2025-26 school calendar first drafts

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The board meets Tuesday to discuss the 25-26 calendar. These new drafts have the 10-day winter break version with a last day of school on a Monday half-day following a three day weekend. Which seems absurd to me. How they could even draw up an option like that is ridiculous.

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DA2QU36AEFCC/$file/Draft%202025%E2%80%932026%20SY%20Calendar%20241022%20PPT.pdf

The survey results showed a clear preference for the 10-day winter break. I think they need to come up with a version of that that ends on Thursday 6/18/26 at the latest. Even if it means eliminating the new transition day before the first day of school.

Which actually was what was in the survey they sent for people to vote on. The two survey calendars had last days on June 18th (10 day winter break) or 16th (8 day winter break). Now they have June 22nd as the last day for the 10-day break option.

Looks like they added October 20 (Diwali) as a day off since the original survey, which leads to this stupid half-day Monday (June 22) situation.

Serious question: do the people who celebrate Diwali normally stay home from work and school to do daytime observation of this holiday?

Many won’t solely because they don’t want to pull their kids from school. If you give the kids the day off school, they will.

It's not celebrated during the day.

Then why on Earth would this need to be a day off of school? At the very least, could it not be combined with the teacher workday? I would never want to stand in the way of a group celebrating their religious holiday but if it’s not celebrated during the day, what are we doing here??

Has there been a community effort to have no school on Diwali? I don't recall board testimony about this. There was some awhile back about Eid, and that was adopted.

They need to be fair. If they have Jewish and Muslim holidays off, why not Hindu holidays?

It's based on whether a significant number of students or staff would miss school or work to observe the holiday.

Don't be absurd. If they cared about absences they wouldn't put two early release days before a five day break.

Apples and oranges. They can't get enough subs to cover holidays when many staff will be absent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The board meets Tuesday to discuss the 25-26 calendar. These new drafts have the 10-day winter break version with a last day of school on a Monday half-day following a three day weekend. Which seems absurd to me. How they could even draw up an option like that is ridiculous.

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DA2QU36AEFCC/$file/Draft%202025%E2%80%932026%20SY%20Calendar%20241022%20PPT.pdf

The survey results showed a clear preference for the 10-day winter break. I think they need to come up with a version of that that ends on Thursday 6/18/26 at the latest. Even if it means eliminating the new transition day before the first day of school.

Which actually was what was in the survey they sent for people to vote on. The two survey calendars had last days on June 18th (10 day winter break) or 16th (8 day winter break). Now they have June 22nd as the last day for the 10-day break option.

Looks like they added October 20 (Diwali) as a day off since the original survey, which leads to this stupid half-day Monday (June 22) situation.

Serious question: do the people who celebrate Diwali normally stay home from work and school to do daytime observation of this holiday?

Many won’t solely because they don’t want to pull their kids from school. If you give the kids the day off school, they will.

It's not celebrated during the day.

Then why on Earth would this need to be a day off of school? At the very least, could it not be combined with the teacher workday? I would never want to stand in the way of a group celebrating their religious holiday but if it’s not celebrated during the day, what are we doing here??

Has there been a community effort to have no school on Diwali? I don't recall board testimony about this. There was some awhile back about Eid, and that was adopted.

They need to be fair. If they have Jewish and Muslim holidays off, why not Hindu holidays?

It's based on whether a significant number of students or staff would miss school or work to observe the holiday.

Don't be absurd. If they cared about absences they wouldn't put two early release days before a five day break.

Apples and oranges. They can't get enough subs to cover holidays when many staff will be absent.

You don't think that's a problem the week of Thanksgiving? It certainly is. Everyone knows those two days are a joke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The board meets Tuesday to discuss the 25-26 calendar. These new drafts have the 10-day winter break version with a last day of school on a Monday half-day following a three day weekend. Which seems absurd to me. How they could even draw up an option like that is ridiculous.

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DA2QU36AEFCC/$file/Draft%202025%E2%80%932026%20SY%20Calendar%20241022%20PPT.pdf

The survey results showed a clear preference for the 10-day winter break. I think they need to come up with a version of that that ends on Thursday 6/18/26 at the latest. Even if it means eliminating the new transition day before the first day of school.

Which actually was what was in the survey they sent for people to vote on. The two survey calendars had last days on June 18th (10 day winter break) or 16th (8 day winter break). Now they have June 22nd as the last day for the 10-day break option.

Looks like they added October 20 (Diwali) as a day off since the original survey, which leads to this stupid half-day Monday (June 22) situation.

Serious question: do the people who celebrate Diwali normally stay home from work and school to do daytime observation of this holiday?

Many won’t solely because they don’t want to pull their kids from school. If you give the kids the day off school, they will.

It's not celebrated during the day.

Then why on Earth would this need to be a day off of school? At the very least, could it not be combined with the teacher workday? I would never want to stand in the way of a group celebrating their religious holiday but if it’s not celebrated during the day, what are we doing here??

Has there been a community effort to have no school on Diwali? I don't recall board testimony about this. There was some awhile back about Eid, and that was adopted.

They need to be fair. If they have Jewish and Muslim holidays off, why not Hindu holidays?

It's based on whether a significant number of students or staff would miss school or work to observe the holiday.

Don't be absurd. If they cared about absences they wouldn't put two early release days before a five day break.

Apples and oranges. They can't get enough subs to cover holidays when many staff will be absent.

That's not an issue for Eid or Diwali. It really isn't even an issue for the Jewish holidays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The board meets Tuesday to discuss the 25-26 calendar. These new drafts have the 10-day winter break version with a last day of school on a Monday half-day following a three day weekend. Which seems absurd to me. How they could even draw up an option like that is ridiculous.

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DA2QU36AEFCC/$file/Draft%202025%E2%80%932026%20SY%20Calendar%20241022%20PPT.pdf

The survey results showed a clear preference for the 10-day winter break. I think they need to come up with a version of that that ends on Thursday 6/18/26 at the latest. Even if it means eliminating the new transition day before the first day of school.

Which actually was what was in the survey they sent for people to vote on. The two survey calendars had last days on June 18th (10 day winter break) or 16th (8 day winter break). Now they have June 22nd as the last day for the 10-day break option.

Looks like they added October 20 (Diwali) as a day off since the original survey, which leads to this stupid half-day Monday (June 22) situation.

Serious question: do the people who celebrate Diwali normally stay home from work and school to do daytime observation of this holiday?

Many won’t solely because they don’t want to pull their kids from school. If you give the kids the day off school, they will.

It's not celebrated during the day.

Then why on Earth would this need to be a day off of school? At the very least, could it not be combined with the teacher workday? I would never want to stand in the way of a group celebrating their religious holiday but if it’s not celebrated during the day, what are we doing here??

Has there been a community effort to have no school on Diwali? I don't recall board testimony about this. There was some awhile back about Eid, and that was adopted.

They need to be fair. If they have Jewish and Muslim holidays off, why not Hindu holidays?

It's based on whether a significant number of students or staff would miss school or work to observe the holiday.

Don't be absurd. If they cared about absences they wouldn't put two early release days before a five day break.

Apples and oranges. They can't get enough subs to cover holidays when many staff will be absent.

That's not an issue for Eid or Diwali. It really isn't even an issue for the Jewish holidays.

Yes it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The board meets Tuesday to discuss the 25-26 calendar. These new drafts have the 10-day winter break version with a last day of school on a Monday half-day following a three day weekend. Which seems absurd to me. How they could even draw up an option like that is ridiculous.

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DA2QU36AEFCC/$file/Draft%202025%E2%80%932026%20SY%20Calendar%20241022%20PPT.pdf

The survey results showed a clear preference for the 10-day winter break. I think they need to come up with a version of that that ends on Thursday 6/18/26 at the latest. Even if it means eliminating the new transition day before the first day of school.

Which actually was what was in the survey they sent for people to vote on. The two survey calendars had last days on June 18th (10 day winter break) or 16th (8 day winter break). Now they have June 22nd as the last day for the 10-day break option.

Looks like they added October 20 (Diwali) as a day off since the original survey, which leads to this stupid half-day Monday (June 22) situation.

Serious question: do the people who celebrate Diwali normally stay home from work and school to do daytime observation of this holiday?

Many won’t solely because they don’t want to pull their kids from school. If you give the kids the day off school, they will.

It's not celebrated during the day.

Then why on Earth would this need to be a day off of school? At the very least, could it not be combined with the teacher workday? I would never want to stand in the way of a group celebrating their religious holiday but if it’s not celebrated during the day, what are we doing here??

Has there been a community effort to have no school on Diwali? I don't recall board testimony about this. There was some awhile back about Eid, and that was adopted.

They need to be fair. If they have Jewish and Muslim holidays off, why not Hindu holidays?

It's based on whether a significant number of students or staff would miss school or work to observe the holiday.

Don't be absurd. If they cared about absences they wouldn't put two early release days before a five day break.

Apples and oranges. They can't get enough subs to cover holidays when many staff will be absent.

You don't think that's a problem the week of Thanksgiving? It certainly is. Everyone knows those two days are a joke.

Thise days are when parent teacher conferences are scheduled now, instead of the week of Veterans Day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The board meets Tuesday to discuss the 25-26 calendar. These new drafts have the 10-day winter break version with a last day of school on a Monday half-day following a three day weekend. Which seems absurd to me. How they could even draw up an option like that is ridiculous.

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DA2QU36AEFCC/$file/Draft%202025%E2%80%932026%20SY%20Calendar%20241022%20PPT.pdf

The survey results showed a clear preference for the 10-day winter break. I think they need to come up with a version of that that ends on Thursday 6/18/26 at the latest. Even if it means eliminating the new transition day before the first day of school.

Which actually was what was in the survey they sent for people to vote on. The two survey calendars had last days on June 18th (10 day winter break) or 16th (8 day winter break). Now they have June 22nd as the last day for the 10-day break option.

Looks like they added October 20 (Diwali) as a day off since the original survey, which leads to this stupid half-day Monday (June 22) situation.

Serious question: do the people who celebrate Diwali normally stay home from work and school to do daytime observation of this holiday?

Many won’t solely because they don’t want to pull their kids from school. If you give the kids the day off school, they will.

It's not celebrated during the day.

Then why on Earth would this need to be a day off of school? At the very least, could it not be combined with the teacher workday? I would never want to stand in the way of a group celebrating their religious holiday but if it’s not celebrated during the day, what are we doing here??

Has there been a community effort to have no school on Diwali? I don't recall board testimony about this. There was some awhile back about Eid, and that was adopted.

They need to be fair. If they have Jewish and Muslim holidays off, why not Hindu holidays?

It's based on whether a significant number of students or staff would miss school or work to observe the holiday.

Don't be absurd. If they cared about absences they wouldn't put two early release days before a five day break.

Apples and oranges. They can't get enough subs to cover holidays when many staff will be absent.

You don't think that's a problem the week of Thanksgiving? It certainly is. Everyone knows those two days are a joke.

Thise days are when parent teacher conferences are scheduled now, instead of the week of Veterans Day.

Fwiw, I find that week super annoying. You’re already taking off Wed-Fri and cooking/packing/traveling/hosting or whatnot and those pesky half days are a juggle and you can’t even leave early to travel for the holiday because you need to stick around for parent teacher conferences, which are too short and too far into the school year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The board meets Tuesday to discuss the 25-26 calendar. These new drafts have the 10-day winter break version with a last day of school on a Monday half-day following a three day weekend. Which seems absurd to me. How they could even draw up an option like that is ridiculous.

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DA2QU36AEFCC/$file/Draft%202025%E2%80%932026%20SY%20Calendar%20241022%20PPT.pdf

The survey results showed a clear preference for the 10-day winter break. I think they need to come up with a version of that that ends on Thursday 6/18/26 at the latest. Even if it means eliminating the new transition day before the first day of school.

Which actually was what was in the survey they sent for people to vote on. The two survey calendars had last days on June 18th (10 day winter break) or 16th (8 day winter break). Now they have June 22nd as the last day for the 10-day break option.

Looks like they added October 20 (Diwali) as a day off since the original survey, which leads to this stupid half-day Monday (June 22) situation.

Serious question: do the people who celebrate Diwali normally stay home from work and school to do daytime observation of this holiday?

Many won’t solely because they don’t want to pull their kids from school. If you give the kids the day off school, they will.

It's not celebrated during the day.

Then why on Earth would this need to be a day off of school? At the very least, could it not be combined with the teacher workday? I would never want to stand in the way of a group celebrating their religious holiday but if it’s not celebrated during the day, what are we doing here??

Has there been a community effort to have no school on Diwali? I don't recall board testimony about this. There was some awhile back about Eid, and that was adopted.

They need to be fair. If they have Jewish and Muslim holidays off, why not Hindu holidays?

It's based on whether a significant number of students or staff would miss school or work to observe the holiday.

Don't be absurd. If they cared about absences they wouldn't put two early release days before a five day break.

Apples and oranges. They can't get enough subs to cover holidays when many staff will be absent.

You don't think that's a problem the week of Thanksgiving? It certainly is. Everyone knows those two days are a joke.

Thise days are when parent teacher conferences are scheduled now, instead of the week of Veterans Day.

Fwiw, I find that week super annoying. You’re already taking off Wed-Fri and cooking/packing/traveling/hosting or whatnot and those pesky half days are a juggle and you can’t even leave early to travel for the holiday because you need to stick around for parent teacher conferences, which are too short and too far into the school year.

They did ask about this on the survey last year, and 80% of respondents preferred Nov. 25th-26th over the 11th-12th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The board meets Tuesday to discuss the 25-26 calendar. These new drafts have the 10-day winter break version with a last day of school on a Monday half-day following a three day weekend. Which seems absurd to me. How they could even draw up an option like that is ridiculous.

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DA2QU36AEFCC/$file/Draft%202025%E2%80%932026%20SY%20Calendar%20241022%20PPT.pdf

The survey results showed a clear preference for the 10-day winter break. I think they need to come up with a version of that that ends on Thursday 6/18/26 at the latest. Even if it means eliminating the new transition day before the first day of school.

Which actually was what was in the survey they sent for people to vote on. The two survey calendars had last days on June 18th (10 day winter break) or 16th (8 day winter break). Now they have June 22nd as the last day for the 10-day break option.

Looks like they added October 20 (Diwali) as a day off since the original survey, which leads to this stupid half-day Monday (June 22) situation.

Serious question: do the people who celebrate Diwali normally stay home from work and school to do daytime observation of this holiday?

Many won’t solely because they don’t want to pull their kids from school. If you give the kids the day off school, they will.

It's not celebrated during the day.

Then why on Earth would this need to be a day off of school? At the very least, could it not be combined with the teacher workday? I would never want to stand in the way of a group celebrating their religious holiday but if it’s not celebrated during the day, what are we doing here??

Has there been a community effort to have no school on Diwali? I don't recall board testimony about this. There was some awhile back about Eid, and that was adopted.

They need to be fair. If they have Jewish and Muslim holidays off, why not Hindu holidays?

It's based on whether a significant number of students or staff would miss school or work to observe the holiday.

Don't be absurd. If they cared about absences they wouldn't put two early release days before a five day break.

Apples and oranges. They can't get enough subs to cover holidays when many staff will be absent.

You don't think that's a problem the week of Thanksgiving? It certainly is. Everyone knows those two days are a joke.

Thise days are when parent teacher conferences are scheduled now, instead of the week of Veterans Day.

Only if the teachers are around that week, which they often aren't.

[Anonymous]

Interestingly, MCPS is not closed for Diwali this year, so they could easily gather data on absences of students and teachers.

[Anonymous]

There is a new version of the calendar survey, finally using the revised dates for the last day of school:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScOMn1ImN4unF3-KXdXwFNYoyfU9PoDKWT1TjTNOp6pJ1wPew/viewform

[Anonymous]

Who thought have a Monday off, Tuesday school day, Wednesday off was a good idea at the end of May? I mean just make it a 5 days break(including the weekend).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who thought have a Monday off, Tuesday school day, Wednesday off was a good idea at the end of May? I mean just make it a 5 days break(including the weekend).

Then school won't end until June 23rd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a new version of the calendar survey, finally using the revised dates for the last day of school:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScOMn1ImN4unF3-KXdXwFNYoyfU9PoDKWT1TjTNOp6pJ1wPew/viewform

Thanks! It’s ridiculous that they would have the last day be a half-day on a Monday. They should move the transition day to the week before so it ends on Friday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a new version of the calendar survey, finally using the revised dates for the last day of school:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScOMn1ImN4unF3-KXdXwFNYoyfU9PoDKWT1TjTNOp6pJ1wPew/viewform

Thanks! It’s ridiculous that they would have the last day be a half-day on a Monday. They should move the transition day to the week before so it ends on Friday.

Yes, they really should move the transition day to the week before. That would make the last day of school Thursday, June 18, 2026. Friday is the Juneteenth holiday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who thought have a Monday off, Tuesday school day, Wednesday off was a good idea at the end of May? I mean just make it a 5 days break(including the weekend).

I think it’s Eid?