MCPS Considering Beginning 2020-21 School Calendar Year Before Labor Day

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no particular reason for the April 26 date. The creators of the proposed calendars decided that teachers could benefit from having profesional days in addition to the regularly scheduled ones at the end of each quarter. So they added the convention day back in, as well as April 26 (probably comes late in the year so it can be used for snow make-up if necessary). On the MCPS website where you can provide calendar feedback, I would encourage the Board of Education to make these half days instead. That way instruction isn't fully disrupted, teachers still get a bit more planning, and the school year can end two days earlier.

Half-days are useless. Very little learning actually happens. I fully support keeping these as full days off.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many school districts on Long Island don't start until the Wednesday after Labor Day. They also get the Jewish holidays off AND a February mid-winter break. Those kids do just fine on their AP exams.

I'm wondering how you know this.

Because I went to public high school on Long Island and so did my spouse.

I'm wondering how you know "those kids do just fine" on their AP exams.

Because I went to public high school on Long Island and so did my spouse

Maybe they do fine, but they'd do better with less stress if they started earlier? And maybe they then wouldn't spend the last month of their senior year goofing off and ditching class? Just a thought.
I'm another that likes a late August start, both from my ES kids and my HS kids. There's just no good camps at the end of August, and it's a crappy time to travel anyplace, with humidity, hurricanes, entire countries in Europe on vacation, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many school districts on Long Island don't start until the Wednesday after Labor Day. They also get the Jewish holidays off AND a February mid-winter break. Those kids do just fine on their AP exams.

I'm wondering how you know this.

Because I went to public high school on Long Island and so did my spouse.

I'm wondering how you know "those kids do just fine" on their AP exams.

Because I went to public high school on Long Island and so did my spouse

I'm not sure I understand... Be more clear..... How do YOU know "those kids do just fine" on thier AP exams? <wink>

[Anonymous]

A mid-winter February break sounds like a better option if we go back mid August. If there is an MCPS higher up reading this board, please consider revising your calendar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anybody know why all three calendar options have April 26, 2021, as a day off? The original draft versions developed in September given here did not have this, but the new options here added in some extra professional days and all of them included April 26. I can't figure out anything special about that day and Google isn't helping. Two of the options also added in October 16, which I think is the Maryland State Education Association convention and which used to be a regular day off a few years ago.

Regarding April 26, it was added in for extra grading/planning. I commented in the form that I was okay with 3 days for PD (after MPs 1, 2, 3), but not 5. The April 26 date is 1-2 weeks after other 4 day weeks for PD/grading. I don't understand the need for an additional day.

I am sure the October 16 date corresponds to the MSEA convention. They had that day off until 2016, when the board changed the calendar to include Eid as a day of PD.

Parents are not going to realize there are another 1-2 additional days of PD (beyond the 3 planned after MPs 1, 2, 3).