School calendar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm an MS teacher and it has us ending the year on a low note. On the one hand it's nice to have less structured time with some students to talk, etc. And of course great for some kids to have that time with each other.

Unfortunately the majority of kids in my school can't seem to handle 90-minute class periods of mostly down time. The teachers I know who've planned cool non-computer-based activities (paper airplanes, Rube Golberg machines, writing comic panels, etc.) are finding them falling flat with most kids as they remain on phones or otherwise refuse to participate. Staff with planning periods have to be out in the halls as monitors because so many kids are just running around looking for mischief. Just one of many examples: today a couple of kids took chocolate milk from the cafeteria up the main stairs, opened it, and threw it over the edge so it splashed on a wall and then all over the main hallway floor.

This sounds terrible. I’m the first person who responded and he got up, complaining that if he went today he’s not going tomorrow. If it’s actually like that today maybe he’d be better staying home. He would participate in the non computer activities but if it’s chaos all around and everyone else is in mischief or on their phones, not a chance.

[Anonymous]

Why do people whine so much about the calendar? Why do you care if your kid isn’t learning too much at school right now? It’s not bad to have some downtime. My Ms/hs have final exams and spend the time after the sol reviewing for final exams and reinforcing material. I find that to be a good thing.

[Anonymous]

Hasn’t the last week of school always been downtime? It doesn’t matter when you start, I feel like SOLs and exams are done one week before so the last week is always fooling around and kids acting up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of younger kids whined about starting school earlier because they wanted to keep their cheap beach rentals in late August. Now they want to end earlier. Can’t have it both ways.

Here's an idea... let's not have a freaking 2 week winter break and a holiday for every little group that wants it to be "fair". Schools north of here go to school until 12/22 or 23 depending on the year. Fewer holidays = shorter school year. Trying to please everyone ends up pleasing no one. It is ridiculous to start 2 weeks before Labor Day and not end until mid-June.

This. The two week winter break mandate that came about several years ago is ridiculous. FCPS used to go to school right up until the 23rd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of younger kids whined about starting school earlier because they wanted to keep their cheap beach rentals in late August. Now they want to end earlier. Can’t have it both ways.

Here's an idea... let's not have a freaking 2 week winter break and a holiday for every little group that wants it to be "fair". Schools north of here go to school until 12/22 or 23 depending on the year. Fewer holidays = shorter school year. Trying to please everyone ends up pleasing no one. It is ridiculous to start 2 weeks before Labor Day and not end until mid-June.

This. The two week winter break mandate that came about several years ago is ridiculous. FCPS used to go to school right up until the 23rd.

What is the rationale for it? My kids are young so I don’t know the history.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of younger kids whined about starting school earlier because they wanted to keep their cheap beach rentals in late August. Now they want to end earlier. Can’t have it both ways.

Here's an idea... let's not have a freaking 2 week winter break and a holiday for every little group that wants it to be "fair". Schools north of here go to school until 12/22 or 23 depending on the year. Fewer holidays = shorter school year. Trying to please everyone ends up pleasing no one. It is ridiculous to start 2 weeks before Labor Day and not end until mid-June.

This. The two week winter break mandate that came about several years ago is ridiculous. FCPS used to go to school right up until the 23rd.

What is the rationale for it? My kids are young so I don’t know the history.

The school board claimed it was so parents would consistently know when to plan for winter vacation. It's my speculation that it was the continued attempt to disentangle the school calendar from any appearance of supporting religious holidays, which they then added back in the form of explictly religious holidays and O-days in the insane quest for "equity".

[Anonymous]

As a teacher, I hate having a shortened summer break. It’s the only time I don’t have work hanging over my head.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of younger kids whined about starting school earlier because they wanted to keep their cheap beach rentals in late August. Now they want to end earlier. Can’t have it both ways.

Here's an idea... let's not have a freaking 2 week winter break and a holiday for every little group that wants it to be "fair". Schools north of here go to school until 12/22 or 23 depending on the year. Fewer holidays = shorter school year. Trying to please everyone ends up pleasing no one. It is ridiculous to start 2 weeks before Labor Day and not end until mid-June.

This. The two week winter break mandate that came about several years ago is ridiculous. FCPS used to go to school right up until the 23rd.

What is the rationale for it? My kids are young so I don’t know the history.

People want to take vacations. It's stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do people whine so much about the calendar? Why do you care if your kid isn’t learning too much at school right now? It’s not bad to have some downtime. My Ms/hs have final exams and spend the time after the sol reviewing for final exams and reinforcing material. I find that to be a good thing.

My kid failed one of their SOLs because their teacher has literally taught them nothing since January. Teacher was out the entire month of January and maybe once a week since then. School did nothing - subs shows movies. My kid has watched every disney movie out there at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hasn’t the last week of school always been downtime? It doesn’t matter when you start, I feel like SOLs and exams are done one week before so the last week is always fooling around and kids acting up.

Agreed. Unless you want wrap up testing/projects til the very last day of school with no chance for makeups for legitimate reasons, the last week will always be downtime. I'm fine with it.

I assume if we're going later into June next year, the SOLs will also be later than the were this year so the ratio of "downtime" will stay the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of younger kids whined about starting school earlier because they wanted to keep their cheap beach rentals in late August. Now they want to end earlier. Can’t have it both ways.

Here's an idea... let's not have a freaking 2 week winter break and a holiday for every little group that wants it to be "fair". Schools north of here go to school until 12/22 or 23 depending on the year. Fewer holidays = shorter school year. Trying to please everyone ends up pleasing no one. It is ridiculous to start 2 weeks before Labor Day and not end until mid-June.

This. The two week winter break mandate that came about several years ago is ridiculous. FCPS used to go to school right up until the 23rd.

No. The school year needs longer breaks embedded throughout the year and a shorter summer. I would like to see a calendar similar (or exactly the same) as the British school calendar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of younger kids whined about starting school earlier because they wanted to keep their cheap beach rentals in late August. Now they want to end earlier. Can’t have it both ways.

Here's an idea... let's not have a freaking 2 week winter break and a holiday for every little group that wants it to be "fair". Schools north of here go to school until 12/22 or 23 depending on the year. Fewer holidays = shorter school year. Trying to please everyone ends up pleasing no one. It is ridiculous to start 2 weeks before Labor Day and not end until mid-June.

This. The two week winter break mandate that came about several years ago is ridiculous. FCPS used to go to school right up until the 23rd.

+4

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hasn’t the last week of school always been downtime? It doesn’t matter when you start, I feel like SOLs and exams are done one week before so the last week is always fooling around and kids acting up.

Agreed. Unless you want wrap up testing/projects til the very last day of school with no chance for makeups for legitimate reasons, the last week will always be downtime. I'm fine with it.

I assume if we're going later into June next year, the SOLs will also be later than the were this year so the ratio of "downtime" will stay the same.

No. VDOE sets the testing window. It runs through May. Starting the year earlier benefits students in test prep but the later end of the school year just adds down time. Regardless of cool and creative learning activities and report card threats, students know they are done after SOLs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of younger kids whined about starting school earlier because they wanted to keep their cheap beach rentals in late August. Now they want to end earlier. Can’t have it both ways.

Here's an idea... let's not have a freaking 2 week winter break and a holiday for every little group that wants it to be "fair". Schools north of here go to school until 12/22 or 23 depending on the year. Fewer holidays = shorter school year. Trying to please everyone ends up pleasing no one. It is ridiculous to start 2 weeks before Labor Day and not end until mid-June.

I agree with this. The calendar is Inconsistent. 50% of the weeks are less Than five days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just looked and next year it goes even later, to June 16...how can that be??

Start lobbying the school board now to change it!

For the next school year? Ha! Not going to happen.