MCPS School Year Extended by One Day to June 17; Final Three Days of the School Year Now Early Release Days

[Anonymous]

June 6th is a "professional development day", and June 13th is an early release day. Change both of those to full days, and, through the magic of basic addition, you've made up the missing three half-days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By adding 3 half days at the end of the year when seniors are done, AP tests are long over, and camps will have begun, it's basically a big F** to the State (for not waiving) 2 days!

It’s a big FU at the parents. They could have cancelled one of the professional development days after the snow days…

No it’s not. If anything, the only people who really need to go Monday and Tuesday are teachers and they already sorta knew that when the year was previously extended to the Monday. If you need childcare coverage those half days, send your kid. If you don’t or it’s easier for you to arrange full day coverage elsewhere, don’t send them. If you want to travel that week, they’ve all but given their blessing to proceed with previously made plans. There will not be teaching and learning those days whether you send your kids or not. If you’re looking for childcare ideas there will be lots of 14/15 year olds who are kind of too old for camp but too young for jobs who would probably happily babysit your kids in the afternoon for some Apple cash.

This isn't about childcare coverage you dismissive fool, it's about wanting kids to learn. 180 days a year is already less than what other countries provide their elementary/secondary students, and we lose so much of it with this half day garbage, testing for MAP, MCAP, in-school days when teachers are grading and turn on videos etc...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:June 6th is a "professional development day", and June 13th is an early release day. Change both of those to full days, and, through the magic of basic addition, you've made up the missing three half-days.

June 13th was already changed to a full day when the school year was first extended.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By adding 3 half days at the end of the year when seniors are done, AP tests are long over, and camps will have begun, it's basically a big F** to the State (for not waiving) 2 days!

It’s a big FU at the parents. They could have cancelled one of the professional development days after the snow days…

No it’s not. If anything, the only people who really need to go Monday and Tuesday are teachers and they already sorta knew that when the year was previously extended to the Monday. If you need childcare coverage those half days, send your kid. If you don’t or it’s easier for you to arrange full day coverage elsewhere, don’t send them. If you want to travel that week, they’ve all but given their blessing to proceed with previously made plans. There will not be teaching and learning those days whether you send your kids or not. If you’re looking for childcare ideas there will be lots of 14/15 year olds who are kind of too old for camp but too young for jobs who would probably happily babysit your kids in the afternoon for some Apple cash.

This isn't about childcare coverage you dismissive fool, it's about wanting kids to learn. 180 days a year is already less than what other countries provide their elementary/secondary students, and we lose so much of it with this half day garbage, testing for MAP, MCAP, in-school days when teachers are grading and turn on videos etc...

This thread is about updates to the school calendar to fulfill the requirement of 180 instructional days for this school year. Quit name calling someone whose post was on topic. Start a new thread if you want to discuss ways our educational system is deficient and should be changed. Alterations to this year’s calendar were never going to accomplish that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By adding 3 half days at the end of the year when seniors are done, AP tests are long over, and camps will have begun, it's basically a big F** to the State (for not waiving) 2 days!

It’s a big FU at the parents. They could have cancelled one of the professional development days after the snow days…

No it’s not. If anything, the only people who really need to go Monday and Tuesday are teachers and they already sorta knew that when the year was previously extended to the Monday. If you need childcare coverage those half days, send your kid. If you don’t or it’s easier for you to arrange full day coverage elsewhere, don’t send them. If you want to travel that week, they’ve all but given their blessing to proceed with previously made plans. There will not be teaching and learning those days whether you send your kids or not. If you’re looking for childcare ideas there will be lots of 14/15 year olds who are kind of too old for camp but too young for jobs who would probably happily babysit your kids in the afternoon for some Apple cash.

This isn't about childcare coverage you dismissive fool, it's about wanting kids to learn. 180 days a year is already less than what other countries provide their elementary/secondary students, and we lose so much of it with this half day garbage, testing for MAP, MCAP, in-school days when teachers are grading and turn on videos etc...

NP. This argument is always funny to me given all the whining in this forum about how bad people think the education in MCPS is. "The food in this restaurant is terrible! And such small portions!"

So it looks like they reversed making 6/13 a full day, if I'm reading that letter right, and it's now a half day again. I suspect part of this is trying to give teachers time to close out their classrooms without having to add another professional day. I would bet part of that is $$$, utility bills and having to pay SEIU staff for days they didn't budget for, etc.

The whole thing is a farce but so are MSDE's rules. And a lot of the mandates they hand down behind the scenes have really messed with things (see arbitrary percentage targets for students in various LREs) so I'm not willing to declare them the arbiter of sanity and MCPS as the devil in this.

[Anonymous]

Not sure what people are freaking out about. Your kid can learn just as much at home by reading a good book for a few hours or going to a museum or an outdoor camp. The state has lots of stupid requirements that have to be followed. This is on them not MCPS. Like someone said upthread, send your kids if you need the childcare or don’t send your kids if you have other options. The teachers will be there regardless

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By adding 3 half days at the end of the year when seniors are done, AP tests are long over, and camps will have begun, it's basically a big F** to the State (for not waiving) 2 days!

It’s a big FU at the parents. They could have cancelled one of the professional development days after the snow days…

No it’s not. If anything, the only people who really need to go Monday and Tuesday are teachers and they already sorta knew that when the year was previously extended to the Monday. If you need childcare coverage those half days, send your kid. If you don’t or it’s easier for you to arrange full day coverage elsewhere, don’t send them. If you want to travel that week, they’ve all but given their blessing to proceed with previously made plans. There will not be teaching and learning those days whether you send your kids or not. If you’re looking for childcare ideas there will be lots of 14/15 year olds who are kind of too old for camp but too young for jobs who would probably happily babysit your kids in the afternoon for some Apple cash.

This isn't about childcare coverage you dismissive fool, it's about wanting kids to learn. 180 days a year is already less than what other countries provide their elementary/secondary students, and we lose so much of it with this half day garbage, testing for MAP, MCAP, in-school days when teachers are grading and turn on videos etc...

This thread is about updates to the school calendar to fulfill the requirement of 180 instructional days for this school year. Quit name calling someone whose post was on topic. Start a new thread if you want to discuss ways our educational system is deficient and should be changed. Alterations to this year’s calendar were never going to accomplish that.

Sorry you don't understand that MCPS's choices about how to update the school calendar are linked to learning outcomes. It's unfortunate that MCPS's hope was that the Governor would let them waive students right to get an education for 180 real days of schooling, and it's a big FU to MCPS students too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By adding 3 half days at the end of the year when seniors are done, AP tests are long over, and camps will have begun, it's basically a big F** to the State (for not waiving) 2 days!

It’s a big FU at the parents. They could have cancelled one of the professional development days after the snow days…

No it’s not. If anything, the only people who really need to go Monday and Tuesday are teachers and they already sorta knew that when the year was previously extended to the Monday. If you need childcare coverage those half days, send your kid. If you don’t or it’s easier for you to arrange full day coverage elsewhere, don’t send them. If you want to travel that week, they’ve all but given their blessing to proceed with previously made plans. There will not be teaching and learning those days whether you send your kids or not. If you’re looking for childcare ideas there will be lots of 14/15 year olds who are kind of too old for camp but too young for jobs who would probably happily babysit your kids in the afternoon for some Apple cash.

This isn't about childcare coverage you dismissive fool, it's about wanting kids to learn. 180 days a year is already less than what other countries provide their elementary/secondary students, and we lose so much of it with this half day garbage, testing for MAP, MCAP, in-school days when teachers are grading and turn on videos etc...

This thread is about updates to the school calendar to fulfill the requirement of 180 instructional days for this school year. Quit name calling someone whose post was on topic. Start a new thread if you want to discuss ways our educational system is deficient and should be changed. Alterations to this year’s calendar were never going to accomplish that.

Sorry you don't understand that MCPS's choices about how to update the school calendar are linked to learning outcomes. It's unfortunate that MCPS's hope was that the Governor would let them waive students right to get an education for 180 real days of schooling, and it's a big FU to MCPS students too.

Well, that’s the problem with having stakeholders with different needs and wants. Had MCPS used its original proposed makeup days, teachers would have lost a day that was important to them and people observing a particular holiday would have lost a day off that was important to them. By not using those makeup days, students get 2 fewer days of instruction. While that impacts students’ learning outcomes, students were never going to be upset about fewer school days.

MCPS gambled that they could negotiate the makeup days without incurring the wrath of any one particularly vocal constituency. Even now, they’re staving off parents who are worrying about vacation plans and summer camps by telling them to feel free to proceed with their plans.

The simple fact is that we cannot go back in time and use those original makeup days, when actual instruction could have taken place. All we can do at this point is add useless days.

[Anonymous]

"thermostat rising"??
Cram you can do better

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By adding 3 half days at the end of the year when seniors are done, AP tests are long over, and camps will have begun, it's basically a big F** to the State (for not waiving) 2 days!

It’s a big FU at the parents. They could have cancelled one of the professional development days after the snow days…

No it’s not. If anything, the only people who really need to go Monday and Tuesday are teachers and they already sorta knew that when the year was previously extended to the Monday. If you need childcare coverage those half days, send your kid. If you don’t or it’s easier for you to arrange full day coverage elsewhere, don’t send them. If you want to travel that week, they’ve all but given their blessing to proceed with previously made plans. There will not be teaching and learning those days whether you send your kids or not. If you’re looking for childcare ideas there will be lots of 14/15 year olds who are kind of too old for camp but too young for jobs who would probably happily babysit your kids in the afternoon for some Apple cash.

This isn't about childcare coverage you dismissive fool, it's about wanting kids to learn. 180 days a year is already less than what other countries provide their elementary/secondary students, and we lose so much of it with this half day garbage, testing for MAP, MCAP, in-school days when teachers are grading and turn on videos etc...

+1 honestly how can people not see the connection between all this and our disgraceful literacy rates. I guess y'all are too busy blaming immigrants for your failures.

[Anonymous]

Yeah. DD's not going to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By adding 3 half days at the end of the year when seniors are done, AP tests are long over, and camps will have begun, it's basically a big F** to the State (for not waiving) 2 days!

It’s a big FU at the parents. They could have cancelled one of the professional development days after the snow days…

No it’s not. If anything, the only people who really need to go Monday and Tuesday are teachers and they already sorta knew that when the year was previously extended to the Monday. If you need childcare coverage those half days, send your kid. If you don’t or it’s easier for you to arrange full day coverage elsewhere, don’t send them. If you want to travel that week, they’ve all but given their blessing to proceed with previously made plans. There will not be teaching and learning those days whether you send your kids or not. If you’re looking for childcare ideas there will be lots of 14/15 year olds who are kind of too old for camp but too young for jobs who would probably happily babysit your kids in the afternoon for some Apple cash.

This isn't about childcare coverage you dismissive fool, it's about wanting kids to learn. 180 days a year is already less than what other countries provide their elementary/secondary students, and we lose so much of it with this half day garbage, testing for MAP, MCAP, in-school days when teachers are grading and turn on videos etc...

+1 honestly how can people not see the connection between all this and our disgraceful literacy rates. I guess y'all are too busy blaming immigrants for your failures.

So your contention is that if our school year had been originally scheduled at 184 days, and we didn’t have to make up any snow days, we’d have higher literacy rates? If that’s not your point, then stop proclaiming that other people don’t get the connection between your much broader argument about school calendars in general, just because they’re commenting specifically on the days recently added to *MCPS’s 2024-2025 school year*.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By adding 3 half days at the end of the year when seniors are done, AP tests are long over, and camps will have begun, it's basically a big F** to the State (for not waiving) 2 days!

It’s a big FU at the parents. They could have cancelled one of the professional development days after the snow days…

No it’s not. If anything, the only people who really need to go Monday and Tuesday are teachers and they already sorta knew that when the year was previously extended to the Monday. If you need childcare coverage those half days, send your kid. If you don’t or it’s easier for you to arrange full day coverage elsewhere, don’t send them. If you want to travel that week, they’ve all but given their blessing to proceed with previously made plans. There will not be teaching and learning those days whether you send your kids or not. If you’re looking for childcare ideas there will be lots of 14/15 year olds who are kind of too old for camp but too young for jobs who would probably happily babysit your kids in the afternoon for some Apple cash.

This isn't about childcare coverage you dismissive fool, it's about wanting kids to learn. 180 days a year is already less than what other countries provide their elementary/secondary students, and we lose so much of it with this half day garbage, testing for MAP, MCAP, in-school days when teachers are grading and turn on videos etc...

Let the schools worry about learning outcomes and you work on your anger management and mental flexibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By adding 3 half days at the end of the year when seniors are done, AP tests are long over, and camps will have begun, it's basically a big F** to the State (for not waiving) 2 days!

It’s a big FU at the parents. They could have cancelled one of the professional development days after the snow days…

No it’s not. If anything, the only people who really need to go Monday and Tuesday are teachers and they already sorta knew that when the year was previously extended to the Monday. If you need childcare coverage those half days, send your kid. If you don’t or it’s easier for you to arrange full day coverage elsewhere, don’t send them. If you want to travel that week, they’ve all but given their blessing to proceed with previously made plans. There will not be teaching and learning those days whether you send your kids or not. If you’re looking for childcare ideas there will be lots of 14/15 year olds who are kind of too old for camp but too young for jobs who would probably happily babysit your kids in the afternoon for some Apple cash.

This isn't about childcare coverage you dismissive fool, it's about wanting kids to learn. 180 days a year is already less than what other countries provide their elementary/secondary students, and we lose so much of it with this half day garbage, testing for MAP, MCAP, in-school days when teachers are grading and turn on videos etc...

Let the schools worry about learning outcomes and you work on your anger management and mental flexibility.

Yes, we can all be mentally flexible about our kids not learning, while MCPS staff try to "stick it" to the Gov for not giving them an extra 2 days of vacation. Anyone who is so lazy that working an extra day is a hardship, should quit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:June 6th is a "professional development day", and June 13th is an early release day. Change both of those to full days, and, through the magic of basic addition, you've made up the missing three half-days.

That would only be using one make-up day (the 6th). Changing the 13th from early release to full day wouldn't count as a make-up day.