2017-2018 calendar-What is the first day of school?

[Anonymous]

Blame governor Hogan, not PGCPS. He is the one who decided to unilaterally issue the executive order.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Blame governor Hogan, not PGCPS. He is the one who decided to unilaterally issue the executive order.

I don't actually care when school starts, but I need the decision to be made and final so I can start making plans.

So I don't care whom I blame, but I need this to be decided.

How long will we be sitting in limbo? And if a court case is involved, is it possible we could be in the middle of July expecting school to start on the 22nd of August, and then be told, oh, no, it will start on Sept. 5th? That is too late to scramble for child care.

[Anonymous]

How is it that MCPS was able to finalize a calendar? How can one county do it and not the other? Pls explain.

[Anonymous]

This whole thing is ditzy. I am just go ahead and register for summer camp. Not waiting any longer. Go ahead and make Plan B for post labor day

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blame governor Hogan, not PGCPS. He is the one who decided to unilaterally issue the executive order.

I don't actually care when school starts, but I need the decision to be made and final so I can start making plans.

So I don't care whom I blame, but I need this to be decided.

How long will we be sitting in limbo? And if a court case is involved, is it possible we could be in the middle of July expecting school to start on the 22nd of August, and then be told, oh, no, it will start on Sept. 5th? That is too late to scramble for child care.

How old is/are your child(ren)? The Kindercare near us will take kids up to 12 years old. Maybe not the best option, but I can sign the kids in with a month notice as long as there are openings and the older kid program (which is normally only before and after care, but can be during the day) is never filled. So I would get camps through the third week of August and when they finally announce, if you need two weeks of care, you can sign them up for two weeks of care. Tuition is weekly, so you can just sign up for what you need. There may be other options. Not the best childcare option, but at least you have an option without committing money in advance like with a camp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is it that MCPS was able to finalize a calendar? How can one county do it and not the other? Pls explain.

Back in October, MCPS applied for a waiver to start before Labor Day, and were denied, so they accepted that and went ahead with a calendar that started after Labor Day.

http://www.your4state.com/news/i-270/gov-hogan-reacts-to-montgomery-countys-request-for-waiver/597082134

Or maybe they actually didn't even apply for a waiver, because they decided it wouldn't be granted?

PGCPS as far as I know hasn't applied for a waiver to start before Labor Day. But they have apparently submitted a calendar that starts before Labor Day anyhow. And are waiting to see what the Governor or State Board of Ed does? I guess?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

How old is/are your child(ren)? The Kindercare near us will take kids up to 12 years old. Maybe not the best option, but I can sign the kids in with a month notice as long as there are openings and the older kid program (which is normally only before and after care, but can be during the day) is never filled. So I would get camps through the third week of August and when they finally announce, if you need two weeks of care, you can sign them up for two weeks of care. Tuition is weekly, so you can just sign up for what you need. There may be other options. Not the best childcare option, but at least you have an option without committing money in advance like with a camp.

Are you sure we will have a month's notice? And there have to be limited spots at places like this. Camps in the county won't stay open till September if they are expecting school to start on August 22nd. So there will be a lot of people scrambling at the last minute if we are waiting on the results of a possibly summertime court decision.

[Anonymous]

http://www.bethesdamagazine.com/Bethesda-Beat/Web-2016/Hogan-Limits-School-Labor-Day-Waiver-Justifications-Metros-Grim-Financial-Options/

"The Republican governor limited the reasons to apply for a waiver to a charter school with an innovative schedule, low-performing schools with innovative schedules such as year-round calendars or a district that has had 10 emergency or weather-related closings a year twice during the past five years. The changes make it less likely school systems can obtain a waiver to start school before Labor Day, something Montgomery County Public Schools had planned to do for next school year."

Which doesn't seem to apply to PGCPS. So let's say they go ahead of the Aug 22nd planned start: What could the governor do? Try the case in court? Or just withhold state funds from the school district?

[Anonymous]

Ok this issue is complicated so bear with me I can type up an explanation as to why PGCPS but not mcps after the kids are in bed, lol.
In the meantime here is an article in the pg sentinel. Long story short, I don't know all the dealings done amongst MD counties behind the scenes, but it sounds like PG county, as the county most impacted, has decided to be the test case in an act of civil disobedience.

http://thesentinel.com/pgs/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=3415%3Apgcps-may-be-gearing-up-to-take-on-executive-order&Itemid=766

[Anonymous]

I appreciate the stance of the superintendent and in some ways admire him for this; however this defiance and resulting uncertainty is not good for families is the county.

It would be better to go ahead and start after Labor Day this year, and fight the issue for the next year.

Or would have been better to do this back in October to give more time for the court fight.

[Anonymous]

Okay. Again, bear with me I'm typing on my phone.

As you all know, last year the governor issued an EO declaring the school year would be from Labor Day- June 15.

There are a number of issues with this on principle. For instance, reduced time to prepare for tests in May, loss of learning over a lengthy summer, lack of childcare, hardship on FARMS kids who depend on school meals, etc etc. ultimately I don't personally care too much one way or another, but every school district has its own socioeconomic needs, weather, etc so I think this is an issue that local districts should be able to decide themselves.

But. The other issue at play here is that a school year from Labor Day-June 15 doesn't mathematically work, at least without eliminating spring break and praying for no snow. There aren't 180 school days as required by federal law. Teachers in MD are contractually honored a certain negotiated number of holidays and professional days. Also schools now close for Jewish holidays and a full week at spring break.

So because of the above, MCPS applied for a waiver. Governor Hogan responded by issuing another EO making it basically impossible to be eligible for a waiver.

MCPS and other counties decided to just acquiesce and submit a compliant school calendar that eliminates spring break (shorter and days are held as makeup snow days). But here is the thing: that only works next year because Yom Kippur is on a Saturday, Labor Day is the 4th (can be as late as the 7th). And of course, what happens if we have another Snowmageddon?
So basically, eventually they will have to take away more holidays or teacher work days (which means taking on the teachers union).

There are only two ways counties can change this:
-the maryland state legislature acts, and overrides the EO
-a county sues the governor

It doesn't seem like the legislature is taking this on this year. So the counties are put in the situation where they basically have to sue the governor to have control over their own calendars.

My speculation is that they are letting PGCPS lead this fight as the county with the highest FARMS percentage that stands to lose the most. So PgGCPS has decided to submit an illegal calendar and basically say to hogan, take us to court if you don't like it. They are banking on the courts siding with them. If they win, the school year starts 8/22. If they lose, after Labor Day (but uncertainty over other aspects of the calendar).

[Anonymous]

Thanks PP -- especially valiant for typing on your phone!!

But... WHEN will this court fight take place? In a few weeks? Few months?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

How old is/are your child(ren)? The Kindercare near us will take kids up to 12 years old. Maybe not the best option, but I can sign the kids in with a month notice as long as there are openings and the older kid program (which is normally only before and after care, but can be during the day) is never filled. So I would get camps through the third week of August and when they finally announce, if you need two weeks of care, you can sign them up for two weeks of care. Tuition is weekly, so you can just sign up for what you need. There may be other options. Not the best childcare option, but at least you have an option without committing money in advance like with a camp.

Are you sure we will have a month's notice? And there have to be limited spots at places like this. Camps in the county won't stay open till September if they are expecting school to start on August 22nd. So there will be a lot of people scrambling at the last minute if we are waiting on the results of a possibly summertime court decision.

The point is that you should plan camps through August 22. If the county gets to start early, no problem. If they start September 5, then as soon as it is announced, contact the local chain daycare and make arrangements to enroll your child in the daycare for those 2 weeks. You need to know by about July 15th to enroll. And there will be a lot of h*ll to pay if they haven't announced by July 15. This will cover you if you can't find a summer camp that is available between Aug 22 and Sep 5. And frankly there will not be many of those and the ones that there are will be booked very early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

How old is/are your child(ren)? The Kindercare near us will take kids up to 12 years old. Maybe not the best option, but I can sign the kids in with a month notice as long as there are openings and the older kid program (which is normally only before and after care, but can be during the day) is never filled. So I would get camps through the third week of August and when they finally announce, if you need two weeks of care, you can sign them up for two weeks of care. Tuition is weekly, so you can just sign up for what you need. There may be other options. Not the best childcare option, but at least you have an option without committing money in advance like with a camp.

Are you sure we will have a month's notice? And there have to be limited spots at places like this. Camps in the county won't stay open till September if they are expecting school to start on August 22nd. So there will be a lot of people scrambling at the last minute if we are waiting on the results of a possibly summertime court decision.

The point is that you should plan camps through August 22. If the county gets to start early, no problem. If they start September 5, then as soon as it is announced, contact the local chain daycare and make arrangements to enroll your child in the daycare for those 2 weeks. You need to know by about July 15th to enroll. And there will be a lot of h*ll to pay if they haven't announced by July 15. This will cover you if you can't find a summer camp that is available between Aug 22 and Sep 5. And frankly there will not be many of those and the ones that there are will be booked very early.

Sure that helps ME, and you... but not everyone else in the county.

[Anonymous]

I understand the anger and frustration- really, I'm right there with you. I have a caretaker lined up who is literally leaving the country on August 19 so I am screwed as well if we find we have an extra 2 weeks to find childcare for. If I can't line up family to help, my plan is also to put them in their old daycare and pray they have space!

But all I am saying is that if you're angry about this, well, call the governor, call or write your state delegate, contact attorney general Frosh...let them know how angry you are. PGCPS is in a bind here and it's the governor's fault.

As for why they couldn't file suit earlier? I don't know specifically, but I heard through the grapevine a while back that they were hoping the state legislature would act. Now that the legislative session is here, it doesn't seem like they are going to do anything about it, forcing the school boards themselves to take on this fight.
So again- contact your state delegate and state senator and give them a piece of your mind.

And most importantly- VOTE. Hogan has been HORRIBLE for pgcps. He cut $20 million specifically from PGCPS's budget. That is partly why the county had to do layoffs and struggled to quickly backfill vacancies after all those scandals at the beginning of the year. It is also partly why they struggle to fund an enough TAG and other specialty placements for all the students who qualify.

So yes. This is all infuriating but direct your anger at the right targets. And do something more than complain on an anonymous message board!