APS - school start date for 2023

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Excluding speculation, does anyone know a legit timeframe in which they will be making the decision?

The school board approved this year’s calendar in Dec of 2021.
I think they should be required to declare at least the start & end date at least one year in advance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Excluding speculation, does anyone know a legit timeframe in which they will be making the decision?

The calendar was adopted on December 2 last year, so I would assume similar timing this year. If you want to replay the Board discussion about a potentially earlier start date for 23/24, you can always watch the videos of old 2021 School Board meetings online.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Proposal:

Time the start of the school year so that the midpoint comes in late December. The first semester ends with a two-week winter break. Spring break comes midway through the second semester, not tied to Easter.

There's a grade prep day at the end of the first quarter and three days off for Thanksgiving. Schools do not get Federal holidays off. If you take your kids out of school for a vacation, teachers do not provide assignments in advance, and any missed tests go down as 0s.

Rosh Hashanna, Yom Kippur, Eid, and Diwali are all days off. Seniors can choose to be absent to visit colleges but teachers are not required to provide assignments in advance or make-up tests.

Well I'm getting you don't have a senior. Seniors can "choose" to take days off?! Ha! I guess they can "choose" not to go to college then right?

It sounds as though your kids haven't been through the search process yet? Some (not all) of mine have, both before and during COVID, and it used to be that absences for Admitted Student Days were excused, but that wasn't until March/April. I suspect some parents of seniors will complain that my proposed schedule doesn't provide enough days off for college visits, but I don't think the school year should be arranged for the convenience of one class. So letting students who can manage it take days off their senior year is my proposed compromise. (There are also spring breaks and summer vacations, so with judicious planning, there could be a fair number of visits)

DP here. Personally, I think a couple of days for college visits it more than adequate and generous. There are other long breaks and lots of long weekends seniors can visit schools during. Just as the whole school shouldn't be scheduled around one class, one class shouldn't be scheduled around some of its students -- not all students even plan to go to college, while some only consider local options or a limited number of schools and don't need to make countless college visits, etc. But I disagree that students shouldn't be able to get assignments or make-up tests for a few college visits or for their religious holiday observances. Those should have the same considerations given for absences caused by illness. It's not like they're just playing hooky.

There aren't "lots of long weekends" if there's school during federal holidays.

It's the college visits for which you don't get advance assignments and make-up tests, not absences for religious holidays.

Yes, that was my point about assignments and make-up tests - they should be provided just like they would be for absences due to sickness or religious observances.
And I didn't say take away the federal holidays - I said students can make use of them for their college visits.
You need to read more carefully and stop conflating posts.

Are you even familiar with the college search process or did your kid have a very limited search? Because a lot of colleges do not even offer tours on federal holidays.

You're really insufferable and your only purpose is to be an obstacle. You don't seem to acknowledge or mind that the school calendar has changed over the years, yet you seem to insist none of the changes people suggest or would like to see are possible. Didn't used to be allowed to start before Labor Day; but you can now. Winter break used to be a week long, changed to two weeks, can easily be changed back to one.

You can still see colleges on Saturdays. You don't always have to have an official tour or interview when you're shopping to decide which schools you are really interested in.

But you can keep pretending to believe everyone else is ignorant and their suggestions, ideas, and comments are impossible.

Well you sound pleasant. ; )

For everyone's awareness, a lot of colleges do not offer tours on a Saturday. And yes while you can go to a campus and walk around without a tour, you get a lot more out of it if there is a tour. I don't travel 3 states away to walk around a campus without an actual tour. Again, this will likely make more sense to you when you go through the process with your kids.

Then plan accordingly for those schools and take your kid out of school for the others. Or go during one of the longer breaks - I know there is such limited time... let' see: 9 - 10 weeks during the summer, 2 weeks during the winter, 1 week during the spring. I realize that's only 12 or 13 weeks a year; but I have confidence in you to manage it somehow.

BTW, for everyone else - you don't necessarily get a lot more out of an official tour. They're not all great and don't necessarily give you a sense of the "feel" of the school. You can get a lot out of walking around on your own and observing and getting a sense of the activity on campus. You don't have to know the names of all the buildings or where all the different fields of study are located; much of a school's history is available for reading. I've been through the process and it is not necessary to have a tour to determine what schools you might be interested in even looking at to begin with. Nor is it necessary to take an official tour of a dozen schools of possible interest, especially when several of those dozen are probably of quite low interest on the student's list. Parents and students are over-doing it in their college searches these days.

And it is all irrelevant of the topic of the thread, as the school calendar is not - and should not, and will not - be based on some seniors who want to visit colleges.

Again, this does not jibe with our experience or those of other kids who have gone through it. And your comment about how many are overdoing it cements my theory that you did a very limited college search. That's fine if that worked for you, but that's not everyone's need. You propose going to a school in the summer or during a break, when the college is not in session. Let me tell you, it's pretty hard to get a feel for a place under those circumstances. Even harder when you don't take a tour. Tours are not about college's history these days. Things have changed. I think you are drawing on your own experience decades ago. Well things have change, and yes, I would appreciate a schedule that allows some time to visit colleges while they are in session and giving tours.

Oh and it's not just seniors visiting colleges. Again, maybe back in your day it was. Not now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Proposal:

Time the start of the school year so that the midpoint comes in late December. The first semester ends with a two-week winter break. Spring break comes midway through the second semester, not tied to Easter.

There's a grade prep day at the end of the first quarter and three days off for Thanksgiving. Schools do not get Federal holidays off. If you take your kids out of school for a vacation, teachers do not provide assignments in advance, and any missed tests go down as 0s.

Rosh Hashanna, Yom Kippur, Eid, and Diwali are all days off. Seniors can choose to be absent to visit colleges but teachers are not required to provide assignments in advance or make-up tests.

Well I'm getting you don't have a senior. Seniors can "choose" to take days off?! Ha! I guess they can "choose" not to go to college then right?

It sounds as though your kids haven't been through the search process yet? Some (not all) of mine have, both before and during COVID, and it used to be that absences for Admitted Student Days were excused, but that wasn't until March/April. I suspect some parents of seniors will complain that my proposed schedule doesn't provide enough days off for college visits, but I don't think the school year should be arranged for the convenience of one class. So letting students who can manage it take days off their senior year is my proposed compromise. (There are also spring breaks and summer vacations, so with judicious planning, there could be a fair number of visits)

DP here. Personally, I think a couple of days for college visits it more than adequate and generous. There are other long breaks and lots of long weekends seniors can visit schools during. Just as the whole school shouldn't be scheduled around one class, one class shouldn't be scheduled around some of its students -- not all students even plan to go to college, while some only consider local options or a limited number of schools and don't need to make countless college visits, etc. But I disagree that students shouldn't be able to get assignments or make-up tests for a few college visits or for their religious holiday observances. Those should have the same considerations given for absences caused by illness. It's not like they're just playing hooky.

There aren't "lots of long weekends" if there's school during federal holidays.

It's the college visits for which you don't get advance assignments and make-up tests, not absences for religious holidays.

Yes, that was my point about assignments and make-up tests - they should be provided just like they would be for absences due to sickness or religious observances.
And I didn't say take away the federal holidays - I said students can make use of them for their college visits.
You need to read more carefully and stop conflating posts.

Are you even familiar with the college search process or did your kid have a very limited search? Because a lot of colleges do not even offer tours on federal holidays.

You're really insufferable and your only purpose is to be an obstacle. You don't seem to acknowledge or mind that the school calendar has changed over the years, yet you seem to insist none of the changes people suggest or would like to see are possible. Didn't used to be allowed to start before Labor Day; but you can now. Winter break used to be a week long, changed to two weeks, can easily be changed back to one.

You can still see colleges on Saturdays. You don't always have to have an official tour or interview when you're shopping to decide which schools you are really interested in.

But you can keep pretending to believe everyone else is ignorant and their suggestions, ideas, and comments are impossible.

Well you sound pleasant. ; )

For everyone's awareness, a lot of colleges do not offer tours on a Saturday. And yes while you can go to a campus and walk around without a tour, you get a lot more out of it if there is a tour. I don't travel 3 states away to walk around a campus without an actual tour. Again, this will likely make more sense to you when you go through the process with your kids.

Then plan accordingly for those schools and take your kid out of school for the others. Or go during one of the longer breaks - I know there is such limited time... let' see: 9 - 10 weeks during the summer, 2 weeks during the winter, 1 week during the spring. I realize that's only 12 or 13 weeks a year; but I have confidence in you to manage it somehow.

BTW, for everyone else - you don't necessarily get a lot more out of an official tour. They're not all great and don't necessarily give you a sense of the "feel" of the school. You can get a lot out of walking around on your own and observing and getting a sense of the activity on campus. You don't have to know the names of all the buildings or where all the different fields of study are located; much of a school's history is available for reading. I've been through the process and it is not necessary to have a tour to determine what schools you might be interested in even looking at to begin with. Nor is it necessary to take an official tour of a dozen schools of possible interest, especially when several of those dozen are probably of quite low interest on the student's list. Parents and students are over-doing it in their college searches these days.

And it is all irrelevant of the topic of the thread, as the school calendar is not - and should not, and will not - be based on some seniors who want to visit colleges.

Again, this does not jibe with our experience or those of other kids who have gone through it. And your comment about how many are overdoing it cements my theory that you did a very limited college search. That's fine if that worked for you, but that's not everyone's need. You propose going to a school in the summer or during a break, when the college is not in session. Let me tell you, it's pretty hard to get a feel for a place under those circumstances. Even harder when you don't take a tour. Tours are not about college's history these days. Things have changed. I think you are drawing on your own experience decades ago. Well things have change, and yes, I would appreciate a schedule that allows some time to visit colleges while they are in session and giving tours.

Oh and it's not just seniors visiting colleges. Again, maybe back in your day it was. Not now.

I don't care - it's still only a small portion of the school and the calendar should not be based on the desire of a few students to visit umpteen colleges "while they're in session" - like they need to sit-in on actual classes or something. I'm tired of everyone expecting the school to cater to their own personal preferences and "needs." That's not the school district's job. If you "need" to take your kid out for 8 days a year for whatever reason, then that's your situation to deal with. There are reasonable accommodations to agree on for the overall interests and needs of the greater community. You get two days to make your visits, more for schools whose spring breaks aren't the same as APS' spring break. BTW, many schools continue to give tours during their breaks.

[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:Proposal:

Time the start of the school year so that the midpoint comes in late December. The first semester ends with a two-week winter break. Spring break comes midway through the second semester, not tied to Easter.

There's a grade prep day at the end of the first quarter and three days off for Thanksgiving. Schools do not get Federal holidays off. If you take your kids out of school for a vacation, teachers do not provide assignments in advance, and any missed tests go down as 0s.

Rosh Hashanna, Yom Kippur, Eid, and Diwali are all days off. Seniors can choose to be absent to visit colleges but teachers are not required to provide assignments in advance or make-up tests.

Well I'm getting you don't have a senior. Seniors can "choose" to take days off?! Ha! I guess they can "choose" not to go to college then right?

It sounds as though your kids haven't been through the search process yet? Some (not all) of mine have, both before and during COVID, and it used to be that absences for Admitted Student Days were excused, but that wasn't until March/April. I suspect some parents of seniors will complain that my proposed schedule doesn't provide enough days off for college visits, but I don't think the school year should be arranged for the convenience of one class. So letting students who can manage it take days off their senior year is my proposed compromise. (There are also spring breaks and summer vacations, so with judicious planning, there could be a fair number of visits)

DP here. Personally, I think a couple of days for college visits it more than adequate and generous. There are other long breaks and lots of long weekends seniors can visit schools during. Just as the whole school shouldn't be scheduled around one class, one class shouldn't be scheduled around some of its students -- not all students even plan to go to college, while some only consider local options or a limited number of schools and don't need to make countless college visits, etc. But I disagree that students shouldn't be able to get assignments or make-up tests for a few college visits or for their religious holiday observances. Those should have the same considerations given for absences caused by illness. It's not like they're just playing hooky.

There aren't "lots of long weekends" if there's school during federal holidays.

It's the college visits for which you don't get advance assignments and make-up tests, not absences for religious holidays.

Yes, that was my point about assignments and make-up tests - they should be provided just like they would be for absences due to sickness or religious observances.
And I didn't say take away the federal holidays - I said students can make use of them for their college visits.
You need to read more carefully and stop conflating posts.

Are you even familiar with the college search process or did your kid have a very limited search? Because a lot of colleges do not even offer tours on federal holidays.

You're really insufferable and your only purpose is to be an obstacle. You don't seem to acknowledge or mind that the school calendar has changed over the years, yet you seem to insist none of the changes people suggest or would like to see are possible. Didn't used to be allowed to start before Labor Day; but you can now. Winter break used to be a week long, changed to two weeks, can easily be changed back to one.

You can still see colleges on Saturdays. You don't always have to have an official tour or interview when you're shopping to decide which schools you are really interested in.

But you can keep pretending to believe everyone else is ignorant and their suggestions, ideas, and comments are impossible.

Well you sound pleasant. ; )

For everyone's awareness, a lot of colleges do not offer tours on a Saturday. And yes while you can go to a campus and walk around without a tour, you get a lot more out of it if there is a tour. I don't travel 3 states away to walk around a campus without an actual tour. Again, this will likely make more sense to you when you go through the process with your kids.

Then plan accordingly for those schools and take your kid out of school for the others. Or go during one of the longer breaks - I know there is such limited time... let' see: 9 - 10 weeks during the summer, 2 weeks during the winter, 1 week during the spring. I realize that's only 12 or 13 weeks a year; but I have confidence in you to manage it somehow.

BTW, for everyone else - you don't necessarily get a lot more out of an official tour. They're not all great and don't necessarily give you a sense of the "feel" of the school. You can get a lot out of walking around on your own and observing and getting a sense of the activity on campus. You don't have to know the names of all the buildings or where all the different fields of study are located; much of a school's history is available for reading. I've been through the process and it is not necessary to have a tour to determine what schools you might be interested in even looking at to begin with. Nor is it necessary to take an official tour of a dozen schools of possible interest, especially when several of those dozen are probably of quite low interest on the student's list. Parents and students are over-doing it in their college searches these days.

And it is all irrelevant of the topic of the thread, as the school calendar is not - and should not, and will not - be based on some seniors who want to visit colleges.

Again, this does not jibe with our experience or those of other kids who have gone through it. And your comment about how many are overdoing it cements my theory that you did a very limited college search. That's fine if that worked for you, but that's not everyone's need. You propose going to a school in the summer or during a break, when the college is not in session. Let me tell you, it's pretty hard to get a feel for a place under those circumstances. Even harder when you don't take a tour. Tours are not about college's history these days. Things have changed. I think you are drawing on your own experience decades ago. Well things have change, and yes, I would appreciate a schedule that allows some time to visit colleges while they are in session and giving tours.

Oh and it's not just seniors visiting colleges. Again, maybe back in your day it was. Not now.

I don't care - it's still only a small portion of the school and the calendar should not be based on the desire of a few students to visit umpteen colleges "while they're in session" - like they need to sit-in on actual classes or something. I'm tired of everyone expecting the school to cater to their own personal preferences and "needs." That's not the school district's job. If you "need" to take your kid out for 8 days a year for whatever reason, then that's your situation to deal with. There are reasonable accommodations to agree on for the overall interests and needs of the greater community. You get two days to make your visits, more for schools whose spring breaks aren't the same as APS' spring break. BTW, many schools continue to give tours during their breaks.

That's fine, you can have your viewpoint. But it really isn't a small portion of the students. Many if not most APS students go on to higher education post high school, so college visitation affects almost all students when they reach this age. You are correct that students can miss school to visit colleges but then they may get zero's on tests, and this is at a time when many are taking fast paced classes that are difficult to miss. Absences also impact teachers, as well as classmates when there is group work. So I absolutely think this is a factor that should be taken into account when setting a school calendar.