Earlier start date proposed for MCPS

[Anonymous]

Item 6.1 School Calendar was supposed to be at 11:35 am following public comments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Item 6.1 School Calendar was supposed to be at 11:35 am following public comments.

But I don't think it was discussed in the closed session earlier. I turned on at 11:03, so it's possible something was said before that and I missed it.

Makes you wonder WTF is going on. They are going through all these items scheduled for 2 pm and later.

[Anonymous]

I would love to see an audit of the teacher "vote" that recommended starting mid-week and days earlier. I call BS on that.

[Anonymous]

Fire drill??? This meeting is a riot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Item 6.1 School Calendar was supposed to be at 11:35 am following public comments.

But I don't think it was discussed in the closed session earlier. I turned on at 11:03, so it's possible something was said before that and I missed it.

Makes you wonder WTF is going on. They are going through all these items scheduled for 2 pm and later.

I think that it would violate the Open Meetings Act to discuss the school calendar during the closed session. But I am not a lawyer.

[Anonymous]

From the Bethesda Beat Twitter Feed:

Expected vote on next year's MCPS school year calendar won't happen today. Discussion has been taken off Board of Education agenda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From the Bethesda Beat Twitter Feed:

Expected vote on next year's MCPS school year calendar won't happen today. Discussion has been taken off Board of Education agenda.

Any indication on when it will happen? I guess they are going back to MCPS planning staff for some other solution????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From the Bethesda Beat Twitter Feed:

Expected vote on next year's MCPS school year calendar won't happen today. Discussion has been taken off Board of Education agenda.

The approval of the agenda was item 4.3. I came in as Bowers was speaking about 4.4 Anyone happen to have been tuned in for 4.3?

[Anonymous]

How long does it take for the video of the meeting to be posted?

[Anonymous]

http://www.bethesdamagazine.com/Bethesda-Beat/2015/Board-of-Education-Delays-Decision-on-Moving-Up-Start-of-2016-2017-School-Year/

[Anonymous]

The spokesperson says he doesn't know why the item was removed from the agenda - but I think we know why. Good job on the emails folks. A major calendar change on short notice without the opportunity for full public betting and comment is bad on at least 3 levels. I am glad e BOE took a pause on this one.

[Anonymous]

*vetting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://www.bethesdamagazine.com/Bethesda-Beat/2015/Board-of-Education-Delays-Decision-on-Moving-Up-Start-of-2016-2017-School-Year/

Thanks. Best line of the article is "He didn’t immediately know why the item had been removed from the agenda or when it might be discussed."

I can answer that... they got more than enough emails saying something to the effect of "You can't be serious!"

Major thanks to OP for at least getting the BOE to think twice about their decision.

[Anonymous]

Yes - thanks to the OP!

I would not have known about this if I didn't see this post (and I follow them on twitter!). I was able to get my comments in under the wire last night with an acknowledgment this morning that they were received and shared.

It's ridiculous that they thought this can be passed through without any public input. It seems like a case of accommodating those that scream the loudest as opposed to having some thoughtful discussions with everyone that would be impacted by this decision. There are several much better alternatives that can be put in place until a formal decision is made and I suggested they make a decision, with input, and implement with the 2017 school year. It makes me lose what little faith I already had with the BOE decision making process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes - thanks to the OP!

I would not have known about this if I didn't see this post (and I follow them on twitter!). I was able to get my comments in under the wire last night with an acknowledgment this morning that they were received and shared.

It's ridiculous that they thought this can be passed through without any public input. It seems like a case of accommodating those that scream the loudest as opposed to having some thoughtful discussions with everyone that would be impacted by this decision. There are several much better alternatives that can be put in place until a formal decision is made and I suggested they make a decision, with input, and implement with the 2017 school year. It makes me lose what little faith I already had with the BOE decision making process.

I am so freaking mad at Barclay. (I said this around page 6 or 7.) HE put us in this position without offering any suggestion of a solution. Why couldn't his motion for the holiday/workday have been effective for the 2017-2018 calendar?

And calling it a day of PD is not fair to our Muslim teachers. So if they are going to observe the holiday, they lose out on a needed workday? Way to go, MCPS!

The men who spoke today in support of Diwali... I wasn't sure to laugh or cry. But the precedent has been set by the Eid decision. I think they suggested using a teacher workday, as well!