Explain ridiculously early 2023/24 start date?

[Anonymous]

Can someone explain this to me? I’ve heard it’s because a group of parents complained that kids go too few teaching hours before AP exams compared to other states.

I know it’s not because of snow…because we’ve had none recently!

It’s also ridiculous in this area- given that August is recess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain this to me? I’ve heard it’s because a group of parents complained that kids go too few teaching hours before AP exams compared to other states.

I know it’s not because of snow…because we’ve had none recently!

It’s also ridiculous in this area- given that August is recess.

If we started after Labor Day we’d go to the 4th of July because of all the breaks built in.

[Anonymous]

It’s been like this for a few years now. We are getting our earlier this June at least - June 12. But it still is earlier than most school districts and getting out later than most. You can thank the additional religious holidays.

[Anonymous]

Too many O days

[Anonymous]

AGREED!!!

But they did all those surveys and we have a lot of transplants in the NOVA region from the south who think school should end at memorial day and start again in mid-August. It does not make sense to anyone who lives here long term and realizes that the government basically shuts down in August - which has a ripple effect to private sector. We should have summer from mid-June until Labor Day, possibly the week before Labor if it's a particularly late one.

Although the real issue is that the school year is too long because they added tons of professional development days that the teachers don't even want, and they added lot of religious holidays to assuage their guilt of tying spring break to Easter (again, wanted on the surveys because it helps FCPS line up with other districts) and giving a "Christmas" break.

[Anonymous]

The early start date is ideal.

Unfortunately, the school board failed to balance tge early start date with a corresponding early June end date.

23/24 calendar is a disaster. Hopefully the new school board will throw it out and fix it with a start date around the 3rd week of August and ending the first week of June.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:AGREED!!!

But they did all those surveys and we have a lot of transplants in the NOVA region from the south who think school should end at memorial day and start again in mid-August. It does not make sense to anyone who lives here long term and realizes that the government basically shuts down in August - which has a ripple effect to private sector. We should have summer from mid-June until Labor Day, possibly the week before Labor if it's a particularly late one.

Although the real issue is that the school year is too long because they added tons of professional development days that the teachers don't even want, and they added lot of religious holidays to assuage their guilt of tying spring break to Easter (again, wanted on the surveys because it helps FCPS line up with other districts) and giving a "Christmas" break.

Labor day to mid/late June is the worst.

We end up with a month of zero learning from SOLs/AP exams in mid May to the end of the school year.

[Anonymous]

I have friends in California that started school yesterday - so the trend overall is earlier start dates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Too many O days

O days still count, it’s the additional holidays and staff development days.

[Anonymous]

I am probably in the minority here. I would rather have a shorter summer and more days off during the school year. Kids and teachers need some extra time to re-fuel and catch up with work. Those extra days spread over the school year also give families more options to schedule doctors appts without taking kids out of school. Oh, then there is also that pesky “summer slide”.

I taught for many years, and yes, a lot of those PD sessions were a waste of time, but they at least gave teachers a day off from lesson planning. A happier, relaxed teacher is a better teacher.

Also, families could schedule vacations in the off season. I kept hearing about so many stories this summer of families in Italy struggling in the heat! Not us! We cannot afford those trips.

[Anonymous]

I wish they would build in a fall break.

[Anonymous]

Agree with those who prefer earlier start and earlier end, and not bothered by more days off during school year (and would love a fall break too!)... this works better for our students and teachers, though I acknowledge it can be a challenge for families who don't have as much flexibility or means to deal with non-standard days off during the school year. I think the point is there's no consensus on this, and no matter what the calendar looks like, a certain % of parents will be dissatisfied with it.

[Anonymous]

3-4 religious holidays are not the reason we start 2 full weeks before Labor Day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have friends in California that started school yesterday - so the trend overall is earlier start dates.

Most places in the US start mid August and end late May/early June.

[Anonymous]

HS sports tryouts and sports have already begun for my 2 oldest.

For us, school has "started" already (can't plan vacations, have to be home at X time, back and forth to school, etc).

So yea, a super early school date pushes everything super forward