Please share updated news (or rumors) on makeup days/school calendar for this year

[Anonymous]

Can we start an updated thread for folks to share what they know or are hearing about the makeup days and the school calendar for this year? (There is a long, older post focused specifically on the state legislation, but I think we need something broader since that's not the only path forward.)

I have heard a few people talk about rumors that MCPS will change the school calendar to switch one existing day off to a school day, and then between that and adding Thurs June 18th, would be able to get a waiver from MSDE of the remaining days. Can folks who have heard this share where they heard it from and whether whoever they heard it from seemed confident it was going to happen, or if it was just speculation? (Also, did you hear anything about which day would be switched from a day off to a school day, and/or when this announcement would be made?) It seems a little weird to me because I thought school districts had to add 3 days before getting a waiver, and that would only be two, but if folks are hearing it from trustworthy sources that would be helpful to know.

And then I know the Senate is not having a hearing on the bill that would waive the need for those extra days until 3/24. Has anyone been in touch with state senators or heard from anyone knowledgeable regarding the outlook for the bill in the Senate? As an outsider it feels like it had support to move quickly in the House but maybe not so much in the Senate, but that's just guessing on my part and I would really love to hear anything solid.

Any other intel from anyone?

[Anonymous]

Are folks hearing that April 6th (Easter Monday/the last day of spring break) may be turned back into a regular school day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are folks hearing that April 6th (Easter Monday/the last day of spring break) may be turned back into a regular school day?

No. That would require changing a different state law and is not under consideration.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are folks hearing that April 6th (Easter Monday/the last day of spring break) may be turned back into a regular school day?

No. That would require changing a different state law and is not under consideration.

I thought I saw Howard County added back in April 6 as a school day because the state BoE allowed it as an exception this year, just as they allowed President’s Day to be used for other jurisdictions as a make up day.

I don’t personally want that, because I have non refundable travel plans that I made based on the original law and calendar, which did not indicate that day was a possible make up day. I also think it’ll be more difficult to ensure staffing compared to any of the other options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are folks hearing that April 6th (Easter Monday/the last day of spring break) may be turned back into a regular school day?

No. That would require changing a different state law and is not under consideration.

I thought I saw Howard County added back in April 6 as a school day because the state BoE allowed it as an exception this year, just as they allowed President’s Day to be used for other jurisdictions as a make up day.

I don’t personally want that, because I have non refundable travel plans that I made based on the original law and calendar, which did not indicate that day was a possible make up day. I also think it’ll be more difficult to ensure staffing compared to any of the other options.

I assume if they add it back that it'd be an excused absence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are folks hearing that April 6th (Easter Monday/the last day of spring break) may be turned back into a regular school day?

No. That would require changing a different state law and is not under consideration.

I thought I saw Howard County added back in April 6 as a school day because the state BoE allowed it as an exception this year, just as they allowed President’s Day to be used for other jurisdictions as a make up day.

I don’t personally want that, because I have non refundable travel plans that I made based on the original law and calendar, which did not indicate that day was a possible make up day. I also think it’ll be more difficult to ensure staffing compared to any of the other options.

Yes, HoCo did add April 6 as a school day as the state allowed all districts to do so given the snow days this year. HoCo takes their committment to provide students with 180 days of school seriously unlike MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are folks hearing that April 6th (Easter Monday/the last day of spring break) may be turned back into a regular school day?

No. That would require changing a different state law and is not under consideration.

I thought I saw Howard County added back in April 6 as a school day because the state BoE allowed it as an exception this year, just as they allowed President’s Day to be used for other jurisdictions as a make up day.

I don’t personally want that, because I have non refundable travel plans that I made based on the original law and calendar, which did not indicate that day was a possible make up day. I also think it’ll be more difficult to ensure staffing compared to any of the other options.

Yes, HoCo did add April 6 as a school day as the state allowed all districts to do so given the snow days this year. HoCo takes their committment to provide students with 180 days of school seriously unlike MCPS.

Howard County cannot meet the state required minimum number of hours because of their calendar, which includes a half day every month for teachers and well as various half days all year (multiple ES conferences more than once a year, final exams, etc.) You do not want their schedule if you cannot deal with MCPS having the state required hours, but not the 180 days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are folks hearing that April 6th (Easter Monday/the last day of spring break) may be turned back into a regular school day?

No. That would require changing a different state law and is not under consideration.

I thought I saw Howard County added back in April 6 as a school day because the state BoE allowed it as an exception this year, just as they allowed President’s Day to be used for other jurisdictions as a make up day.

I don’t personally want that, because I have non refundable travel plans that I made based on the original law and calendar, which did not indicate that day was a possible make up day. I also think it’ll be more difficult to ensure staffing compared to any of the other options.

Yes, HoCo did add April 6 as a school day as the state allowed all districts to do so given the snow days this year. HoCo takes their committment to provide students with 180 days of school seriously unlike MCPS.

Howard County cannot meet the state required minimum number of hours because of their calendar, which includes a half day every month for teachers and well as various half days all year (multiple ES conferences more than once a year, final exams, etc.) You do not want their schedule if you cannot deal with MCPS having the state required hours, but not the 180 days.

14 elementary school half days this year in Howard County. They were schedule for more before they altered their calendar.

[Anonymous]

I would love to have more than one elementary conference. In MCPS we get one in the fall and the teachers don't volunteer any information, you have to figure out what questions to ask them

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are folks hearing that April 6th (Easter Monday/the last day of spring break) may be turned back into a regular school day?

No. That would require changing a different state law and is not under consideration.

I thought I saw Howard County added back in April 6 as a school day because the state BoE allowed it as an exception this year, just as they allowed President’s Day to be used for other jurisdictions as a make up day.

I don’t personally want that, because I have non refundable travel plans that I made based on the original law and calendar, which did not indicate that day was a possible make up day. I also think it’ll be more difficult to ensure staffing compared to any of the other options.

Yes, HoCo did add April 6 as a school day as the state allowed all districts to do so given the snow days this year. HoCo takes their committment to provide students with 180 days of school seriously unlike MCPS.

Howard County cannot meet the state required minimum number of hours because of their calendar, which includes a half day every month for teachers and well as various half days all year (multiple ES conferences more than once a year, final exams, etc.) You do not want their schedule if you cannot deal with MCPS having the state required hours, but not the 180 days.

MCPS is shortchanging its students both by hours and with the 175 days of education it provided this year (many of those were half days, early releases, and delayed starts).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are folks hearing that April 6th (Easter Monday/the last day of spring break) may be turned back into a regular school day?

ItMs an option, but MCPS has no intention of taking it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are folks hearing that April 6th (Easter Monday/the last day of spring break) may be turned back into a regular school day?

No. That would require changing a different state law and is not under consideration.

The state is offering waivers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are folks hearing that April 6th (Easter Monday/the last day of spring break) may be turned back into a regular school day?

It is one of 3 options. April 6, April 15 or May 27. I can't imagine that they will use 5/27 since they ended up not using 3/20 (same holiday of Eid).