FCPS 2018-2019 school calendar?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Options A and B-no way. So they shortened summer last year and want to shorten it again this year? Wow. That's harsh. Kids in sports and band would start camps a week earlier-that means near the end of July? Weather can't always been depended on in early June. We like to buy a pool membership but probably would not if options A or B were chosen. We would barely make use of it. It was bad enough they started before Labor Day this year. It was tough for my kids and a lot of other kids I know.

The pools are empty in Augist.

Not that pool use should be the metric -- but they are empty in August because (1) everyone has had enough swim time by then and it's old news, and (2) many people leave town for vacations in Aug b/c Congress shuts down. So, yes, pools are generally not very full in Aug. People are excited about summer in June/right after Memorial Day. By August, they are looking toward the next thing and summer is a has-been.

The pools are packed in June and empty in August.

Pools are not going to lose any business by fcps starting mid August

Somebody upthread said they wouldn’t join if the season was shortened.

That person is just like the actors who said they are moving to Canada when Trump won.

They will still join the pool. Because, well, swim team.

It is not the swim team parents who won't join. Its the people not on the swim team but who just use the pool. Less people renting and owning translates into less people paying for the pool which translates into less maintenance and pools closing. It's possible they could move up the entire swim team calendar to allow for a July-August rental after swim team, but then the kids get one less week to practice so that will not be popular either. Plus most kids that staff pools are high schoolers who then won't be able to staff the pool in August. The pools already open up on Memorial Day and the weather isn't warm enough to typically open earlier.

REALLY??? don't those same High schooler staff the pool in June as we have it now? They just open the pools at 3:00 and close at 8:00. They can do the same thing if school starts Aug. 23rd. Pools are open in the evening for a week (plus all day on the weekend.) Not such a hard problem to solve.

The solvency of your private swim club is not more important than the education of 190,000 kids.

But if you're changing the start dates to better prepare for AP/IB tests, it is not for the betterment of 190,000 kids. It's for the kids in high school taking those tests.

Ummm...

School is about school, which includes AP and IB tests.

School is not about swimming pools (that are always half empty in August anyway, even with a post Labor Day start).

Pool time is irrelevant to this discussion and is not even a little bit on par with the very important AP and IB exams.

Another positive with ending early June is that now our high schoolers will be able to participate in competitive summer academic programs that start mid June. They are iced out of so many of them with fcps going so late into June.

This is a win win (yes, a win even for those attached to empty August pools.)

What percentage of the 190,000 Fairfax County students participate in competitive summer academic programs?

[Anonymous]

I keep reading there are three options, but a fourth option (Option D) is shown attached to the Board Docs Page.

https://www.fcps.edu/news/fairfax-county-school-board-discuss-2018-19-school-calendar-options-upcoming-work-session

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I keep reading there are three options, but a fourth option (Option D) is shown attached to the Board Docs Page.

https://www.fcps.edu/news/fairfax-county-school-board-discuss-2018-19-school-calendar-options-upcoming-work-session

Are you able to post what the 4th option is? I cannot see it. I see that it is there but I cannot view it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I keep reading there are three options, but a fourth option (Option D) is shown attached to the Board Docs Page.

https://www.fcps.edu/news/fairfax-county-school-board-discuss-2018-19-school-calendar-options-upcoming-work-session

Are you able to post what the 4th option is? I cannot see it. I see that it is there but I cannot view it.

http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/ASYQR66A7D5A/$file/2018-2019%20Standard%20School%20Year%20Calendar%20Option%20D.pdf

[Anonymous]

This chart is helpful when comparing all four:

http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/ASYQQV6A789E/$file/NEW%20FCPS%20One%20Page%20Buisness%20Case.pdf

[Anonymous]

There are 4 options. FCPS updated their Facebook page.

[Anonymous]

If the school calendar ends up being the death knell for community pools that were implemented as a racist response to Brown vs Board of Education, so be it.

[Anonymous]

OPTION C! OPTION C!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the school calendar ends up being the death knell for community pools that were implemented as a racist response to Brown vs Board of Education, so be it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OPTION C! OPTION C!

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OPTION C! OPTION C!

+1

I like C or D. As a teacher D gives me a little bit more time (half a day more on Monday) at the end of the first quarter to complete progress reports and conferences. Still not nearly enough, but it is a difference.

[Anonymous]

When are they going to schedule parent conferences?

Is MLK or Columbus Day still off for any of the options?

[Anonymous]

Option A, with a caveat. My kids work hard all year and are checked out after June. The last 2 weeks of school is always such a slog. And it is about to get worse, since the oldest kid hits APs this year. The last month of school is enrichment and not core curriculum.

I like the shortened winter break, because most years we go back and hit more federal holidays (MLK and Presidents Day), end of semester TWDs and bad weather closings and late days. Two years ago, we went 8 weeks in a row without a single full week of school in December through February. There are plenty of built in winter breaks without taking 2 weeks off at Christmas.

BUT, I don’t love the earlier start either. Last summer was tough, because DC1 was out 10 Days, did TJ summer school, and two days later started marching band. I am not up for a second shortened summer in a row.

There should be an option for late August start, early June release, 1 week of winter break and 3 days at Thanksgiving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OPTION C! OPTION C!

+1

I like C or D. As a teacher D gives me a little bit more time (half a day more on Monday) at the end of the first quarter to complete progress reports and conferences. Still not nearly enough, but it is a difference.

As a teacher, I also like option D.

[Anonymous]

All three of these options but the fall break TWD on the first Tuesday in November, with school on Monday. If they are going to cut fall break down from a 4 day weekend, would it kill them to put the TWD on a Monday so we could have a long weekend?