MoCo Councilmembers who Don't Pay Attention to the School Calendar, Push Back on MCPS Using Established Make-Up Day

[Anonymous]

The can use Eid and Easter Monday as far as I’m concerned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The can use Eid and Easter Monday as far as I’m concerned.

Being closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday is a state requirement that needs special State Board of Ed approval. They passed a resolution allowing President's Day to be used (also a state requirement to be closed otherwise)-- I wish they'd done Easter Monday instead or in addition, but they didn't. These councilmembers should be lobbying MSDE for that rather than for a waiver to give kids even fewer days of school.

[Anonymous]

My frustration with council members bringing this up now is that it had been clearly labeled in the calendar that was published last year.

It was frustrating the MCPS didn't use the labeled in school make up days last year, and now when they do, they're met with pushback. The time for that pushback was last year when the calendar was being developed.

They should start pushing back for next years calendar now so we're not facing the same issues. They could easily switch the unnecessary transition day back to a regular day and that will give us at least one more built in snow day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My frustration with council members bringing this up now is that it had been clearly labeled in the calendar that was published last year.

It was frustrating the MCPS didn't use the labeled in school make up days last year, and now when they do, they're met with pushback. The time for that pushback was last year when the calendar was being developed.

They should start pushing back for next years calendar now so we're not facing the same issues. They could easily switch the unnecessary transition day back to a regular day and that will give us at least one more built in snow day.

Yes that’s the point. The council members are acting like they’re saving religious equity, when they should have said something back before the calendar was approved for a makeup day using Eid.

By saying something now, they just look like they didn’t do their homework at the right time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My frustration with council members bringing this up now is that it had been clearly labeled in the calendar that was published last year.

It was frustrating the MCPS didn't use the labeled in school make up days last year, and now when they do, they're met with pushback. The time for that pushback was last year when the calendar was being developed.

They should start pushing back for next years calendar now so we're not facing the same issues. They could easily switch the unnecessary transition day back to a regular day and that will give us at least one more built in snow day.

100% this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My frustration with council members bringing this up now is that it had been clearly labeled in the calendar that was published last year.

It was frustrating the MCPS didn't use the labeled in school make up days last year, and now when they do, they're met with pushback. The time for that pushback was last year when the calendar was being developed.

They should start pushing back for next years calendar now so we're not facing the same issues. They could easily switch the unnecessary transition day back to a regular day and that will give us at least one more built in snow day.

How about MCPS not cancel school at the drop of a hat, or better yet, have a remote learning plan?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You’re right that Eid should never have been a makeup day in the first place, but I appreciate the council members efforts to try and get a waiver.

This.

Worse than not speaking up when it was hypothetical is not speaking up when it’s a certainty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And we have a couple of antisemitic comments already. That didn’t take long.

It’s not antisemitic to call MCPS on their own data requirements for these holidays. They previously said 15% or more students and staff would have to be out for the holidays they’ve chosen in addition to state required holidays.

Regardless of religious affiliation, the date in MoCo and across the US is that the majority of people do not attend religious services at all.

Who said this and when?

[Anonymous]

March 20th was always designated on the approved calendar as a make up day…if this was a priority then this concern should have been raised prior to the calendar being adopted. You can’t be mad the school system is using the days they always designated as make up days in case of snow.

As a teacher I’m happy to have another instructional day with my students prior to AP exams after losing 5 days of school when AP exams happen in May no matter what. Adding days to the end of the year doesn’t help once the AP exams are over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:March 20th was always designated on the approved calendar as a make up day…if this was a priority then this concern should have been raised prior to the calendar being adopted. You can’t be mad the school system is using the days they always designated as make up days in case of snow.

As a teacher I’m happy to have another instructional day with my students prior to AP exams after losing 5 days of school when AP exams happen in May no matter what. Adding days to the end of the year doesn’t help once the AP exams are over.

They also have April 15 designated but apparently aren’t using it because of teachers needing the end of term time. You good with giving that up too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:March 20th was always designated on the approved calendar as a make up day…if this was a priority then this concern should have been raised prior to the calendar being adopted. You can’t be mad the school system is using the days they always designated as make up days in case of snow.

As a teacher I’m happy to have another instructional day with my students prior to AP exams after losing 5 days of school when AP exams happen in May no matter what. Adding days to the end of the year doesn’t help once the AP exams are over.

They also have April 15 designated but apparently aren’t using it because of teachers needing the end of term time. You good with giving that up too?

DP. That’s up to the teachers. Or would you prefer a delay in grades? Or are you going to force teachers to work on their personal time and MCPS violate it’s union contract?

March 20th was on the calendar as a make up day, and it vi es before April 15yh. Why didn’t you complain last year before MCPS finalized its school calendar?

[Anonymous]

The most logical solution here is to cut back on spring break days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My frustration with council members bringing this up now is that it had been clearly labeled in the calendar that was published last year.

It was frustrating the MCPS didn't use the labeled in school make up days last year, and now when they do, they're met with pushback. The time for that pushback was last year when the calendar was being developed.

They should start pushing back for next years calendar now so we're not facing the same issues. They could easily switch the unnecessary transition day back to a regular day and that will give us at least one more built in snow day.

The 2026/27 calendar has already been approved. Guess what, Eid is one of the makeup days next year too! If the county council paid any attention, they’d have raised this issue before the calendars were approved. It comes across as very performative after the fact.

I think everyone will also love that the other designated make-up days include October 16 and November 2. It will really be helpful to go back in time and use those if/when we have weather related closures in early 2027.

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/calendar/pdfs/2026-2027/2026-2027-TRADITIONAL-Calendar.pdf

[Anonymous]

Why not use Presidents day? What is the purpose of celebrating Presidents day anyway?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My frustration with council members bringing this up now is that it had been clearly labeled in the calendar that was published last year.

It was frustrating the MCPS didn't use the labeled in school make up days last year, and now when they do, they're met with pushback. The time for that pushback was last year when the calendar was being developed.

They should start pushing back for next years calendar now so we're not facing the same issues. They could easily switch the unnecessary transition day back to a regular day and that will give us at least one more built in snow day.

The 2026/27 calendar has already been approved. Guess what, Eid is one of the makeup days next year too! If the county council paid any attention, they’d have raised this issue before the calendars were approved. It comes across as very performative after the fact.

I think everyone will also love that the other designated make-up days include October 16 and November 2. It will really be helpful to go back in time and use those if/when we have weather related closures in early 2027.

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/calendar/pdfs/2026-2027/2026-2027-TRADITIONAL-Calendar.pdf

Yeah that’s really stupid. Why would you have make up days so early??? Only if you never intend to use them