Proposed APS Calendar Policy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please post on how to submit comments on this thing? I click on links lead me to 404 page not found. Do we have to send emails directly?

Follow the link on this page. As usual, APS is making clear that they don't really want feedback. See the tiny text boxes limited to 500 characters. Send an email to your school board members too.

https://www.apsva.us/engage/policies-for-revision-amendment/

Yes. If they actually wanted to know what people think, they wouldn't ask so many specific questions or stupid questions like "did we miss anything?" Instead, they would just let you explain what you like or don't like and why. But then someone would have to actually read all those comments and categorize them and tally them up and figure out what it all means.

I was astounded when I saw the feedback form. It’s not at all open to criticism. It screams—this is a done deal and we aren’t really here to hear you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The more I read comments here the more it seems this is a back door way to give teachers and staff more 4 day workweeks. There are lots of ways to honor religious holidays for those who recognize them. Why is equity around these days completely outweighing all other equity concerns around disruptions for students, safety for students, costs and difficulties of covering these days for families? 5 day weeks should be a priority. Figure out how to give staff and students days off for the religious days they observe.

Wow, I had no idea other districts would model Fairfax's system for school calendars where they can't ever release one without numerous meetings and hand wringing. But to answer your question, Fairfax didn't collect any data about absences because the board thought religious holidays on the school calendar satisfied equity over all other concerns.

Fairfax has years of data on it. https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/Absence%20Data%20Final3.pdf

Schools legally required to have a reason for religious holidays

Is this real? I am Mexican American from TX and neither my family here nor in Mexico keep kids home from school for Dia de Los Mueurtos and it's not a school holiday.

Yes. This is northern va. It's real and it's dumb. It's real dumb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please post on how to submit comments on this thing? I click on links lead me to 404 page not found. Do we have to send emails directly?

Follow the link on this page. As usual, APS is making clear that they don't really want feedback. See the tiny text boxes limited to 500 characters. Send an email to your school board members too.

https://www.apsva.us/engage/policies-for-revision-amendment/

Yes. If they actually wanted to know what people think, they wouldn't ask so many specific questions or stupid questions like "did we miss anything?" Instead, they would just let you explain what you like or don't like and why. But then someone would have to actually read all those comments and categorize them and tally them up and figure out what it all means.

I was astounded when I saw the feedback form. It’s not at all open to criticism. It screams—this is a done deal and we aren’t really here to hear you.

The surveys are always bullshit. But they do kind of want to win the popularity contest, so please make a stink. Crazy people are getting their way!

[Anonymous]

I think this is sending the wrong message to kids: school is not “the thing” you do as a kid. It’s not that serious. It comes and goes. No rhyme nor reason. Some weeks are short, some long, some days we learn, some we don’t.
Not to mention that poor kids can count on 2 secure meals some days of the week but not others. Some equity!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The more I read comments here the more it seems this is a back door way to give teachers and staff more 4 day workweeks. There are lots of ways to honor religious holidays for those who recognize them. Why is equity around these days completely outweighing all other equity concerns around disruptions for students, safety for students, costs and difficulties of covering these days for families? 5 day weeks should be a priority. Figure out how to give staff and students days off for the religious days they observe.

Wow, I had no idea other districts would model Fairfax's system for school calendars where they can't ever release one without numerous meetings and hand wringing. But to answer your question, Fairfax didn't collect any data about absences because the board thought religious holidays on the school calendar satisfied equity over all other concerns.

Fairfax has years of data on it. https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/Absence%20Data%20Final3.pdf

Schools legally required to have a reason for religious holidays

Is this real? I am Mexican American from TX and neither my family here nor in Mexico keep kids home from school for Dia de Los Mueurtos and it's not a school holiday.

Yes. This is northern va. It's real and it's dumb. It's real dumb.

A calendar made to please some adults at the expense of kids getting a solid education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The more I read comments here the more it seems this is a back door way to give teachers and staff more 4 day workweeks. There are lots of ways to honor religious holidays for those who recognize them. Why is equity around these days completely outweighing all other equity concerns around disruptions for students, safety for students, costs and difficulties of covering these days for families? 5 day weeks should be a priority. Figure out how to give staff and students days off for the religious days they observe.

Wow, I had no idea other districts would model Fairfax's system for school calendars where they can't ever release one without numerous meetings and hand wringing. But to answer your question, Fairfax didn't collect any data about absences because the board thought religious holidays on the school calendar satisfied equity over all other concerns.

Fairfax has years of data on it. https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/Absence%20Data%20Final3.pdf

Schools legally required to have a reason for religious holidays

Is this real? I am Mexican American from TX and neither my family here nor in Mexico keep kids home from school for Dia de Los Mueurtos and it's not a school holiday.

I’m also floored.

Not to be dumb, but isn’t it the day after Halloween. AND isn’t it more likely the kids were either absent or late during the initial attendance taking because of Halloween “hangovers”? I hate teaching lower elementary that day because the kids don’t get anything out of it as they are tired and cranky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this is sending the wrong message to kids: school is not “the thing” you do as a kid. It’s not that serious. It comes and goes. No rhyme nor reason. Some weeks are short, some long, some days we learn, some we don’t.
Not to mention that poor kids can count on 2 secure meals some days of the week but not others. Some equity!

Whatever this calendar proposal is about, it’s not about learning and kids. But it must be nice to be at syphax and realize you’ll get all these days off if it goes through.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The more I read comments here the more it seems this is a back door way to give teachers and staff more 4 day workweeks. There are lots of ways to honor religious holidays for those who recognize them. Why is equity around these days completely outweighing all other equity concerns around disruptions for students, safety for students, costs and difficulties of covering these days for families? 5 day weeks should be a priority. Figure out how to give staff and students days off for the religious days they observe.

Wow, I had no idea other districts would model Fairfax's system for school calendars where they can't ever release one without numerous meetings and hand wringing. But to answer your question, Fairfax didn't collect any data about absences because the board thought religious holidays on the school calendar satisfied equity over all other concerns.

Fairfax has years of data on it. https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/Absence%20Data%20Final3.pdf

Schools legally required to have a reason for religious holidays

Is this real? I am Mexican American from TX and neither my family here nor in Mexico keep kids home from school for Dia de Los Mueurtos and it's not a school holiday.

I’m also floored.

Not to be dumb, but isn’t it the day after Halloween. AND isn’t it more likely the kids were either absent or late during the initial attendance taking because of Halloween “hangovers”? I hate teaching lower elementary that day because the kids don’t get anything out of it as they are tired and cranky.

Yes but why is it a holiday being tracked by Fairfax County? I can't imagine Latinos requesting a study of absences that day or requesting it be a school holiday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With a kid taking AP tests next week competing for 5s with kids who had 2-3 more weeks on instruction, I understand the benefit of starting earlier. HOWEVER, we need to get out earlier, too. It’s infuriating that they keep shrinking summer.

AP students represent a fraction of the student population, so I don’t think it makes sense to dictate the schedule according to their needs.

Plus, our start date moves up, but then they throw in an extra week of Christmas break and a bunch of teacher workdays, so by the time May rolls around they haven’t actually gotten any more instruction.

There’s not a fixed number of 5s to be awarded, so your kid isn’t competing.

And there’s nothing stopping your kid from picking up a prep book two (or even three!) weeks before school starts.

Tell me how starting 2 weeks earlier hurts your kid? or any kid?

I am just hearing a lot of whining about I don't waaaaant to start 2 weeks earlier!

But no real reasons not to.

Because kids should have a proper summer break. Going back in mid-August is insane.

Also, there are MANY divorced families who split summer vacation time/weeks. Further truncating the summer by removing yet *another* week from summer adversely affects the available time those children have with their respective parents. So yes, starting an additional week earlier than the current one-week-before-labor day calendar is BULL and would not be good for my kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The more I read comments here the more it seems this is a back door way to give teachers and staff more 4 day workweeks. There are lots of ways to honor religious holidays for those who recognize them. Why is equity around these days completely outweighing all other equity concerns around disruptions for students, safety for students, costs and difficulties of covering these days for families? 5 day weeks should be a priority. Figure out how to give staff and students days off for the religious days they observe.

Wow, I had no idea other districts would model Fairfax's system for school calendars where they can't ever release one without numerous meetings and hand wringing. But to answer your question, Fairfax didn't collect any data about absences because the board thought religious holidays on the school calendar satisfied equity over all other concerns.

Fairfax has years of data on it. https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/Absence%20Data%20Final3.pdf

Schools legally required to have a reason for religious holidays

Is this real? I am Mexican American from TX and neither my family here nor in Mexico keep kids home from school for Dia de Los Mueurtos and it's not a school holiday.

Wait wait wait. Are you saying Arlington is requesting Dia de los Muertos be a holiday? Or are we talking about FFX? Another Mexican American here and I cannot believe they would actually be requesting that. Where can we look at the actual request for Arlington?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With a kid taking AP tests next week competing for 5s with kids who had 2-3 more weeks on instruction, I understand the benefit of starting earlier. HOWEVER, we need to get out earlier, too. It’s infuriating that they keep shrinking summer.

AP students represent a fraction of the student population, so I don’t think it makes sense to dictate the schedule according to their needs.

Plus, our start date moves up, but then they throw in an extra week of Christmas break and a bunch of teacher workdays, so by the time May rolls around they haven’t actually gotten any more instruction.

There’s not a fixed number of 5s to be awarded, so your kid isn’t competing.

And there’s nothing stopping your kid from picking up a prep book two (or even three!) weeks before school starts.

Tell me how starting 2 weeks earlier hurts your kid? or any kid?

I am just hearing a lot of whining about I don't waaaaant to start 2 weeks earlier!

But no real reasons not to.

Because kids should have a proper summer break. Going back in mid-August is insane.

Also, there are MANY divorced families who split summer vacation time/weeks. Further truncating the summer by removing yet *another* week from summer adversely affects the available time those children have with their respective parents. So yes, starting an additional week earlier than the current one-week-before-labor day calendar is BULL and would not be good for my kid.

Custody arrangements can be changed. It is not the schools' responsibility - or even ability - to accommodate everyone's individual family situation.

[Anonymous]

How does the APS calendar compare with the local Catholic schools and independent schools? We are about to enter public school and all I hear from our neighbors is that the kids rarely go to school 5 days a week. Unsure why they can't just take federal holidays like the rest of workplaces.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With a kid taking AP tests next week competing for 5s with kids who had 2-3 more weeks on instruction, I understand the benefit of starting earlier. HOWEVER, we need to get out earlier, too. It’s infuriating that they keep shrinking summer.

AP students represent a fraction of the student population, so I don’t think it makes sense to dictate the schedule according to their needs.

Plus, our start date moves up, but then they throw in an extra week of Christmas break and a bunch of teacher workdays, so by the time May rolls around they haven’t actually gotten any more instruction.

There’s not a fixed number of 5s to be awarded, so your kid isn’t competing.

And there’s nothing stopping your kid from picking up a prep book two (or even three!) weeks before school starts.

Tell me how starting 2 weeks earlier hurts your kid? or any kid?

I am just hearing a lot of whining about I don't waaaaant to start 2 weeks earlier!

But no real reasons not to.

Because kids should have a proper summer break. Going back in mid-August is insane.

Also, there are MANY divorced families who split summer vacation time/weeks. Further truncating the summer by removing yet *another* week from summer adversely affects the available time those children have with their respective parents. So yes, starting an additional week earlier than the current one-week-before-labor day calendar is BULL and would not be good for my kid.

Custody arrangements can be changed. It is not the schools' responsibility - or even ability - to accommodate everyone's individual family situation.

You are clearly not divorced and with your flippant remark. Furthermore, this is not some one-off unique unheard of situation for a tiny handful of families; a large percentage of families are divorced households.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How does the APS calendar compare with the local Catholic schools and independent schools? We are about to enter public school and all I hear from our neighbors is that the kids rarely go to school 5 days a week. Unsure why they can't just take federal holidays like the rest of workplaces.

I have a kid in private and a kid in APS and the APS schedule is brutal. Absolutely brutal. It wasn't this bad before the pandemic. All of the extra days off, 11 days at winter break this year are terrible, especially for little kids. I can't believe APS planning to make this permanent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With a kid taking AP tests next week competing for 5s with kids who had 2-3 more weeks on instruction, I understand the benefit of starting earlier. HOWEVER, we need to get out earlier, too. It’s infuriating that they keep shrinking summer.

AP students represent a fraction of the student population, so I don’t think it makes sense to dictate the schedule according to their needs.

Plus, our start date moves up, but then they throw in an extra week of Christmas break and a bunch of teacher workdays, so by the time May rolls around they haven’t actually gotten any more instruction.

There’s not a fixed number of 5s to be awarded, so your kid isn’t competing.

And there’s nothing stopping your kid from picking up a prep book two (or even three!) weeks before school starts.

Tell me how starting 2 weeks earlier hurts your kid? or any kid?

I am just hearing a lot of whining about I don't waaaaant to start 2 weeks earlier!

But no real reasons not to.

Because kids should have a proper summer break. Going back in mid-August is insane.

Also, there are MANY divorced families who split summer vacation time/weeks. Further truncating the summer by removing yet *another* week from summer adversely affects the available time those children have with their respective parents. So yes, starting an additional week earlier than the current one-week-before-labor day calendar is BULL and would not be good for my kid.

Custody arrangements can be changed. It is not the schools' responsibility - or even ability - to accommodate everyone's individual family situation.

You are clearly not divorced and with your flippant remark. Furthermore, this is not some one-off unique unheard of situation for a tiny handful of families; a large percentage of families are divorced households.

There are also "large percentages" of families with single heads of household and no other household splitting custody, and two-working-parent families, and SAHP households, and immigrant families who travel to their home countries during winter break, and, and, and....

I wasn't being flippant. Custody arrangements can be changed. Might not be easy or quick; but you know the calendar far in advance and it can be done. If it can't for some, doesn't mean schools have to accommodate. They cannot accommodate every situation and they don't pick one group of people to accommodate. The only accommodation schools should be making is what's best for teaching and learning.