Superintendent's Calendar Recommendation for 2026-27

[Anonymous]

I can live with this proposal. However, I don’t think he’s playing 3 dimensional chess. I think he proposed a crazy idea and then got some serious blowback. After the Wootton vote, maybe he wasn’t willing to die on this hill. But he sure does love that transition day, huh?
I think the biggest problem I have with this whole thing is the lack of building consensus. Seems to be part of a bigger trend. Leadership is not about persuading a group of people with diverse views to agree on common ground, but to make fast decisions and push them through as quickly as possible.
Anyways, glad to see the change be something I mostly agree with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dec 23 isn't christmas eve.

It is not. I care more about the day before Thanksgiving. I know everyone has their own preferences, but bringing back the half day before Thanksgiving is just adding in hours for the sake of school hours. Teachers who don't take leave are exhausted from parent conferences. Meaningful instruction does not happen. 50-60% of students do not attend, depending on the grade - a lot are already traveling or do not bother. It is more beneficial to have the day. The holiday is one of the most celebrated because there is no religious significance. It makes more sense to allow families, students and staff to have that time than to have some of the other proposals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can live with this proposal. However, I don’t think he’s playing 3 dimensional chess. I think he proposed a crazy idea and then got some serious blowback. After the Wootton vote, maybe he wasn’t willing to die on this hill. But he sure does love that transition day, huh?
I think the biggest problem I have with this whole thing is the lack of building consensus. Seems to be part of a bigger trend. Leadership is not about persuading a group of people with diverse views to agree on common ground, but to make fast decisions and push them through as quickly as possible.
Anyways, glad to see the change be something I mostly agree with.

It's not really a significant change from the status quo. Prepare for more calendar drama next year. The last day of school in 2027 will be Friday June 11. If there is more than 1 snow day and they decline to have school on either Passover or Eid they will have to extend the school year into the week of June 14 when staff and families will have booked travel, camps, jobs etc.

[Anonymous]

December 23 was a rather new addition to the calendar. It falls on a Wednesday, so having Thursday/Friday (Christmas Eve and Christmas) to start the break seem fine. The bigger issue is restoring the 1/2 day before Thanksgiving RATHER than giving up the pointless transition day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:December 23 was a rather new addition to the calendar. It falls on a Wednesday, so having Thursday/Friday (Christmas Eve and Christmas) to start the break seem fine. The bigger issue is restoring the 1/2 day before Thanksgiving RATHER than giving up the pointless transition day.

It's TT's world and we just live in ir

[Anonymous]

Thank goodness no early start date for this year. I am ok with it for next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because the other thread is almost 70 pages long... Here it is:

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DTKPMG64A793/$file/Proposed%20Amend%202026-2027%20SY%20Calendar%20260430.pdf

Summary -- no starting early, but ending early. Adding in November 9th, day before Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve. Setting 4/22 (Passover) and 5/17 (Eid) as potential makeups along with June 11 - June 17.

Thank GOD we're not starting early.

Ridiculous that he's holding onto a transition day. Also, Thanksgiving is one of the most celebrated holidays in the country. It is the most traveled and a half day before Thanksgiving is makes no sense. It's been great being off the day before and the idea of resuming a half day really sucks. It is pointless.

It’s crummy all the way around, and interesting they didn’t consider Christian holidays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can live with this proposal. However, I don’t think he’s playing 3 dimensional chess. I think he proposed a crazy idea and then got some serious blowback. After the Wootton vote, maybe he wasn’t willing to die on this hill. But he sure does love that transition day, huh?
I think the biggest problem I have with this whole thing is the lack of building consensus. Seems to be part of a bigger trend. Leadership is not about persuading a group of people with diverse views to agree on common ground, but to make fast decisions and push them through as quickly as possible.
Anyways, glad to see the change be something I mostly agree with.

It's not really a significant change from the status quo. Prepare for more calendar drama next year. The last day of school in 2027 will be Friday June 11. If there is more than 1 snow day and they decline to have school on either Passover or Eid they will have to extend the school year into the week of June 14 when staff and families will have booked travel, camps, jobs etc.

Or, they could go virtual and stop being selfish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can live with this proposal. However, I don’t think he’s playing 3 dimensional chess. I think he proposed a crazy idea and then got some serious blowback. After the Wootton vote, maybe he wasn’t willing to die on this hill. But he sure does love that transition day, huh?
I think the biggest problem I have with this whole thing is the lack of building consensus. Seems to be part of a bigger trend. Leadership is not about persuading a group of people with diverse views to agree on common ground, but to make fast decisions and push them through as quickly as possible.
Anyways, glad to see the change be something I mostly agree with.

It's not really a significant change from the status quo. Prepare for more calendar drama next year. The last day of school in 2027 will be Friday June 11. If there is more than 1 snow day and they decline to have school on either Passover or Eid they will have to extend the school year into the week of June 14 when staff and families will have booked travel, camps, jobs etc.

Or, they could go virtual and stop being selfish.

Per Maryland statute, the superintendent may decide to provide a day of virtual education (not less than four hours of synchronous instruction) only if MCPS has used all the days incorporated into its calendar for school closures for severe weather conditions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dec 23 isn't christmas eve.

It is not. I care more about the day before Thanksgiving. I know everyone has their own preferences, but bringing back the half day before Thanksgiving is just adding in hours for the sake of school hours. Teachers who don't take leave are exhausted from parent conferences. Meaningful instruction does not happen. 50-60% of students do not attend, depending on the grade - a lot are already traveling or do not bother. It is more beneficial to have the day. The holiday is one of the most celebrated because there is no religious significance. It makes more sense to allow families, students and staff to have that time than to have some of the other proposals.

What schools actually have conferences in the days designated by MCPs? Seems each principal designs their own deals with teachers as to when conferences will happen

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because the other thread is almost 70 pages long... Here it is:

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DTKPMG64A793/$file/Proposed%20Amend%202026-2027%20SY%20Calendar%20260430.pdf

Summary -- no starting early, but ending early. Adding in November 9th, day before Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve. Setting 4/22 (Passover) and 5/17 (Eid) as potential makeups along with June 11 - June 17.

Thank GOD we're not starting early.

Ridiculous that he's holding onto a transition day. Also, Thanksgiving is one of the most celebrated holidays in the country. It is the most traveled and a half day before Thanksgiving is makes no sense. It's been great being off the day before and the idea of resuming a half day really sucks. It is pointless.

It’s crummy all the way around, and interesting they didn’t consider Christian holidays.

What Christian holidays aren’t state or federal holidays? Seems like only non-Christian holidays are possible instructional days

[Anonymous]

Get rid of transition day, give us back the day before Thanksgiving. He's seriously a stupid man.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dec 23 isn't christmas eve.

It is not. I care more about the day before Thanksgiving. I know everyone has their own preferences, but bringing back the half day before Thanksgiving is just adding in hours for the sake of school hours. Teachers who don't take leave are exhausted from parent conferences. Meaningful instruction does not happen. 50-60% of students do not attend, depending on the grade - a lot are already traveling or do not bother. It is more beneficial to have the day. The holiday is one of the most celebrated because there is no religious significance. It makes more sense to allow families, students and staff to have that time than to have some of the other proposals.

Lots of kids would have been absent on August 20-21 and for many that is worse than the day before Thanksgiving because it's the first couple of days. Teachers would just have repeat everything and teach routines again the following week.

TT and the BOE should have created and approved better calendars for 2025-26 and 2026-27 from.the start. They knew full well that scheduling only 181 days would be problematic, and it still will be. All we peasants can do is thank our incompetent overlords for at least not ruining our vacations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dec 23 isn't christmas eve.

It is not. I care more about the day before Thanksgiving. I know everyone has their own preferences, but bringing back the half day before Thanksgiving is just adding in hours for the sake of school hours. Teachers who don't take leave are exhausted from parent conferences. Meaningful instruction does not happen. 50-60% of students do not attend, depending on the grade - a lot are already traveling or do not bother. It is more beneficial to have the day. The holiday is one of the most celebrated because there is no religious significance. It makes more sense to allow families, students and staff to have that time than to have some of the other proposals.

What schools actually have conferences in the days designated by MCPs? Seems each principal designs their own deals with teachers as to when conferences will happen

Which schools don't have conferences on designated days? I teach at RMS and we stay late on that Monday evening (as do many middle schools) to accommodate parents who work. We also offer hours on the next half day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of transition day, give us back the day before Thanksgiving. He's seriously a stupid man.

+1