FCPS 2018-2019 school calendar?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I took the survey. I didn't see any difference between Options C and D. What were the differences?

option D has one more early release day. so really not much different.

table here lays thing out nicely

http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=ASRJ9T4C2262

C has 2 hr early release. D has 3 hr

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I took the survey. I didn't see any difference between Options C and D. What were the differences?

option D has one more early release day. so really not much different.

table here lays thing out nicely

http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=ASRJ9T4C2262

Option C has one more full teacher work day as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is video of the work session:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd-pR1bgkCY

I was amused by some board members saying that they were "appalled," "angry," and "blindsided" that the committee tasked with creating calendar options included some with the start dates outlined in options A and B. Seriously, board members? Just because you heard a mouthful from the community doesn't mean you have to be so dramatic in a public work session. I think one board member even said sane thing like, "Let the trcord show that this Board was NOT aware those options would be presented..."

Get a backbone! Options A and B only proposed starting school a handful of days earlier! You heard from the community and you can make your preference known. But the admonishment of the committee that devised OPTIONS and overall grandstanding is absolutely ridiculous!!

I didn't view the video, but that is how I feel. What is the purpose about getting people so upset over a calendar? The calendar should be a non-issue this year. It was just changed last year. I don't think it is grandstanding to be upset that another major change was proposed. Not having viewed the video, it's possible they were rude if they were not polite, but option A and B should never have been presented. The committee was given incorrect information I guess.

[Anonymous]

How come nobody is talking about what happens if we don't get enough snow days this year to extend the waiver? Has the school board addressed the possibility of going back to a post-labor day start in 19/20, or are they doing some magical thinking that the law will be changed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How come nobody is talking about what happens if we don't get enough snow days this year to extend the waiver? Has the school board addressed the possibility of going back to a post-labor day start in 19/20, or are they doing some magical thinking that the law will be changed?

I mentioned it earlier in this thread It bothers me.

[Anonymous]

Hey, I guess we can be glad we're not in Montgomery County. Last night, their board just passed a calendar for 2018-19 that includes less than a week for spring break--It goes from a Wednesday through the following Monday.

OPTION C FCPS!!!!

[Anonymous]

I watched the YouTube link. Thanks again for posting. It seemed pretty clear that it will be D next year though I'm still not buying my plane tickets yet .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How come nobody is talking about what happens if we don't get enough snow days this year to extend the waiver? Has the school board addressed the possibility of going back to a post-labor day start in 19/20, or are they doing some magical thinking that the law will be changed?

They have the waiver through 19-20.

[Anonymous]

I have no idea why they switched to having teachers come back on a Friday for all the options. It is as if they are trying to say "Not only are we not going to pay you until the end of September, but now you get to lose one more weekend of the summer". I think 5 days prior to students starting is sufficient, especially with the students not starting until Tuesday the 28th (that makes 7 workdays before kids start). Starting on a Monday makes much more sense to me, especially since I am a music teacher and only see certain classes on certain days of the week. I will not see my Monday classes until the 3rd week of school. If they are just front loading the teacher workdays, I would much prefer they just reduce our contract by a few days. Having teacher workdays throughout the year is much more productive, IMO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have no idea why they switched to having teachers come back on a Friday for all the options. It is as if they are trying to say "Not only are we not going to pay you until the end of September, but now you get to lose one more weekend of the summer". I think 5 days prior to students starting is sufficient, especially with the students not starting until Tuesday the 28th (that makes 7 workdays before kids start). Starting on a Monday makes much more sense to me, especially since I am a music teacher and only see certain classes on certain days of the week. I will not see my Monday classes until the 3rd week of school. If they are just front loading the teacher workdays, I would much prefer they just reduce our contract by a few days. Having teacher workdays throughout the year is much more productive, IMO.

This is a major concern for me too. As someone who needs daycare for my children once I return to work, those teacher workdays are covered by my monthly SACC payment when they are DURING the school year. When the work days are before the school year, SACC hasn't started yet and now I have to pay for 7 or 8 days of daycare instead of 5. May be insignificant to some people but it's significant to me.

I also find no value in having all the PD frontloaded. I'd much prefer my PD to be during the year.

[Anonymous]

I'm the one who posted the YouTube link to the work session. A couple of points:

Re: student start date - I agree with a PP that based on how the discussion went, I feel 99% confident the first day of school for 2018-19 will be August 28, likely choosing option D over C.

Re: snow waiver - board members did bring this up. All the more reason why I think there's no way the start date will be before 8/28 next year. Many board members described the potential chaos (real or perceived) that would ensue if start dates "rebounded" to after Labor Day. There was a lot of discomfort surrounding moving start dates even earlier if the Kings Dominion law/waiver policy remains as is.

Re: front loading teacher work days: there seemed to be lots of consensus that having professional development days throughout the year is most productive for teachers. A principal spoke to this effect. My guess is that they may tweak option D to further space teacher workdays through the year.

A couple of other items to highlight-
Religious holidays - lots of board members spoke about how religious holidays might be considered in calendar development. I think the consensus was that religious holidays wouldn't dictate scheduling, it would be good for those preparing calendars to be "mindful" of such holidays (e.g., EID, Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah) and schedule school closures (and perhaps teacher workdays) around those dates of it makes sense.

Earlier deadlines for setting calendar - one board member (Schultz?) recommended planning the calendars a year out. Basically, that the Board should be deciding the calendar for 2019-20 now, not 2018-19. Since something like this can't be put into motion right now, she suggested getting through the 2018-19 calendar now, deciding the 2019-20 calendar this spring, and then get on a schedule to tackle calendars a year ahead start next fall (in fall 2018, decide 2020-21 calendar).

I still think the outrage from board members was over the top. Get it together, folks!! (And I favor an Aug 28 start date....but I also understand that the other options were just that....options to consider!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please keep in mind that this change has NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SOLs. It is SOLELY for the AP/IB students who have to take national exams.

I know some of you know that but I still see people talking about the SOLs in the conversation (both here and a thread I'm following elsewhere on this topic).

When the school year shifts, SO DO THE SOLs. The entire FCPS testing window moved up a week this year due to the one week earlier start date. The county window goes to May 31 this year which is a week earlier than last year. No matter what you do to the schedule the SOLs will move with it.

I think you're right here - do you have anything you can share like the SOL calendar for last year or this year?

PP you quoted is exactly right. Last year, SOL window opened on Monday, May 16, 2017. This year, they begin on May 7, 2018. The calendars are inside our intranet, so I can’t post a link.
— an FCPS elementary principal

It turns out May 16, 2017 was a Tuesday. Can anyone help with the correct date? Was it Monday, May 15? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm the one who posted the YouTube link to the work session. A couple of points:

Re: student start date - I agree with a PP that based on how the discussion went, I feel 99% confident the first day of school for 2018-19 will be August 28, likely choosing option D over C.

Re: snow waiver - board members did bring this up. All the more reason why I think there's no way the start date will be before 8/28 next year. Many board members described the potential chaos (real or perceived) that would ensue if start dates "rebounded" to after Labor Day. There was a lot of discomfort surrounding moving start dates even earlier if the Kings Dominion law/waiver policy remains as is.

Re: front loading teacher work days: there seemed to be lots of consensus that having professional development days throughout the year is most productive for teachers. A principal spoke to this effect. My guess is that they may tweak option D to further space teacher workdays through the year.

A couple of other items to highlight-
Religious holidays - lots of board members spoke about how religious holidays might be considered in calendar development. I think the consensus was that religious holidays wouldn't dictate scheduling, it would be good for those preparing calendars to be "mindful" of such holidays (e.g., EID, Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah) and schedule school closures (and perhaps teacher workdays) around those dates of it makes sense.

Earlier deadlines for setting calendar - one board member (Schultz?) recommended planning the calendars a year out. Basically, that the Board should be deciding the calendar for 2019-20 now, not 2018-19. Since something like this can't be put into motion right now, she suggested getting through the 2018-19 calendar now, deciding the 2019-20 calendar this spring, and then get on a schedule to tackle calendars a year ahead start next fall (in fall 2018, decide 2020-21 calendar).

I still think the outrage from board members was over the top. Get it together, folks!! (And I favor an Aug 28 start date....but I also understand that the other options were just that....options to consider!)

As a FCPS teacher, this is very helpful. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please keep in mind that this change has NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SOLs. It is SOLELY for the AP/IB students who have to take national exams.

I know some of you know that but I still see people talking about the SOLs in the conversation (both here and a thread I'm following elsewhere on this topic).

When the school year shifts, SO DO THE SOLs. The entire FCPS testing window moved up a week this year due to the one week earlier start date. The county window goes to May 31 this year which is a week earlier than last year. No matter what you do to the schedule the SOLs will move with it.

I think you're right here - do you have anything you can share like the SOL calendar for last year or this year?

PP you quoted is exactly right. Last year, SOL window opened on Monday, May 16, 2017. This year, they begin on May 7, 2018. The calendars are inside our intranet, so I can’t post a link.
— an FCPS elementary principal

It turns out May 16, 2017 was a Tuesday. Can anyone help with the correct date? Was it Monday, May 15? Thanks!

It was May 15 - June 9.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no idea why they switched to having teachers come back on a Friday for all the options. It is as if they are trying to say "Not only are we not going to pay you until the end of September, but now you get to lose one more weekend of the summer". I think 5 days prior to students starting is sufficient, especially with the students not starting until Tuesday the 28th (that makes 7 workdays before kids start). Starting on a Monday makes much more sense to me, especially since I am a music teacher and only see certain classes on certain days of the week. I will not see my Monday classes until the 3rd week of school. If they are just front loading the teacher workdays, I would much prefer they just reduce our contract by a few days. Having teacher workdays throughout the year is much more productive, IMO.

This is a major concern for me too. As someone who needs daycare for my children once I return to work, those teacher workdays are covered by my monthly SACC payment when they are DURING the school year. When the work days are before the school year, SACC hasn't started yet and now I have to pay for 7 or 8 days of daycare instead of 5. May be insignificant to some people but it's significant to me.

I also find no value in having all the PD frontloaded. I'd much prefer my PD to be during the year.

Agree with all of this. They keep talking about retaining teachers and teacher pay. I end up paying $700 to daycare because we can’t pay for just one day in the week. I don’t need another day to prep for students because it will be filled with meetings where important consultants talk about priorities that have nothing rro do with me. I know it won’t help me get more time setting up my classroom. I’d rather get paid less.