Can someone tell me why APS has two half days this week?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because that's the only time Elementary teachers can use to box up or take down their classrooms.

But also conform to the number of required days in a school year.

Why can’t they do that with one full day instead of two half days? Or two full days?

[Anonymous]

because they hate working families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:because they hate working families.

The half days are quite irritating even for a person like me with a flexible schedule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:because they hate working families.

Working families usually use extended day, which is open on the half days, but is closed if there’s no school.

Two half days is actually more helpful to working families than trying to find childcare for one day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because that's the only time Elementary teachers can use to box up or take down their classrooms.

But also conform to the number of required days in a school year.

Instruction ends with the SOLs. This is just days counting exercise with movies and parties, so half days or not, whatevs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because that's the only time Elementary teachers can use to box up or take down their classrooms.

But also conform to the number of required days in a school year.

Why can’t they do that with one full day instead of two half days? Or two full days?

Why can't they do one full day instead of two half days? Because we call the half days but they aren't actually half days. They are 4.5 hours instead of 7 hours. Combining two 4.5 hour days into one would be 9 hours, an extra long day.

Or two full days? Well they'd need to pay teachers more so I suspect budget is the problem there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:because they hate working families.

Working families usually use extended day, which is open on the half days, but is closed if there’s no school.

Two half days is actually more helpful to working families than trying to find childcare for one day.

Except that there aren’t enough spots for everyone in extended day… my K student didn’t get in because of the priority to returning students

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:because they hate working families.

Working families usually use extended day, which is open on the half days, but is closed if there’s no school.

Two half days is actually more helpful to working families than trying to find childcare for one day.

Except that there aren’t enough spots for everyone in extended day… my K student didn’t get in because of the priority to returning students

It’s also expensive. A lot of families adjust their schedule so that they don’t end up putting their kids in extended day - dad leaves early, comes early. Mom leaves late comes back late. Grandparents or aunt/uncle babysit for the two or three hours in the day that parents are still working. Pretty presumptuous of PP to think that all working families can utilize extended day. For some families like PP above, they simply can’t get in. For others, they can’t afford it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:because they hate working families.

Working families usually use extended day, which is open on the half days, but is closed if there’s no school.

Two half days is actually more helpful to working families than trying to find childcare for one day.

Except that there aren’t enough spots for everyone in extended day… my K student didn’t get in because of the priority to returning students

It’s also expensive. A lot of families adjust their schedule so that they don’t end up putting their kids in extended day - dad leaves early, comes early. Mom leaves late comes back late. Grandparents or aunt/uncle babysit for the two or three hours in the day that parents are still working. Pretty presumptuous of PP to think that all working families can utilize extended day. For some families like PP above, they simply can’t get in. For others, they can’t afford it.

Lots of families use extended day. That is why many schools have wait lists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:because they hate working families.

Working families usually use extended day, which is open on the half days, but is closed if there’s no school.

Two half days is actually more helpful to working families than trying to find childcare for one day.

Except that there aren’t enough spots for everyone in extended day… my K student didn’t get in because of the priority to returning students

It’s also expensive. A lot of families adjust their schedule so that they don’t end up putting their kids in extended day - dad leaves early, comes early. Mom leaves late comes back late. Grandparents or aunt/uncle babysit for the two or three hours in the day that parents are still working. Pretty presumptuous of PP to think that all working families can utilize extended day. For some families like PP above, they simply can’t get in. For others, they can’t afford it.

Lots of families use extended day. That is why many schools have wait lists.

Um, it's over $3k a year if your family income is over $88k/year; a significant expense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because that's the only time Elementary teachers can use to box up or take down their classrooms.

But also conform to the number of required days in a school year.

Instruction ends with the SOLs. This is just days counting exercise with movies and parties, so half days or not, whatevs.

Not true. Certainly not for ES with fewer SOLs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:because they hate working families.

Working families usually use extended day, which is open on the half days, but is closed if there’s no school.

Two half days is actually more helpful to working families than trying to find childcare for one day.

Except that there aren’t enough spots for everyone in extended day… my K student didn’t get in because of the priority to returning students

It’s also expensive. A lot of families adjust their schedule so that they don’t end up putting their kids in extended day - dad leaves early, comes early. Mom leaves late comes back late. Grandparents or aunt/uncle babysit for the two or three hours in the day that parents are still working. Pretty presumptuous of PP to think that all working families can utilize extended day. For some families like PP above, they simply can’t get in. For others, they can’t afford it.

Lots of families use extended day. That is why many schools have wait lists.

Um, it's over $3k a year if your family income is over $88k/year; a significant expense.

Way way cheaper than daycare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:because they hate working families.

Working families usually use extended day, which is open on the half days, but is closed if there’s no school.

Two half days is actually more helpful to working families than trying to find childcare for one day.

Except that there aren’t enough spots for everyone in extended day… my K student didn’t get in because of the priority to returning students

It’s also expensive. A lot of families adjust their schedule so that they don’t end up putting their kids in extended day - dad leaves early, comes early. Mom leaves late comes back late. Grandparents or aunt/uncle babysit for the two or three hours in the day that parents are still working. Pretty presumptuous of PP to think that all working families can utilize extended day. For some families like PP above, they simply can’t get in. For others, they can’t afford it.

Lots of families use extended day. That is why many schools have wait lists.

Um, it's over $3k a year if your family income is over $88k/year; a significant expense.

Way way cheaper than daycare.

Yeah, and there is a sliding scale for extended day if memory serves.

If you can’t afford extended day, then you likely haven’t been able to afford any childcare ever, meaning you’ve already had to figure out years ago who will watch your child if you’re working.

[Anonymous]

I was delighted to discover that Loudoun doesn't do half days when we moved here.

Half days are such a waste of resources.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:because they hate working families.

Working families usually use extended day, which is open on the half days, but is closed if there’s no school.

Two half days is actually more helpful to working families than trying to find childcare for one day.

Except that there aren’t enough spots for everyone in extended day… my K student didn’t get in because of the priority to returning students

It’s also expensive. A lot of families adjust their schedule so that they don’t end up putting their kids in extended day - dad leaves early, comes early. Mom leaves late comes back late. Grandparents or aunt/uncle babysit for the two or three hours in the day that parents are still working. Pretty presumptuous of PP to think that all working families can utilize extended day. For some families like PP above, they simply can’t get in. For others, they can’t afford it.

Lots of families use extended day. That is why many schools have wait lists.

Um, it's over $3k a year if your family income is over $88k/year; a significant expense.

Way way cheaper than daycare.

But then you need to spend $$$ for summer camps, which means overall it is the same or more.