Howard County Changes Calendar: Why can't MCPS also prioritize instruction?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the only option on the table for MCPS to make up the time is to add to the end of the school year, it is not useful time and I support the legislative efforts!

yes, vacation is more important than instruction time. /s

The instruction is of little value in late June. Instruction in MCPS is actually intense for young minds, and there's a ton of stress on High Schoolers. Students are burned out by June 20!!!

Which is why they should make the half days to full days. Makes zero sense to extend the end of the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the only option on the table for MCPS to make up the time is to add to the end of the school year, it is not useful time and I support the legislative efforts!

yes, vacation is more important than instruction time. /s

The instruction is of little value in late June. Instruction in MCPS is actually intense for young minds, and there's a ton of stress on High Schoolers. Students are burned out by June 20!!!

Which is why they should make the half days to full days. Makes zero sense to extend the end of the year.

Technically, the way the rules are written, moving half days to full doesn't satisfy the 180 day requirement. I guess that's why they haven't done it.

I'm with you, though. Even if it doesn't actually help MCPS legally (in terms of meeting minimums), it's the right thing to do given that we've lost so much instructional time. In HS, half days mean each period is so short that it really stifles instruction.

Plus, even if all they cared about what meeting the legal minimums, it would be a show of good faith that might earn an exemption to making up the snow days in June.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the only option on the table for MCPS to make up the time is to add to the end of the school year, it is not useful time and I support the legislative efforts!

yes, vacation is more important than instruction time. /s

The instruction is of little value in late June. Instruction in MCPS is actually intense for young minds, and there's a ton of stress on High Schoolers. Students are burned out by June 20!!!

Which is why they should make the half days to full days. Makes zero sense to extend the end of the year.

Technically, the way the rules are written, moving half days to full doesn't satisfy the 180 day requirement. I guess that's why they haven't done it.

I'm with you, though. Even if it doesn't actually help MCPS legally (in terms of meeting minimums), it's the right thing to do given that we've lost so much instructional time. In HS, half days mean each period is so short that it really stifles instruction.

Plus, even if all they cared about what meeting the legal minimums, it would be a show of good faith that might earn an exemption to making up the snow days in June.

If MCPS would have used the three mid-year make-up days in the calendar, and switched one or more half days to full days, MSDE would have almost certainly granted a waiver for the remaining days.

MCPS just didn't want to prioritize education. They wanted to prioritize time off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the only option on the table for MCPS to make up the time is to add to the end of the school year, it is not useful time and I support the legislative efforts!

yes, vacation is more important than instruction time. /s

The instruction is of little value in late June. Instruction in MCPS is actually intense for young minds, and there's a ton of stress on High Schoolers. Students are burned out by June 20!!!

Which is why they should make the half days to full days. Makes zero sense to extend the end of the year.

Technically, the way the rules are written, moving half days to full doesn't satisfy the 180 day requirement. I guess that's why they haven't done it.

I'm with you, though. Even if it doesn't actually help MCPS legally (in terms of meeting minimums), it's the right thing to do given that we've lost so much instructional time. In HS, half days mean each period is so short that it really stifles instruction.

Plus, even if all they cared about what meeting the legal minimums, it would be a show of good faith that might earn an exemption to making up the snow days in June.

If MCPS would have used the three mid-year make-up days in the calendar, and switched one or more half days to full days, MSDE would have almost certainly granted a waiver for the remaining days.

MCPS just didn't want to prioritize education. They wanted to prioritize time off.

January 26 was during the storm so March 20 and April 15 are the only days before mid-June that were labeled M and occurred afterwards. The M days in the fall are meaningless. February 17 and May 27 were not given an M designation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the only option on the table for MCPS to make up the time is to add to the end of the school year, it is not useful time and I support the legislative efforts!

yes, vacation is more important than instruction time. /s

The instruction is of little value in late June. Instruction in MCPS is actually intense for young minds, and there's a ton of stress on High Schoolers. Students are burned out by June 20!!!

Which is why they should make the half days to full days. Makes zero sense to extend the end of the year.

Technically, the way the rules are written, moving half days to full doesn't satisfy the 180 day requirement. I guess that's why they haven't done it.

I'm with you, though. Even if it doesn't actually help MCPS legally (in terms of meeting minimums), it's the right thing to do given that we've lost so much instructional time. In HS, half days mean each period is so short that it really stifles instruction.

Plus, even if all they cared about what meeting the legal minimums, it would be a show of good faith that might earn an exemption to making up the snow days in June.

If MCPS would have used the three mid-year make-up days in the calendar, and switched one or more half days to full days, MSDE would have almost certainly granted a waiver for the remaining days.

MCPS just didn't want to prioritize education. They wanted to prioritize time off.

January 26 was during the storm so March 20 and April 15 are the only days before mid-June that were labeled M and occurred afterwards. The M days in the fall are meaningless. February 17 and May 27 were not given an M designation.

You forgot June 18

[Anonymous]

Same parents here whining are the same that think it’s okay to pull their kid for a week for vacation in February because it’s cheaper. Just shut up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the only option on the table for MCPS to make up the time is to add to the end of the school year, it is not useful time and I support the legislative efforts!

yes, vacation is more important than instruction time. /s

The instruction is of little value in late June. Instruction in MCPS is actually intense for young minds, and there's a ton of stress on High Schoolers. Students are burned out by June 20!!!

Which is why they should make the half days to full days. Makes zero sense to extend the end of the year.

Technically, the way the rules are written, moving half days to full doesn't satisfy the 180 day requirement. I guess that's why they haven't done it.

I'm with you, though. Even if it doesn't actually help MCPS legally (in terms of meeting minimums), it's the right thing to do given that we've lost so much instructional time. In HS, half days mean each period is so short that it really stifles instruction.

Plus, even if all they cared about what meeting the legal minimums, it would be a show of good faith that might earn an exemption to making up the snow days in June.

If MCPS would have used the three mid-year make-up days in the calendar, and switched one or more half days to full days, MSDE would have almost certainly granted a waiver for the remaining days.

MCPS just didn't want to prioritize education. They wanted to prioritize time off.

January 26 was during the storm so March 20 and April 15 are the only days before mid-June that were labeled M and occurred afterwards. The M days in the fall are meaningless. February 17 and May 27 were not given an M designation.

You forgot June 18

June 18 isn't MID YEAR!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Same parents here whining are the same that think it’s okay to pull their kid for a week for vacation in February because it’s cheaper. Just shut up.

Or really? Does your tinfoil hat tell you that? You sound nuts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Plus, even if all they cared about what meeting the legal minimums, it would be a show of good faith that might earn an exemption to making up the snow days in June.

If MCPS would have used the three mid-year make-up days in the calendar, and switched one or more half days to full days, MSDE would have almost certainly granted a waiver for the remaining days.

MCPS just didn't want to prioritize education. They wanted to prioritize time off. January 26 was during the storm so March 20 and April 15 are the only days before mid-June that were labeled M and occurred afterwards. The M days in the fall are meaningless. February 17 and May 27 were not given an M designation.

You forgot June 18

June 18 is at the end of the year, not mid-year!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would be so easy for MCPS to pivot and make up the time:

March 20: Half day (give a nod to those celebrating Eid, but provide instruction to the majority of students)
April 15: Half day or 2 hour delay (or do two days of this - give time to teachers while prioritizing instruction for students)
Easter Monday: Full day of instruction (Howard County got a waiver)
Wednesday, May 27: Half day (give a nod to those celebrating but provide instruction to the majority of students)
Add June 18.

My gosh, here a 5 (FIVE DAYS) that we could still tweak in the calendar to make up the time. Not all of it falls before exams, but it's a start.

And how about delay start of school on December 25 you know after everyone can open their presents. What about Kwanza?

And how about give a nod to Jews observing two early dismissal days in the Fall

And give the Hindu observers an early dismissal in the Fall

Anyone else? Buddhists? Other?

This is why a PUBLIC school system should NEVER make calendar decisions for reasons of religion or culture. Such decisions should be solely based on attendance. While a holiday like Christmas certainly impacts staff and student attendance in a way that makes having school impossible, many of the holidays MCPS currently observes do not impact enough of the student/staff population to prevent school from taking place. This is not an insult to any religion or culture, it's just a point of data. Everyone in MCPS is encouraged to take an excused absence for any religious or cultural holiday that is important to them.

+ 1 Christmas is a federal holiday. The rest need to go in terms of public school planning. Including and maybe especially Easter Monday.

+ 1 million. Besides the Federal Holidays, MCPS should not make their calendar based on cultural and religious holidays. And if it so happens they planned f a NI that day, they should use those NI days.

I say this as a Hindu - while I am glad we got the NI day for Diwali, it should not be considered when coming up with the school calendar since we are a minority. When this was not the norm, we just used to take the day off and get an excused absence for religious purposes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the only option on the table for MCPS to make up the time is to add to the end of the school year, it is not useful time and I support the legislative efforts!

yes, vacation is more important than instruction time. /s

The instruction is of little value in late June. Instruction in MCPS is actually intense for young minds, and there's a ton of stress on High Schoolers. Students are burned out by June 20!!!

Which is why they should make the half days to full days. Makes zero sense to extend the end of the year.

Technically, the way the rules are written, moving half days to full doesn't satisfy the 180 day requirement. I guess that's why they haven't done it.

I'm with you, though. Even if it doesn't actually help MCPS legally (in terms of meeting minimums), it's the right thing to do given that we've lost so much instructional time. In HS, half days mean each period is so short that it really stifles instruction.

Plus, even if all they cared about what meeting the legal minimums, it would be a show of good faith that might earn an exemption to making up the snow days in June.

If MCPS would have used the three mid-year make-up days in the calendar, and switched one or more half days to full days, MSDE would have almost certainly granted a waiver for the remaining days.

MCPS just didn't want to prioritize education. They wanted to prioritize time off.

January 26 was during the storm so March 20 and April 15 are the only days before mid-June that were labeled M and occurred afterwards. The M days in the fall are meaningless. February 17 and May 27 were not given an M designation.

The state provided waivers for President's Day and Easter Monday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the only option on the table for MCPS to make up the time is to add to the end of the school year, it is not useful time and I support the legislative efforts!

yes, vacation is more important than instruction time. /s

The instruction is of little value in late June. Instruction in MCPS is actually intense for young minds, and there's a ton of stress on High Schoolers. Students are burned out by June 20!!!

Which is why they should make the half days to full days. Makes zero sense to extend the end of the year.

Technically, the way the rules are written, moving half days to full doesn't satisfy the 180 day requirement. I guess that's why they haven't done it.

I'm with you, though. Even if it doesn't actually help MCPS legally (in terms of meeting minimums), it's the right thing to do given that we've lost so much instructional time. In HS, half days mean each period is so short that it really stifles instruction.

Plus, even if all they cared about what meeting the legal minimums, it would be a show of good faith that might earn an exemption to making up the snow days in June.

If MCPS would have used the three mid-year make-up days in the calendar, and switched one or more half days to full days, MSDE would have almost certainly granted a waiver for the remaining days.

MCPS just didn't want to prioritize education. They wanted to prioritize time off.

January 26 was during the storm so March 20 and April 15 are the only days before mid-June that were labeled M and occurred afterwards. The M days in the fall are meaningless. February 17 and May 27 were not given an M designation.

The state provided waivers for President's Day and Easter Monday.

Is Easter Monday allowed statewide or only a waiver for Howard County?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the only option on the table for MCPS to make up the time is to add to the end of the school year, it is not useful time and I support the legislative efforts!

yes, vacation is more important than instruction time. /s

The instruction is of little value in late June. Instruction in MCPS is actually intense for young minds, and there's a ton of stress on High Schoolers. Students are burned out by June 20!!!

Which is why they should make the half days to full days. Makes zero sense to extend the end of the year.

Technically, the way the rules are written, moving half days to full doesn't satisfy the 180 day requirement. I guess that's why they haven't done it.

I'm with you, though. Even if it doesn't actually help MCPS legally (in terms of meeting minimums), it's the right thing to do given that we've lost so much instructional time. In HS, half days mean each period is so short that it really stifles instruction.

Plus, even if all they cared about what meeting the legal minimums, it would be a show of good faith that might earn an exemption to making up the snow days in June.

If MCPS would have used the three mid-year make-up days in the calendar, and switched one or more half days to full days, MSDE would have almost certainly granted a waiver for the remaining days.

MCPS just didn't want to prioritize education. They wanted to prioritize time off.

They tried to use one of the make up days (March 20) and got dragged through the mud. On the news, by the county council and so on. They can't win for losing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the only option on the table for MCPS to make up the time is to add to the end of the school year, it is not useful time and I support the legislative efforts!

yes, vacation is more important than instruction time. /s

The instruction is of little value in late June. Instruction in MCPS is actually intense for young minds, and there's a ton of stress on High Schoolers. Students are burned out by June 20!!!

Which is why they should make the half days to full days. Makes zero sense to extend the end of the year.

Technically, the way the rules are written, moving half days to full doesn't satisfy the 180 day requirement. I guess that's why they haven't done it.

I'm with you, though. Even if it doesn't actually help MCPS legally (in terms of meeting minimums), it's the right thing to do given that we've lost so much instructional time. In HS, half days mean each period is so short that it really stifles instruction.

Plus, even if all they cared about what meeting the legal minimums, it would be a show of good faith that might earn an exemption to making up the snow days in June.

If MCPS would have used the three mid-year make-up days in the calendar, and switched one or more half days to full days, MSDE would have almost certainly granted a waiver for the remaining days.

MCPS just didn't want to prioritize education. They wanted to prioritize time off.

January 26 was during the storm so March 20 and April 15 are the only days before mid-June that were labeled M and occurred afterwards. The M days in the fall are meaningless. February 17 and May 27 were not given an M designation.

The state provided waivers for President's Day and Easter Monday.

Is Easter Monday allowed statewide or only a waiver for Howard County?

I don't know - but if they allowed it for Howard, they would allow it for other school systems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would be so easy for MCPS to pivot and make up the time:

March 20: Half day (give a nod to those celebrating Eid, but provide instruction to the majority of students)
April 15: Half day or 2 hour delay (or do two days of this - give time to teachers while prioritizing instruction for students)
Easter Monday: Full day of instruction (Howard County got a waiver)
Wednesday, May 27: Half day (give a nod to those celebrating but provide instruction to the majority of students)
Add June 18.

My gosh, here a 5 (FIVE DAYS) that we could still tweak in the calendar to make up the time. Not all of it falls before exams, but it's a start.

And how about delay start of school on December 25 you know after everyone can open their presents. What about Kwanza?

And how about give a nod to Jews observing two early dismissal days in the Fall

And give the Hindu observers an early dismissal in the Fall

Anyone else? Buddhists? Other?

This is why a PUBLIC school system should NEVER make calendar decisions for reasons of religion or culture. Such decisions should be solely based on attendance. While a holiday like Christmas certainly impacts staff and student attendance in a way that makes having school impossible, many of the holidays MCPS currently observes do not impact enough of the student/staff population to prevent school from taking place. This is not an insult to any religion or culture, it's just a point of data. Everyone in MCPS is encouraged to take an excused absence for any religious or cultural holiday that is important to them.

this is so tru!