 7th September, it's going to be fairly busy.

Yep.. State law in MI dictates that (public) schools commence their fall semesters no sooner than the first business day following labor day. Most schools will indeed be that first day, so Tuesday, September 8.

Wonder how late they go into June.

10-15 days usually.

When I was a kid in Ohio, we always started summer vacation during the second week in June and started school again on the Wednesday after Labor Day. That was standard for every school district in the state. August school starts don't do anything for a better quality education and just screw up vacations schedules for families, I'm glad I was in school before the madness was implemented.

Amen to that. As an educator I can say adding days isn't helping. Testing out the wazoo isn't helping. Kids actually coming to school ready to learn would help big time. Not being forced to teach to the state mandated test and suck the joy right out of learning would go a really long way.

Our school district has just changed to starting a week earlier in August so now they are out end of May. They started Aug 19th this year. Their rationale is that they don't have to pay June benefits for retirees. Before that, it was still August but I really wish they didn't start until after Labor Day and end in June instead. I know some argue for year round school but I think there is a lot of developing in other ways over the course of a summer for children.

Schools should start after Labor Day and finish the first or second week of June. It is cooler the first part of June than it is in August. The last two weeks of August are usually hot and humid. Most schools are not air-conditioned. More people travel during August than June. Lets face it, tourism drives the economy along the lake as well as in southeastern Ohio. And don't get me started on high school sports--especially football. Sometimes I think the tail is waging the dog! Oh well, just my two cents.

End of August in a poorly ventilated non A/C school sucks. A few years ago end of August it was 95 for days on end and there came a point I was actually feeling physically ill from it. I was working with a frozen wet washcloth batween me and the back of the chair to cope and then I'm expected to tell the kids "Oh it's not that hot sit down and pay attention" yeah, really convincing. And yes, so much developement outside of the classroom. Kids aren't mini adults.

The mandate for Michigan Schools is only for Public schools not Private. My niece goes to Notre Dame prep and they started yesterday.

FYI they may have given Michigan residents the offer of buy 1 ticket get one free but trust me they will make it up on hotel reservations. I made reservations a few weeks back for Castaway Bay for the 3rd thru the 5th and the cost was $399, going online today and looked and it is now $471 for 2 people for the same reservation....

I made my reservation before the by one get one offer came out.

Capitalism in action, my friends.

Yep, it's only required for public schools as they're under control of the state Board of Ed. Private schools don't have to follow a lot of the same rules. Not sure about charter schools, though, as they receive some public funds.