How to fit school days into Gov Larry Hogan's ridiculous policy on school start and stop dates

[Anonymous]

MCPS is never closed for Columbus Day

[Anonymous]

I just don't see what the big deal is.... it will be what it will be. And we'll figure out if we need to take DD out of school a day or two here or there. Done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Not only political but the BOE is making it seem like you either have to be for Jewish holidays or for Spring Break. But then again, I think that was their point to start the complaints.

You’re right.

OK, so propose an alternative that preserves spring break and closing for the Jewish high holidays. It's easy to say, "MCPS IS DOING IT WRONG!!!" It's not so easy to propose a better alternative.

WTF? Are you even reading the thread? There are lots of options proposed. MCPS even proposes some.

People are saying that they should just pick and option and go with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just don't see what the big deal is.... it will be what it will be. And we'll figure out if we need to take DD out of school a day or two here or there. Done.

Agree. It’s not a big deal! People are just pissed at Hogan so they’re making it a way bigger deal than need be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don't see what the big deal is.... it will be what it will be. And we'll figure out if we need to take DD out of school a day or two here or there. Done.

Agree. It’s not a big deal! People are just pissed at Hogan so they’re making it a way bigger deal than need be.

Agree the posts here bounce between the ridiculous and the absurd and with such DRAMA. We lived in the south and school started before labor day, then we we moved out west and it started after labor day. Wecame here a few years and we started before labor day. Now this year it began after labor day. We adjusted each time. Its no big deal people. Pick a start day and stick with it, everything will be fine.

[Anonymous]

I'm fine with school starting after Labor Day. The day everyone should petition the state to change is Easter Monday. That is not a holiday. No one goes to church that day or celebrates. That day could easily be reallocated elsewhere. Also, they could push back the end date in June a few days too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: If Anthony Brown had won and this was his calendar proposal everybody would be singing his praises and about how he cares about Maryland small businesses in Ocean City etc.

EXACTLY!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: If Anthony Brown had won and this was his calendar proposal everybody would be singing his praises and about how he cares about Maryland small businesses in Ocean City etc.

EXACTLY!!!

honestly i wouldn't have gotten worked up either way. this is all sort of ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Not only political but the BOE is making it seem like you either have to be for Jewish holidays or for Spring Break. But then again, I think that was their point to start the complaints.

You’re right.

OK, so propose an alternative that preserves spring break and closing for the Jewish high holidays. It's easy to say, "MCPS IS DOING IT WRONG!!!" It's not so easy to propose a better alternative.

I already did. Go back and reread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm fine with school starting after Labor Day. The day everyone should petition the state to change is Easter Monday. That is not a holiday. No one goes to church that day or celebrates. That day could easily be reallocated elsewhere. Also, they could push back the end date in June a few days too.

You don't know much about local history. Easter Monday is a traditional African American day at the National Zoo and has been for many years (I just checked, this started in 1891). It's packed. This was started in the days when African Americans were not welcome at traditional Easter celebrations including Easter at the White House. It's still a big annual event for many black families from the metro region. It's often been called the Black Easter.

https://www.theroot.com/for-dc-easter-monday-at-the-national-zoo-is-an-african-1790859364

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm fine with school starting after Labor Day. The day everyone should petition the state to change is Easter Monday. That is not a holiday. No one goes to church that day or celebrates. That day could easily be reallocated elsewhere. Also, they could push back the end date in June a few days too.

You don't know much about local history. Easter Monday is a traditional African American day at the National Zoo and has been for many years (I just checked, this started in 1891). It's packed. This was started in the days when African Americans were not welcome at traditional Easter celebrations including Easter at the White House. It's still a big annual event for many black families from the metro region. It's often been called the Black Easter.

https://www.theroot.com/for-dc-easter-monday-at-the-national-zoo-is-an-african-1790859364

DC public schools aren't even off April 2nd. Are you kidding me with this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm fine with school starting after Labor Day. The day everyone should petition the state to change is Easter Monday. That is not a holiday. No one goes to church that day or celebrates. That day could easily be reallocated elsewhere. Also, they could push back the end date in June a few days too.

You don't know much about local history. Easter Monday is a traditional African American day at the National Zoo and has been for many years (I just checked, this started in 1891). It's packed. This was started in the days when African Americans were not welcome at traditional Easter celebrations including Easter at the White House. It's still a big annual event for many black families from the metro region. It's often been called the Black Easter.

https://www.theroot.com/for-dc-easter-monday-at-the-national-zoo-is-an-african-1790859364

DC public schools aren't even off April 2nd. Are you kidding me with this?

DCPS has been off for Easter Monday every year. Go back and check:

April 17, 2017 https://dcps.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dcps/publication/attachments/DCPS_Calendar_2016_English.pdf
March 28, 2016 https://dcps.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dcps/publication/attachments/DCPS%20Calendar%20School%20Year%202015-2016%20Large%20Version.pdf
April 6, 2015 https://dcps.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dcps/publication/attachments/REVISED%20School%20Year%202014-2015%20Full%20Calendar%20update.pdf
April 21, 2014 http://www.nctq.org/docs/DC_2013-2014-Calendar.pdf
April 1, 2013 https://dcps.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dcps/publication/attachments/DCPS%20School%20Calendar%202012-2013.pdf

...and so on. DCPS has always had that day off. Some years, they schedule Spring Break to overlap. Other years, Spring Break is separate, but they still schedule Easter Monday off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm fine with school starting after Labor Day. The day everyone should petition the state to change is Easter Monday. That is not a holiday. No one goes to church that day or celebrates. That day could easily be reallocated elsewhere. Also, they could push back the end date in June a few days too.

You don't know much about local history. Easter Monday is a traditional African American day at the National Zoo and has been for many years (I just checked, this started in 1891). It's packed. This was started in the days when African Americans were not welcome at traditional Easter celebrations including Easter at the White House. It's still a big annual event for many black families from the metro region. It's often been called the Black Easter.

https://www.theroot.com/for-dc-easter-monday-at-the-national-zoo-is-an-african-1790859364

DC public schools aren't even off April 2nd. Are you kidding me with this?

DCPS has been off for Easter Monday every year. Go back and check:

April 17, 2017 https://dcps.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dcps/publication/attachments/DCPS_Calendar_2016_English.pdf
March 28, 2016 https://dcps.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dcps/publication/attachments/DCPS%20Calendar%20School%20Year%202015-2016%20Large%20Version.pdf
April 6, 2015 https://dcps.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dcps/publication/attachments/REVISED%20School%20Year%202014-2015%20Full%20Calendar%20update.pdf
April 21, 2014 http://www.nctq.org/docs/DC_2013-2014-Calendar.pdf
April 1, 2013 https://dcps.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dcps/publication/attachments/DCPS%20School%20Calendar%202012-2013.pdf

...and so on. DCPS has always had that day off. Some years, they schedule Spring Break to overlap. Other years, Spring Break is separate, but they still schedule Easter Monday off.

And I forgot, April 2-6, 2018 is the new "intersession" for the new extended year-round programs. This is not scheduled teaching, but " ...intensive intersessions for students in
need of additional instructional time, and facilitates ease of planning for families with alternative scheduling needs." So, DCPS students in those schools are not going to miss regular scheduled school days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Easy solution: move the teacher "admin days" from during the school year to the summer.

The reason the union opposes it is that it cuts into the teachers' (paid) summer vacation.

Why is it good for all professional training to happen before the school year starts or after the school year ends?

Wait, teachers get paid for the summer? My wife is a MCPS and hasn't gotten paid for the summer. OP, where can I request the summer vacation pay you mentioned?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Easy solution: move the teacher "admin days" from during the school year to the summer.

The reason the union opposes it is that it cuts into the teachers' (paid) summer vacation.

Why is it good for all professional training to happen before the school year starts or after the school year ends?

What's wrong with that? I"m in private industry, and just about all our professional conferences are in the summer since people are too busy the rest of the year. Just about all industries seem to work fine with people being trained once a year, so surely teachers can handle it also.

As for having time to input grades and so on, indeed teachers may have to work more than an 8-hour day on those days... just like we do in private industry during busy times of year.

I agree, though I think we should pay them accordingly, while I suspect the PP thinks teachers are over paid slackers. Well, overpaid slackers to whom she entrusts her children for 5/7 days a week.