Ferebee email re adding school days because of snow

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While the records days are required, they used to be half days for students that counted as full days toward the 180 so we got out earlier. Families expressed that half days were harder for childcare. Most teachers hate the PD days and a lot of them take leave, but they are required as part of our contract.

Half days are not full days and should not be counted as such toward the 180. I can't understand why it's acceptable for DCPS to schedule only the MINIMUM amount of days of school, and then people still want to shorten it from there. In my school district, the schedule included more than the MINIMUM amount of instruction days to begin with -- so you only had to "make up" days if you got a lot of snow days. It is school. We should not be doing the minimum.

Half days are counted toward the 180 day minimum in almost every school district in America.

+1

MOCO uses half days so much to pad their number of school days. It’s a travesty thry actually get away with it.

What are they getting away with exactly? Just because you don't agree with it doesn't mean it's not a standard, acceptable practice. And one that is used throughout Maryland and the rest of the country.

I have never heard of another school district making the Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving half days. That’s absurd. It’s not standard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While the records days are required, they used to be half days for students that counted as full days toward the 180 so we got out earlier. Families expressed that half days were harder for childcare. Most teachers hate the PD days and a lot of them take leave, but they are required as part of our contract.

Half days are not full days and should not be counted as such toward the 180. I can't understand why it's acceptable for DCPS to schedule only the MINIMUM amount of days of school, and then people still want to shorten it from there. In my school district, the schedule included more than the MINIMUM amount of instruction days to begin with -- so you only had to "make up" days if you got a lot of snow days. It is school. We should not be doing the minimum.

Half days are counted toward the 180 day minimum in almost every school district in America.

+1

MOCO uses half days so much to pad their number of school days. It’s a travesty thry actually get away with it.

What are they getting away with exactly? Just because you don't agree with it doesn't mean it's not a standard, acceptable practice. And one that is used throughout Maryland and the rest of the country.

Obviously, it's shortchanging children of instruction time. It's like paying for an hour of a lawyer's or a babysitter's or a therapist's time, and they only give you 31 minutes because they say they like to round up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While the records days are required, they used to be half days for students that counted as full days toward the 180 so we got out earlier. Families expressed that half days were harder for childcare. Most teachers hate the PD days and a lot of them take leave, but they are required as part of our contract.

Half days are not full days and should not be counted as such toward the 180. I can't understand why it's acceptable for DCPS to schedule only the MINIMUM amount of days of school, and then people still want to shorten it from there. In my school district, the schedule included more than the MINIMUM amount of instruction days to begin with -- so you only had to "make up" days if you got a lot of snow days. It is school. We should not be doing the minimum.

Half days are counted toward the 180 day minimum in almost every school district in America.

+1

MOCO uses half days so much to pad their number of school days. It’s a travesty thry actually get away with it.

What are they getting away with exactly? Just because you don't agree with it doesn't mean it's not a standard, acceptable practice. And one that is used throughout Maryland and the rest of the country.

Obviously, it's shortchanging children of instruction time. It's like paying for an hour of a lawyer's or a babysitter's or a therapist's time, and they only give you 31 minutes because they say they like to round up.

Do you really have any data to prove that less than 180 school days shortchanges children?

Or is what it’s really doing is making it more inconvenient for you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While the records days are required, they used to be half days for students that counted as full days toward the 180 so we got out earlier. Families expressed that half days were harder for childcare. Most teachers hate the PD days and a lot of them take leave, but they are required as part of our contract.

Half days are not full days and should not be counted as such toward the 180. I can't understand why it's acceptable for DCPS to schedule only the MINIMUM amount of days of school, and then people still want to shorten it from there. In my school district, the schedule included more than the MINIMUM amount of instruction days to begin with -- so you only had to "make up" days if you got a lot of snow days. It is school. We should not be doing the minimum.

Half days are counted toward the 180 day minimum in almost every school district in America.

+1

MOCO uses half days so much to pad their number of school days. It’s a travesty thry actually get away with it.

What are they getting away with exactly? Just because you don't agree with it doesn't mean it's not a standard, acceptable practice. And one that is used throughout Maryland and the rest of the country.

Obviously, it's shortchanging children of instruction time. It's like paying for an hour of a lawyer's or a babysitter's or a therapist's time, and they only give you 31 minutes because they say they like to round up.

Do you really have any data to prove that less than 180 school days shortchanges children?

Or is what it’s really doing is making it more inconvenient for you?

You sound unfamiliar with the word 'shortchange." If they kids get less than 180 days, then, by definition, they are being shortchanged. Maybe you should try to not be such a lazy piece of shit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While the records days are required, they used to be half days for students that counted as full days toward the 180 so we got out earlier. Families expressed that half days were harder for childcare. Most teachers hate the PD days and a lot of them take leave, but they are required as part of our contract.

Half days are not full days and should not be counted as such toward the 180. I can't understand why it's acceptable for DCPS to schedule only the MINIMUM amount of days of school, and then people still want to shorten it from there. In my school district, the schedule included more than the MINIMUM amount of instruction days to begin with -- so you only had to "make up" days if you got a lot of snow days. It is school. We should not be doing the minimum.

Half days are counted toward the 180 day minimum in almost every school district in America.

+1

MOCO uses half days so much to pad their number of school days. It’s a travesty thry actually get away with it.

What are they getting away with exactly? Just because you don't agree with it doesn't mean it's not a standard, acceptable practice. And one that is used throughout Maryland and the rest of the country.

Obviously, it's shortchanging children of instruction time. It's like paying for an hour of a lawyer's or a babysitter's or a therapist's time, and they only give you 31 minutes because they say they like to round up.

Do you really have any data to prove that less than 180 school days shortchanges children?

Or is what it’s really doing is making it more inconvenient for you?

You sound unfamiliar with the word 'shortchange." If they kids get less than 180 days, then, by definition, they are being shortchanged. Maybe you should try to not be such a lazy piece of shit.

But is only 180 days also shortchanging kids? Shouldn’t it be 181? Or 190? Or 220? Why is 180 the magic number?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While the records days are required, they used to be half days for students that counted as full days toward the 180 so we got out earlier. Families expressed that half days were harder for childcare. Most teachers hate the PD days and a lot of them take leave, but they are required as part of our contract.

Half days are not full days and should not be counted as such toward the 180. I can't understand why it's acceptable for DCPS to schedule only the MINIMUM amount of days of school, and then people still want to shorten it from there. In my school district, the schedule included more than the MINIMUM amount of instruction days to begin with -- so you only had to "make up" days if you got a lot of snow days. It is school. We should not be doing the minimum.

Half days are counted toward the 180 day minimum in almost every school district in America.

+1

MOCO uses half days so much to pad their number of school days. It’s a travesty thry actually get away with it.

What are they getting away with exactly? Just because you don't agree with it doesn't mean it's not a standard, acceptable practice. And one that is used throughout Maryland and the rest of the country.

Obviously, it's shortchanging children of instruction time. It's like paying for an hour of a lawyer's or a babysitter's or a therapist's time, and they only give you 31 minutes because they say they like to round up.

Do you really have any data to prove that less than 180 school days shortchanges children?

Or is what it’s really doing is making it more inconvenient for you?

You sound unfamiliar with the word 'shortchange." If they kids get less than 180 days, then, by definition, they are being shortchanged. Maybe you should try to not be such a lazy piece of shit.

But is only 180 days also shortchanging kids? Shouldn’t it be 181? Or 190? Or 220? Why is 180 the magic number?

Some people think that it takes 180 days to become magically smart for the year. Then the kids "reset" over summer and repeat the process over and over until Senior year. As for 180 days? It's most likely due to being approximately half the calendar days in a year. If a calendar year was 385-395 days it would probably be 190 if a calendar year were 405 days it would probably be 200 days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While the records days are required, they used to be half days for students that counted as full days toward the 180 so we got out earlier. Families expressed that half days were harder for childcare. Most teachers hate the PD days and a lot of them take leave, but they are required as part of our contract.

Half days are not full days and should not be counted as such toward the 180. I can't understand why it's acceptable for DCPS to schedule only the MINIMUM amount of days of school, and then people still want to shorten it from there. In my school district, the schedule included more than the MINIMUM amount of instruction days to begin with -- so you only had to "make up" days if you got a lot of snow days. It is school. We should not be doing the minimum.

Half days are counted toward the 180 day minimum in almost every school district in America.

+1

MOCO uses half days so much to pad their number of school days. It’s a travesty thry actually get away with it.

What are they getting away with exactly? Just because you don't agree with it doesn't mean it's not a standard, acceptable practice. And one that is used throughout Maryland and the rest of the country.

Obviously, it's shortchanging children of instruction time. It's like paying for an hour of a lawyer's or a babysitter's or a therapist's time, and they only give you 31 minutes because they say they like to round up.

Ah… understood. I took “getting away with” as breaking the rules and not facing consequences. It’s the rule (that half days can count toward the 180) that you find objectionable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While the records days are required, they used to be half days for students that counted as full days toward the 180 so we got out earlier. Families expressed that half days were harder for childcare. Most teachers hate the PD days and a lot of them take leave, but they are required as part of our contract.

Half days are not full days and should not be counted as such toward the 180. I can't understand why it's acceptable for DCPS to schedule only the MINIMUM amount of days of school, and then people still want to shorten it from there. In my school district, the schedule included more than the MINIMUM amount of instruction days to begin with -- so you only had to "make up" days if you got a lot of snow days. It is school. We should not be doing the minimum.

Half days are counted toward the 180 day minimum in almost every school district in America.

+1

MOCO uses half days so much to pad their number of school days. It’s a travesty thry actually get away with it.

What are they getting away with exactly? Just because you don't agree with it doesn't mean it's not a standard, acceptable practice. And one that is used throughout Maryland and the rest of the country.

Obviously, it's shortchanging children of instruction time. It's like paying for an hour of a lawyer's or a babysitter's or a therapist's time, and they only give you 31 minutes because they say they like to round up.

Ah… understood. I took “getting away with” as breaking the rules and not facing consequences. It’s the rule (that half days can count toward the 180) that you find objectionable.

NP and it’s not the rule that bothers me. It’s that districts specifically use the rule to reach the 180 days required as a shortcut. Because ultimately it isn’t about children learning or being in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While the records days are required, they used to be half days for students that counted as full days toward the 180 so we got out earlier. Families expressed that half days were harder for childcare. Most teachers hate the PD days and a lot of them take leave, but they are required as part of our contract.

Half days are not full days and should not be counted as such toward the 180. I can't understand why it's acceptable for DCPS to schedule only the MINIMUM amount of days of school, and then people still want to shorten it from there. In my school district, the schedule included more than the MINIMUM amount of instruction days to begin with -- so you only had to "make up" days if you got a lot of snow days. It is school. We should not be doing the minimum.

Half days are counted toward the 180 day minimum in almost every school district in America.

+1

MOCO uses half days so much to pad their number of school days. It’s a travesty thry actually get away with it.

What are they getting away with exactly? Just because you don't agree with it doesn't mean it's not a standard, acceptable practice. And one that is used throughout Maryland and the rest of the country.

Obviously, it's shortchanging children of instruction time. It's like paying for an hour of a lawyer's or a babysitter's or a therapist's time, and they only give you 31 minutes because they say they like to round up.

Do you really have any data to prove that less than 180 school days shortchanges children?

Or is what it’s really doing is making it more inconvenient for you?

You sound unfamiliar with the word 'shortchange." If they kids get less than 180 days, then, by definition, they are being shortchanged. Maybe you should try to not be such a lazy piece of shit.

But is only 180 days also shortchanging kids? Shouldn’t it be 181? Or 190? Or 220? Why is 180 the magic number?

It's the law. And teachers are being paid for 180 days of instruction. You're welcome to lobby our elected officials to change it. But until they do, maybe you and schools should just follow the law and do the thing you are being paid to do, and not try to weasel out of it. Have some pride in yourself and your job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While the records days are required, they used to be half days for students that counted as full days toward the 180 so we got out earlier. Families expressed that half days were harder for childcare. Most teachers hate the PD days and a lot of them take leave, but they are required as part of our contract.

Half days are not full days and should not be counted as such toward the 180. I can't understand why it's acceptable for DCPS to schedule only the MINIMUM amount of days of school, and then people still want to shorten it from there. In my school district, the schedule included more than the MINIMUM amount of instruction days to begin with -- so you only had to "make up" days if you got a lot of snow days. It is school. We should not be doing the minimum.

Half days are counted toward the 180 day minimum in almost every school district in America.

+1

MOCO uses half days so much to pad their number of school days. It’s a travesty thry actually get away with it.

What are they getting away with exactly? Just because you don't agree with it doesn't mean it's not a standard, acceptable practice. And one that is used throughout Maryland and the rest of the country.

Obviously, it's shortchanging children of instruction time. It's like paying for an hour of a lawyer's or a babysitter's or a therapist's time, and they only give you 31 minutes because they say they like to round up.

Do you really have any data to prove that less than 180 school days shortchanges children?

Or is what it’s really doing is making it more inconvenient for you?

You sound unfamiliar with the word 'shortchange." If they kids get less than 180 days, then, by definition, they are being shortchanged. Maybe you should try to not be such a lazy piece of shit.

But is only 180 days also shortchanging kids? Shouldn’t it be 181? Or 190? Or 220? Why is 180 the magic number?

It's the law. And teachers are being paid for 180 days of instruction. You're welcome to lobby our elected officials to change it. But until they do, maybe you and schools should just follow the law and do the thing you are being paid to do, and not try to weasel out of it. Have some pride in yourself and your job.

I was more wondering about how you can feel shortchanged when the number is seemingly arbitrary. You seem more concerned with following the rules than anything. But you’re probably also the type that pulls your kid for a weeklong ski trip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While the records days are required, they used to be half days for students that counted as full days toward the 180 so we got out earlier. Families expressed that half days were harder for childcare. Most teachers hate the PD days and a lot of them take leave, but they are required as part of our contract.

Half days are not full days and should not be counted as such toward the 180. I can't understand why it's acceptable for DCPS to schedule only the MINIMUM amount of days of school, and then people still want to shorten it from there. In my school district, the schedule included more than the MINIMUM amount of instruction days to begin with -- so you only had to "make up" days if you got a lot of snow days. It is school. We should not be doing the minimum.

Half days are counted toward the 180 day minimum in almost every school district in America.

+1

MOCO uses half days so much to pad their number of school days. It’s a travesty thry actually get away with it.

What are they getting away with exactly? Just because you don't agree with it doesn't mean it's not a standard, acceptable practice. And one that is used throughout Maryland and the rest of the country.

Obviously, it's shortchanging children of instruction time. It's like paying for an hour of a lawyer's or a babysitter's or a therapist's time, and they only give you 31 minutes because they say they like to round up.

Do you really have any data to prove that less than 180 school days shortchanges children?

Or is what it’s really doing is making it more inconvenient for you?

You sound unfamiliar with the word 'shortchange." If they kids get less than 180 days, then, by definition, they are being shortchanged. Maybe you should try to not be such a lazy piece of shit.

But is only 180 days also shortchanging kids? Shouldn’t it be 181? Or 190? Or 220? Why is 180 the magic number?

It's the law. And teachers are being paid for 180 days of instruction. You're welcome to lobby our elected officials to change it. But until they do, maybe you and schools should just follow the law and do the thing you are being paid to do, and not try to weasel out of it. Have some pride in yourself and your job.

I was more wondering about how you can feel shortchanged when the number is seemingly arbitrary. You seem more concerned with following the rules than anything. But you’re probably also the type that pulls your kid for a weeklong ski trip.

No one cares whether you think 180 is the right number. If the school year was 90 days, you'd probably be trying to chisel children out of that too.