APS proposed school year calendar up

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In all the fighting over the first day of school, no one paid attention to the last. I emailed and emailed. June 18 is late to be getting out. And, folks, the religious holidays are why. That’s the difference. I’m happy if they keep them. But they need to find other days to cut.

The religious holidays are only four days. They could keep them and get rid of other random days off (like grade prep days) and have kids come to school on veterans day.

Why do you think grade prep days are less important than religious holidays?

I work in APS and I agree. When I taught in NY we never had grade prep days. Especially now with electronic grading. So dumb.

I’m guessing you’re not an elementary classroom teacher. We have to input everything into Synergy then write lengthy comments. (And input those into Synergy too.)

I have twins with very different academic strengths and personalities. The comments from their elementary school APS teachers were always exactly the same. I don't think most teachers are writing something unique for each kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In all the fighting over the first day of school, no one paid attention to the last. I emailed and emailed. June 18 is late to be getting out. And, folks, the religious holidays are why. That’s the difference. I’m happy if they keep them. But they need to find other days to cut.

The religious holidays are only four days. They could keep them and get rid of other random days off (like grade prep days) and have kids come to school on veterans day.

Why do you think grade prep days are less important than religious holidays?

I work in APS and I agree. When I taught in NY we never had grade prep days. Especially now with electronic grading. So dumb.

I’m guessing you’re not an elementary classroom teacher. We have to input everything into Synergy then write lengthy comments. (And input those into Synergy too.)

I have twins with very different academic strengths and personalities. The comments from their elementary school APS teachers were always exactly the same. I don't think most teachers are writing something unique for each kid.

That isn’t good - I’m sorry. At our school we write very personalized comments.

[Anonymous]

I'm very grateful for senior experience next year. It is INSANE to still be in school on June 18th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In all the fighting over the first day of school, no one paid attention to the last. I emailed and emailed. June 18 is late to be getting out. And, folks, the religious holidays are why. That’s the difference. I’m happy if they keep them. But they need to find other days to cut.

The religious holidays are only four days. They could keep them and get rid of other random days off (like grade prep days) and have kids come to school on veterans day.

Great! And yes they could. But they won’t. Someone suggested they go to school on Veterans Day and their response was “no” because a lot of veterans live around here. They won’t get rid of any of the holidays. So we are stuck with an absurd ending date. And still going to school before Labor Day!

I think it's sad that everyone is eager to eliminate Veterans' Day as the holiday off. We should be HONORING the sacrifices of those who have protected and served this country. I suppose folks think going on family picnics and long weekends "celebrating" Memorial Day.....those who DIED protecting and serving this country, is enough. But there are a lot of people who have done so and have not yet died. It's nice to honor them while they're still around to feel the honor.

Nobody ever suggests eliminating Columbus Day now Indigenous Peoples' Day; and they surely would never suggest eliminating Juneteenth as a day off if school extended beyond that date. What about Presidents' Day? That seems like one of the silliest holidays, imo.

I don't understand all the people insisting on a full two weeks winter break but then griping about getting out too late in June and/or starting before Labor Day. You can't have it all folks.

Fairfax was in school on Veterans Day. Plenty of veterans there too. The problem with religious holidays is parents don’t have these off but are more likely to have off the federal holidays. Not everyone but most people do. In any case, pick one or the other. Religious holidays or all the federal holidays.

I would pick the federal holidays. Schools can accommodate students' needs regarding religious holidays. It's better for students to be off school when parents are more likely to be off as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In all the fighting over the first day of school, no one paid attention to the last. I emailed and emailed. June 18 is late to be getting out. And, folks, the religious holidays are why. That’s the difference. I’m happy if they keep them. But they need to find other days to cut.

The religious holidays are only four days. They could keep them and get rid of other random days off (like grade prep days) and have kids come to school on veterans day.

Why do you think grade prep days are less important than religious holidays?

I work in APS and I agree. When I taught in NY we never had grade prep days. Especially now with electronic grading. So dumb.

I’m guessing you’re not an elementary classroom teacher. We have to input everything into Synergy then write lengthy comments. (And input those into Synergy too.)

Our experience: only one or two teachers ever made what would be considered a "lengthy comment" in our elementary report cards, and half of those were templates summarizing what the class curriculum did. We've been out of elementary a while now, so maybe that's changed???

[Anonymous]

I was surprised by the superintendent's recent email on snow days stating that Arlington has 13 school days that can be taken before we would need to start making up days for snow days. I'm a teacher and all for snow days, but couldn't we just add in 5 additional days and move to virtual after. Do we really need to attend 13 days over what the VDOE requires?

Also on Grade Prep Days, they aren't just for strictly grades. They are the only time during the school year that we get additional time for planning/work in our classrooms without being forced into professional developments that are poorly developed. SPED teachers especially need this time for compiling data collection for quarterly progress reports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was surprised by the superintendent's recent email on snow days stating that Arlington has 13 school days that can be taken before we would need to start making up days for snow days. I'm a teacher and all for snow days, but couldn't we just add in 5 additional days and move to virtual after. Do we really need to attend 13 days over what the VDOE requires?

Also on Grade Prep Days, they aren't just for strictly grades. They are the only time during the school year that we get additional time for planning/work in our classrooms without being forced into professional developments that are poorly developed. SPED teachers especially need this time for compiling data collection for quarterly progress reports.

This. When is the last time we actually used 13 snow days? And how much instruction is really going to happen that last half week in June? It's absurd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm very grateful for senior experience next year. It is INSANE to still be in school on June 18th.

That seems like a normal time for the end of school. ??

Starting in August is weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was surprised by the superintendent's recent email on snow days stating that Arlington has 13 school days that can be taken before we would need to start making up days for snow days. I'm a teacher and all for snow days, but couldn't we just add in 5 additional days and move to virtual after. Do we really need to attend 13 days over what the VDOE requires?

Also on Grade Prep Days, they aren't just for strictly grades. They are the only time during the school year that we get additional time for planning/work in our classrooms without being forced into professional developments that are poorly developed. SPED teachers especially need this time for compiling data collection for quarterly progress reports.

The 13 days come from the 10 additional minutes they added to the day. They are committed to 180 days in seats

[Anonymous]

Why do we still have early release days if we have all of these other random days off? What's the point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was surprised by the superintendent's recent email on snow days stating that Arlington has 13 school days that can be taken before we would need to start making up days for snow days. I'm a teacher and all for snow days, but couldn't we just add in 5 additional days and move to virtual after. Do we really need to attend 13 days over what the VDOE requires?

Also on Grade Prep Days, they aren't just for strictly grades. They are the only time during the school year that we get additional time for planning/work in our classrooms without being forced into professional developments that are poorly developed. SPED teachers especially need this time for compiling data collection for quarterly progress reports.

This. When is the last time we actually used 13 snow days? And how much instruction is really going to happen that last half week in June? It's absurd.

They are predicting a snowier winter this year. Given that schools around here close on the threat of rain and the possibility of maybe a light flurry, we may need every one of these 13 days. Can't wait to see what happens if day 14 is due to a huge blizzard knocking out power and (some) students can't connect to the internet for online distance learning.....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was surprised by the superintendent's recent email on snow days stating that Arlington has 13 school days that can be taken before we would need to start making up days for snow days. I'm a teacher and all for snow days, but couldn't we just add in 5 additional days and move to virtual after. Do we really need to attend 13 days over what the VDOE requires?

Also on Grade Prep Days, they aren't just for strictly grades. They are the only time during the school year that we get additional time for planning/work in our classrooms without being forced into professional developments that are poorly developed. SPED teachers especially need this time for compiling data collection for quarterly progress reports.

This. When is the last time we actually used 13 snow days? And how much instruction is really going to happen that last half week in June? It's absurd.

They are predicting a snowier winter this year. Given that schools around here close on the threat of rain and the possibility of maybe a light flurry, we may need every one of these 13 days. Can't wait to see what happens if day 14 is due to a huge blizzard knocking out power and (some) students can't connect to the internet for online distance learning.....

I don’t think we’ve ever used 13 snow days. Even as a kid when I lived here we didn’t use that many.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was surprised by the superintendent's recent email on snow days stating that Arlington has 13 school days that can be taken before we would need to start making up days for snow days. I'm a teacher and all for snow days, but couldn't we just add in 5 additional days and move to virtual after. Do we really need to attend 13 days over what the VDOE requires?

Also on Grade Prep Days, they aren't just for strictly grades. They are the only time during the school year that we get additional time for planning/work in our classrooms without being forced into professional developments that are poorly developed. SPED teachers especially need this time for compiling data collection for quarterly progress reports.

This. When is the last time we actually used 13 snow days? And how much instruction is really going to happen that last half week in June? It's absurd.

They are predicting a snowier winter this year. Given that schools around here close on the threat of rain and the possibility of maybe a light flurry, we may need every one of these 13 days. Can't wait to see what happens if day 14 is due to a huge blizzard knocking out power and (some) students can't connect to the internet for online distance learning.....

I don’t think we’ve ever used 13 snow days. Even as a kid when I lived here we didn’t use that many.

Yeah, even a few years ago when we had lots of snow (2016?) we did not use up all the snow days. 13 days is almost 3 weeks of school over & above the state requirement. Who cares if it’s hours vs days? Drop down to 8 snow days & end school a week earlier. Instead, what they’ve done is lengthen the school year AND the school days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In all the fighting over the first day of school, no one paid attention to the last. I emailed and emailed. June 18 is late to be getting out. And, folks, the religious holidays are why. That’s the difference. I’m happy if they keep them. But they need to find other days to cut.

The religious holidays are only four days. They could keep them and get rid of other random days off (like grade prep days) and have kids come to school on veterans day.

Why do you think grade prep days are less important than religious holidays?

I work in APS and I agree. When I taught in NY we never had grade prep days. Especially now with electronic grading. So dumb.

I’m guessing you’re not an elementary classroom teacher. We have to input everything into Synergy then write lengthy comments. (And input those into Synergy too.)

Our experience: only one or two teachers ever made what would be considered a "lengthy comment" in our elementary report cards, and half of those were templates summarizing what the class curriculum did. We've been out of elementary a while now, so maybe that's changed???

My own kids’ teachers (not in APS) do that too. I don’t know if it’s districtwide or what. Drives me crazy. But we write long (or longer, at least) ones.

[Anonymous]

Except for the pandemic, APS has always had at least 180 days.