Earlier start date proposed for MCPS
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Anonymous
Probably not, because they don't do that. I just looked it up, and the school district I went to, in the Midwest, doesn't close on Columbus Day or Veteran's Day either. The first day of school was August 24 this year, and the last day will be May 25, for 175 days of school, including one-hour early dismissal every Thursday. |
Anonymous
Why do you think that it "completely messes up the calendar" to start on the preceding Wednesday? |
Anonymous
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My MIL who lives in New England can't believe that we don't get more days off. They start after Labor Day, are off for RH & YK, close for Columbus Day, Veterans Day AND Patriots Day, and also get a week-long February vacation in addition to winter break and spring break. There are more half days and at least as many Professional Days. They only get out a few days later than we do. Every year she asks for us to come visit her during February vacation and every year I have to tell her that doesn't exist here.
The parents here (or at least on DCUM) would flip with that kind of school schedule. I personally would love it. And yes, DH and I both WOH full time. How do states decide the minimum # of instructional days, and why is there so much of a difference among states? Sorry this was off-topic for MD public schools, but it is interesting to see how other states schedule their calendars. Back on-topic, I do not think that MCPS should be rearranging the calendar for this religious holiday that doesn't seem to be presenting an operational issue. If it's truly an operational issue, then they should just close schools for staff and students and move the school year back by one day if they really need to be that rigid. One extra day off isn't going to prevent kids from getting into Harvard.. |
Anonymous
They were both the years that the accepted holidays were decided upon by the board. My guess is it started in the following school calendar year or two after so either 1974-75 or 1975-76. Many school districts starting to remove those two holidays when they added on other holidays or days off, especially once teachers were mandated paid work days in their contracts. Instead of adding days to the calendar, some counties were removing holidays. Heck, I remember getting off for GW and Abe's birthdays in ES. They combined them and switched it to just President's Day in the 70's. Anyway, there are still counties like St Mary's, Calvert etc.. that have off for these holidays. Only Mont, Fred, How, and Balt County give off for Jewish holidays. The rest of the counties still have school on Jewish holidays. My guess is that their absentees are similar to what ours is for Eid right now. Not enough for a day off. |
Anonymous
Because it basically means a week when you can't take a family vacation. We can't take one earlier because we already signed up for camps that end the week before, thinking we could travel the week before school starts. |
Anonymous
| Camp $$ should be pretty refundable at this early date. |
Anonymous
It would be refundable but then our child couldn't go to sleepaway camp next summer. That is a disruption that is caused by the late notice. |
Anonymous
| Move it to a different week? |
Anonymous
I don't mean this as criticism of you, PP. I understand that you're doing everything you need to do, but it's sad that we live in a world that 9 months in advance is short notice. |
Anonymous
You shouldn't presume to know everything about every camp and family situation/plans. It is not too early to be buying tickets and making camp plans. In fact. that is what is required for the best rates and for a spot. It's probably true that refunds might be available for camps that are located in Montgomery Cty that very week but that doesn't cover all summer plans. The calendar was first proposed over a year ago and MCPS has always opened one week before Labor Day. This is a significant change and there was not enough public notice. |
Anonymous
I am not going to detail everything but no, that isn't possible. MCSL runs a certain amount of weeks in the summer. My child then goes to sleepaway camp. The end of the summer is the only time for vacation. I had already put a lot of work into figuring out this schedule and this is the first year in the many years we've had kids in MCPS that the calendar has changed like this. |
Anonymous
It hasn't changed yet. Please, if you haven't yet done so, write to the Board and tell them you oppose the proposed change. |
Anonymous
Have you compared to the schools in New England how long are their school days? My friends in MN told me they have less school days, but their school days are longer. So if count by hours, they have longer school year than ours. MCPS elementary schools only have 6hrs 25mins each day, the shortest school days I have ever heard. |
Anonymous
| In order to accommodate the Muslim religious holiday we are now going to inconvenience all the working parents who now have to find some type of childcare for 2 days (8/22,23) because school will now start on Wednesday instead of a Monday. I guess we don't matter. |
Anonymous
Yes, whatever your concerns, please let the BOE know. They vote on Tuesday! Many parents have no idea that this calendar change is pending. |