CALENDAR: O days and new material

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The list of what you "can" do makes it sound like those "catch up days" from last year. How long until the kids realize those are stupid days and just don't come to school?

I have a high school kid. They already know. Mine is scheduling college visits on O Days. I’ll let her miss in the fall to do visits and finish apps. If she wants to senior skip day in the spring she can.

[Anonymous]

Wow. That list of what you cannot do is frankly attrocious. The list initially sounded reasonable - no tests or other graded activities that day. Barring the teaching of new material that day is horrific - it's 15 days!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The list of what you "can" do makes it sound like those "catch up days" from last year. How long until the kids realize those are stupid days and just don't come to school?

I have a high school kid. They already know. Mine is scheduling college visits on O Days. I’ll let her miss in the fall to do visits and finish apps. If she wants to senior skip day in the spring she can.

That's what FCPS wants basically. They want to make the days useless to generate high absence rates this year so that next year they have a secular justification for giving off whatever days they want to.

[Anonymous]

I wish they would add the extra holidays. Why do other people care? I prefer a shorter summer and days off where we can take trips when not everyone is traveling (pre-Covid anyway).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The list of what you "can" do makes it sound like those "catch up days" from last year. How long until the kids realize those are stupid days and just don't come to school?

I have a high school kid. They already know. Mine is scheduling college visits on O Days. I’ll let her miss in the fall to do visits and finish apps. If she wants to senior skip day in the spring she can.

Scheduling college visits those days is really smart. I hadn't contemplated doing that, but now will propose to my DD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The list of what you "can" do makes it sound like those "catch up days" from last year. How long until the kids realize those are stupid days and just don't come to school?

I have a high school kid. They already know. Mine is scheduling college visits on O Days. I’ll let her miss in the fall to do visits and finish apps. If she wants to senior skip day in the spring she can.

That's what FCPS wants basically. They want to make the days useless to generate high absence rates this year so that next year they have a secular justification for giving off whatever days they want to.

Yup. As a teacher, I 100% understand what they were trying to do in creating the rules, and I think that we should get the Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur/Ramadan/Eid off, but some of the holidays that are O days affect very few of the 180,000 students and really hamper teachers ability to get through the curriculum. Dia de Los Muertos? Bodhi Day? Lunar New Year? Maybe I'm super misinformed, but I've literally never had a student take off for those.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow. That list of what you cannot do is frankly attrocious. The list initially sounded reasonable - no tests or other graded activities that day. Barring the teaching of new material that day is horrific - it's 15 days!!!!

Double that if your school is on a block schedule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The list of what you "can" do makes it sound like those "catch up days" from last year. How long until the kids realize those are stupid days and just don't come to school?

I have a high school kid. They already know. Mine is scheduling college visits on O Days. I’ll let her miss in the fall to do visits and finish apps. If she wants to senior skip day in the spring she can.

That's what FCPS wants basically. They want to make the days useless to generate high absence rates this year so that next year they have a secular justification for giving off whatever days they want to.

Yup. As a teacher, I 100% understand what they were trying to do in creating the rules, and I think that we should get the Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur/Ramadan/Eid off, but some of the holidays that are O days affect very few of the 180,000 students and really hamper teachers ability to get through the curriculum. Dia de Los Muertos? Bodhi Day? Lunar New Year? Maybe I'm super misinformed, but I've literally never had a student take off for those.

Maybe they didn’t take off from fear of being penalized? I had an observant Hindu student for the first time last year. He had a multi-day holiday with fasting and temple visits. His family was so worried his grade would dry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:pretty sure that teachers are not required to refrain from teaching those days. So they can teach new material.

They just can't give tests.
https://www.fcps.edu/news/fairfax-county-school-board-adopts-calendar-designed-recognize-respect-and-honor-plurality

"Under two updated regulations, tests, quizzes, field trips, graduation, homecoming, or FCPS-scheduled athletic events cannot be scheduled on any of the 15 religious and cultural observances. Tests and quizzes will be given prior to any of the 15 days, so that students will not be expected to study on these days."

+1 they're allowed to teach new material.

Nope. We have gotten dozens of emails reminding us repeatedly not to introduce new content on those days. The following is attached to every calendar notification they sent out for every holiday.

For Religious and Cultural Observances in the Classroom

Religious and cultural observances are designed to allow students the opportunity to miss school for observances not already designated as school holidays. Regulation 2234 specifies these days. The regulation states that teachers shall create ungraded lessons or activities on the observance day that:
a. reinforce previously acquired material
b. engage students in meaningful learning
c. are not the sole opportunity to engage in lessons or activities on that day

When creating school schedules, teachers shall not schedule the following activities on the observance day:
a. New graded assignments or activities
b. Tests, quizzes or other assessments
c. Field trips, school pictures, guest speakers or assemblies

The regulation also states that on the class period following the observance day, teachers and school staff may schedule new graded assignments or activities that have been announced at least one week prior to that day. No other new graded assignments or activities should be due on those days.
When considering the lessons to be presented on observance days, to create an identifying space / to value these days, ask yourself these guiding questions:
● On the observance day, am I planning for the class to work on a concept that will help move a student forward in the class / curriculum? If so, please offer this lesson on another day.
● Am I offering another opportunity for the students to gather this information? If so, this is an appropriate activity.
● Will the student be at a disadvantage by missing class? If so, please offer this lesson on another day.
● Can a student make up the work / activity without an undue burden? If so, this is an appropriate activity.
● Am I making this a meaningful day for students? Please consider that these days should continue to be of value to the students attending
school that day.
● Does my lesson plan for the day continue to value and respect the diverse needs of students and staff who are out of school due to this observance? If so, this is an appropriate activity.
● Since our expectation is that this regular school day is treated with a serious, strategic focus on student learning, am I ensuring this is not viewed as a “free” day especially when there is academic work that can be done? Please consider that these days should continue to be of value to the students attending school that day.
Frequently Asked Questions

May I ask my students if they will be celebrating one of the observance days?
No. Teachers shall not survey classes at any time to determine how students identify religiously.

How do I define “new material?”
New material is defined as material/content that has not previously been introduced in class.

How do I define the term “day following?”
In secondary schools with an Odd/Even calendar, the “day following” is considered the next odd or even day. For example, if the observance is on an Odd day, the “day following” is the next Odd day.

How do I define “one week?”
One week = 7 days, includes weekends and holidays

What does “auditions or try outs that cannot be rescheduled” look like?
There must be another scheduled option if the try out or audition is held on the day of the observance. Staff should offer multiple days for these events; the onus should not be on the student to reschedule the audition or try out.

Can classes be recorded and posted for review on Observance days?
Classes may be recorded and posted, but please keep these points in mind:
● Recordings do not take the place of quality in-person instruction
● New material should not be introduced on the observance day without offering an additional in-school opportunity to learn it
● Students out for the observance cannot be required to review a video of the class and submit a reflection or other assignment from the video
● Remember, while any class can be recorded and posted at any time, we cannot expect students who miss a class for an observance to use the recording as the make-up lesson or work

What things can teachers do on observance days?
Teachers can:
● Review or revisit content. Teachers should not conduct a full group review, especially prior to an assessment. This creates a missed instructional opportunity for a student. Teachers may allow students to work on a study guide that was provided in advance of the observance day.
● Conduct Math or Reading Workshops
● Share the FCPS provided information around the observance
● Provide time for students to work on long-term projects
● Allow students to practice concepts already taught
● Allow students to work on an activity that isn't due the next day
● Provide extension/enrichment work
● Allow students to complete missing assignments
● Allow students to retake quizzes
● Allow students to finish essays
● Allow students to re-read course material
● Allow students to complete enrichment activities
● Extend science lab time
● Tutor students
● Provide a student catch up day for individual student work
● Allow students to practice previously taught material
● Long term projects / assignments can be due the following class period as long as they were given one week prior

Can classrooms where the holiday is not celebrated give tests or present new material?
No. Remember that teachers shall not survey classes at any time to determine how students identify religiously. The purpose of the religious and cultural observances is to acknowledge beyond traditional holidays and honor those who celebrate.

Can teachers have a guest speaker that covers content not being assessed?
No. Language in the regulation prohibits this.

May teachers give an assessment or have a project due the day after Thanksgiving Break, Winter Break or Spring Break?
No. FCPS continues to expect schools to respect the time with families over these breaks for staff and
students.

Can I have students give presentations if they will span more than one class period?
Yes, provided these presentations do not provide not new material on which students will be assessed.

Can I offer retake opportunities?
Yes, as long as that day is not the only retake opportunity

Can SEL lessons be done on observance days?
No. No new material presented on these days.

Sounds like you can introduce new content. You just can’t have it be the main or sole time that you do that content. Obviously, it would be crappy teaching to just address a concept or skill one time anyway. However, it sounds like you could do a fun activity that allows students to explore a new concept on an O day and then the next day, do a more rigorous activity that is the main lesson.

We cannot, we have been told this in various different formats and wording.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish they would add the extra holidays. Why do other people care? I prefer a shorter summer and days off where we can take trips when not everyone is traveling (pre-Covid anyway).

Well then go ahead and take those random Tuesdays and scattered Thursdays off. You do you, boo, but making 200,000+ students and staff take these random days off is ludicrous.

What I can get behind is shortening the winter break to 1 week and then doing that other week later in Jan/early Feb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The list of what you "can" do makes it sound like those "catch up days" from last year. How long until the kids realize those are stupid days and just don't come to school?

I have a high school kid. They already know. Mine is scheduling college visits on O Days. I’ll let her miss in the fall to do visits and finish apps. If she wants to senior skip day in the spring she can.

That's what FCPS wants basically. They want to make the days useless to generate high absence rates this year so that next year they have a secular justification for giving off whatever days they want to.

Yup. As a teacher, I 100% understand what they were trying to do in creating the rules, and I think that we should get the Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur/Ramadan/Eid off, but some of the holidays that are O days affect very few of the 180,000 students and really hamper teachers ability to get through the curriculum. Dia de Los Muertos? Bodhi Day? Lunar New Year? Maybe I'm super misinformed, but I've literally never had a student take off for those.

Maybe they didn’t take off from fear of being penalized? I had an observant Hindu student for the first time last year. He had a multi-day holiday with fasting and temple visits. His family was so worried his grade would dry.

No this was just a bunch of people getting together and pulling social justice sounding holidays out of a hat and imposing them on all FCPS students.

[Anonymous]

Please, parents, complain to the school board. Teachers have been fussing over this since it was announced, and we've been told in no uncertain terms that we are NOT to advance the curriculum, NOT to move forward with AP/IB material, NOT to grade anything assigned (so good luck getting kids to do it), and to "figure out" how to fit the whole curriculum into 15 less days (11 of which are on the same even/odd designation, so one set of students is missing 11/90 or over 12% of teaching opportunities).

I am 10000% okay with kids taking off for whatever their family deems important--religious observances, family get togethers, extra curricular opportunities. The direction from gatehouse should have been that any excused absence gets at least 1 week (or 2, or 10, or whatever--with the rolling gradebook it doesn't really matter) to make up missing work with no penalty.

What really kills me is that we can't teach even if no kids are absent. WHAT. THE. HECK. Then it's not about not stressing out the kids who are out, it's about forcing teachers to limit their teaching. These are literally wasted days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please, parents, complain to the school board. Teachers have been fussing over this since it was announced, and we've been told in no uncertain terms that we are NOT to advance the curriculum, NOT to move forward with AP/IB material, NOT to grade anything assigned (so good luck getting kids to do it), and to "figure out" how to fit the whole curriculum into 15 less days (11 of which are on the same even/odd designation, so one set of students is missing 11/90 or over 12% of teaching opportunities).

I am 10000% okay with kids taking off for whatever their family deems important--religious observances, family get togethers, extra curricular opportunities. The direction from gatehouse should have been that any excused absence gets at least 1 week (or 2, or 10, or whatever--with the rolling gradebook it doesn't really matter) to make up missing work with no penalty.

What really kills me is that we can't teach even if no kids are absent. WHAT. THE. HECK. Then it's not about not stressing out the kids who are out, it's about forcing teachers to limit their teaching. These are literally wasted days.

Yup. Upper ES teacher. If you have no one out you still cannot teach new content. Ridiculous. We also cannot ask for planning purposes. They should gave just made the regulation no assessments or special events with opportunity to make up assignments.

[Anonymous]

Yup. I was told I can't even play review games because that would give some kids more learning opportunities than others. Nowhere is that written in the insane regulation. They gave us a lot of what-not-to-do and very little as far as suggestions for what we CAN do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yup. I was told I can't even play review games because that would give some kids more learning opportunities than others. Nowhere is that written in the insane regulation. They gave us a lot of what-not-to-do and very little as far as suggestions for what we CAN do.

You must have missed the email where they told us we can share information about the holiday