how do we get APS to rethink 13 snow days?

[Anonymous]

The 13 days come from the 990 minute requirement. They added 10 minutes to the school day to get the 13 days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand the problem. Do you honestly feel like your child doesn’t have enough days off school?

I'm not OP

As pointed out by other posters, a lot of the school days are a waste-no actual learning is going on.

Also, are teachers paid extra when these snow days are not used? Are they technically working for free?

I don't understand this "the extra days are wasted" argument. If there's no teaching going on during those days, then we should address THAT problem.

[Anonymous]

APS being in school til June 18 when Fairfax is out June 11 is a huge pain. Wait til you have kids in high school wanting to do summer programs and playing competitive sports. They start while APS is still taking finals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:APS being in school til June 18 when Fairfax is out June 11 is a huge pain. Wait til you have kids in high school wanting to do summer programs and playing competitive sports. They start while APS is still taking finals.

APS should start earlier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand the problem. Do you honestly feel like your child doesn’t have enough days off school?

I'm not OP

As pointed out by other posters, a lot of the school days are a waste-no actual learning is going on.

Also, are teachers paid extra when these snow days are not used? Are they technically working for free?

I don't understand this "the extra days are wasted" argument. If there's no teaching going on during those days, then we should address THAT problem.

I agree, but it's every school district and you see it all the time. People will post here about how they want to take kids out of school at this time or that time (like the days before Thanksgiving or a week before winter break, etc.) for a vacation and other posters will say "Sure, go for it. No actual teaching is going on then anyway!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:APS being in school til June 18 when Fairfax is out June 11 is a huge pain. Wait til you have kids in high school wanting to do summer programs and playing competitive sports. They start while APS is still taking finals.

Parents and teachers complained about starting as early as Fairfax. Start earlier and get out earlier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. Going to school extra days is NOT an educational benefit. School has tons of wasted time. The last week is usually a complete waste, too. And this year in APS, graduation is a full 2 weeks before school ends. Yet summer break has shrunk from 11 to 10 to 9 weeks over the past few years. APS used to use the 990 hour requirement. Now, it has lengthened the school day, has 13 built in snow days, and still insists on 180 days.

OP, writing to APS staff and the school board is an option, but it likely won’t change anything.

No APS always used 180 days.

Okay, maybe you are right that historically they did use 180 days. But for a few years around Covid, it was closer to 175. Then they went back to 180 at the same time they added several religious holidays AND lengthened the school day. So now we have the ridiculous 13 snow days & a short summer.

I remember years when there were not enough snow days and they had to figure out where to get the extra days - eliminate part of spring break, take away holidays/teacher works days, make the school year longer. All were really disruptive. Keep the snow days and if they are extra so what. They will be needed eventually.

That must have been a while ago, since I have a kid in HS who started APS in K, and we’ve never experienced this. Even in 2016 (blizzard), they didn’t use more then the allotted number of snow days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS being in school til June 18 when Fairfax is out June 11 is a huge pain. Wait til you have kids in high school wanting to do summer programs and playing competitive sports. They start while APS is still taking finals.

Parents and teachers complained about starting as early as Fairfax. Start earlier and get out earlier.

Cut some of the random days off. If they want to do all the religious holidays, then they should cut the minor federal holidays or combine them with teacher work days. It's too much.

[Anonymous]

The last week of school will include minimal learning whether they have 180 days of school or 50. Reducing number of snow days will result in fewer days of actual learning.

[Anonymous]

You could always pay for private school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. Going to school extra days is NOT an educational benefit. School has tons of wasted time. The last week is usually a complete waste, too. And this year in APS, graduation is a full 2 weeks before school ends. Yet summer break has shrunk from 11 to 10 to 9 weeks over the past few years. APS used to use the 990 hour requirement. Now, it has lengthened the school day, has 13 built in snow days, and still insists on 180 days.

OP, writing to APS staff and the school board is an option, but it likely won’t change anything.

No APS always used 180 days.

Okay, maybe you are right that historically they did use 180 days. But for a few years around Covid, it was closer to 175. Then they went back to 180 at the same time they added several religious holidays AND lengthened the school day. So now we have the ridiculous 13 snow days & a short summer.

I remember years when there were not enough snow days and they had to figure out where to get the extra days - eliminate part of spring break, take away holidays/teacher works days, make the school year longer. All were really disruptive. Keep the snow days and if they are extra so what. They will be needed eventually.

That must have been a while ago, since I have a kid in HS who started APS in K, and we’ve never experienced this. Even in 2016 (blizzard), they didn’t use more then the allotted number of snow days.

It was back when my current HS student was in elementary school. Then it nearly happened again a few years ago. That’s why they added more snow days. But memories are short and parents like to complain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You could always pay for private school?

I don’t understand the people who post this. Do you think you’re cute?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. Going to school extra days is NOT an educational benefit. School has tons of wasted time. The last week is usually a complete waste, too. And this year in APS, graduation is a full 2 weeks before school ends. Yet summer break has shrunk from 11 to 10 to 9 weeks over the past few years. APS used to use the 990 hour requirement. Now, it has lengthened the school day, has 13 built in snow days, and still insists on 180 days.

OP, writing to APS staff and the school board is an option, but it likely won’t change anything.

No APS always used 180 days.

Okay, maybe you are right that historically they did use 180 days. But for a few years around Covid, it was closer to 175. Then they went back to 180 at the same time they added several religious holidays AND lengthened the school day. So now we have the ridiculous 13 snow days & a short summer.

I remember years when there were not enough snow days and they had to figure out where to get the extra days - eliminate part of spring break, take away holidays/teacher works days, make the school year longer. All were really disruptive. Keep the snow days and if they are extra so what. They will be needed eventually.

That must have been a while ago, since I have a kid in HS who started APS in K, and we’ve never experienced this. Even in 2016 (blizzard), they didn’t use more then the allotted number of snow days.

It was back when my current HS student was in elementary school. Then it nearly happened again a few years ago. That’s why they added more snow days. But memories are short and parents like to complain.

When did it almost happen again a few years ago?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. Going to school extra days is NOT an educational benefit. School has tons of wasted time. The last week is usually a complete waste, too. And this year in APS, graduation is a full 2 weeks before school ends. Yet summer break has shrunk from 11 to 10 to 9 weeks over the past few years. APS used to use the 990 hour requirement. Now, it has lengthened the school day, has 13 built in snow days, and still insists on 180 days.

OP, writing to APS staff and the school board is an option, but it likely won’t change anything.

No APS always used 180 days.

Okay, maybe you are right that historically they did use 180 days. But for a few years around Covid, it was closer to 175. Then they went back to 180 at the same time they added several religious holidays AND lengthened the school day. So now we have the ridiculous 13 snow days & a short summer.

I remember years when there were not enough snow days and they had to figure out where to get the extra days - eliminate part of spring break, take away holidays/teacher works days, make the school year longer. All were really disruptive. Keep the snow days and if they are extra so what. They will be needed eventually.

That must have been a while ago, since I have a kid in HS who started APS in K, and we’ve never experienced this. Even in 2016 (blizzard), they didn’t use more then the allotted number of snow days.

It was back when my current HS student was in elementary school. Then it nearly happened again a few years ago. That’s why they added more snow days. But memories are short and parents like to complain.

When did it almost happen again a few years ago?

PP is right. Almost had to add back a day in 2022.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. Going to school extra days is NOT an educational benefit. School has tons of wasted time. The last week is usually a complete waste, too. And this year in APS, graduation is a full 2 weeks before school ends. Yet summer break has shrunk from 11 to 10 to 9 weeks over the past few years. APS used to use the 990 hour requirement. Now, it has lengthened the school day, has 13 built in snow days, and still insists on 180 days.

OP, writing to APS staff and the school board is an option, but it likely won’t change anything.

No APS always used 180 days.

Okay, maybe you are right that historically they did use 180 days. But for a few years around Covid, it was closer to 175. Then they went back to 180 at the same time they added several religious holidays AND lengthened the school day. So now we have the ridiculous 13 snow days & a short summer.

I remember years when there were not enough snow days and they had to figure out where to get the extra days - eliminate part of spring break, take away holidays/teacher works days, make the school year longer. All were really disruptive. Keep the snow days and if they are extra so what. They will be needed eventually.

That must have been a while ago, since I have a kid in HS who started APS in K, and we’ve never experienced this. Even in 2016 (blizzard), they didn’t use more then the allotted number of snow days.

It was back when my current HS student was in elementary school. Then it nearly happened again a few years ago. That’s why they added more snow days. But memories are short and parents like to complain.

When did it almost happen again a few years ago?

PP is right. Almost had to add back a day in 2022.

We burned through 13 snow days in 2022? I know there was the week after winter break. But you’re right I don’t remember using up all of the other 8 days.