The word is commonly associated with college athletics.

     An athlete is red-shirted when they are held out of their sport for a year allowing them to grow and perform at a higher level by gaining an extra year to compete.

     Now it’s become a trend with our children.

     A psychologist tells us the trend of holding kids back to give them a competitive edge in athletics has been on the rise.

     Dr. Jennifer White Baughan says the number of kids being held back has tripled since the 70s, "The question is what kind of balance. Do we have in this country on the actual value added that we are giving to our children when we are moving them ahead?"

     Research does show, if a child is to be held back, the ideal time is kindergarten or 1st grade.

On Wednesday, Albert Lea's Teacher of the Year was announced.  She is Kathie Lein.

Lein is a graduate of Albert Lea and has worked with the district for 19 years as a special education teacher.

Lein has been a previous Teach of the Year finalist in 2002 and 2010.

Superintedent Mike Funk says the Albert Lea Area School Board approved the calendar for the 2012-13 school year at their meeting on March 19th.

Significant changes to the calendar include

•     A Spring Break that will occur the week of March 4-8.
•     Student early outs have been removed from the calendar.
•     There will be no school on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents Day.
•     Elementary conferences will be held later in the year so that they are now aligned with the trimester schedule.
   

Click here to access the calendar.