Schools closed April 21

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could we cancel all remaining 3 hour early release days as compromise? Why does FCPS think that the bare minimum is acceptable.

FCPS is exceeding the state minimum number of hours. They are already providing above and beyond what they are legally required to do.

Can you stop saying this? FCPS has more or less failed students this year with their calendar. It has been disruptive to the point of being negligent. So what if they're meeting a cobbled legal floor? It does not mean they're doing more than the bare minimum.

Can you provide academic based evidence that shows that FCPS has "more or less failed students this year".

Are SAT scores down? Are graduation rates dropping? Are SOL scores predicted to be lower than in previous years? Are students projected to be held back at a higher rate?

I understand that you personally are angry, but appealing to emotion instead of providing actual data that supports your claim is what is needed to actually signal there is a need for change.

+1.

They're not ready to have this discussion because they have nothing to contribute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could we cancel all remaining 3 hour early release days as compromise? Why does FCPS think that the bare minimum is acceptable.

When you say compromise, what exactly do you mean?

FCPS has already announced what is going to happen.

A compromise meaning FCPS gets some of what they want (not school) and parents get some of what they want (school) in doing so FCPS acknowledges that they have some responsibility to be accountable for choices they make.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could we cancel all remaining 3 hour early release days as compromise? Why does FCPS think that the bare minimum is acceptable.

FCPS is exceeding the state minimum number of hours. They are already providing above and beyond what they are legally required to do.

Can you stop saying this? FCPS has more or less failed students this year with their calendar. It has been disruptive to the point of being negligent. So what if they're meeting a cobbled legal floor? It does not mean they're doing more than the bare minimum.

Literally by the definition of "bare minimum", they are doing more.

You can use a phrase improperly all you want, but you can't change the actual definition of words.

You need a hobby! Or a hot date with someone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:'Fairfax County Public Schools will still exceed the required number of instructional hours for students, as set by the Virginia Department of Education."

I love that the bar is the bare minimum. Missing days, especially at the end of the year before finals and AP exams definitely has an impact.

They really need to do away with the religious holidays.

You really wanted to regurgitate your "the bar is the bare minimum" line you've said on DOZENS of FCPS post so badly that you're willing to use it even when it doesn't make sense.

This is FCPS saying that they're still SURPASSING/EXCEEDING/DOING MORE THAN the minimum of hours.

So yes, like everything else with a numerically based legal obligation, they're referencing the number they must meet. If they were doing the bare minimum, they would've said:

"FCPS will now be meeting the exact number of required number of instructional hours for students, as set by the Virginia Department of Education."

But they didn't say that. You just wished they did.

NP-you're really arguing semantics and I agree with the prior poster. FCPS is only meeting a very low bar and they are doing the bare minimum. Nothing you say will convince me otherwise.

Semantics? Words have specific meaning. Perhaps a lack of understanding of the definition of "bare minimum" is a more accurate argument for you to try and use.

Fairfax County Public Schools EXCEEDING the amount of required hours, by definition, is doing MORE than the "bare minimum".

But are they exceeding when they have canceling so much school this year? they are lucky they are meeting the minimum. And the bar is a very low 990 hours or 180 days. The min is only 5.5 hours a day and we all know 3/4 of that time is spent in transition or eating lunch.

Agree! The delayed starts started with 30 minute mtg, then lunch and recess! It is so stupid. So he started learning at 1pm those days which probably included specials. And math is normally in the morning. So no math on delayed starts. It is so ridiculous that they call these school days.

Our school cuts recess and we rearrange our schedule to make sure the math and language arts blocks are included. Specials are also shortened.

Not all schools do this

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can’t have kids in buildings with hundreds of unknown people coming and going in the school building as they please. If one incident occurred this website would have 1000 topics dedicated to the ignorance FCPS displayed by not keeping their children safe.
Today’s political environment is different than it was 15 years ago. There is a segment of the population that is much more “spirited” than before. FCPS is doing the right thing.

That's such an odd take. Have you ever heard of an incident at a Fairfax County polling place? A quick search shows that the one protest that did occur was at an early voting location. This is not a thing that happens.

What's your reasoning that children being in the building would make an incident more likely?

LOL.

Why would random people entering a school building make an incident more likely? Is this a serious question...

Honey shut off fox and watch/read another news source. The US is responsible for the bombing of a school. I don't want my kids at school on a day where the building is unlocked and people are coming in and out all day. Just stop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can’t have kids in buildings with hundreds of unknown people coming and going in the school building as they please. If one incident occurred this website would have 1000 topics dedicated to the ignorance FCPS displayed by not keeping their children safe.
Today’s political environment is different than it was 15 years ago. There is a segment of the population that is much more “spirited” than before. FCPS is doing the right thing.

That's such an odd take. Have you ever heard of an incident at a Fairfax County polling place? A quick search shows that the one protest that did occur was at an early voting location. This is not a thing that happens.

What's your reasoning that children being in the building would make an incident more likely?

LOL.

Why would random people entering a school building make an incident more likely? Is this a serious question...

Honey shut off fox and watch/read another news source. The US is responsible for the bombing of a school. I don't want my kids at school on a day where the building is unlocked and people are coming in and out all day. Just stop.

+1,000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could we cancel all remaining 3 hour early release days as compromise? Why does FCPS think that the bare minimum is acceptable.

FCPS is exceeding the state minimum number of hours. They are already providing above and beyond what they are legally required to do.

Can you stop saying this? FCPS has more or less failed students this year with their calendar. It has been disruptive to the point of being negligent. So what if they're meeting a cobbled legal floor? It does not mean they're doing more than the bare minimum.

Literally by the definition of "bare minimum", they are doing more.

You can use a phrase improperly all you want, but you can't change the actual definition of words.

You need a hobby! Or a hot date with someone.

Lol because they understand how to properly use phrases?

Anecdotally, my child who receives Special Education hours has missed a lot of his service hours because of these closures, TWDs, snow delays. The school tries to make them up but it typically comes at a cost and even then, they are behind.

He thrives on routine but nothing has been routine about school this year. He is self -sufficient and old enough that this isn't about care but it is 100% about academic intervention which the school hasn't been able to provide because the calendar is so mangled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:'Fairfax County Public Schools will still exceed the required number of instructional hours for students, as set by the Virginia Department of Education."

I love that the bar is the bare minimum. Missing days, especially at the end of the year before finals and AP exams definitely has an impact.

They really need to do away with the religious holidays.

You really wanted to regurgitate your "the bar is the bare minimum" line you've said on DOZENS of FCPS post so badly that you're willing to use it even when it doesn't make sense.

This is FCPS saying that they're still SURPASSING/EXCEEDING/DOING MORE THAN the minimum of hours.

So yes, like everything else with a numerically based legal obligation, they're referencing the number they must meet. If they were doing the bare minimum, they would've said:

"FCPS will now be meeting the exact number of required number of instructional hours for students, as set by the Virginia Department of Education."

But they didn't say that. You just wished they did.

NP-you're really arguing semantics and I agree with the prior poster. FCPS is only meeting a very low bar and they are doing the bare minimum. Nothing you say will convince me otherwise.

Semantics? Words have specific meaning. Perhaps a lack of understanding of the definition of "bare minimum" is a more accurate argument for you to try and use.

Fairfax County Public Schools EXCEEDING the amount of required hours, by definition, is doing MORE than the "bare minimum".

But are they exceeding when they have canceling so much school this year? they are lucky they are meeting the minimum. And the bar is a very low 990 hours or 180 days. The min is only 5.5 hours a day and we all know 3/4 of that time is spent in transition or eating lunch.

Agree! The delayed starts started with 30 minute mtg, then lunch and recess! It is so stupid. So he started learning at 1pm those days which probably included specials. And math is normally in the morning. So no math on delayed starts. It is so ridiculous that they call these school days.

Our school cuts recess and we rearrange our schedule to make sure the math and language arts blocks are included. Specials are also shortened.

Not all schools do this

Right. Just pointing out that not all schools start with a 30 minute morning meeting (even on normal days they are maybe 15 minutes), have recess, and skip math on delayed start days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could we cancel all remaining 3 hour early release days as compromise? Why does FCPS think that the bare minimum is acceptable.

When you say compromise, what exactly do you mean?

FCPS has already announced what is going to happen.

A compromise meaning FCPS gets some of what they want (not school) and parents get some of what they want (school) in doing so FCPS acknowledges that they have some responsibility to be accountable for choices they make.

What reasons would FCPS have for not wanting school? People keep saying this in these threads with no reasoning or support to explain why that would be so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could we cancel all remaining 3 hour early release days as compromise? Why does FCPS think that the bare minimum is acceptable.

When you say compromise, what exactly do you mean?

FCPS has already announced what is going to happen.

A compromise meaning FCPS gets some of what they want (not school) and parents get some of what they want (school) in doing so FCPS acknowledges that they have some responsibility to be accountable for choices they make.

What reasons would FCPS have for not wanting school? People keep saying this in these threads with no reasoning or support to explain why that would be so.

Personally, I would have phrased it differently. The thing is, this is the SECOND special election to occur during this school year. It’s out of their control and that’s fine. This is also the second time that a 3 hour early release is occurring the day after the special election. And it’s impacting the same schools that were affected the first time. It’s frustrating. Like sometimes I wonder if the 3 hour early releases are even on Gatehouse’s calendar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could we cancel all remaining 3 hour early release days as compromise? Why does FCPS think that the bare minimum is acceptable.

When you say compromise, what exactly do you mean?

FCPS has already announced what is going to happen.

A compromise meaning FCPS gets some of what they want (not school) and parents get some of what they want (school) in doing so FCPS acknowledges that they have some responsibility to be accountable for choices they make.

What reasons would FCPS have for not wanting school? People keep saying this in these threads with no reasoning or support to explain why that would be so.

Because Fairfax county public schools doesn’t exist to serve students. They will now have the opportunity to brag about how much extra planning time they gave their teachers. Just like Reid following the beginning of early release. They’re not even pretending to hide the ball.

[Anonymous]

When my rising 9th grader was in ES, they had school when there were special elections and on primary day. Either they had the election set up in the gym and there were people monitoring the doors or it was in one of the trailers. A small part of the school was disrupted. Clsing school on the 21 for a special election is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s common sense that you shouldn’t allow free entry to random visitors into a place that operates with locked doors and a visual buzzer verifications all other days of the year. If something were to happen you would be found negligent. Even if it is unlikely it is not worth the risk for a government controlled entity.
You could argue the HS could pull it off, but the elementary schools are not possible.

Or you could just lock the entrance from the gym to the rest of the building.

Math is hard, Barbie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could we cancel all remaining 3 hour early release days as compromise? Why does FCPS think that the bare minimum is acceptable.

FCPS is exceeding the state minimum number of hours. They are already providing above and beyond what they are legally required to do.

Can you stop saying this? FCPS has more or less failed students this year with their calendar. It has been disruptive to the point of being negligent. So what if they're meeting a cobbled legal floor? It does not mean they're doing more than the bare minimum.

Can you provide academic based evidence that shows that FCPS has "more or less failed students this year".

Are SAT scores down? Are graduation rates dropping? Are SOL scores predicted to be lower than in previous years? Are students projected to be held back at a higher rate?

I understand that you personally are angry, but appealing to emotion instead of providing actual data that supports your claim is what is needed to actually signal there is a need for change.

The funny thing is that we all made fun of Midwestern GOP controlled states that switched to 4 day weeks, and now we're supposed to celebrate it in a progressive district?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could we cancel all remaining 3 hour early release days as compromise? Why does FCPS think that the bare minimum is acceptable.

FCPS is exceeding the state minimum number of hours. They are already providing above and beyond what they are legally required to do.

Can you stop saying this? FCPS has more or less failed students this year with their calendar. It has been disruptive to the point of being negligent. So what if they're meeting a cobbled legal floor? It does not mean they're doing more than the bare minimum.

Literally by the definition of "bare minimum", they are doing more.

You can use a phrase improperly all you want, but you can't change the actual definition of words.

You need a hobby! Or a hot date with someone.

Lol because they understand how to properly use phrases?

Anecdotally, my child who receives Special Education hours has missed a lot of his service hours because of these closures, TWDs, snow delays. The school tries to make them up but it typically comes at a cost and even then, they are behind.

He thrives on routine but nothing has been routine about school this year. He is self -sufficient and old enough that this isn't about care but it is 100% about academic intervention which the school hasn't been able to provide because the calendar is so mangled.

I see the poster arguing that FCPS is doing more than is required vanished. Funny how things work.

Yep, this year has been terrible. I have emailed my Board representative.