comment on DCPS calendar for 16-17

Anonymous
The draft is out.

http://dcps.dc.gov/page/proposed-key-dates

Most notably, Winter break is not a full two weeks. Christmas and New Year's both fall on a sunday, which means Monday Jan 2 is the official federal holiday. So kids won't go back to school until Tuesday Jan 3. The Break is proposed to start Thursday Dec 22. (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday are full days).

Spring Break is tied to Easter.
Anonymous
You can take a survey through the link on the page or here, if it works:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1fx-D-Sv5PjGWKg4GBLw6ByaCqAqjMud8W_S5LfkvrzY/viewform?c=0&w=1

Keep in mind that by cutting the winter break, travel options are limited to the days immediately before and after Christmas. The weekend before would no longer be available. Moreover, instead of 15 days (including the weekends) total, the kids would only have 10 total. It's not just three days that they are cutting but travel options and an entire weekend.

Anonymous
The late spring break KILLLSSSS me!!!
Anonymous
I like the calendar, and I like that they asked for feedback on the PD days. At least they are considering options.
Anonymous
I like that they are considering options that would shorten the overall year. No one is learning when school goes so late into June.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:The late spring break KILLLSSSS me!!!


Love it!
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:You can take a survey through the link on the page or here, if it works:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1fx-D-Sv5PjGWKg4GBLw6ByaCqAqjMud8W_S5LfkvrzY/viewform?c=0&w=1

Keep in mind that by cutting the winter break, travel options are limited to the days immediately before and after Christmas. The weekend before would no longer be available. Moreover, instead of 15 days (including the weekends) total, the kids would only have 10 total. It's not just three days that they are cutting but travel options and an entire weekend.



OP here. Agreed. Also, where those three days then come into play isn't great. One becomes that Monday the 2nd off. The other two are removed from the end of the yer. The school year ends on a Tuesday, instead of a Thursday. I'd rather have the time in December and have the kids go nearly a full week the last week. For parents who work, ending the school year on a Tuesday makes the rest of the week hard. When school ends Thursday, I can just take off Friday and have one lazy day of summer before camps start.
Anonymous
Think it's silly to start two weeks before Labor Day. Like the option to move the start date back
Anonymous
I loved the 2 week winter break.

Agnostic on the rest of it.
Anonymous
It sucks though to end after a Tuesday that last week of June. What are the options for the rest of the week? We would have to pay a full week of camp for only three days use, right?

also,. would love spring break over Passover but guess that will never happen here in DC.
Anonymous
That 10 half-day PD days idea is crazy. Limited learning goes on during early dismissal days--it will just create more reasons for class parties and school assemblies and less learning. And then families will either have to figure out how to arrange for pick-up or childcare coverage for 10 days instead of 5.

Love the later spring break. Around Christmas, I'm suggesting that they get Dec 21 off too, so a two-day school week, which works cause then there's time for parties and whatnot.
Anonymous
Folks, remember to fill out the survey. DCPS does not read these comments. Be sure to have your voices heard and count.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:That 10 half-day PD days idea is crazy. Limited learning goes on during early dismissal days--it will just create more reasons for class parties and school assemblies and less learning. And then families will either have to figure out how to arrange for pick-up or childcare coverage for 10 days instead of 5.

Love the later spring break. Around Christmas, I'm suggesting that they get Dec 21 off too, so a two-day school week, which works cause then there's time for parties and whatnot.


It is arguably better for the PD activities to have 10 half days rather than 5 whole days. No one likes a whole day of training or meetings. And if schools then offer aftercare those days, I'm all for the 10 half days.
Anonymous
Also worth to note Parent/Teacher Conferences are now scheduled for Fridays instead of Mondays. Thoughts on that?
Anonymous
Sorry PP but based on my experience, 10 half days are really a waste of instruction time, and DCPS can count them as part of the 180 days of required instruction. What it really means is 2 weeks of lost time.
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