2025-26 school calendar first drafts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We should shift summer break so we start the school year earlier and end earlier, but still get a longer winter break.

I don't think starting school two weeks before Labor Day would be very popular here.

For the life of me, I can’t figure out why not.

Because it’s a million degrees in August and historically schools in Maryland were not air conditioned (and mcps gymnasiums are still not). Why would anyone want to be in school in mid August when it’s still legit summer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We should shift summer break so we start the school year earlier and end earlier, but still get a longer winter break.

I don't think starting school two weeks before Labor Day would be very popular here.

For the life of me, I can’t figure out why not.

Because it’s a million degrees in August and historically schools in Maryland were not air conditioned (and mcps gymnasiums are still not). Why would anyone want to be in school in mid August when it’s still legit summer?

It’s the same temp in late June as it is in mid Aug.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We should shift summer break so we start the school year earlier and end earlier, but still get a longer winter break.

I don't think starting school two weeks before Labor Day would be very popular here.

For the life of me, I can’t figure out why not.

August is vacation time in the DMV.

Is there some particular reason for that, besides that we usually don’t start school earlier in August? Is it particularly advantageous for feds to vacation in August or something?

I understand that people already have August 2025 vacations planned, but if MCPS saturated the public with notices for the next 21 months that beginning in 2026 we’d start school 2 weeks before Labor Day and then we’d get out of school a week earlier in June of 2027, people could plan accordingly.

Congress is out of session

FFX goes back 2 weeks before Labor Day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We should shift summer break so we start the school year earlier and end earlier, but still get a longer winter break.

I don't think starting school two weeks before Labor Day would be very popular here.

For the life of me, I can’t figure out why not.

Because it’s a million degrees in August and historically schools in Maryland were not air conditioned (and mcps gymnasiums are still not). Why would anyone want to be in school in mid August when it’s still legit summer?

It’s the same temp in late June as it is in mid Aug.

Yes, and it’s also still hot at the end of August.

[Anonymous]

Okay so can we talk about transition day.

"A new Student Transition Day will be introduced for the 2025-2026 School Year Calendar. This Student Transition Day, on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, will be a re-imagined student orientation day to welcome students in kindergarten, third grade, sixth grade and ninth grade; students in any grade who are new to MCPS or new to a school; those who enroll through International Admissions; and students who receive special education services, language development supports or who are Emergent Multilingual Learners."

---------

So does that mean kids in 1st 2nd, 4th, 7-8th and 10th-12th who aren't a new student or on an IEP or an EML not have school that day? Would a 504 plan count as special education student?

Also would this be all third graders or just the kids who attend intermediate school (3rd-5th grade)

[Anonymous]

Ah imagine a school year where all the religious holidays fall on weekdays and crowd the calendar.... IMAGINE NO MORE 2025-26 is THAT YEAR! Combined with Christmas Eve on Wednesday and New Year's Day on Thursday 2025-26 is THE PERFECT STORM! If that isn't crazy enough MCPS chose the WORST YEAR POSSIBLE for implementing a student transition day! Yikes!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Okay so can we talk about transition day.

"A new Student Transition Day will be introduced for the 2025-2026 School Year Calendar. This Student Transition Day, on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, will be a re-imagined student orientation day to welcome students in kindergarten, third grade, sixth grade and ninth grade; students in any grade who are new to MCPS or new to a school; those who enroll through International Admissions; and students who receive special education services, language development supports or who are Emergent Multilingual Learners."

---------

So does that mean kids in 1st 2nd, 4th, 7-8th and 10th-12th who aren't a new student or on an IEP or an EML not have school that day? Would a 504 plan count as special education student?

Also would this be all third graders or just the kids who attend intermediate school (3rd-5th grade)

Correct, it will not be a school day for most kids unless they're in K, 6th, 9th, 3rd at a 3-5 school, or fall in one of the other categories.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay so can we talk about transition day.

"A new Student Transition Day will be introduced for the 2025-2026 School Year Calendar. This Student Transition Day, on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, will be a re-imagined student orientation day to welcome students in kindergarten, third grade, sixth grade and ninth grade; students in any grade who are new to MCPS or new to a school; those who enroll through International Admissions; and students who receive special education services, language development supports or who are Emergent Multilingual Learners."

---------

So does that mean kids in 1st 2nd, 4th, 7-8th and 10th-12th who aren't a new student or on an IEP or an EML not have school that day? Would a 504 plan count as special education student?

Also would this be all third graders or just the kids who attend intermediate school (3rd-5th grade)

Correct, it will not be a school day for most kids unless they're in K, 6th, 9th, 3rd at a 3-5 school, or fall in one of the other categories.

They said at the last policy management committee meeting that principals are asking for flexibility to possibly include additional grades/categories that get invited to the transition day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay so can we talk about transition day.

"A new Student Transition Day will be introduced for the 2025-2026 School Year Calendar. This Student Transition Day, on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, will be a re-imagined student orientation day to welcome students in kindergarten, third grade, sixth grade and ninth grade; students in any grade who are new to MCPS or new to a school; those who enroll through International Admissions; and students who receive special education services, language development supports or who are Emergent Multilingual Learners."

---------

So does that mean kids in 1st 2nd, 4th, 7-8th and 10th-12th who aren't a new student or on an IEP or an EML not have school that day? Would a 504 plan count as special education student?

Also would this be all third graders or just the kids who attend intermediate school (3rd-5th grade)

Correct, it will not be a school day for most kids unless they're in K, 6th, 9th, 3rd at a 3-5 school, or fall in one of the other categories.

If it doesn't count as a day of instruction, then it's optional and not a school day for people who are in one of the categories.

I don't know why they are making this so complicated. Just start school for everyone on Monday like normal. Invite those who want a sneak peak the week before, as they've always done. Include 2 potential school closure days rather than just 1. (They have only built one into the calendar for next year because of the transition day.)

[Anonymous]

What are teachers supposed to do on the transition day if they don’t teach a grade that’s transitioning? I’d be mad if I teach 9th grade and I have to be with students all day while my colleagues who teach 10,11, or 12 get a whole day of planning.

[Anonymous]

Taylor is recommending the shorter winter break beginning on Wed. Dec. 24, 2025. Last day of school is June 17, 2026. The board votes on Thursday.

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DBDRGC6DE899/$file/Approval%202025-2026%20Sch%20Year%20Calendars%20241205.pdf

[Anonymous]

I’m glad that it was noted that ending on a Monday was disliked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Taylor is recommending the shorter winter break beginning on Wed. Dec. 24, 2025. Last day of school is June 17, 2026. The board votes on Thursday.

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DBDRGC6DE899/$file/Approval%202025-2026%20Sch%20Year%20Calendars%20241205.pdf

There are going to be a lot of people out on Dec. 22 and 23 if they go this route. Maybe it doesn't matter because it's not like must is happenig on those days anyway. My kids will be -- cough cough -- sick on those days to make sure they can make up the work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Taylor is recommending the shorter winter break beginning on Wed. Dec. 24, 2025. Last day of school is June 17, 2026. The board votes on Thursday.

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DBDRGC6DE899/$file/Approval%202025-2026%20Sch%20Year%20Calendars%20241205.pdf

There are going to be a lot of people out on Dec. 22 and 23 if they go this route. Maybe it doesn't matter because it's not like must is happenig on those days anyway. My kids will be -- cough cough -- sick on those days to make sure they can make up the work.

+1. I would rather they just add those two days to winter break and have the last day of school be the half-day Monday, and then have nobody show up then instead.

[Anonymous]

Just start winter break on 12/22 and 23. Nothing will be getting done those days anyway.