School calendar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of younger kids whined about starting school earlier because they wanted to keep their cheap beach rentals in late August. Now they want to end earlier. Can’t have it both ways.

Here's an idea... let's not have a freaking 2 week winter break and a holiday for every little group that wants it to be "fair". Schools north of here go to school until 12/22 or 23 depending on the year. Fewer holidays = shorter school year. Trying to please everyone ends up pleasing no one. It is ridiculous to start 2 weeks before Labor Day and not end until mid-June.

No, just have holidays for your big group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of younger kids whined about starting school earlier because they wanted to keep their cheap beach rentals in late August. Now they want to end earlier. Can’t have it both ways.

Here's an idea... let's not have a freaking 2 week winter break and a holiday for every little group that wants it to be "fair". Schools north of here go to school until 12/22 or 23 depending on the year. Fewer holidays = shorter school year. Trying to please everyone ends up pleasing no one. It is ridiculous to start 2 weeks before Labor Day and not end until mid-June.

This. The two week winter break mandate that came about several years ago is ridiculous. FCPS used to go to school right up until the 23rd.

No. The school year needs longer breaks embedded throughout the year and a shorter summer. I would like to see a calendar similar (or exactly the same) as the British school calendar.

Hope you’re all planning to sign up as teachers to support that calendar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of younger kids whined about starting school earlier because they wanted to keep their cheap beach rentals in late August. Now they want to end earlier. Can’t have it both ways.

Here's an idea... let's not have a freaking 2 week winter break and a holiday for every little group that wants it to be "fair". Schools north of here go to school until 12/22 or 23 depending on the year. Fewer holidays = shorter school year. Trying to please everyone ends up pleasing no one. It is ridiculous to start 2 weeks before Labor Day and not end until mid-June.

This. The two week winter break mandate that came about several years ago is ridiculous. FCPS used to go to school right up until the 23rd.

No. The school year needs longer breaks embedded throughout the year and a shorter summer. I would like to see a calendar similar (or exactly the same) as the British school calendar.

Hope you’re all planning to sign up as teachers to support that calendar.

Exactly, remember they are also employers - and have to consider employee satisfaction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of younger kids whined about starting school earlier because they wanted to keep their cheap beach rentals in late August. Now they want to end earlier. Can’t have it both ways.

Here's an idea... let's not have a freaking 2 week winter break and a holiday for every little group that wants it to be "fair". Schools north of here go to school until 12/22 or 23 depending on the year. Fewer holidays = shorter school year. Trying to please everyone ends up pleasing no one. It is ridiculous to start 2 weeks before Labor Day and not end until mid-June.

Even if they want the 2 week winter break, it would have made far more sense to have them go Monday and Tuesday of what is currently the 1st week of winter break and then just do a 13 day break this year. If a 2 day week is fine for the week before Thanksgiving, it should be fine for that week also. HS/MS could have those 2 days to do any exams or have any project deadlines so the kids have that last weekend to work/study and elementary could do their parties or fluff days for just those two days with a more natural break of "we'll keep working as normal until the friday before".

If they remain unwilling to do partial weeks, what is their plan for 2023? Kids last day on 12/15 and then come back for 1/3?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of younger kids whined about starting school earlier because they wanted to keep their cheap beach rentals in late August. Now they want to end earlier. Can’t have it both ways.

Here's an idea... let's not have a freaking 2 week winter break and a holiday for every little group that wants it to be "fair". Schools north of here go to school until 12/22 or 23 depending on the year. Fewer holidays = shorter school year. Trying to please everyone ends up pleasing no one. It is ridiculous to start 2 weeks before Labor Day and not end until mid-June.

This. The two week winter break mandate that came about several years ago is ridiculous. FCPS used to go to school right up until the 23rd.

No. The school year needs longer breaks embedded throughout the year and a shorter summer. I would like to see a calendar similar (or exactly the same) as the British school calendar.

Hope you’re all planning to sign up as teachers to support that calendar.

If they do this I will quit. Many teachers will quit. If we wanted year round school we would seek out a school that has that calendar, or teach summer school. The job is stressful and that long break in the summer is a tradition that we need to keep. I’m already feeling annoyed that I’m losing a whole week this summer and thinking that they better switch it back next year if I’m going to stick around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of younger kids whined about starting school earlier because they wanted to keep their cheap beach rentals in late August. Now they want to end earlier. Can’t have it both ways.

Here's an idea... let's not have a freaking 2 week winter break and a holiday for every little group that wants it to be "fair". Schools north of here go to school until 12/22 or 23 depending on the year. Fewer holidays = shorter school year. Trying to please everyone ends up pleasing no one. It is ridiculous to start 2 weeks before Labor Day and not end until mid-June.

Even if they want the 2 week winter break, it would have made far more sense to have them go Monday and Tuesday of what is currently the 1st week of winter break and then just do a 13 day break this year. If a 2 day week is fine for the week before Thanksgiving, it should be fine for that week also. HS/MS could have those 2 days to do any exams or have any project deadlines so the kids have that last weekend to work/study and elementary could do their parties or fluff days for just those two days with a more natural break of "we'll keep working as normal until the friday before".

If they remain unwilling to do partial weeks, what is their plan for 2023? Kids last day on 12/15 and then come back for 1/3?

Yes, a few ago the dates were very close to those that you mentioned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of younger kids whined about starting school earlier because they wanted to keep their cheap beach rentals in late August. Now they want to end earlier. Can’t have it both ways.

Here's an idea... let's not have a freaking 2 week winter break and a holiday for every little group that wants it to be "fair". Schools north of here go to school until 12/22 or 23 depending on the year. Fewer holidays = shorter school year. Trying to please everyone ends up pleasing no one. It is ridiculous to start 2 weeks before Labor Day and not end until mid-June.

This. The two week winter break mandate that came about several years ago is ridiculous. FCPS used to go to school right up until the 23rd.

No. The school year needs longer breaks embedded throughout the year and a shorter summer. I would like to see a calendar similar (or exactly the same) as the British school calendar.

Hope you’re all planning to sign up as teachers to support that calendar.

If they do this I will quit. Many teachers will quit. If we wanted year round school we would seek out a school that has that calendar, or teach summer school. The job is stressful and that long break in the summer is a tradition that we need to keep. I’m already feeling annoyed that I’m losing a whole week this summer and thinking that they better switch it back next year if I’m going to stick around.

+1 People were grumbling about this during our staff meeting yesterday. The summer break is not even really that “long”. We start August 12 and end June 20. What’s really lousy is out of the 6 days before students return, only two are designated as TW (teacher workdays).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just looked and next year it goes even later, to June 16...how can that be??

Because they decided we need Jewish holidays off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hasn’t the last week of school always been downtime? It doesn’t matter when you start, I feel like SOLs and exams are done one week before so the last week is always fooling around and kids acting up.

Agreed. Unless you want wrap up testing/projects til the very last day of school with no chance for makeups for legitimate reasons, the last week will always be downtime. I'm fine with it.

I assume if we're going later into June next year, the SOLs will also be later than the were this year so the ratio of "downtime" will stay the same.

No. VDOE sets the testing window. It runs through May. Starting the year earlier benefits students in test prep but the later end of the school year just adds down time. Regardless of cool and creative learning activities and report card threats, students know they are done after SOLs.

VDOE's Grades 3-8 Online and Paper SOL Non-Writing Tests window goes until June. Spring 2022 window was from April 11-June 24. Same end date for the VAAP tests. Spring 2023 window will be April 10 – June 23, 2023. I don't see FCPS pushing the testing window back because historically, SOL testing for Grades 3-8 occurs in May. If FCPS does change it next year, it will be because of the timing of the NEW WINTER Virginia Growth Assessments (November 28, 2022 – February 17, 2023). Per the VDOE, full implementation of HB2027/SB1357 requiring reading and math assessments for grades 3-8 three times a year (fall, winter, spring) goes into effect SY2022-2023.

https://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/test_administration/testing_calendars/2022-2023-vap-test-admin-dates.pdf

https://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/test_administration/growth-assessment/index.shtml

https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?212+sum+HB2027

[Anonymous]

I want a shorter summer break (6 weeks) and two weeks between quarters. So, I would like school to go to the end of June and start in Mid-August. Having a long summer break is based on old agriculture practices and not really an efficient way to educate our children. Plus, I would move the end of year testing to June.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hasn’t the last week of school always been downtime? It doesn’t matter when you start, I feel like SOLs and exams are done one week before so the last week is always fooling around and kids acting up.

Agreed. Unless you want wrap up testing/projects til the very last day of school with no chance for makeups for legitimate reasons, the last week will always be downtime. I'm fine with it.

I assume if we're going later into June next year, the SOLs will also be later than the were this year so the ratio of "downtime" will stay the same.

No. VDOE sets the testing window. It runs through May. Starting the year earlier benefits students in test prep but the later end of the school year just adds down time. Regardless of cool and creative learning activities and report card threats, students know they are done after SOLs.

VDOE's Grades 3-8 Online and Paper SOL Non-Writing Tests window goes until June. Spring 2022 window was from April 11-June 24. Same end date for the VAAP tests. Spring 2023 window will be April 10 – June 23, 2023. I don't see FCPS pushing the testing window back because historically, SOL testing for Grades 3-8 occurs in May. If FCPS does change it next year, it will be because of the timing of the NEW WINTER Virginia Growth Assessments (November 28, 2022 – February 17, 2023). Per the VDOE, full implementation of HB2027/SB1357 requiring reading and math assessments for grades 3-8 three times a year (fall, winter, spring) goes into effect SY2022-2023.

https://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/test_administration/testing_calendars/2022-2023-vap-test-admin-dates.pdf

https://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/test_administration/growth-assessment/index.shtml

https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?212+sum+HB2027

Does this replace the iReady? I really hope they aren't doing both!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents of younger kids whined about starting school earlier because they wanted to keep their cheap beach rentals in late August. Now they want to end earlier. Can’t have it both ways.

Here's an idea... let's not have a freaking 2 week winter break and a holiday for every little group that wants it to be "fair". Schools north of here go to school until 12/22 or 23 depending on the year. Fewer holidays = shorter school year. Trying to please everyone ends up pleasing no one. It is ridiculous to start 2 weeks before Labor Day and not end until mid-June.

This. The two week winter break mandate that came about several years ago is ridiculous. FCPS used to go to school right up until the 23rd.

No. The school year needs longer breaks embedded throughout the year and a shorter summer. I would like to see a calendar similar (or exactly the same) as the British school calendar.

Hope you’re all planning to sign up as teachers to support that calendar.

90% of these folks would last 2-3 weeks in a classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hasn’t the last week of school always been downtime? It doesn’t matter when you start, I feel like SOLs and exams are done one week before so the last week is always fooling around and kids acting up.

Agreed. Unless you want wrap up testing/projects til the very last day of school with no chance for makeups for legitimate reasons, the last week will always be downtime. I'm fine with it.

I assume if we're going later into June next year, the SOLs will also be later than the were this year so the ratio of "downtime" will stay the same.

No. VDOE sets the testing window. It runs through May. Starting the year earlier benefits students in test prep but the later end of the school year just adds down time. Regardless of cool and creative learning activities and report card threats, students know they are done after SOLs.

VDOE's Grades 3-8 Online and Paper SOL Non-Writing Tests window goes until June. Spring 2022 window was from April 11-June 24. Same end date for the VAAP tests. Spring 2023 window will be April 10 – June 23, 2023. I don't see FCPS pushing the testing window back because historically, SOL testing for Grades 3-8 occurs in May. If FCPS does change it next year, it will be because of the timing of the NEW WINTER Virginia Growth Assessments (November 28, 2022 – February 17, 2023). Per the VDOE, full implementation of HB2027/SB1357 requiring reading and math assessments for grades 3-8 three times a year (fall, winter, spring) goes into effect SY2022-2023.

https://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/test_administration/testing_calendars/2022-2023-vap-test-admin-dates.pdf

https://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/test_administration/growth-assessment/index.shtml

https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?212+sum+HB2027

Does this replace the iReady? I really hope they aren't doing both!!

Doesn’t replace IReady. So dumb we gave to test kids this much! Write your SB members.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just looked and next year it goes even later, to June 16...how can that be??

Because they decided we need Jewish holidays off.

And Muslim and Hindi and Greek Orthodox.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just looked and next year it goes even later, to June 16...how can that be??

Because they decided we need Jewish holidays off.

And Muslim and Hindi and Greek Orthodox.

And Chinese New Year! FCPS just can't take enough days off.