latest calendar survey

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Byyyyyyyyyyyyye religious holidays in public school! Give every kid and teacher 2 floating holidays to use and move on.

Where do they get subs for those two floating holidays?

Most of the religious holidays are for faith traditions that are less than 5% of the population of fairfax county, and even less than that for the population of FCPS teaching staff.

Having school in session for orthodox and Buddhist holidays, for example, will require fewer subs than an average winter cold season or spring allergy season school day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:2 weeks at winter doesn't bother me. Its easy to get grandparents involved for child care and nice to have extra time off to be festive. I dont want to be at work so using school closures as a reason to take PTO is fine with me.

I wish summer break was longer. And I wish the religious holidays were gone.

So you want 2 weeks for your own holiday to "be festive," but don't want other religions to have ONE day for their holidays? Please sit with your hypocrisy for a minute.

At least half of those religious holidays were for religions that represent 2% or fewer FCPS students and staff.

So yes, the other 9u.3% of FCPS students and teachers should be in school those days.

Pick a cut off that makes sense, such as 10% of the county. Any religion representing 10% or more of fcps can stay. Any religion representing less than 10% of FCPS gets an excused personal free day while everyone else attends school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:2 weeks at winter doesn't bother me. Its easy to get grandparents involved for child care and nice to have extra time off to be festive. I dont want to be at work so using school closures as a reason to take PTO is fine with me.

I wish summer break was longer. And I wish the religious holidays were gone.

So you want 2 weeks for your own holiday to "be festive," but don't want other religions to have ONE day for their holidays? Please sit with your hypocrisy for a minute.

At least half of those religious holidays were for religions that represent 2% or fewer FCPS students and staff.

So yes, the other 98.3% of FCPS students and teachers should be in school those days.

Pick a cut off that makes sense, such as 10% of the county. Any religion representing 10% or more of fcps can stay. Any religion representing less than 10% of FCPS gets an excused personal free day while everyone else attends school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope it asks us to vote on a year-round school option! 9 weeks on, 2 weeks off, and an 8.5 week summer. (Plus, Labor Day, Memorial Day, and 3 days at Thanksgiving.)

no one wants this.

Actually, quite a few people do want this.

No one wants year round school

Just because you keep saying it doesn't make it true. We know a lot of people (both FCPS teachers and FCPS parents) who would prefer a year-round schedule. But we are all realists and know this is unlikely to happen for many years. Hopefully, one day, we can make the switch (along with adopting the metric system and getting rid of daylight saving time).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like how they lumped in Christmas with the other holidays for that option about removing religious holidays. They clearly did that so people afraid that they'd have school on Christmas wouldn't rank that option at the bottom. I hope no one is fooled by this. They aren't going to have school on Christmas no matter what happens to the other holidays.

💯

I totally noticed that!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like how they lumped in Christmas with the other holidays for that option about removing religious holidays. They clearly did that so people afraid that they'd have school on Christmas wouldn't rank that option at the bottom. I hope no one is fooled by this. They aren't going to have school on Christmas no matter what happens to the other holidays.

💯

I totally noticed that!!!

Me too. Also, did I miss a comment box? I felt like it just jumped to the thank you page without comments, but I was doing it quickly and may have missed it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was dissatisfied with the survey. I want to take a survey about how dumb the survey was.

There is nowhere to express any thoughts.

People overwhelmingly want a shorter school year, longer summer break, and much fewer days off for any reason during the year. And an end to half days/early releases. There was no way to express that.

Speak for yourself. I don't want a longer summer break. Coordinating summer camps is hellish and expensive for working parents who don't have summers off

Per day, summer camps are way cheaper than one off “camps.” So, I can’t see how a random Tuesday off in April is better.

So let's get rid of those random religious holidays. No more Veteran's Day off. Give us 1 week fall break, 2 week winter break, and 1 week spring break with an 8 week summer. Start in early Aug, get out in early Jun.

Nobody wants to start school in early August.

I think the date we start is perfect. We just need to get out the first or second week of June. I think the last school day should have been June 12.

That sounds great. Give me a 10 day winter break and combine TWDs with some existing holidays and we could be there.

The planned 26-27 calendar:

School Planning (1) - on Columbus/Indigenous Day
School Planning (2), Teacher Workday (1) - End of Q1, Aligned with Election Day
Staff Development (1), Teacher Workday (2) - End of Q2
Staff Development (2), Teacher Workday (3) - End of Q3

The end of quarters 2 and 3 are always going to be problematic because there aren't always holidays to attach them to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:2 weeks at winter doesn't bother me. Its easy to get grandparents involved for child care and nice to have extra time off to be festive. I dont want to be at work so using school closures as a reason to take PTO is fine with me.

I wish summer break was longer. And I wish the religious holidays were gone.

So you want 2 weeks for your own holiday to "be festive," but don't want other religions to have ONE day for their holidays? Please sit with your hypocrisy for a minute.

At least half of those religious holidays were for religions that represent 2% or fewer FCPS students and staff.

So yes, the other 98.3% of FCPS students and teachers should be in school those days.

Pick a cut off that makes sense, such as 10% of the county. Any religion representing 10% or more of fcps can stay. Any religion representing less than 10% of FCPS gets an excused personal free day while everyone else attends school.

You just blew right past your hypocrisy. Shocking.

We live in a multicultural society and we should value that multiculturalism. Nobody is asking for every holiday off. That's what religious private schools are for. But public education is available to everyone and giving off a handful of holidays (that sometimes fall on weekends or in the summer and don't affect the school calendar at all) in order to support those families and allow them to participate as themselves in our society is worth it.

Limiting early release days and combining teacher work days with some of these holidays or with minor Federal holidays would be a better way to address the calendar problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:2 weeks at winter doesn't bother me. Its easy to get grandparents involved for child care and nice to have extra time off to be festive. I dont want to be at work so using school closures as a reason to take PTO is fine with me.

I wish summer break was longer. And I wish the religious holidays were gone.

So you want 2 weeks for your own holiday to "be festive," but don't want other religions to have ONE day for their holidays? Please sit with your hypocrisy for a minute.

At least half of those religious holidays were for religions that represent 2% or fewer FCPS students and staff.

So yes, the other 98.3% of FCPS students and teachers should be in school those days.

Pick a cut off that makes sense, such as 10% of the county. Any religion representing 10% or more of fcps can stay. Any religion representing less than 10% of FCPS gets an excused personal free day while everyone else attends school.

You just blew right past your hypocrisy. Shocking.

We live in a multicultural society and we should value that multiculturalism. Nobody is asking for every holiday off. That's what religious private schools are for. But public education is available to everyone and giving off a handful of holidays (that sometimes fall on weekends or in the summer and don't affect the school calendar at all) in order to support those families and allow them to participate as themselves in our society is worth it.

Limiting early release days and combining teacher work days with some of these holidays or with minor Federal holidays would be a better way to address the calendar problems.

If you want religious holidays, go to a private school that celebrates them.

Let the rest of us go to school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was dissatisfied with the survey. I want to take a survey about how dumb the survey was.

There is nowhere to express any thoughts.

People overwhelmingly want a shorter school year, longer summer break, and much fewer days off for any reason during the year. And an end to half days/early releases. There was no way to express that.

Speak for yourself. I don't want a longer summer break. Coordinating summer camps is hellish and expensive for working parents who don't have summers off

Per day, summer camps are way cheaper than one off “camps.” So, I can’t see how a random Tuesday off in April is better.

So let's get rid of those random religious holidays. No more Veteran's Day off. Give us 1 week fall break, 2 week winter break, and 1 week spring break with an 8 week summer. Start in early Aug, get out in early Jun.

Nobody wants to start school in early August.

I think the date we start is perfect. We just need to get out the first or second week of June. I think the last school day should have been June 12.

That sounds great. Give me a 10 day winter break and combine TWDs with some existing holidays and we could be there.

The planned 26-27 calendar:

School Planning (1) - on Columbus/Indigenous Day
School Planning (2), Teacher Workday (1) - End of Q1, Aligned with Election Day
Staff Development (1), Teacher Workday (2) - End of Q2
Staff Development (2), Teacher Workday (3) - End of Q3

The end of quarters 2 and 3 are always going to be problematic because there aren't always holidays to attach them to.

There really needs to be a TW day around the time grades are due for Q4.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:2 weeks at winter doesn't bother me. Its easy to get grandparents involved for child care and nice to have extra time off to be festive. I dont want to be at work so using school closures as a reason to take PTO is fine with me.

I wish summer break was longer. And I wish the religious holidays were gone.

So you want 2 weeks for your own holiday to "be festive," but don't want other religions to have ONE day for their holidays? Please sit with your hypocrisy for a minute.

At least half of those religious holidays were for religions that represent 2% or fewer FCPS students and staff.

So yes, the other 98.3% of FCPS students and teachers should be in school those days.

Pick a cut off that makes sense, such as 10% of the county. Any religion representing 10% or more of fcps can stay. Any religion representing less than 10% of FCPS gets an excused personal free day while everyone else attends school.

You just blew right past your hypocrisy. Shocking.

We live in a multicultural society and we should value that multiculturalism. Nobody is asking for every holiday off. That's what religious private schools are for. But public education is available to everyone and giving off a handful of holidays (that sometimes fall on weekends or in the summer and don't affect the school calendar at all) in order to support those families and allow them to participate as themselves in our society is worth it.

Limiting early release days and combining teacher work days with some of these holidays or with minor Federal holidays would be a better way to address the calendar problems.

I’m not who you’re quoting and I’m sympathetic to the benefits and value of multicultural society — but — FCPS had been unwilling to make ANY trade offs and parents feel taken advantage of and disrespected. If TW/SP days are shared with these days and with Federal Holidays (or as possible moved before the school year begins or after it ends) they’d be more credible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:2 weeks at winter doesn't bother me. Its easy to get grandparents involved for child care and nice to have extra time off to be festive. I dont want to be at work so using school closures as a reason to take PTO is fine with me.

I wish summer break was longer. And I wish the religious holidays were gone.

So you want 2 weeks for your own holiday to "be festive," but don't want other religions to have ONE day for their holidays? Please sit with your hypocrisy for a minute.

At least half of those religious holidays were for religions that represent 2% or fewer FCPS students and staff.

So yes, the other 98.3% of FCPS students and teachers should be in school those days.

Pick a cut off that makes sense, such as 10% of the county. Any religion representing 10% or more of fcps can stay. Any religion representing less than 10% of FCPS gets an excused personal free day while everyone else attends school.

You just blew right past your hypocrisy. Shocking.

We live in a multicultural society and we should value that multiculturalism. Nobody is asking for every holiday off. That's what religious private schools are for. But public education is available to everyone and giving off a handful of holidays (that sometimes fall on weekends or in the summer and don't affect the school calendar at all) in order to support those families and allow them to participate as themselves in our society is worth it.

Limiting early release days and combining teacher work days with some of these holidays or with minor Federal holidays would be a better way to address the calendar problems.

Speaking of hypocrisy...why just a handful of holidays and who would get to decide which holidays were included? What about the families who celebrate the holidays that are not included?

I'm not sure why we would support some families and not others. By recognizing some holidays and not others, there will always be people left out. FPCS is a public school system. It's a fool's errand (and inappropriate) to hold the calendar hostage to some religious holidays when it's not possible to recognize all of them and there will always be people left out. Federal holidays only and excused absences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:2 weeks at winter doesn't bother me. Its easy to get grandparents involved for child care and nice to have extra time off to be festive. I dont want to be at work so using school closures as a reason to take PTO is fine with me.

I wish summer break was longer. And I wish the religious holidays were gone.

So you want 2 weeks for your own holiday to "be festive," but don't want other religions to have ONE day for their holidays? Please sit with your hypocrisy for a minute.

At least half of those religious holidays were for religions that represent 2% or fewer FCPS students and staff.

So yes, the other 98.3% of FCPS students and teachers should be in school those days.

Pick a cut off that makes sense, such as 10% of the county. Any religion representing 10% or more of fcps can stay. Any religion representing less than 10% of FCPS gets an excused personal free day while everyone else attends school.

I’m not interested in FCPS collecting data on our religion. Where do you suppose they find out the religion of their students to determine if they meet your 10% cutoff?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:2 weeks at winter doesn't bother me. Its easy to get grandparents involved for child care and nice to have extra time off to be festive. I dont want to be at work so using school closures as a reason to take PTO is fine with me.

I wish summer break was longer. And I wish the religious holidays were gone.

So you want 2 weeks for your own holiday to "be festive," but don't want other religions to have ONE day for their holidays? Please sit with your hypocrisy for a minute.

At least half of those religious holidays were for religions that represent 2% or fewer FCPS students and staff.

So yes, the other 98.3% of FCPS students and teachers should be in school those days.

Pick a cut off that makes sense, such as 10% of the county. Any religion representing 10% or more of fcps can stay. Any religion representing less than 10% of FCPS gets an excused personal free day while everyone else attends school.

I’m not interested in FCPS collecting data on our religion. Where do you suppose they find out the religion of their students to determine if they meet your 10% cutoff?

Probably through absentee rates and staffing shortages. That’s why we’ll continue to have 2 week winter breaks. Too many families will pull their kids from school when there are only 2-3 days of school leading into a long break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:2 weeks at winter doesn't bother me. Its easy to get grandparents involved for child care and nice to have extra time off to be festive. I dont want to be at work so using school closures as a reason to take PTO is fine with me.

I wish summer break was longer. And I wish the religious holidays were gone.

So you want 2 weeks for your own holiday to "be festive," but don't want other religions to have ONE day for their holidays? Please sit with your hypocrisy for a minute.

At least half of those religious holidays were for religions that represent 2% or fewer FCPS students and staff.

So yes, the other 98.3% of FCPS students and teachers should be in school those days.

Pick a cut off that makes sense, such as 10% of the county. Any religion representing 10% or more of fcps can stay. Any religion representing less than 10% of FCPS gets an excused personal free day while everyone else attends school.

I’m not interested in FCPS collecting data on our religion. Where do you suppose they find out the religion of their students to determine if they meet your 10% cutoff?

They had data on absentee rates for the various holidays before they gave all these days off so they know which ones are have higher attendance absences for staff and students. This isn’t hard. Unless the absences are impacting the school, they should have school. They can set the days so that there are no tests and no major projects due for kids whose families celebrate.

I had no issues moving the religious holidays to the bottom of my list, Christmas is going to be in the winter break and is a federal holiday, that is a huge red herring.