how do we get APS to rethink 13 snow days?

[Anonymous]

Spin off from the Loudoun school calendar thread. Arlington has 13 snow days built into the school calendar. The last time we needed even close to that was in 2016. Then we used 5 days in 2021 on the heels of winter break, some of which was also tied to staff shortage from covid absences. 13 days seems like an insanely huge amount of snow days, seems like we could get away with 8 and still be more than fine most years. How do we get APS to consider this? It’s never mentioned in any of their calendar surveys or whatever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Spin off from the Loudoun school calendar thread. Arlington has 13 snow days built into the school calendar. The last time we needed even close to that was in 2016. Then we used 5 days in 2021 on the heels of winter break, some of which was also tied to staff shortage from covid absences. 13 days seems like an insanely huge amount of snow days, seems like we could get away with 8 and still be more than fine most years. How do we get APS to consider this? It’s never mentioned in any of their calendar surveys or whatever.

Why would we want our children to go to school for fewer days? Don't we all choose to live in a HCOL area so that our kids can get a good education? That means things like not just doing everything to the state minimums, that are designed for places like West Bumf*ck where people don't way to pay for schools, libraries, public amenities....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spin off from the Loudoun school calendar thread. Arlington has 13 snow days built into the school calendar. The last time we needed even close to that was in 2016. Then we used 5 days in 2021 on the heels of winter break, some of which was also tied to staff shortage from covid absences. 13 days seems like an insanely huge amount of snow days, seems like we could get away with 8 and still be more than fine most years. How do we get APS to consider this? It’s never mentioned in any of their calendar surveys or whatever.

Why would we want our children to go to school for fewer days? Don't we all choose to live in a HCOL area so that our kids can get a good education? That means things like not just doing everything to the state minimums, that are designed for places like West Bumf*ck where people don't way to pay for schools, libraries, public amenities....

Sorry, should have added, if you want to live in Loudoun, go live in Loudoun. Presumably the rich people in north Loudoun don't want to pay the taxes to support all the extra days because then all the immigrants in south Loudoun will benefit from them. This is the same reason the Virginia state minimums are what they are, but Arlington schools have been somewhat integrated for a while now.

[Anonymous]

NP. Going to school extra days is NOT an educational benefit. School has tons of wasted time. The last week is usually a complete waste, too. And this year in APS, graduation is a full 2 weeks before school ends. Yet summer break has shrunk from 11 to 10 to 9 weeks over the past few years. APS used to use the 990 hour requirement. Now, it has lengthened the school day, has 13 built in snow days, and still insists on 180 days.

OP, writing to APS staff and the school board is an option, but it likely won’t change anything.

[Anonymous]

Is there misunderstanding that the 13 days aren’t actual days? Like kids aren’t going 193 days? It seems like a basic math question if you want to go by 990 hours vs. days. How long do you want the school day to be to accommodate extra time?

[Anonymous]

People wanted a return to 180 days after COVID closures and I don’t see people relenting on that. We could claw back a week of summer if we got rid of religious holidays but that won’t happen. This is the calendar now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. Going to school extra days is NOT an educational benefit. School has tons of wasted time. The last week is usually a complete waste, too. And this year in APS, graduation is a full 2 weeks before school ends. Yet summer break has shrunk from 11 to 10 to 9 weeks over the past few years. APS used to use the 990 hour requirement. Now, it has lengthened the school day, has 13 built in snow days, and still insists on 180 days.

OP, writing to APS staff and the school board is an option, but it likely won’t change anything.

No APS always used 180 days.

[Anonymous]

There are a bunch of weather models calling for a Nor’easter next week. If it happens, there will be no need for this discussion as we’ll start cranking through them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. Going to school extra days is NOT an educational benefit. School has tons of wasted time. The last week is usually a complete waste, too. And this year in APS, graduation is a full 2 weeks before school ends. Yet summer break has shrunk from 11 to 10 to 9 weeks over the past few years. APS used to use the 990 hour requirement. Now, it has lengthened the school day, has 13 built in snow days, and still insists on 180 days.

OP, writing to APS staff and the school board is an option, but it likely won’t change anything.

No APS always used 180 days.

Okay, maybe you are right that historically they did use 180 days. But for a few years around Covid, it was closer to 175. Then they went back to 180 at the same time they added several religious holidays AND lengthened the school day. So now we have the ridiculous 13 snow days & a short summer.

[Anonymous]

I don’t understand the problem. Do you honestly feel like your child doesn’t have enough days off school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand the problem. Do you honestly feel like your child doesn’t have enough days off school?

I'm not OP

As pointed out by other posters, a lot of the school days are a waste-no actual learning is going on.

Also, are teachers paid extra when these snow days are not used? Are they technically working for free?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. Going to school extra days is NOT an educational benefit. School has tons of wasted time. The last week is usually a complete waste, too. And this year in APS, graduation is a full 2 weeks before school ends. Yet summer break has shrunk from 11 to 10 to 9 weeks over the past few years. APS used to use the 990 hour requirement. Now, it has lengthened the school day, has 13 built in snow days, and still insists on 180 days.

OP, writing to APS staff and the school board is an option, but it likely won’t change anything.

No APS always used 180 days.

Okay, maybe you are right that historically they did use 180 days. But for a few years around Covid, it was closer to 175. Then they went back to 180 at the same time they added several religious holidays AND lengthened the school day. So now we have the ridiculous 13 snow days & a short summer.

I remember years when there were not enough snow days and they had to figure out where to get the extra days - eliminate part of spring break, take away holidays/teacher works days, make the school year longer. All were really disruptive. Keep the snow days and if they are extra so what. They will be needed eventually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand the problem. Do you honestly feel like your child doesn’t have enough days off school?

some ppl just like to complain about nothing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. Going to school extra days is NOT an educational benefit. School has tons of wasted time. The last week is usually a complete waste, too. And this year in APS, graduation is a full 2 weeks before school ends. Yet summer break has shrunk from 11 to 10 to 9 weeks over the past few years. APS used to use the 990 hour requirement. Now, it has lengthened the school day, has 13 built in snow days, and still insists on 180 days.

OP, writing to APS staff and the school board is an option, but it likely won’t change anything.

No APS always used 180 days.

Okay, maybe you are right that historically they did use 180 days. But for a few years around Covid, it was closer to 175. Then they went back to 180 at the same time they added several religious holidays AND lengthened the school day. So now we have the ridiculous 13 snow days & a short summer.

I remember years when there were not enough snow days and they had to figure out where to get the extra days - eliminate part of spring break, take away holidays/teacher works days, make the school year longer. All were really disruptive. Keep the snow days and if they are extra so what. They will be needed eventually.

"Eventually?" Like many years down the road? As OP said, it's been over 8 years since all those snow days were needed. Most of the kids who went to school those extra days have now graduated!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand the problem. Do you honestly feel like your child doesn’t have enough days off school?

I'm not OP

As pointed out by other posters, a lot of the school days are a waste-no actual learning is going on.

Also, are teachers paid extra when these snow days are not used? Are they technically working for free?

Teachers have 200 day contracts. Snow days are bonus paid days off