Catholic schools are pro family???

[Anonymous]

There are, simply, just more interruptions to the school year now than there were when we were in school. It’s a sentiment shared by parents in public and private schools.

In terms of your school, the answer is that the person who has the final say on the annual calendar does not consider the impact half days have on the productivity of teachers or the schedules of parents. Many diocesan schools organize their teacher work and parent teacher conference days without creating so many half days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s all BS. Schools were NOT like this 20-30 years ago. So don’t pretend it’s normal or necessary to give teachers time to “grade” their Schoology-based multiple choice quizzes.

And these schools have the freakin audacity to ask for money.

Switch schools.

Don’t give money.

Grow up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s the recent schedule of my k-8 Catholic school in Alexandria that supposedly is so “pro-family”:

10/31 - half day. No after care

11/11 - half day. No after care.

11/12 — half day. No after care.

11/13 - half day. No after care.

11/14 - no school.

11/25 - half day. No after care.

WHEN TF ARE PARENTS SUPPOSED TO WORK????? Or is this school only for families with SAHMs barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen?

Oh, and to make it even worse, no virtual option for attending parent-teacher conferences (even though that option was readily available during “covid” and was a simple thing to implement).

So is this school “pro family.”?

Should they persistently be asking me for money (especially when I’ve already paid for “after care” that’s not even offered multiple days a month)?

At least public schools don’t claim to be pro family (and don’t cost tens of thousands per year).

Four half-days? Why not just close for two full days? Half-days are the worst.

Not at that school but the rest of the diocese has parent teacher conferences scheduled around that week. Our K-8 has changed it for this year but in the past we had a half day followed by a full day off for those, then the Veteran's Day holiday.

The half day on 11/25 is obviously for Thanksgiving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Talk to your principal. Our Catholic k-8 usually has aftercare on half-days. Alternatively, talk to some of your kids friends parents and see if you guys can swap childcare. I wfh and would be happy to host DD’s friends on a half day if needed.

The funny thing is, the after care agreement specifically says that after care will be offered on all half days until 4:00. But they just ignore that provision after the school year begins.

Who have you talked to about this?

[Anonymous]

Sorry OP but if its the school I assume it is, you have to realize that's such a strict, full of themselves parish. Yes, to them pro-family just means anti-abortion, and they want SAHMs and award families that churn out kids (note the tuition and how it decreases for each additional kid and then is free for a certain number and up).
We live in Alexandria but don't belong to that parish and send our kids further out. They have yet to have a teacher workday and have no half days except the day Winter Break begins.

[Anonymous]

At least they have aftercare on some days? Our public school regular dismissal is at 1:40pm and they have no aftercare. You have to find a private provider. I think in general school isn't a great full time childcare solution unless you're rich enough to throw a lot of money at babysitters or have a parent with a very flexible schedule. :/

[Anonymous]

Why do you send your kids to that school, OP? You hate it. You post so frequently about how much you hate it that you can’t name it because the mod will delete your thread. Again.

Why do you stay?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At least they have aftercare on some days? Our public school regular dismissal is at 1:40pm and they have no aftercare. You have to find a private provider. I think in general school isn't a great full time childcare solution unless you're rich enough to throw a lot of money at babysitters or have a parent with a very flexible schedule. :/

School is not supposed to be full time childcare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry OP but if its the school I assume it is, you have to realize that's such a strict, full of themselves parish. Yes, to them pro-family just means anti-abortion, and they want SAHMs and award families that churn out kids (note the tuition and how it decreases for each additional kid and then is free for a certain number and up).
We live in Alexandria but don't belong to that parish and send our kids further out. They have yet to have a teacher workday and have no half days except the day Winter Break begins.

Well, even the tuition discount is slowly going away. Instead, they impose new categories of “fees” that are charged per student with no discounts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At least they have aftercare on some days? Our public school regular dismissal is at 1:40pm and they have no aftercare. You have to find a private provider. I think in general school isn't a great full time childcare solution unless you're rich enough to throw a lot of money at babysitters or have a parent with a very flexible schedule. :/

School is not supposed to be full time childcare.

8-3:00 isn’t “full time”. It’s not even a work day. So spare me.

[Anonymous]

The reason for the half days is that it’s a way to game the diocese minimum number of school “days” requirement.

The requirement should be hours per year, not “days.”

[Anonymous]

Blame ACPS and FCPS. They pay their damn bus drivers $28/hour (and rising every quarter) and their teachers a whole lot more, so the only way for Catholic schools to compete is to reduce instruction time.

Instead of complaining, advocate for school choice and vouchers. That’s the only way to shake things up and effect change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At least they have aftercare on some days? Our public school regular dismissal is at 1:40pm and they have no aftercare. You have to find a private provider. I think in general school isn't a great full time childcare solution unless you're rich enough to throw a lot of money at babysitters or have a parent with a very flexible schedule. :/

Where do you live? Appalachia? Every school district around here has after care or relatively cheap private-sector after care options (like those tai kwon do after care programs).

[Anonymous]

[twitter]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s the recent schedule of my k-8 Catholic school in Alexandria that supposedly is so “pro-family”:

10/31 - half day. No after care

11/11 - half day. No after care.

11/12 — half day. No after care.

11/13 - half day. No after care.

11/14 - no school.

11/25 - half day. No after care.

WHEN TF ARE PARENTS SUPPOSED TO WORK????? Or is this school only for families with SAHMs barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen?

Oh, and to make it even worse, no virtual option for attending parent-teacher conferences (even though that option was readily available during “covid” and was a simple thing to implement).

So is this school “pro family.”?

Should they persistently be asking me for money (especially when I’ve already paid for “after care” that’s not even offered multiple days a month)?

At least public schools don’t claim to be pro family (and don’t cost tens of thousands per year).

Four half-days? Why not just close for two full days? Half-days are the worst.

Not at that school but the rest of the diocese has parent teacher conferences scheduled around that week. Our K-8 has changed it for this year but in the past we had a half day followed by a full day off for those, then the Veteran's Day holiday.

The half day on 11/25 is obviously for Thanksgiving.

Didn’t know Thanksgiving was on a Tuesday this year. Always some lame excuse for the half days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Blame ACPS and FCPS. They pay their damn bus drivers $28/hour (and rising every quarter) and their teachers a whole lot more, so the only way for Catholic schools to compete is to reduce instruction time.

Instead of complaining, advocate for school choice and vouchers. That’s the only way to shake things up and effect change.

I’m a Catholic school teacher who has worked in public.

Regarding instructional hours: just because students are in school, they aren’t necessarily receiving instruction.

I may teach fewer days now, but I get through so many more skills. Part of it is that Catholic schools don’t have the overemphasis on testing, so we don’t spend as many school days on county and state tests. Part of it is more streamlined, thoughtful curricula.