Opinion: Balanced calendar b traditional)

Issues with this calendar:

1. Only 177 scheduled school days. MD requires 180 days.
2. No days built in for weather related closings
3. Although MCPS doesn't close for religious holidays (haha), no way will schools open on Lunar New Year, Eid, or the Jewish High Holiday days ever again, barring excessive weather related closings. That ship has sailed.
4. Teachers need time for grading and planning at the end of each quarter. I don't see those days in this calendar.

I do see the utility of starting school in early August and ending right before Memorial Day. Having taught in MCPS high schools for over 2 decades, school after Memorial Day is a joke. Time in August would be much more valuable than what's going on in schools right now. We can't, however, have 2 weeks off at the end of December and a week off in February like they do in GA due to the numbered reasons above.

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06/09/2022 08:09

Subject: Opinion: Balanced calendar b traditional)

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like the looks of this calendar:
http://www.marietta.com/cobb-county-school-calendar-2022-2023

Issues with this calendar:

1. Only 177 scheduled school days. MD requires 180 days.
2. No days built in for weather related closings
3. Although MCPS doesn't close for religious holidays (haha), no way will schools open on Lunar New Year, Eid, or the Jewish High Holiday days ever again, barring excessive weather related closings. That ship has sailed.
4. Teachers need time for grading and planning at the end of each quarter. I don't see those days in this calendar.

I do see the utility of starting school in early August and ending right before Memorial Day. Having taught in MCPS high schools for over 2 decades, school after Memorial Day is a joke. Time in August would be much more valuable than what's going on in schools right now. We can't, however, have 2 weeks off at the end of December and a week off in February like they do in GA due to the numbered reasons above.

I'm not trying to be argumentative but if they made this change wouldn't the two weeks before Memorial also become a joke?

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06/09/2022 08:32

Subject: Opinion: Balanced calendar b traditional)

quote

Anonymous

Comparing this to the MCPS calendar, it looks like they gain 4 weeks by starting August 1, lose 2 weeks by ending May 24, and those extra 2 weeks are week long vacations in September and February.

It'd totally be down for this. You could do vacations early and June and late September to beat the heat and crowds.

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06/09/2022 08:48

Subject: Opinion: Balanced calendar b traditional)

quote

Anonymous

I would absolutely love this, or some form of this that fits MCPS. What I really want is for school to start in early August so that we don't have this stupid hangover in June where my kids play chromebook for five hours a day.

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06/09/2022 08:52

Subject: Opinion: Balanced calendar b traditional)

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like the looks of this calendar:
http://www.marietta.com/cobb-county-school-calendar-2022-2023

Issues with this calendar:

1. Only 177 scheduled school days. MD requires 180 days.
2. No days built in for weather related closings
3. Although MCPS doesn't close for religious holidays (haha), no way will schools open on Lunar New Year, Eid, or the Jewish High Holiday days ever again, barring excessive weather related closings. That ship has sailed.
4. Teachers need time for grading and planning at the end of each quarter. I don't see those days in this calendar.

I do see the utility of starting school in early August and ending right before Memorial Day. Having taught in MCPS high schools for over 2 decades, school after Memorial Day is a joke. Time in August would be much more valuable than what's going on in schools right now. We can't, however, have 2 weeks off at the end of December and a week off in February like they do in GA due to the numbered reasons above.

I'm not trying to be argumentative but if they made this change wouldn't the two weeks before Memorial also become a joke?

No they wouldn't. AP exams are the first 2 weeks of May. That leaves only 1 more week which is used for state testing. Much better use of time. Certainly better than the 5 to 6 weeks we have post AP exams this year.

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06/09/2022 11:30

Subject: Opinion: Balanced calendar b traditional)

quote

Anonymous

I would love a more southern style calendar. I like blocks of vacation instead of special interest teacher work days, and maybe MCPS could fit them in if they shortened winter and midwinter breaks?

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06/09/2022 12:50

Subject: Opinion: Balanced calendar b traditional)

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like the looks of this calendar:
http://www.marietta.com/cobb-county-school-calendar-2022-2023

Issues with this calendar:

1. Only 177 scheduled school days. MD requires 180 days.
2. No days built in for weather related closings
3. Although MCPS doesn't close for religious holidays (haha), no way will schools open on Lunar New Year, Eid, or the Jewish High Holiday days ever again, barring excessive weather related closings. That ship has sailed.
4. Teachers need time for grading and planning at the end of each quarter. I don't see those days in this calendar.

I do see the utility of starting school in early August and ending right before Memorial Day. Having taught in MCPS high schools for over 2 decades, school after Memorial Day is a joke. Time in August would be much more valuable than what's going on in schools right now. We can't, however, have 2 weeks off at the end of December and a week off in February like they do in GA due to the numbered reasons above.

I'm not trying to be argumentative but if they made this change wouldn't the two weeks before Memorial also become a joke?

No they wouldn't. AP exams are the first 2 weeks of May. That leaves only 1 more week which is used for state testing. Much better use of time. Certainly better than the 5 to 6 weeks we have post AP exams this year.

87% of MCPS students are not taking AP exams.

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06/09/2022 13:06

Subject: Opinion: Balanced calendar b traditional)

quote

Anonymous

No matter when they occur, the last two weeks of school are always going to be more relaxed and filled with some fun activities for the kids. It’s silly to think that won’t happen if the last two weeks happen in May rather than June.

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06/09/2022 15:17

Subject: Opinion: Balanced calendar b traditional)

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like the looks of this calendar:
http://www.marietta.com/cobb-county-school-calendar-2022-2023

Issues with this calendar:

1. Only 177 scheduled school days. MD requires 180 days.
2. No days built in for weather related closings
3. Although MCPS doesn't close for religious holidays (haha), no way will schools open on Lunar New Year, Eid, or the Jewish High Holiday days ever again, barring excessive weather related closings. That ship has sailed.
4. Teachers need time for grading and planning at the end of each quarter. I don't see those days in this calendar.

I do see the utility of starting school in early August and ending right before Memorial Day. Having taught in MCPS high schools for over 2 decades, school after Memorial Day is a joke. Time in August would be much more valuable than what's going on in schools right now. We can't, however, have 2 weeks off at the end of December and a week off in February like they do in GA due to the numbered reasons above.

1. Plenty of other schools w/ balanced calendars also have 180 days
2. the built in weather related closing days come from the breaks and/or get tacked to the end of the year
3. They can open on those days and let the people who want to be off/absent do so or they can shorten time during one of the breaks. Trade offs. That’s life.
4. No, what teachers need is to be able to use the planning time they already have instead of having to cover for others or do any of 90 million other things. Something they may be able to accomplish if we can recruit more teachers, paras, counselors, and staff. A balanced calendar might help w/ that.

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06/09/2022 15:42

Subject: Opinion: Balanced calendar b traditional)

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like the looks of this calendar:
http://www.marietta.com/cobb-county-school-calendar-2022-2023

Issues with this calendar:

1. Only 177 scheduled school days. MD requires 180 days.
2. No days built in for weather related closings
3. Although MCPS doesn't close for religious holidays (haha), no way will schools open on Lunar New Year, Eid, or the Jewish High Holiday days ever again, barring excessive weather related closings. That ship has sailed.
4. Teachers need time for grading and planning at the end of each quarter. I don't see those days in this calendar.

I do see the utility of starting school in early August and ending right before Memorial Day. Having taught in MCPS high schools for over 2 decades, school after Memorial Day is a joke. Time in August would be much more valuable than what's going on in schools right now. We can't, however, have 2 weeks off at the end of December and a week off in February like they do in GA due to the numbered reasons above.

I'm not trying to be argumentative but if they made this change wouldn't the two weeks before Memorial also become a joke?

I get so angry at this waste of time, even in AP classes. The teachers say "we all need a break" after the exam, but I teach several AP classes and there is NEVER enough time to cover really interesting content. They are conveying the worst message to the kids about the value of learning. So teachers need to step up and use the time at the end of the year wisely. Those poor kids in Uvalde were stuck at school watching "Lilo and Stitch." If that is all that you can think to do, let the kids out for the summer.

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06/09/2022 15:55

Subject: Opinion: Balanced calendar b traditional)

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like the looks of this calendar:
http://www.marietta.com/cobb-county-school-calendar-2022-2023

Issues with this calendar:

1. Only 177 scheduled school days. MD requires 180 days.
2. No days built in for weather related closings
3. Although MCPS doesn't close for religious holidays (haha), no way will schools open on Lunar New Year, Eid, or the Jewish High Holiday days ever again, barring excessive weather related closings. That ship has sailed.
4. Teachers need time for grading and planning at the end of each quarter. I don't see those days in this calendar.

I do see the utility of starting school in early August and ending right before Memorial Day. Having taught in MCPS high schools for over 2 decades, school after Memorial Day is a joke. Time in August would be much more valuable than what's going on in schools right now. We can't, however, have 2 weeks off at the end of December and a week off in February like they do in GA due to the numbered reasons above.

I'm not trying to be argumentative but if they made this change wouldn't the two weeks before Memorial also become a joke?

I get so angry at this waste of time, even in AP classes. The teachers say "we all need a break" after the exam, but I teach several AP classes and there is NEVER enough time to cover really interesting content. They are conveying the worst message to the kids about the value of learning. So teachers need to step up and use the time at the end of the year wisely. Those poor kids in Uvalde were stuck at school watching "Lilo and Stitch." If that is all that you can think to do, let the kids out for the summer.

I never under this comment. The premise of an AP class is that it covers the same material as an intro college class would cover. Most colleges have 15wk semesters or less. So either they also aren’t covering all the material (likely) or students should be expected to step up and take on more college level work (also likely). And sense many HS have block schedules, students likely still get a break between classes just like college.

If the problem is when school starts vs when the AP test are, all the more reason to advocate for school starting earlier and hence the balance calendar.

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06/09/2022 16:03

Subject: Opinion: Balanced calendar b traditional)

quote

Anonymous

Move there. Looks terrible. Kids would miss out on summer camps and other programs. Teens would miss out on internships and summer jobs.

No way. We already have to pull our kids out a week early for a camp.