FCPS Closings/Who to contact about this issue/What can we do as parents to solve this problem

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We also need to have blizzard bag days -- a number of states are adopting this policy. Kids can access their school work online, teachers can access online.

"In early March, our Board of Education approved the use of Blizzard Bags, an online alternative to make-up days, as part of our contingency plan. Our Blizzard Bag plan was approved by the Ohio Department of Education. Upon our use of the three allowed Blizzard Bags, we will have made up calamity days 6-8 and will not be required to make up any days at the end of the school year, presuming no additional calamity days are used.

As the Blizzard Bags are being utilized later in the school year, some lessons could be extensions or enrichment of a lesson/unit from earlier in the year, perhaps going beyond what was possible at the earlier time. Some lessons may be introductory in nature and used to lay the foundation for a lesson/unit that will occur in the coming months. In the end, it is the district’s responsibility to ensure that there are appropriate levels of validity, quality and integrity associated with these online lessons or the hardcopy alternatives in the "blizzard bags."

Here are the details:

http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Other-Resources/Family-and-Community-Engagement/2013-2014-Calamity-Days/Online-make-up-of-Excess-Calamity-Days/FAQs

That's a great idea, but unless the schools can require students to have computers with online access, it isn't feasible.

[Anonymous]

Here's a thought: give us a rebate on our real estate taxes since our kids aren't getting a quality education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of buses and put the onus on parents to take personal responsibility for getting their kids to and from school. Problem solved, millions of $ saved.

plus a gazillion! I would rather pay for public transportation buses to take the kids than what is currently happening. It's absolutely ridiculous! I am inches away from signing my kids up to be homeschooled and I am NOT of the ilk that would have ever considered that as a viable option -- but I have had it.

Haha. If you think about this more than a second, you'll realize how stupid that suggestion is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's a thought: give us a rebate on our real estate taxes since our kids aren't getting a quality education.

Seems like an extreme statement over six days of school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS has over 180,000 students.

The school system has more buses than Greyhound.

A couple days every year is not really a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

This is true when you have a major snowstorm or event that really would bring even the most durable folks to their knees like the year of Snowmageddon. This hasn't been that. This has been a year of interruptions -- this past one for a week when you didn't know from one minute to the next what was going to happen when the snow event fizzled and kids used high temperatures to snowboard outside in hoodies. There is no excuse for this kind of arbitrariness.

And I realize I am in the minority in high achieving FCPS, but these kind of weeks are murder for my kid, an honors high schooler who really gets off track when there is no school and his teachers check out as well. Getting him back in the groove after all the time off, let alone to stay in the groove during the downtime is murder. I realize I'm alone in this, as most kids are getting homework from their teachers and staying in close touch with them via email, not to mention doing their sports teams workouts on their own, coming up with extra service work and cooking for their families, but it is what it is.

Is this a joke/sarcasm? Because I know of no child who is doing the above during snow days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, that's my point. I don't think it is fair to screw over the preschool teachers to keep the preschools open. And clearly the preschool administrators agree, because that's why the schools are closed and they follow the FCPS schedules for snow days. Yes, the schools could technically be open, but it would screw their teachers over in terms of them having to find their own backup child care. Like I said, as much as this sucks personally to have my kid be out of school all week, I'm glad that they are doing the right thing by their teachers. Happy teachers = happy kids.

Bizarre, how is letting someone go to work screwing them over.

Many teachers at part-time pre-schools are not working at these jobs for the money. If the hours don't work well for their own family obligations, they won't be working at these jobs at all. The pre-schools would have a tough time getting enough teachers if the teachers can't be home for their own kids.

+1 Preschool teacher here. This poster is absolutely correct. Many of us have two or more children of our own, and we would lose money if we had to pay a sitter with the amount we make hourly.

That's fine but then parents should be reimbursed for the days that the preschools are closed.

Seriously? You have to be kidding me. Do you think they just freeze the operating costs when school is closed? If anything, utility bills are higher, there are snow removal costs, etc. If you are going to be that petty, pull your kids out of preschool & get a live in nanny or au pair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of buses and put the onus on parents to take personal responsibility for getting their kids to and from school. Problem solved, millions of $ saved.

plus a gazillion! I would rather pay for public transportation buses to take the kids than what is currently happening. It's absolutely ridiculous! I am inches away from signing my kids up to be homeschooled and I am NOT of the ilk that would have ever considered that as a viable option -- but I have had it.

Haha. If you think about this more than a second, you'll realize how stupid that suggestion is.

I have thought about it. Public transportation runs every day of the year. Almost never stops. It receives state, federal and local funding. It makes more sense to simplify than to duplicate.

I drive our kids to school. I have major issues with the safety and reliability of buses, and the supervision on the buses. I understand that some need public transportation, which is fine, however this one reason should not be the sole determination if school is held.

Wasted time and money would be better spent on laptops for all. Students would reap more rewards from the transportation savings than what they currently receive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS has over 180,000 students.

The school system has more buses than Greyhound.

A couple days every year is not really a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

This is true when you have a major snowstorm or event that really would bring even the most durable folks to their knees like the year of Snowmageddon. This hasn't been that. This has been a year of interruptions -- this past one for a week when you didn't know from one minute to the next what was going to happen when the snow event fizzled and kids used high temperatures to snowboard outside in hoodies. There is no excuse for this kind of arbitrariness.

And I realize I am in the minority in high achieving FCPS, but these kind of weeks are murder for my kid, an honors high schooler who really gets off track when there is no school and his teachers check out as well. Getting him back in the groove after all the time off, let alone to stay in the groove during the downtime is murder. I realize I'm alone in this, as most kids are getting homework from their teachers and staying in close touch with them via email, not to mention doing their sports teams workouts on their own, coming up with extra service work and cooking for their families, but it is what it is.

Is this a joke/sarcasm? Because I know of no child who is doing the above during snow days.

If you go back and read these threads you'll see plenty of sanctimommies saying that's what their kids are doing and suggesting the rest of us are whiners and not trying hard enough to keep our kids busy and not falling behind.

[Anonymous]

Where do public buses pick up in Fairfax Station and Great Falls? Crazy idea to use public transport. Terrible safety issue to start with.

I think FCPS does a great job considering how big of a school system it is.

I would pay more in taxes so FCPS could buy new buses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS has over 180,000 students.

The school system has more buses than Greyhound.

A couple days every year is not really a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

This is true when you have a major snowstorm or event that really would bring even the most durable folks to their knees like the year of Snowmageddon. This hasn't been that. This has been a year of interruptions -- this past one for a week when you didn't know from one minute to the next what was going to happen when the snow event fizzled and kids used high temperatures to snowboard outside in hoodies. There is no excuse for this kind of arbitrariness.

And I realize I am in the minority in high achieving FCPS, but these kind of weeks are murder for my kid, an honors high schooler who really gets off track when there is no school and his teachers check out as well. Getting him back in the groove after all the time off, let alone to stay in the groove during the downtime is murder. I realize I'm alone in this, as most kids are getting homework from their teachers and staying in close touch with them via email, not to mention doing their sports teams workouts on their own, coming up with extra service work and cooking for their families, but it is what it is.

???? Does your DS have trouble getting back in the groove after weekends as well?[/quote]

No. On a typical weekend, he's on a more organized schedule because he usually has a sports competition and/or a practice so he has to organize his work around that. Teachers are also pretty good about giving homework on weekends, as opposed to snow days where, this week, for example, he had an assignment (reading) in one class out of seven.

Last year, a couple of his grades fell to C's in the second quarter after all the snow days. I don't want that to happen again. The fact that you have such a superior attitude about this suggests your kids don't have these problems -- if you even have kids, or more than 1. You might consider yourself lucky as opposed to be so judgmental.

I have 2 teens and a tween. I do think it odd that a neurotypical teenager has difficulty rebounding from a snow day or two. Last winter was more than a day or two, a general clusterfuck, I agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS has over 180,000 students.

The school system has more buses than Greyhound.

A couple days every year is not really a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

This is true when you have a major snowstorm or event that really would bring even the most durable folks to their knees like the year of Snowmageddon. This hasn't been that. This has been a year of interruptions -- this past one for a week when you didn't know from one minute to the next what was going to happen when the snow event fizzled and kids used high temperatures to snowboard outside in hoodies. There is no excuse for this kind of arbitrariness.

And I realize I am in the minority in high achieving FCPS, but these kind of weeks are murder for my kid, an honors high schooler who really gets off track when there is no school and his teachers check out as well. Getting him back in the groove after all the time off, let alone to stay in the groove during the downtime is murder. I realize I'm alone in this, as most kids are getting homework from their teachers and staying in close touch with them via email, not to mention doing their sports teams workouts on their own, coming up with extra service work and cooking for their families, but it is what it is.

???? Does your DS have trouble getting back in the groove after weekends as well?[/quote]

No. On a typical weekend, he's on a more organized schedule because he usually has a sports competition and/or a practice so he has to organize his work around that. Teachers are also pretty good about giving homework on weekends, as opposed to snow days where, this week, for example, he had an assignment (reading) in one class out of seven.

Last year, a couple of his grades fell to C's in the second quarter after all the snow days. I don't want that to happen again. The fact that you have such a superior attitude about this suggests your kids don't have these problems -- if you even have kids, or more than 1. You might consider yourself lucky as opposed to be so judgmental.

I have 2 teens and a tween. I do think it odd that a neurotypical teenager has difficulty rebounding from a snow day or two. Last winter was more than a day or two, a general clusterfuck, I agree.

Thanks for the diagnosis, doc. The fact that you'd even use a word like neurotypical in this discussion tells me all I need to know. Please go away now and resume your life in Pleansantville.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS has over 180,000 students.

The school system has more buses than Greyhound.

A couple days every year is not really a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

This is true when you have a major snowstorm or event that really would bring even the most durable folks to their knees like the year of Snowmageddon. This hasn't been that. This has been a year of interruptions -- this past one for a week when you didn't know from one minute to the next what was going to happen when the snow event fizzled and kids used high temperatures to snowboard outside in hoodies. There is no excuse for this kind of arbitrariness.

And I realize I am in the minority in high achieving FCPS, but these kind of weeks are murder for my kid, an honors high schooler who really gets off track when there is no school and his teachers check out as well. Getting him back in the groove after all the time off, let alone to stay in the groove during the downtime is murder. I realize I'm alone in this, as most kids are getting homework from their teachers and staying in close touch with them via email, not to mention doing their sports teams workouts on their own, coming up with extra service work and cooking for their families, but it is what it is.

???? Does your DS have trouble getting back in the groove after weekends as well?[/quote]

No. On a typical weekend, he's on a more organized schedule because he usually has a sports competition and/or a practice so he has to organize his work around that. Teachers are also pretty good about giving homework on weekends, as opposed to snow days where, this week, for example, he had an assignment (reading) in one class out of seven.

Last year, a couple of his grades fell to C's in the second quarter after all the snow days. I don't want that to happen again. The fact that you have such a superior attitude about this suggests your kids don't have these problems -- if you even have kids, or more than 1. You might consider yourself lucky as opposed to be so judgmental.

I have 2 teens and a tween. I do think it odd that a neurotypical teenager has difficulty rebounding from a snow day or two. Last winter was more than a day or two, a general clusterfuck, I agree.

Thanks for the diagnosis, doc. The fact that you'd even use a word like neurotypical in this discussion tells me all I need to know. Please go away now and resume your life in Pleansantville.

Awwww, is somebody a little cranky from being snowed in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get a candidate to run for school board on this platform. I truly think it's the only thing that will work. Start writing your va state legislatures to remove the requirement to provide bus service every day the schools are open. If we could decouple the bus issues from the evaluation of whether to open school or not. There should be a "condition 7: due to weather conditions fcps are open but bussing will not be available."

So basically that screws over families who rely on bus transportation paticuraly lower income families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Only solution: hire superintendent from western NY region. Hire VDOT top brass from western NY. Never another snow day! Guaranteed!!
Until then suck it up! Pay the SAHM $75 to watch your kid(s) and run for school board.
Enough complaining!! You want change, be the change!! I'll support you. I'll help you campaign. I may even run for svhool board myself.

My rallying cry for the DC area they think they're part of the north until you dump a bunch of snow on them and then the true colors show. you think thats Fairfax residents would pay for a tax hike to cover more snow plows, snow removal personal, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of buses and put the onus on parents to take personal responsibility for getting their kids to and from school. Problem solved, millions of $ saved.

Our elementary school has over 900 kids. Not sure how they would manage the logistics of getting that many kids dropped off individually vs by bus.