Yay! Another religious holiday!

[Anonymous]

My kids like the little breaks to catch up on work and just have a-little time to relax.

[Anonymous]

Same, DC is at a homework heavy ES that took him 2-3 hours daily to finish, so those days off really means a lot for him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Same, DC is at a homework heavy ES that took him 2-3 hours daily to finish, so those days off really means a lot for him.

Omg. That seems cruel for elementary. The policy in FCPS for HIGH school is max 30 minutes/course/meeting, so no more than 2 hours max (realistically more like 1 since some classes are PE/electives)

3 hours in elementary?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:We've had 3 (4?) religious holidays so far this year... and endless more to come.

Liberals fought hard to remove any entanglement between public school and Christian religion, now these hypocrites can't add enough religious holidays to the schedule.

Wish my kids were in school and learning. Wish the School Board even cared about that.

+1. I don't know a single family in my neighborhood that is happy about the calendar. In fact, I know zero parents who appreciate this - my fellow liberals included.
We rightfully expect our kids to be in school. Employers don't give us 9 4 day work weeks in the fall so it is unreasonable to expect that families with young kids can sustain this.

I cannot wait to oust this school board. They have zero interest in bettering the education of our children and spend 100% of their time in performance liberalism.

+2 - Perfectly said! I can't wait to oust this school board either, and give them the finger while they exit the door.

So dumb. This thread is a perfect encapsulation of the crap that the SB has to deal with. There is absolutely no agreement and everyone thinks that they are the smartest in the room.

So here’s my two cents - the current calendar is pretty much as good as it gets and they should lock it in long-term. It is an elegant way to both provide necessary teacher workdays while giving a nod to the diversity of the families that attend FCPS. It provides a traditional winter and spring break while no making the summer break excessively long.

I don’t for a second believe that my kid is being “harmed” by several 4 day weeks. That’s nutty.

The multitude of 4 day school weeks leans wealthy, upper class, which this district caters to. It assumes that parents will be home with kids, take off work and/or pay for back up childcare (not everyone has a HS Sr.). If parents have to take off those days, that's 8 days of PTO and/or vacation. Not all of us are feds. DH and I are not and we don't get fed days off. 8 days is significant. And to boot, my kid also had to take a sick day today so that was another day off for one of us. We know that sick days happen and are prepared for them. But the litany of religious observances backed by teacher workdays is just not in tune with the working world.

The Board assumes that parents don't (need to) work. In an area which is overwhelmingly dual income households, that assumption is incredibly misplaced, and it is a slap in the face to the vast majority of us who do work when the board closes school for each and every minority holiday. It is just not sustainable, no matter how many performance points you think you get.

Kids can stay home alone from 6th grade up. They don't need to be a senior in HS. DH and I work full time and are not feds and we have older kids and appreciate the days off for them. You can't please everyone. 6th-12th graders are just as important as K - 5th. The older kids need the reprieve. You will be there one day and see, if your kid is college bound.

+1 My junior needs every break she can get.

There are also more 6-12th grade students than there are K-5th grade students. If you're going to lean one way, majority should rule. I don't think parents realize how stressful HS is for these kids and their mental health, especially AP or IB classes. They need the breaks and they can't just lighten their schedule or it hurts their college chances. Not just for admittance but merit money. Despite what people think, everyone in FCPS is not rich. Many students are chasing merit because their parents make too much for financial aid but not enough to afford so many of these schools. So the students have to take a lot of tough classes.

If your kids are incapable of going to school 5 days a week and need eight 4-day school weeks in a period of 2.5 months, I would take a look at whether or not they can actually handle college.

Not PP but this makes no sense. College schedules are chosen by students (sometimes you do get stuck with a crap class time). They take 15 credit hours a semester. They don't even have classes every day, on most days. And they certainly do not have class for 6 hours and 45 mins a day. Have YOU even been to college?

Yes, I went to HS, college and law school when academics used to be difficult. Per the moms on DCUM, we cannot even expect our children to go to school 5 days a week because it is too stressful for them. Can't wait to see how prepared these kids are for the working world. I'm sure they'll accomplish loads. Will they need a mid-work day nap, too? No wonder 60% of STEM grad students in this country are foreign born. US kids cannot handle anything remotely challenging - going to school FT for one.

It doesn't sound like you have been to college or law school if you cannot understand how much more free time it offers than HS. Academics are difficult. Even more so than when you went. No one said we can't expect kids to go 5 days a week. Some of us are saying the breaks are welcome. Kids will do what needs to be done. If you asked for 7 days, they'd do it, but the point was as a parent of HS kids, the breaks are appreciated for my already stressed-out teen. I have young adults in the workforce who had breaks in FCPS and somehow have graduated college just fine and are accomplishing "loads." One is in STEM, the other in business school and both are doing just fine. I agree with whoever wrote the above about needed breaks for students and those who agree. If you don't like it, leave. Many of us think it's a welcome reprieve.

+1,000

I had far less free time in engineering school than high school. There were courses where i literally lived in a lab for weeks on end.

Engineer here. I too, recall countless hours living in a lab. However, instead of being forced to sit still, be alert, and use active listening skills for 6.5 hours I listened to music, moved around, took naps in the lab, snuck in snacks, talked to people. It was more time but less exhausting than high school. I graduated summa cum laude with an EE degree and found it challenging but not exhausting. I didn't go to a top school but University of Texas at Austin wasn't known as an easy school either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Same, DC is at a homework heavy ES that took him 2-3 hours daily to finish, so those days off really means a lot for him.

Check with the Teacher. My kids school sends incomplete school work home to be completed. I would bet that your kids homework is work he isn’t doing at school. If that is the case, maybe you should be talking to your child and find out why they are not finishing work at school. Is it because he is struggling with the material? If so, you should write in asking for him to be tested for learning issues. Is it because he is goofing off? Then he needs to stop goofing off at school and do his work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Same, DC is at a homework heavy ES that took him 2-3 hours daily to finish, so those days off really means a lot for him.

What FCPS ES is that heavy on homework?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Kids do NOT need the breaks. School is already so easy. Academics are at all time low. It's pathetic that parents think their kids can't handle 5 days/week of school.

Speak for yourself. My kid is doing just fine. And I absolutely think they need breaks. You point to academics only but the stress on these kids is at an all time high and that is due to many reasons discussed ad nauseum on here. They need a break and can still have consistency w/o their a---es in a seat 5 days/week. College, grad school . . . they won't be in class 5 days/ week. By HS, they for sure do not need to be 5 days a week all day.

School (FCPS) is not stressful. If your kids are stressed, it's because of something else.

Your kid must go to Mount Vernon or something.

+1

+2. Varsity athlete, 2 Clubs, all honors, 1 AP (in lower grade HS). HW every night plus practice. Kid needs a break. I'm fine with some days off and a longer winter break. But would prefer no explicit recognition (days off) for religious holidays. Religion does not belong in public schools, Christian, Jewish, Muslim or anything else. Re: winter break and Christmas, you can dispense with that if you want, we won't be in school over the holidays and most people want. So your school days won't see much new material anyway. Have at it . . .

You’re contradicting yourself.

You’re holidays matter but other peoples holidays should not belong in public school? How about we move winter break to the end of the quarter? Would you still not show up to school for two weeks around Christmas?

[Anonymous]

Yay! Another snarky and blindingly self-interested post on DCUM! Thanks OP!

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Kids do NOT need the breaks. School is already so easy. Academics are at all time low. It's pathetic that parents think their kids can't handle 5 days/week of school.

Speak for yourself. My kid is doing just fine. And I absolutely think they need breaks. You point to academics only but the stress on these kids is at an all time high and that is due to many reasons discussed ad nauseum on here. They need a break and can still have consistency w/o their a---es in a seat 5 days/week. College, grad school . . . they won't be in class 5 days/ week. By HS, they for sure do not need to be 5 days a week all day.

School (FCPS) is not stressful. If your kids are stressed, it's because of something else.

Your kid must go to Mount Vernon or something.

+1

+2. Varsity athlete, 2 Clubs, all honors, 1 AP (in lower grade HS). HW every night plus practice. Kid needs a break. I'm fine with some days off and a longer winter break. But would prefer no explicit recognition (days off) for religious holidays. Religion does not belong in public schools, Christian, Jewish, Muslim or anything else. Re: winter break and Christmas, you can dispense with that if you want, we won't be in school over the holidays and most people want. So your school days won't see much new material anyway. Have at it . . .

You’re contradicting yourself.

You’re holidays matter but other peoples holidays should not belong in public school? How about we move winter break to the end of the quarter? Would you still not show up to school for two weeks around Christmas?

Can you read? Christmas matters to me. I don't give a rat's behind if it is celebrated in school. How is that a contradiction?

We would not be in school for the week between Christmas and New Years, no. And a lot of other people wouldn't either, including teachers. THAT is why winter break is what it is (at some point it doesn't make sense to proceed b/c of lack of attendance). But, break changed, our plans wouldn't.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Kids do NOT need the breaks. School is already so easy. Academics are at all time low. It's pathetic that parents think their kids can't handle 5 days/week of school.

Speak for yourself. My kid is doing just fine. And I absolutely think they need breaks. You point to academics only but the stress on these kids is at an all time high and that is due to many reasons discussed ad nauseum on here. They need a break and can still have consistency w/o their a---es in a seat 5 days/week. College, grad school . . . they won't be in class 5 days/ week. By HS, they for sure do not need to be 5 days a week all day.

School (FCPS) is not stressful. If your kids are stressed, it's because of something else.

Your kid must go to Mount Vernon or something.

+1

+2. Varsity athlete, 2 Clubs, all honors, 1 AP (in lower grade HS). HW every night plus practice. Kid needs a break. I'm fine with some days off and a longer winter break. But would prefer no explicit recognition (days off) for religious holidays. Religion does not belong in public schools, Christian, Jewish, Muslim or anything else. Re: winter break and Christmas, you can dispense with that if you want, we won't be in school over the holidays and most people want. So your school days won't see much new material anyway. Have at it . . .

You’re contradicting yourself.

You’re holidays matter but other peoples holidays should not belong in public school? How about we move winter break to the end of the quarter? Would you still not show up to school for two weeks around Christmas?

Can you read? Christmas matters to me. I don't give a rat's behind if it is celebrated in school. How is that a contradiction?

We would not be in school for the week between Christmas and New Years, no. And a lot of other people wouldn't either, including teachers. THAT is why winter break is what it is (at some point it doesn't make sense to proceed b/c of lack of attendance). But, break changed, our plans wouldn't.

I think PP is objecting to a full two weeks off for Christmas. You not being there between Christmas and New Years makes sense. Needing the full week before Christmas as well is ridiculous, especially when complaining about one day off for other religious holidays. By the way, many Jews celebrate two days of Rosh Hashanah, so it's not even like they got their full holy day off. Diwali is five days, but they only got one day off to celebrate. Christmas, meanwhile, is one day, and we get a whole week for it. Not to say that Winter Break shouldn't be the full week between Christmas and New Year's, given that New Year's is so close to it, but just pointing out that it's hypocritical to complain about four single days off for other faiths.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Kids do NOT need the breaks. School is already so easy. Academics are at all time low. It's pathetic that parents think their kids can't handle 5 days/week of school.

Speak for yourself. My kid is doing just fine. And I absolutely think they need breaks. You point to academics only but the stress on these kids is at an all time high and that is due to many reasons discussed ad nauseum on here. They need a break and can still have consistency w/o their a---es in a seat 5 days/week. College, grad school . . . they won't be in class 5 days/ week. By HS, they for sure do not need to be 5 days a week all day.

School (FCPS) is not stressful. If your kids are stressed, it's because of something else.

Your kid must go to Mount Vernon or something.

+1

+2. Varsity athlete, 2 Clubs, all honors, 1 AP (in lower grade HS). HW every night plus practice. Kid needs a break. I'm fine with some days off and a longer winter break. But would prefer no explicit recognition (days off) for religious holidays. Religion does not belong in public schools, Christian, Jewish, Muslim or anything else. Re: winter break and Christmas, you can dispense with that if you want, we won't be in school over the holidays and most people want. So your school days won't see much new material anyway. Have at it . . .

You’re contradicting yourself.

You’re holidays matter but other peoples holidays should not belong in public school? How about we move winter break to the end of the quarter? Would you still not show up to school for two weeks around Christmas?

Can you read? Christmas matters to me. I don't give a rat's behind if it is celebrated in school. How is that a contradiction?

We would not be in school for the week between Christmas and New Years, no. And a lot of other people wouldn't either, including teachers. THAT is why winter break is what it is (at some point it doesn't make sense to proceed b/c of lack of attendance). But, break changed, our plans wouldn't.

I think PP is objecting to a full two weeks off for Christmas. You not being there between Christmas and New Years makes sense. Needing the full week before Christmas as well is ridiculous, especially when complaining about one day off for other religious holidays. By the way, many Jews celebrate two days of Rosh Hashanah, so it's not even like they got their full holy day off. Diwali is five days, but they only got one day off to celebrate. Christmas, meanwhile, is one day, and we get a whole week for it. Not to say that Winter Break shouldn't be the full week between Christmas and New Year's, given that New Year's is so close to it, but just pointing out that it's hypocritical to complain about four single days off for other faiths.

I think the two weeks is more because of families traveling abroad to visit their families. International travel is expensive and time consuming. There are a lot of families who are traveling to Asia and Europe, i know families who take an extra week or two. That is the reason for the 2 week vacation, not Christmas celebrations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Kids do NOT need the breaks. School is already so easy. Academics are at all time low. It's pathetic that parents think their kids can't handle 5 days/week of school.

Speak for yourself. My kid is doing just fine. And I absolutely think they need breaks. You point to academics only but the stress on these kids is at an all time high and that is due to many reasons discussed ad nauseum on here. They need a break and can still have consistency w/o their a---es in a seat 5 days/week. College, grad school . . . they won't be in class 5 days/ week. By HS, they for sure do not need to be 5 days a week all day.

School (FCPS) is not stressful. If your kids are stressed, it's because of something else.

Your kid must go to Mount Vernon or something.

+1

+2. Varsity athlete, 2 Clubs, all honors, 1 AP (in lower grade HS). HW every night plus practice. Kid needs a break. I'm fine with some days off and a longer winter break. But would prefer no explicit recognition (days off) for religious holidays. Religion does not belong in public schools, Christian, Jewish, Muslim or anything else. Re: winter break and Christmas, you can dispense with that if you want, we won't be in school over the holidays and most people want. So your school days won't see much new material anyway. Have at it . . .

You’re contradicting yourself.

You’re holidays matter but other peoples holidays should not belong in public school? How about we move winter break to the end of the quarter? Would you still not show up to school for two weeks around Christmas?

Can you read? Christmas matters to me. I don't give a rat's behind if it is celebrated in school. How is that a contradiction?

We would not be in school for the week between Christmas and New Years, no. And a lot of other people wouldn't either, including teachers. THAT is why winter break is what it is (at some point it doesn't make sense to proceed b/c of lack of attendance). But, break changed, our plans wouldn't.

I think PP is objecting to a full two weeks off for Christmas. You not being there between Christmas and New Years makes sense. Needing the full week before Christmas as well is ridiculous, especially when complaining about one day off for other religious holidays. By the way, many Jews celebrate two days of Rosh Hashanah, so it's not even like they got their full holy day off. Diwali is five days, but they only got one day off to celebrate. Christmas, meanwhile, is one day, and we get a whole week for it. Not to say that Winter Break shouldn't be the full week between Christmas and New Year's, given that New Year's is so close to it, but just pointing out that it's hypocritical to complain about four single days off for other faiths.

I think the two weeks is more because of families traveling abroad to visit their families. International travel is expensive and time consuming. There are a lot of families who are traveling to Asia and Europe, i know families who take an extra week or two. That is the reason for the 2 week vacation, not Christmas celebrations.

As a family that would travel internationally to visit overseas family during winter break, let me assure you that we would MUCH prefer to have a longer break at the end of the quarter.

Ticket prices and the madhouse of travel during Christmas is awful.

[Anonymous]

The only profession that takes long breaks is teaching

[Anonymous]

All holidays should be astronomically based. Shortest day, longest day, quarter days etc. Convince me I am wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only profession that takes long breaks is teaching

They deserve it