The response to MoCo's calendar change shows why the FCPS religious holidays will never go away

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just extend the school year by a week and everyone can have their holidays and there will be make up days built in.

That’s literally what we have now and it’s obnoxious.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:So you remove Federal Holidays, which are about the same in number as the religious holidays. Fixed.

And you uncouple Spring Break from Easter as a bonus, providing an annual date for Spring Break that doesn't move.

People can complain all they want that Christmas falls in Winter Break but it is a federal holiday and has been a time period for travel across the country for forever. Schools would be shut due to lack of attendance and teachers and staff if it wasn't off. There are no other holidays were that would be the case.

There are 11 federal holidays:

- Independence Day and Juneteenth fall outside of the school year.
- Labor Day (plus the Friday) is mandated by VA law.
- Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years are untouchable, and I'd argue Memorial Day also.
- Columbus is already used as a teacher workday.
- So, only MLK, Presidents, and Veterans Days are viable school days.

Of the surrounding districts (Arl, Falls Church City, Prince William, Loudoun), the only one that has school on any of those three days is Loudoun for Veterans Day.

Thanksgiving doesn’t require 3 days. Make the Weds or the Fri a teacher work day.

Christmas does not require two weeks. Make 23rd a teacher work/training day.

Memorial Day does not require three days. Make one a work day.

Teacher should be allowed to work remotely on their workdays and training should be available online.

There, got rid of three days off and didn’t upset anybody/disenfranchise any religion.

Majority of the TW are timed around the end of a quarter. Nit picking a few days off the calendar isn’t going to fix that. It would be more effective to time quarters around existing breaks. For example, Monday and Tuesday of Spring Break could have been TW/SD days instead of tracking them onto the following week.

Looking at FCPS calendar, the pattern seems to be that there is a TW day at the end of each quarter (presumably for grading, and finalizing the gradebook) and 1 TW and one SD or SP day during each quarter, allowing for teachers to plan.

You could move those days to non-religious holiday days, I guess, but it wouldn't change the fact that teachers need days to plan, and that those days need to be distributed throughout the quarter, not clustered. If this doesn't seem obvious to you, I'd ask you this. How does it work in your job? When you have time when your client isn't present. Perhaps you're creating documents, reviewing documents, or meeting with colleagues. Are those kinds of tasks clustered, or do you have time to do that every single month that you work? Are you asked to do things in illogical sequence, or do you generally get to gather data before you analyze it? Or plan meetings with clients after you already held the meetings? Because that is what people seem to think teachers should do.

They can be distributed through the quarter without adding more holes to the calendar. Indigenous peoples day is a great example.

Indigenous people day is a great example of what?

Using the calendar to provide TW days on days students are already out of the classroom, not adding more disruption.

What day in late February are you proposing be used in that way?

Also, do you work federal holidays, or are you just expecting that teachers do so?

I work some of the Federal holidays— and I don’t for example get 3 days for Thanksgiving.

The schedule is supposed to prioritize *students* not teachers. It’s embarrassing how few people seem to realize that.

The schedule is supposed to prioritize instruction. Providing decent working conditions so that they can do their job, and so that they don't quit is an important part of that.

It's embarrassing how many people think that it's a zero sum gain, and that driving teachers away from the profession is somehow to the benefits of students.

It is to the benefit of children not to be taught by self-absorbed and entitled adults. If they flee the profession for working five day weeks ten months a year (with several weeks off) thats for the best.

LOL! And you’ll be stepping up to replace them. You “have a job?” Too bad. Enjoy that sweet, sweet first year teacher salary!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is a straightforward calendar from a state/metropolitan area with a diverse population https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1756930407/mplsk12mnus/ge5clwh0shgydwvthwbs/SYCalendar-English-2026-27.pdf

Put it out there and if people don’t like it there is always private school, home school, or excused absences.

The people who don’t like it will be the teachers/their advocates who will describe such a calendar as indecent conditions. Look at all the five-day weeks in school.

I think it is terrible because the summer is waaaay too long. Do you really want 3 full months off? That is very bad for most kids.

You are free to register your kid(s) for summer classes if you believe that to be needed.

Yes, clearly your kids require remediation, so you should take advantage of the opportunities offered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is a straightforward calendar from a state/metropolitan area with a diverse population https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1756930407/mplsk12mnus/ge5clwh0shgydwvthwbs/SYCalendar-English-2026-27.pdf

Put it out there and if people don’t like it there is always private school, home school, or excused absences.

The people who don’t like it will be the teachers/their advocates who will describe such a calendar as indecent conditions. Look at all the five-day weeks in school.

I think it is terrible because the summer is waaaay too long. Do you really want 3 full months off? That is very bad for most kids.

You are free to register your kid(s) for summer classes if you believe that to be needed.

NP: I’m not worried about my own kids. I do plenty with them over the summer (as a teacher, I have time to do so!) I’m worried about my students who inevitably regress 3-6 months in ability after a summer of YouTube, requiring intense remediation on my end every fall. I’m worried about some of my children’s classmates who fall in the same category, who will need the teacher’s attention to catch up, limiting the focus my own child can get. I’m worried about the overall level of behaviors that are brutal every August/September as the TikTok/youtube/minecraft addiction goes through 8 hours of withdrawals.

Unless you can tell me every child has enriching summer experiences, a long summer isn’t beneficial to society as a whole.

It would be possible for the county to offer programming to families that qualify for the need.

This concern shouldn't be our guiding factor in calendars. We shouldn't have to cater to the lowest denominator.

With what money? They already claim they can't fund what currently exists. There's no way more will be added.

There is zero academic value to a long summer, over 5-6 weeks. The reality is the only reason we have a long summer is the beach lobby (and to a much lesser extent, swim team families). It's not because it's better for the kids' learning.

It’s better for the kids whose summers are spent getting all the things school isn’t providing but is critical to development like outdoor time and language and intensive enrichment. Don’t now start saying you care about the underprivileged kids when you don’t give a fork about them being left home alone on snow days or unfed on TW days.

Oh, but don’t you know? These people care sooooo very deeply about the underprivileged, exclusively when they feel it may benefit themselves in some way.

Exhibit A: COVID. They were just in hysterics about the poor kids who were “home alone, being abused, starving, blah blah blah” when they thought those kids could be used as a wedge to shoehorn their own precious darlings into buildings.

“OK. Then let’s send those highly at risk kids back, with extreme distancing possible, and keep your privileged kids at home.”
*radio silence*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have zero desire for an even shorter summer. It is only about two months. For kids that do fall sports or band (ignoring summer swim even) it is about 6 weeks before they have to report in Aug. And my kid’s sport starts Green Day practices in July. The need time to just be kids and do stuff you cannot easily do during the year.

No one wants year round school or a short, 2 month summer

Some people do want year round school. Two weeks off after quarters would be amazing for travel and there would be enough time in summer to take good trips and do camps. The people who seem to oppose year round school are parents that are devoted to summer swim and feel like they need 8 weeks of travel. Most families cannot afford that type of travel and don't participate in summer swim but the families that do scream loudly.

Then they should move somewhere that has it or homeschool. Done. Moving on now.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The snow days should be virtual days at this point. A week without school over a snowstorm is ridiculous in 2026

We would have been absent. Virtual school is a waste of time unless you are enrolled in a dedicated virtual program that is established for that type of learning. The COVID year was a complete waste, and my kid attended every day. The math was so bad that we started RSM and found competition math. DS loved it and still participates in math competitions but he was learning nothing in math during COVID.

I agree virtual school is a waste. Teachers should telework on snow days like other professionals and subsequent teacher workdays/early release days cancelled.

Teachers already work on snow days. I’m a professional. I work until the work is done, which often means every day of the week.

Are you saying that it should simply be somehow tracked? Micromanaged?

So what you’re really saying is that teacher work time shouldn’t be reflected in the calendar. Parents shouldn’t have to find childcare so teachers can get behind-the-scenes work done.

Fine. I actually agree. But until we teach fewer classes or have fewer duties, I’m not sure what the solution is. Simply put: teachers do need time to get work done. That’s just fact. And random snow days isn’t enough.

In the rest of the white-collar professional world, on days of inclement weather, employees, bring home laptops, and participate in meetings, trainings, calls, etc. It’s not “tracking” or “micromanagement” when Deloitte does it, why is it such an imposition for teachers?

As I wrote, I am working on snow days. I am also bringing home my laptop, participating in team meetings, etc. I don’t need an administrator to TELL me to work. I don’t need an administrator to TELL me to contact my team and schedule a meeting because we have the gift of time that day. I’m already on it.

My comment regarding micromanaging is related to the suggestion above that teachers should be ***told*** to work on these days. Oh, we are. I don’t need an administrator checking in on me.

Why if an administrator tells you to is that wrong, but if the CEO or team lead at a normal company tells their employees that they’ll be meeting virtually tomorrow because of the snow that’s fine? Yes, sometimes people need to be told to work. Public employees on contract days should be expected to work, yes, but that expectation could be reflected in the result in school calendar.

I don’t know why you feel the need to pick a fight. This isn’t a big deal unless you decide to make it one. Just don’t assume I’m lazily basking in the glory of a snow day and I’ll be fine.

I mean— thats exactly the impression you’re giving. No one can MAKE me work. No one can CHECK my work. Just because I’m paid for this day doesn’t mean anyone can EXPECT something.

The NYT ran an opinion piece last week about school choice. NYC has charter schools with 12 hour days. The “don’t micromanage!” me attitude isn’t going to fly much longer.

sChOoL cHoIcE

Oh, you’re a voucher loon. That explains it.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I was a teacher. I don't understand the attack on teachers about a snow day. The teachers do not make the decision.

And, FWIW, I was a teacher of K and 1. Most of my work was done at school. Sure, I could plan outside of school, but preparing materials, and setting up the classroom is a key part of planning with young children.

I guess I am not sure what some on here are expecting of a teacher on a snow day. Remember, many also have children. It is difficult for everyone.

It’s actually very simple. Move to 1.5 hours of each early release that is “admin directed” to virtual. Move the training to virtual. Then when there is a snow day, teachers do the training online. The next early release/TWD is cancelled. No change to contract days. Literally no one loses in this scenario and it costs Fairfax not one penny.

You are not a teacher, are you?

No I’m one of these poor victims who is “monitored” by my workplace and expected to find and pay for childcare on snow days.

I’m the teacher you started attacking. This is the first time I’ve posted since my initial posts re: monitoring.

I suppose you need another adult to tell you when to work. I don’t. I will work my contracted hours, my weekends, and (yes) on snow days without someone else telling me to. I don’t know why that bothers you so much. Are you micromanaged at your job? Do you want me to suffer with you?

And you’re not alone. Guess what? I ALSO pay for someone to watch my children on teacher work days. You are aware teachers are also parents, aren’t you?

And I appreciate that “no one loses” to you in the scenario above. I guess it would take a teacher to see how teachers lose. I can’t schedule my extra work around random, unexpected snow days. I’m sure you’re about to tell me how I can, though.

Do you teach reading? I am expected to find a pay for childcare on snow days. Even if asked to telework most teachers won’t have to pay for childcare which is why they’re not losing in this scenario.

Seriously? I'm not a teacher, but I could not have driven kids anywhere for childcare during the ice mess.

Many parents don’t have a choice. Lucky for you someone will be in the ER if you hurt yourself shoveling. Staying safe at home and teleworking while not needing to pay for childcare is a privilege— only the extraordinarily entitled see it as a burden.

And the VAST majority of people responding here, and in the DCUM demographic, DO NOT work in the ER and are sitting on their happy butts at home in pajama pants “teleworking” with no childcare on weather days. So zip it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So this thread proves there is no real appetite to balance the calendar. You can’t pretend one day off for Eid is the thing that tips us into mid June end dates while being wholly unwilling to consider parting with any of the 2 full weeks of winter break. You all want your travel time at Christmas.

You don’t understand. They want OTHER people’s holidays ignored and dismissed. Not theirs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain the “make it a teacher workday” request? Looking at the 2026-27 calendar, every TW/SP/SD day is placed at the end of a quarter except for Indigenous People Day. How is converting Student Holidays to TW going to improve the calendar? They’ll still need the planning days between quarters. The only benefit I see is that SACC would have to be open those days, but that would require paying them more, and the county has already proven they’d rather cut services than do that.

Looking at this school year’s calendar I would make the following changes:

There isn’t much that can be done about the Election Day stuff so I guess that can remain a 4 day weekend, but I would dump all the quarter end 2 hour early releases. Or dump the 3 hour early releases for elementary, which absolutely should not have continued this school year.

School on Veterans Day like it always was in the past.

Move the staff development scheduled for Jan. 29 (Thurs) to the day before Thanksgiving. Move the QE date for Q2 to Jan. 29 and have it a regular school day, then Friday Jan. 30 a TW for grades.

April 10 SP day moved to May 26 (this is a TW day right now - combine the two as May 26 is not a QE). School as normal on April 10, could be an O day if they anticipate a lot of student absences for Orthodox Good Friday.

That gives us back 3 school days and we could end on June 12, a whole weekend earlier vs. the current June 17.

In these years where we have to have off mid week for every single religious/cultural holiday, I think tough decisions have to be made about even some of the federal holidays like Veterans and Columbus/Indigenous Peoples day. Fortunately next year’s calendar is a little more favorable as we get to start almost a full week later on August 24 vs. this year’s August 18.

There’s no need for SD days to be at the end of the quarter.

TW day on August 29 makes Sept 8th a five day week.

TW day on 11/11 and SD day the weds before Thanksgiving (virtual because its 2026…) makes Nov 3 a five day week. Yes in presidential years schools should still be closed.

TW day on MLK and SD day moved virtual to Jan 2 makes the week of the 26th a five day week.

April 10 SD day moved virtual and covered during snow days, alternatively makeup SD virtual
Day on March 20 in the unprecedented circumstances that there wasn’t a snow or weather closures. April 6 TW day moves to May 27 and now week of April 6th is five days.

Thousands of dollars saved parents, same number of contract days, and school can end on June 12.

Irrelevant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:So you remove Federal Holidays, which are about the same in number as the religious holidays. Fixed.

And you uncouple Spring Break from Easter as a bonus, providing an annual date for Spring Break that doesn't move.

People can complain all they want that Christmas falls in Winter Break but it is a federal holiday and has been a time period for travel across the country for forever. Schools would be shut due to lack of attendance and teachers and staff if it wasn't off. There are no other holidays were that would be the case.

There are 11 federal holidays:

- Independence Day and Juneteenth fall outside of the school year.
- Labor Day (plus the Friday) is mandated by VA law.
- Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years are untouchable, and I'd argue Memorial Day also.
- Columbus is already used as a teacher workday.
- So, only MLK, Presidents, and Veterans Days are viable school days.

Of the surrounding districts (Arl, Falls Church City, Prince William, Loudoun), the only one that has school on any of those three days is Loudoun for Veterans Day.

Thanksgiving doesn’t require 3 days. Make the Weds or the Fri a teacher work day.

Christmas does not require two weeks. Make 23rd a teacher work/training day.

Memorial Day does not require three days. Make one a work day.

Teacher should be allowed to work remotely on their workdays and training should be available online.

There, got rid of three days off and didn’t upset anybody/disenfranchise any religion.

Majority of the TW are timed around the end of a quarter. Nit picking a few days off the calendar isn’t going to fix that. It would be more effective to time quarters around existing breaks. For example, Monday and Tuesday of Spring Break could have been TW/SD days instead of tracking them onto the following week.

Looking at FCPS calendar, the pattern seems to be that there is a TW day at the end of each quarter (presumably for grading, and finalizing the gradebook) and 1 TW and one SD or SP day during each quarter, allowing for teachers to plan.

You could move those days to non-religious holiday days, I guess, but it wouldn't change the fact that teachers need days to plan, and that those days need to be distributed throughout the quarter, not clustered. If this doesn't seem obvious to you, I'd ask you this. How does it work in your job? When you have time when your client isn't present. Perhaps you're creating documents, reviewing documents, or meeting with colleagues. Are those kinds of tasks clustered, or do you have time to do that every single month that you work? Are you asked to do things in illogical sequence, or do you generally get to gather data before you analyze it? Or plan meetings with clients after you already held the meetings? Because that is what people seem to think teachers should do.

They can be distributed through the quarter without adding more holes to the calendar. Indigenous peoples day is a great example.

Indigenous people day is a great example of what?

Using the calendar to provide TW days on days students are already out of the classroom, not adding more disruption.

What day in late February are you proposing be used in that way?

Also, do you work federal holidays, or are you just expecting that teachers do so?

I work some of the Federal holidays— and I don’t for example get 3 days for Thanksgiving.

The schedule is supposed to prioritize *students* not teachers. It’s embarrassing how few people seem to realize that.

The schedule is supposed to prioritize instruction. Providing decent working conditions so that they can do their job, and so that they don't quit is an important part of that.

It's embarrassing how many people think that it's a zero sum gain, and that driving teachers away from the profession is somehow to the benefits of students.

It is to the benefit of children not to be taught by self-absorbed and entitled adults. If they flee the profession for working five day weeks ten months a year (with several weeks off) thats for the best.

LOL! And you’ll be stepping up to replace them. You “have a job?” Too bad. Enjoy that sweet, sweet first year teacher salary!

Unemployment is high, especially among new graduates. There are plenty of people who will be very grateful for a job that you seem to believe is too hard for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain the “make it a teacher workday” request? Looking at the 2026-27 calendar, every TW/SP/SD day is placed at the end of a quarter except for Indigenous People Day. How is converting Student Holidays to TW going to improve the calendar? They’ll still need the planning days between quarters. The only benefit I see is that SACC would have to be open those days, but that would require paying them more, and the county has already proven they’d rather cut services than do that.

Looking at this school year’s calendar I would make the following changes:

There isn’t much that can be done about the Election Day stuff so I guess that can remain a 4 day weekend, but I would dump all the quarter end 2 hour early releases. Or dump the 3 hour early releases for elementary, which absolutely should not have continued this school year.

School on Veterans Day like it always was in the past.

Move the staff development scheduled for Jan. 29 (Thurs) to the day before Thanksgiving. Move the QE date for Q2 to Jan. 29 and have it a regular school day, then Friday Jan. 30 a TW for grades.

April 10 SP day moved to May 26 (this is a TW day right now - combine the two as May 26 is not a QE). School as normal on April 10, could be an O day if they anticipate a lot of student absences for Orthodox Good Friday.

That gives us back 3 school days and we could end on June 12, a whole weekend earlier vs. the current June 17.

In these years where we have to have off mid week for every single religious/cultural holiday, I think tough decisions have to be made about even some of the federal holidays like Veterans and Columbus/Indigenous Peoples day. Fortunately next year’s calendar is a little more favorable as we get to start almost a full week later on August 24 vs. this year’s August 18.

There’s no need for SD days to be at the end of the quarter.

TW day on August 29 makes Sept 8th a five day week.

TW day on 11/11 and SD day the weds before Thanksgiving (virtual because its 2026…) makes Nov 3 a five day week. Yes in presidential years schools should still be closed.

TW day on MLK and SD day moved virtual to Jan 2 makes the week of the 26th a five day week.

April 10 SD day moved virtual and covered during snow days, alternatively makeup SD virtual
Day on March 20 in the unprecedented circumstances that there wasn’t a snow or weather closures. April 6 TW day moves to May 27 and now week of April 6th is five days.

Thousands of dollars saved parents, same number of contract days, and school can end on June 12.

Irrelevant.

To whom?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was a teacher. I don't understand the attack on teachers about a snow day. The teachers do not make the decision.

And, FWIW, I was a teacher of K and 1. Most of my work was done at school. Sure, I could plan outside of school, but preparing materials, and setting up the classroom is a key part of planning with young children.

I guess I am not sure what some on here are expecting of a teacher on a snow day. Remember, many also have children. It is difficult for everyone.

It’s actually very simple. Move to 1.5 hours of each early release that is “admin directed” to virtual. Move the training to virtual. Then when there is a snow day, teachers do the training online. The next early release/TWD is cancelled. No change to contract days. Literally no one loses in this scenario and it costs Fairfax not one penny.

You are not a teacher, are you?

No I’m one of these poor victims who is “monitored” by my workplace and expected to find and pay for childcare on snow days.

I’m the teacher you started attacking. This is the first time I’ve posted since my initial posts re: monitoring.

I suppose you need another adult to tell you when to work. I don’t. I will work my contracted hours, my weekends, and (yes) on snow days without someone else telling me to. I don’t know why that bothers you so much. Are you micromanaged at your job? Do you want me to suffer with you?

And you’re not alone. Guess what? I ALSO pay for someone to watch my children on teacher work days. You are aware teachers are also parents, aren’t you?

And I appreciate that “no one loses” to you in the scenario above. I guess it would take a teacher to see how teachers lose. I can’t schedule my extra work around random, unexpected snow days. I’m sure you’re about to tell me how I can, though.

Do you teach reading? I am expected to find a pay for childcare on snow days. Even if asked to telework most teachers won’t have to pay for childcare which is why they’re not losing in this scenario.

Seriously? I'm not a teacher, but I could not have driven kids anywhere for childcare during the ice mess.

Many parents don’t have a choice. Lucky for you someone will be in the ER if you hurt yourself shoveling. Staying safe at home and teleworking while not needing to pay for childcare is a privilege— only the extraordinarily entitled see it as a burden.

And the VAST majority of people responding here, and in the DCUM demographic, DO NOT work in the ER and are sitting on their happy butts at home in pajama pants “teleworking” with no childcare on weather days. So zip it.

I have terrible news for you, DCUM or your idea of if it’s demographics don’t represent the “vast majority” of the students in FCPS. Plenty of non-ER jobs, including professional jobs in certain industries, expected butts in seats during the snow days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The snow days should be virtual days at this point. A week without school over a snowstorm is ridiculous in 2026

We would have been absent. Virtual school is a waste of time unless you are enrolled in a dedicated virtual program that is established for that type of learning. The COVID year was a complete waste, and my kid attended every day. The math was so bad that we started RSM and found competition math. DS loved it and still participates in math competitions but he was learning nothing in math during COVID.

I agree virtual school is a waste. Teachers should telework on snow days like other professionals and subsequent teacher workdays/early release days cancelled.

Teachers already work on snow days. I’m a professional. I work until the work is done, which often means every day of the week.

Are you saying that it should simply be somehow tracked? Micromanaged?

So what you’re really saying is that teacher work time shouldn’t be reflected in the calendar. Parents shouldn’t have to find childcare so teachers can get behind-the-scenes work done.

Fine. I actually agree. But until we teach fewer classes or have fewer duties, I’m not sure what the solution is. Simply put: teachers do need time to get work done. That’s just fact. And random snow days isn’t enough.

In the rest of the white-collar professional world, on days of inclement weather, employees, bring home laptops, and participate in meetings, trainings, calls, etc. It’s not “tracking” or “micromanagement” when Deloitte does it, why is it such an imposition for teachers?

As I wrote, I am working on snow days. I am also bringing home my laptop, participating in team meetings, etc. I don’t need an administrator to TELL me to work. I don’t need an administrator to TELL me to contact my team and schedule a meeting because we have the gift of time that day. I’m already on it.

My comment regarding micromanaging is related to the suggestion above that teachers should be ***told*** to work on these days. Oh, we are. I don’t need an administrator checking in on me.

Why if an administrator tells you to is that wrong, but if the CEO or team lead at a normal company tells their employees that they’ll be meeting virtually tomorrow because of the snow that’s fine? Yes, sometimes people need to be told to work. Public employees on contract days should be expected to work, yes, but that expectation could be reflected in the result in school calendar.

I don’t know why you feel the need to pick a fight. This isn’t a big deal unless you decide to make it one. Just don’t assume I’m lazily basking in the glory of a snow day and I’ll be fine.

I mean— thats exactly the impression you’re giving. No one can MAKE me work. No one can CHECK my work. Just because I’m paid for this day doesn’t mean anyone can EXPECT something.

The NYT ran an opinion piece last week about school choice. NYC has charter schools with 12 hour days. The “don’t micromanage!” me attitude isn’t going to fly much longer.

sChOoL cHoIcE

Oh, you’re a voucher loon. That explains it.

No, I’m a voucher realist. UMC people aren’t going to turn down free money now that it’s part of Virginia law.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So this thread proves there is no real appetite to balance the calendar. You can’t pretend one day off for Eid is the thing that tips us into mid June end dates while being wholly unwilling to consider parting with any of the 2 full weeks of winter break. You all want your travel time at Christmas.

You don’t understand. They want OTHER people’s holidays ignored and dismissed. Not theirs.

What school holidays are Christians getting other than the 2 weeks for NYE/Solstice/Christmas Eve? Everyone wants longer, more consecutive breaks with less random days off. 2 weeks at the end of December is untouchable.

I do not want spring break paired to Easter. Get rid of that. It makes it expensive to go on vacation and religious people can't vacation and celebrate the religious holiday.

I believe all the kids should get 2 religious excused absences a year. Most religious celebration begin at sundown anyways. I don't celebrate Good Friday until the sun goes down, it could be a school day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If we want to remove religious holidays, it needs to be all. It isn’t right to leave in Christian holidays but then view Muslim holidays as expendable. A new calendar system where only federal holidays are honored and no religious holidays are included at all would work, but it would require people who are very used to having Christian holidays honored to accept the change. No two week winter break. Christmas Eve in school, only Christmas Day off for the federal holidays and back on 12/26. Spring break untied from Easter.

There are no Christian holidays on the FCPS calendar (except for the ridiculous Orthodox ones they added).

I surprised people still try to act this stupid.