predictions schools closed Wed Feb 12?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would prefer if they shortened the school year. The lost days are gone. There is no productive way to add more days at the end of the year. It is just performative

That would violate state law.

True, but Maryland should change that as Virginia did.

The reality is that lessons are based more on days than the number of hours. Eliminating days necessarily means missing lessons.

I don’t mind that when we’re talking about snow days that have been spent, personally. There’s not much value in tacking on to the end of the year and there are good reasons to respect teacher workdays. I’m sure others will disagree.

Then the alternative would extending the calendar from the start to avoid snow days leaving us below the minimum. But that isn't the path Taylor and the BoE took with next year's calendar. We only have one snow day built in. We should have 5 or 6.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay let's move onto DCUM's next favorite topic: when are we making this day up?

They will ask for a waiver at this point.

I thought you had to use up all your potential makeup days in the calendar before getting a waiver?

DP. No, 3 days. After the next one (if there is one) they can apply for a waiver.

But why would we get a waiver if other school systems are virtual on snow days? I understand that there were changes made about how to implement virtual for snow days, but why should the state give a waiver when other counties managed to make it happen? Both Baltimore County and Anne Arundel are virtual tomorrow. It seems like they are making an attempt to keep instruction going while we are not.

Exactly. But upthread the "ad naseum" poster said MCP Board needs to discuss virtual option but won't or can't forgot which one, because the built in makeup days (such as holidays disguised as a teacher workdays) havent been used. Don't know when the next teacher workday is when students don't go to school. One year they used such a day in April when students had online asynchronous work and teachers still could get their workday.

Per state, even if a district is approved to offer virtual, it cannot be fully asynchronous. there must be at least four hours of synchronous content. Which is another reason MCPS coudn't pull this off -- they use a cart model for ES/MS, so they would have to come up with a plan for making sure that everyone has a Chromebook at home for any virtual instruction.

https://marylandpublicschools.org/stateboard/Documents/2024/0123/Virtual-Education-for-Severe-Weather-Conditions-2024-2025-School-Year.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would prefer if they shortened the school year. The lost days are gone. There is no productive way to add more days at the end of the year. It is just performative

That would violate state law.

True, but Maryland should change that as Virginia did.

The reality is that lessons are based more on days than the number of hours. Eliminating days necessarily means missing lessons.

I don’t mind that when we’re talking about snow days that have been spent, personally. There’s not much value in tacking on to the end of the year and there are good reasons to respect teacher workdays. I’m sure others will disagree.

Then the alternative would extending the calendar from the start to avoid snow days leaving us below the minimum. But that isn't the path Taylor and the BoE took with next year's calendar. We only have one snow day built in. We should have 5 or 6.

+1. Why did they go in the opposite direction of what we needed? Very frustrating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would prefer if they shortened the school year. The lost days are gone. There is no productive way to add more days at the end of the year. It is just performative

That would violate state law.

True, but Maryland should change that as Virginia did.

The reality is that lessons are based more on days than the number of hours. Eliminating days necessarily means missing lessons.

I don’t mind that when we’re talking about snow days that have been spent, personally. There’s not much value in tacking on to the end of the year and there are good reasons to respect teacher workdays. I’m sure others will disagree.

Then the alternative would extending the calendar from the start to avoid snow days leaving us below the minimum. But that isn't the path Taylor and the BoE took with next year's calendar. We only have one snow day built in. We should have 5 or 6.

Oh I agree with you there actually. Maybe not 5-6, but I’d be in favor of 4. 1 next year is crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would prefer if they shortened the school year. The lost days are gone. There is no productive way to add more days at the end of the year. It is just performative

That would violate state law.

True, but Maryland should change that as Virginia did.

The reality is that lessons are based more on days than the number of hours. Eliminating days necessarily means missing lessons.

I don’t mind that when we’re talking about snow days that have been spent, personally. There’s not much value in tacking on to the end of the year and there are good reasons to respect teacher workdays. I’m sure others will disagree.

Then the alternative would extending the calendar from the start to avoid snow days leaving us below the minimum. But that isn't the path Taylor and the BoE took with next year's calendar. We only have one snow day built in. We should have 5 or 6.

Oh I agree with you there actually. Maybe not 5-6, but I’d be in favor of 4. 1 next year is crazy.

DP agree, and they should not be putting teacher grading days or other days that are nonstarters as contingency days. They should put actual days they will use.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would prefer if they shortened the school year. The lost days are gone. There is no productive way to add more days at the end of the year. It is just performative

That would violate state law.

True, but Maryland should change that as Virginia did.

The reality is that lessons are based more on days than the number of hours. Eliminating days necessarily means missing lessons.

I don’t mind that when we’re talking about snow days that have been spent, personally. There’s not much value in tacking on to the end of the year and there are good reasons to respect teacher workdays. I’m sure others will disagree.

Then the alternative would extending the calendar from the start to avoid snow days leaving us below the minimum. But that isn't the path Taylor and the BoE took with next year's calendar. We only have one snow day built in. We should have 5 or 6.

+1. Why did they go in the opposite direction of what we needed? Very frustrating.

Because Taylor changed what would have been the first day of school to a transition day, and didn't replace it with another instructional day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would prefer if they shortened the school year. The lost days are gone. There is no productive way to add more days at the end of the year. It is just performative

That would violate state law.

True, but Maryland should change that as Virginia did.

The reality is that lessons are based more on days than the number of hours. Eliminating days necessarily means missing lessons.

I don’t mind that when we’re talking about snow days that have been spent, personally. There’s not much value in tacking on to the end of the year and there are good reasons to respect teacher workdays. I’m sure others will disagree.

Then the alternative would extending the calendar from the start to avoid snow days leaving us below the minimum. But that isn't the path Taylor and the BoE took with next year's calendar. We only have one snow day built in. We should have 5 or 6.

+1. Why did they go in the opposite direction of what we needed? Very frustrating.

Because Taylor changed what would have been the first day of school to a transition day, and didn't replace it with another instructional day.

Ugh, why can’t they offer minimal instruction that day and count it as an instructional day? It’s crazy to use up a paid day for staff, open all of the schools, and run the buses, but not get to count it as an instructional day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would prefer if they shortened the school year. The lost days are gone. There is no productive way to add more days at the end of the year. It is just performative

That would violate state law.

True, but Maryland should change that as Virginia did.

The reality is that lessons are based more on days than the number of hours. Eliminating days necessarily means missing lessons.

I don’t mind that when we’re talking about snow days that have been spent, personally. There’s not much value in tacking on to the end of the year and there are good reasons to respect teacher workdays. I’m sure others will disagree.

Then the alternative would extending the calendar from the start to avoid snow days leaving us below the minimum. But that isn't the path Taylor and the BoE took with next year's calendar. We only have one snow day built in. We should have 5 or 6.

+1. Why did they go in the opposite direction of what we needed? Very frustrating.

Because Taylor changed what would have been the first day of school to a transition day, and didn't replace it with another instructional day.

Ugh, why can’t they offer minimal instruction that day and count it as an instructional day? It’s crazy to use up a paid day for staff, open all of the schools, and run the buses, but not get to count it as an instructional day.

A transition day is a fine idea, but we obviously need more school days. Several more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay let's move onto DCUM's next favorite topic: when are we making this day up?

They will ask for a waiver at this point.

I thought you had to use up all your potential makeup days in the calendar before getting a waiver?

DP. No, 3 days. After the next one (if there is one) they can apply for a waiver.

But why would we get a waiver if other school systems are virtual on snow days? I understand that there were changes made about how to implement virtual for snow days, but why should the state give a waiver when other counties managed to make it happen? Both Baltimore County and Anne Arundel are virtual tomorrow. It seems like they are making an attempt to keep instruction going while we are not.

Exactly. But upthread the "ad naseum" poster said MCP Board needs to discuss virtual option but won't or can't forgot which one, because the built in makeup days (such as holidays disguised as a teacher workdays) havent been used. Don't know when the next teacher workday is when students don't go to school. One year they used such a day in April when students had online asynchronous work and teachers still could get their workday.

I don’t think of teacher work days as holidays! I get 12-15 hours of grading done on those days, and then I finally get a weekend off the following weekend. It’s the chance for me to get work done *at work* for once.

[Anonymous]

MCPS needs to advocate with the MD DOE to count minutes of instruction, not days. Most states do this and it works out much better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would prefer if they shortened the school year. The lost days are gone. There is no productive way to add more days at the end of the year. It is just performative

That would violate state law.

True, but Maryland should change that as Virginia did.

The reality is that lessons are based more on days than the number of hours. Eliminating days necessarily means missing lessons.

I don’t mind that when we’re talking about snow days that have been spent, personally. There’s not much value in tacking on to the end of the year and there are good reasons to respect teacher workdays. I’m sure others will disagree.

Then the alternative would extending the calendar from the start to avoid snow days leaving us below the minimum. But that isn't the path Taylor and the BoE took with next year's calendar. We only have one snow day built in. We should have 5 or 6.

+1. Why did they go in the opposite direction of what we needed? Very frustrating.

Because Taylor changed what would have been the first day of school to a transition day, and didn't replace it with another instructional day.

Ugh, why can’t they offer minimal instruction that day and count it as an instructional day? It’s crazy to use up a paid day for staff, open all of the schools, and run the buses, but not get to count it as an instructional day.

When they presented about this in a meeting I attended, before it was finalized, someone asked whether it would count as a day of school. They said they were asking the state if it would, and were hoping it would because so many students would attend (not just transitional grades but also EMLs, SPED students, etc.). The state must have said that school won’t count if all students don’t attend.

[Anonymous]

Here's Prince George's calendar. They are subject to the same BRUTAL Maryland law but they make it the best possible. Even with the same Tuesday, August 26 start day it takes 3 cancelations to get to June 17 where as MC starts with June 17 and would go into the 4th week of June with 3 cancelations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's Prince George's calendar. They are subject to the same BRUTAL Maryland law but they make it the best possible. Even with the same Tuesday, August 26 start day it takes 3 cancelations to get to June 17 where as Montgomery County's last day with 0 or 1 cancelation is June 17. The 2nd cancelation would mean June 18 and the 3rd cancelation would go to the week of June 22 as June 19 is a holiday.

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/pgcps/Board.nsf/files/DCSSV473A6DD/$file/01.16.25%20BAS%20-%20PGCPS%202025-2026%20School%20Calendar%20klwFINAL2.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would prefer if they shortened the school year. The lost days are gone. There is no productive way to add more days at the end of the year. It is just performative

That would violate state law.

True, but Maryland should change that as Virginia did.

The reality is that lessons are based more on days than the number of hours. Eliminating days necessarily means missing lessons.

I don’t mind that when we’re talking about snow days that have been spent, personally. There’s not much value in tacking on to the end of the year and there are good reasons to respect teacher workdays. I’m sure others will disagree.

Then the alternative would extending the calendar from the start to avoid snow days leaving us below the minimum. But that isn't the path Taylor and the BoE took with next year's calendar. We only have one snow day built in. We should have 5 or 6.

+1. Why did they go in the opposite direction of what we needed? Very frustrating.

Because Taylor changed what would have been the first day of school to a transition day, and didn't replace it with another instructional day.

Ugh, why can’t they offer minimal instruction that day and count it as an instructional day? It’s crazy to use up a paid day for staff, open all of the schools, and run the buses, but not get to count it as an instructional day.

When they presented about this in a meeting I attended, before it was finalized, someone asked whether it would count as a day of school. They said they were asking the state if it would, and were hoping it would because so many students would attend (not just transitional grades but also EMLs, SPED students, etc.). The state must have said that school won’t count if all students don’t attend.

We have a friend in NC whose school system lets incoming kindergarteners come in for a few days in the spring and do sample lessons. Here in MoCo parents get looked at funny if they ask for so much as a 10 minute tour of the building with their kid before the chaotic open house in August. Come on people. We can do better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's Prince George's calendar. They are subject to the same BRUTAL Maryland law but they make it the best possible. Even with the same Tuesday, August 26 start day it takes 3 cancelations to get to June 17 where as MC starts with June 17 and would go into the 4th week of June with 3 cancelations.

Huh? In what sense does MCPS start with June 17? The original last day of school was June 13 (Friday). The third snow day extended that to June 16 (Monday). We will need at least one more makeup day for this week's snow day, and potentially one or two more for next week, but that still would not go into the 4th week of June.