Will your kids be attending 6/22-6/25?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like the BOE needs to read this thread. Opening schools that week seems like a huge waste of money...

Based upon a bunch of privileged parents who booked sleepaway camps in January for the second school let out? Um, no. You need to go back to school and learn about biased samples, and corrupt data (it could be one angry teacher posting here over and over again).

My kids will attend. I knew from last year that there was a good possibility that school would be extended and didn't make summer camp plans yet for end June. They went last year, and said it was fun, and I'm happy for them to learn (and not pay for camp).

+1

Everyone can feel free to skip the last week of school- nobody cares. But if they are the same people who were begging for virtual school and critical of the snow days then they are ridiculous people.

There’s a huge difference between adding a school day back when instruction is actually happening and not closing school while teachers actually have lesson plans and tacking on extra meaningless days at the end of the year. With the number of kids who will be out and the number of teachers who are checked out, my kid will get no value out of those days. They’ll get far more value from the educational camp they’re signed up for. The thing I care most about is education, and tacking days at the end doesn’t do it.

And that’s fine. It’s just silly to give MCPS a bunch of grief saying we need virtual school just so we can check the box that we had an instructional day. Obviously everyone is moving on with their summer plans regardless

I'm happy to have my kids attend so they can have instructional time. Not everyone has the same opinion.

I highly doubt it will be serious instructional time. Last year my kids, both elementary schoolers then, skipped those extra half days and their friends who went reported only half the teachers showed and they just showed movies in the all-purpose room. But if it is instructional and they miss it, so be it. My kids won't have a problem making up whatever is learned in those 3 days.

MCPS doesn't actually need it to be instructional to qualify. They just have to say they have full-time school those days and claim it's instructional. Half the stuff they do in regular class barely qualifies as instructional anyway - my sixth grader says after he finishes his homework in study hall, or if he finishes as class assignment early, the teachers encourage them to play on their Chromebooks. You'd think they could read a book but no. He gets more internet time at school than at home!

You can doubt all you want, but I sent my kids last year for the 3 June days and they told me what they did and I saw worksheets and project materials in their bags.

You want your kids to skip, go ahead. I will send mine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like the BOE needs to read this thread. Opening schools that week seems like a huge waste of money...

Based upon a bunch of privileged parents who booked sleepaway camps in January for the second school let out? Um, no. You need to go back to school and learn about biased samples, and corrupt data (it could be one angry teacher posting here over and over again).

My kids will attend. I knew from last year that there was a good possibility that school would be extended and didn't make summer camp plans yet for end June. They went last year, and said it was fun, and I'm happy for them to learn (and not pay for camp).

+1

Everyone can feel free to skip the last week of school- nobody cares. But if they are the same people who were begging for virtual school and critical of the snow days then they are ridiculous people.

There’s a huge difference between adding a school day back when instruction is actually happening and not closing school while teachers actually have lesson plans and tacking on extra meaningless days at the end of the year. With the number of kids who will be out and the number of teachers who are checked out, my kid will get no value out of those days. They’ll get far more value from the educational camp they’re signed up for. The thing I care most about is education, and tacking days at the end doesn’t do it.

And that’s fine. It’s just silly to give MCPS a bunch of grief saying we need virtual school just so we can check the box that we had an instructional day. Obviously everyone is moving on with their summer plans regardless

I'm happy to have my kids attend so they can have instructional time. Not everyone has the same opinion.

I highly doubt it will be serious instructional time. Last year my kids, both elementary schoolers then, skipped those extra half days and their friends who went reported only half the teachers showed and they just showed movies in the all-purpose room. But if it is instructional and they miss it, so be it. My kids won't have a problem making up whatever is learned in those 3 days.

MCPS doesn't actually need it to be instructional to qualify. They just have to say they have full-time school those days and claim it's instructional. Half the stuff they do in regular class barely qualifies as instructional anyway - my sixth grader says after he finishes his homework in study hall, or if he finishes as class assignment early, the teachers encourage them to play on their Chromebooks. You'd think they could read a book but no. He gets more internet time at school than at home!

You can doubt all you want, but I sent my kids last year for the 3 June days and they told me what they did and I saw worksheets and project materials in their bags.

You want your kids to skip, go ahead. I will send mine.

Same. My kids didn't even notice a large number of classmates missing those days.

[Anonymous]

How are total absences calculated? It seems the threshold for trouble/ risk of failing is 5 unexcused absences in a class. Is that per semester?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like the BOE needs to read this thread. Opening schools that week seems like a huge waste of money...

Based upon a bunch of privileged parents who booked sleepaway camps in January for the second school let out? Um, no. You need to go back to school and learn about biased samples, and corrupt data (it could be one angry teacher posting here over and over again).

My kids will attend. I knew from last year that there was a good possibility that school would be extended and didn't make summer camp plans yet for end June. They went last year, and said it was fun, and I'm happy for them to learn (and not pay for camp).

+1

Everyone can feel free to skip the last week of school- nobody cares. But if they are the same people who were begging for virtual school and critical of the snow days then they are ridiculous people.

There’s a huge difference between adding a school day back when instruction is actually happening and not closing school while teachers actually have lesson plans and tacking on extra meaningless days at the end of the year. With the number of kids who will be out and the number of teachers who are checked out, my kid will get no value out of those days. They’ll get far more value from the educational camp they’re signed up for. The thing I care most about is education, and tacking days at the end doesn’t do it.

And that’s fine. It’s just silly to give MCPS a bunch of grief saying we need virtual school just so we can check the box that we had an instructional day. Obviously everyone is moving on with their summer plans regardless

I'm happy to have my kids attend so they can have instructional time. Not everyone has the same opinion.

I highly doubt it will be serious instructional time. Last year my kids, both elementary schoolers then, skipped those extra half days and their friends who went reported only half the teachers showed and they just showed movies in the all-purpose room. But if it is instructional and they miss it, so be it. My kids won't have a problem making up whatever is learned in those 3 days.

MCPS doesn't actually need it to be instructional to qualify. They just have to say they have full-time school those days and claim it's instructional. Half the stuff they do in regular class barely qualifies as instructional anyway - my sixth grader says after he finishes his homework in study hall, or if he finishes as class assignment early, the teachers encourage them to play on their Chromebooks. You'd think they could read a book but no. He gets more internet time at school than at home!

You can doubt all you want, but I sent my kids last year for the 3 June days and they told me what they did and I saw worksheets and project materials in their bags.

You want your kids to skip, go ahead. I will send mine.

That was with a June 17th end. This is (currently) June 25th and may become the 26th! This is not only officially summer but follows an extended weekend AND an election closure!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like the BOE needs to read this thread. Opening schools that week seems like a huge waste of money...

Based upon a bunch of privileged parents who booked sleepaway camps in January for the second school let out? Um, no. You need to go back to school and learn about biased samples, and corrupt data (it could be one angry teacher posting here over and over again).

My kids will attend. I knew from last year that there was a good possibility that school would be extended and didn't make summer camp plans yet for end June. They went last year, and said it was fun, and I'm happy for them to learn (and not pay for camp).

+1

Everyone can feel free to skip the last week of school- nobody cares. But if they are the same people who were begging for virtual school and critical of the snow days then they are ridiculous people.

There’s a huge difference between adding a school day back when instruction is actually happening and not closing school while teachers actually have lesson plans and tacking on extra meaningless days at the end of the year. With the number of kids who will be out and the number of teachers who are checked out, my kid will get no value out of those days. They’ll get far more value from the educational camp they’re signed up for. The thing I care most about is education, and tacking days at the end doesn’t do it.

And that’s fine. It’s just silly to give MCPS a bunch of grief saying we need virtual school just so we can check the box that we had an instructional day. Obviously everyone is moving on with their summer plans regardless

I'm happy to have my kids attend so they can have instructional time. Not everyone has the same opinion.

I highly doubt it will be serious instructional time. Last year my kids, both elementary schoolers then, skipped those extra half days and their friends who went reported only half the teachers showed and they just showed movies in the all-purpose room. But if it is instructional and they miss it, so be it. My kids won't have a problem making up whatever is learned in those 3 days.

MCPS doesn't actually need it to be instructional to qualify. They just have to say they have full-time school those days and claim it's instructional. Half the stuff they do in regular class barely qualifies as instructional anyway - my sixth grader says after he finishes his homework in study hall, or if he finishes as class assignment early, the teachers encourage them to play on their Chromebooks. You'd think they could read a book but no. He gets more internet time at school than at home!

You can doubt all you want, but I sent my kids last year for the 3 June days and they told me what they did and I saw worksheets and project materials in their bags.

You want your kids to skip, go ahead. I will send mine.

Same. My kids didn't even notice a large number of classmates missing those days.

What happened last year WAS NOTHING compared to this year!

[Anonymous]

Last year my kids ES didn't have enough teachers or subs, so they put different grades in AP room or Gym together and did games, activities and movies. If you need free daycare, send them. Otherwise, time could be better spent doing something else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope. We fly out for our vacation June 13th.

Will there be any consequence if a ES kid misses more than 5 days of school in a MP?

The only consequence is that if you miss 10 consecutive days you get disenrolled and have to go through some paperwork to re-enroll. Other than that you could miss dozens of days as long as they're not consecutive and the only impacts will be on learning and grades.

As long as June 29 and 30 aren't school days (June 26 is the last day listed as a possible M day) then June 15-26 would be 8 days not 10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If April 6 is allowed they should make March 20, April 6 and 15 as makeup days and end June 18 before the long weekend and an election day. If April 6 isn't allowed then they'd have to end June 22 but at least that beats June 25!

That ship has sailed. McPS Union doesn’t want to use April 15.

It needs to sail back, no student will be upset to use that day and the time needed can easily be split into part of more days. If they were really creative they could make the entire April 13-17 week 1 hour early dismissals. Longer than half days and teachers still get their grading time in but split into 5 days.

[Anonymous]

What happens if we have to miss 7-8 days at the end? And already miss 4-5days during the year. Will we get failing grades?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If April 6 is allowed they should make March 20, April 6 and 15 as makeup days and end June 18 before the long weekend and an election day. If April 6 isn't allowed then they'd have to end June 22 but at least that beats June 25!

That ship has sailed. McPS Union doesn’t want to use April 15.

Union cannot bargain over the calendar because it is an illegal subject of bargaining. Stop the misinformed union hate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What happens if we have to miss 7-8 days at the end? And already miss 4-5days during the year. Will we get failing grades?

Typically 18 absences (10%) is where worries may start. That would be 11-13 and not be an issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Last year my kids ES didn't have enough teachers or subs, so they put different grades in AP room or Gym together and did games, activities and movies. If you need free daycare, send them. Otherwise, time could be better spent doing something else.

High school teacher here - at a W school - I think we had two or three half days added last year. During that period where those days fell into the following week, the highest number of kids I had in any one of my classes was five. Each of my five classes has at least 30 students enrolled. The days were and will be pointless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last year my kids ES didn't have enough teachers or subs, so they put different grades in AP room or Gym together and did games, activities and movies. If you need free daycare, send them. Otherwise, time could be better spent doing something else.

High school teacher here - at a W school - I think we had two or three half days added last year. During that period where those days fell into the following week, the highest number of kids I had in any one of my classes was five. Each of my five classes has at least 30 students enrolled. The days were and will be pointless.

Did they take attendance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What happens if we have to miss 7-8 days at the end? And already miss 4-5days during the year. Will we get failing grades?

Typically 18 absences (10%) is where worries may start. That would be 11-13 and not be an issue.

Does that include excused absence or only unexcused absence

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last year my kids ES didn't have enough teachers or subs, so they put different grades in AP room or Gym together and did games, activities and movies. If you need free daycare, send them. Otherwise, time could be better spent doing something else.

High school teacher here - at a W school - I think we had two or three half days added last year. During that period where those days fell into the following week, the highest number of kids I had in any one of my classes was five. Each of my five classes has at least 30 students enrolled. The days were and will be pointless.

Did they take attendance?

We did input attendance into the system, as usual. But I honestly do not think it mattered one bit. For example, if a student hit the ten consecutive day mark during that period, I cannot imagine that it was a blip on the radar let alone that it triggered an un-enrollment. They ended the marking period the week prior to those days and we weren't allowed to even give assignments that counted. We did absolutely nothing but chat a bit. I know people on this forum suggest that teachers are lazy that week or whatever, but truly there is nothing at all to be accomplished in such a situation. A few people put in the time for those who (rightfully and justifiably) aren't there, and we check off a needless box.