Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Activities Needed Over Vacations, Parents Say : Education: A survey shows families want more recreation and academic options during breaks in year-round schedule.

SANTA CLARITA —  “I’m bored. There’s nothing to do.”

Parents of students switching to multitrack, year-round school schedules are taking this common complaint from their children more seriously, according to a recent survey.

The majority of Santa Clarita families responding to the survey conducted in May by the Newhall, Saugus and Sulphur Springs school districts said there is a greater need for sports, recreation and academic activities than child care during non-traditional vacation periods.

In contrast to September-to-June schedules, students on a year-round program are in school 60 days then on vacation 20 days throughout the year. Multitrack provides four staggered schedules.

Fewer than half of the 663 parents said there are enough activities for children between September and May--months when students in two of the four tracks are out of class.

Fifty-seven percent of the respondents called for more recreational activities, while only 22% said additional child care was their highest priority. Fifty-seven percent wanted more academic enrichment programs and 56% said athletic activities should be expanded.

A group of 50 school officials and service providers in child care, day camp and Santa Clarita’s Parks and Recreation Department met for two hours to discuss the need for increased year-round youth services.

“After seven years and thousands of children, I can tell you it’s doable,” said Jim Van Hoven, executive director of Woodcraft Rangers, which provides camping activities for Los Angeles County children. Woodcraft expanded beyond its traditional summer program in the late 1980s. “Really, it’s all about flexibility.”

In the Newhall School District, Valencia Valley and Wiley Canyon elementary schools will begin year-round, multitrack programs in July, and Old Orchard Elementary School is scheduled to start that schedule in July, 1994.

Pinetree Elementary School in the Sulphur Springs Union School District, the only school in the Santa Clarita Valley currently using the four-track system, is completing its second year on multitrack.

“There are a lot of misconceptions of what year-round is,” Pinetree Principal Judy Heyn said. “Nothing has changed in the school itself. You take a look at the calendar and (we are) changing that.”