Thoughts on the MCPS 2017-2018 calendar?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I like this schedule so much better. I found this year's schedule to be much more disruptive with the numerous days off iSeptember through December. I also think spring break is way too long and we should get rid of the Good Friday and Easter Monday holiday. One week is plenty.

Then you need to contact your state legislator to ask them to change the state law that requires schools to close for Good Friday and the Monday after Easter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like this schedule so much better. I found this year's schedule to be much more disruptive with the numerous days off iSeptember through December. I also think spring break is way too long and we should get rid of the Good Friday and Easter Monday holiday. One week is plenty.

You may like it better, but the extra long summer break is not what's best for students. It may have been choppy this year, but students are able to adapt to missing a day here and there without losing what they've learned. There will be such slides over the summer, especially for the most vulnerable students. but hey, who wants what's best for kids? We gotta get to the beach!

Why get rid of Good Friday and Easter Monday? Why not have only those days off? Four days is plenty.

I don't see this calendar as sustainable for years to come. There are multiple exceptions that occur in 2017-18 that are not the norm. Decisions will have to made over how to address breaks when the holidays are not on weekends, plus years when we have Election Days and primaries, Jewish holidays during the week, etc.

Let's just get rid of religious holidays. No Easter Monday or Good Friday. State of MD be damned--literally

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

You may like it better, but the extra long summer break is not what's best for students. It may have been choppy this year, but students are able to adapt to missing a day here and there without losing what they've learned. There will be such slides over the summer, especially for the most vulnerable students. but hey, who wants what's best for kids? We gotta get to the beach!

Why get rid of Good Friday and Easter Monday? Why not have only those days off? Four days is plenty.

I don't see this calendar as sustainable for years to come. There are multiple exceptions that occur in 2017-18 that are not the norm. Decisions will have to made over how to address breaks when the holidays are not on weekends, plus years when we have Election Days and primaries, Jewish holidays during the week, etc.

I have also seen the argument, "Who needs spring break? I didn't have spring break when I was going to school, and I turned out fine." It's odd how these people don't regard

a. children need three months out of school in the summer
b. children don't need a break from school between New Year and Memorial Day

as mutually contradictory arguments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You may like it better, but the extra long summer break is not what's best for students. It may have been choppy this year, but students are able to adapt to missing a day here and there without losing what they've learned. There will be such slides over the summer, especially for the most vulnerable students. but hey, who wants what's best for kids? We gotta get to the beach!

Why get rid of Good Friday and Easter Monday? Why not have only those days off? Four days is plenty.

I don't see this calendar as sustainable for years to come. There are multiple exceptions that occur in 2017-18 that are not the norm. Decisions will have to made over how to address breaks when the holidays are not on weekends, plus years when we have Election Days and primaries, Jewish holidays during the week, etc.

I have also seen the argument, "Who needs spring break? I didn't have spring break when I was going to school, and I turned out fine." It's odd how these people don't regard

a. children need three months out of school in the summer
b. children don't need a break from school between New Year and Memorial Day

as mutually contradictory arguments.

I was joking, really, with the four day spring break. I'm in favor of the individual county school board setting the calendar based on feedback from students, staff, and parents and making decisions that are mutually beneficial to everyone, with students being the priority. So, basically, not at all what has been set up for next year.

I think nice 10-dayish winter and spring breaks with a few random days off here and there for holidays (and professional days that teachers need), and a shorter summer, is probably ideal. But I don't get to make the decision, and if I did, it shouldn't be only what I want anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like this schedule so much better. I found this year's schedule to be much more disruptive with the numerous days off iSeptember through December. I also think spring break is way too long and we should get rid of the Good Friday and Easter Monday holiday. One week is plenty.

You may like it better, but the extra long summer break is not what's best for students. It may have been choppy this year, but students are able to adapt to missing a day here and there without losing what they've learned. There will be such slides over the summer, especially for the most vulnerable students. but hey, who wants what's best for kids? We gotta get to the beach!

Why get rid of Good Friday and Easter Monday? Why not have only those days off? Four days is plenty.

I don't see this calendar as sustainable for years to come. There are multiple exceptions that occur in 2017-18 that are not the norm. Decisions will have to made over how to address breaks when the holidays are not on weekends, plus years when we have Election Days and primaries, Jewish holidays during the week, etc.

It's not sustainable. But hopefully by 2018, Hogan will be on his way out and we can have a Governor who values children's education more than campaign donations from the tourism industry.

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately, I'm not convinced Hogan will be on his way out in Nov. 2018. I'm hearing he is incredibly popular.

I'm considering changing my voter registration to republican so I can vote against him in the primary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like this schedule so much better. I found this year's schedule to be much more disruptive with the numerous days off iSeptember through December. I also think spring break is way too long and we should get rid of the Good Friday and Easter Monday holiday. One week is plenty.

You may like it better, but the extra long summer break is not what's best for students. It may have been choppy this year, but students are able to adapt to missing a day here and there without losing what they've learned. There will be such slides over the summer, especially for the most vulnerable students. but hey, who wants what's best for kids? We gotta get to the beach!

Why get rid of Good Friday and Easter Monday? Why not have only those days off? Four days is plenty.

I don't see this calendar as sustainable for years to come. There are multiple exceptions that occur in 2017-18 that are not the norm. Decisions will have to made over how to address breaks when the holidays are not on weekends, plus years when we have Election Days and primaries, Jewish holidays during the week, etc.

It's not sustainable. But hopefully by 2018, Hogan will be on his way out and we can have a Governor who values children's education more than campaign donations from the tourism industry.

His biggest potential challenger just got elected DNC Chair

[Anonymous]

I think it looks fine. I was okay with the old way too. I just don't see the Hogan change as being that dramatic.

I do kind of like the idea of a longer summer. I'll just have to make an effort to get the kids to do some reading and writing during the summer. But I would feel that way whether or not the summer was 10 weeks or 11 weeks long.

[Anonymous]

I'm in the camp that would rather see a shorter rather than longer summer break. I think 10 weeks off for the summer is plenty, and would rather have a longer winter break and maybe spring break too. And early release days are just for the birds. Either have school or don't; those short days nothing instructional happens. Just a waste.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm in the camp that would rather see a shorter rather than longer summer break. I think 10 weeks off for the summer is plenty, and would rather have a longer winter break and maybe spring break too. And early release days are just for the birds. Either have school or don't; those short days nothing instructional happens. Just a waste.

They're a waste for the teachers, too, at least in elementary. Everyone's out of sorts due to the wonky schedule, there's no recess, kids lose specials if they have PM specials, and by the time the kids leave the building it's after 1 pm. Then you have to spend time calling parents of the kids who weren't picked up because the parent didn't know it was early release.

The technology/machines can't handle it either. Everyone's on line for the copier which ends up breaking down and the online gradebook goes down because everyone's on it at the same time. When we have full day professional days I can use half the day for finishing any last minute grading I have and entering grades and the other part of the day planning and creating materials.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it looks fine. I was okay with the old way too. I just don't see the Hogan change as being that dramatic.

I do kind of like the idea of a longer summer. I'll just have to make an effort to get the kids to do some reading and writing during the summer. But I would feel that way whether or not the summer was 10 weeks or 11 weeks long.

You don't see the Hogan change as dramatic? Really??? A week later start. Basically a week earlier end. Fewer full days of school (173 next year). More half days of school (9 next year).

It's not 10-11 weeks next summer. It's actually 12.

Not everyone makes an effort to keep kids reading & writing over summer breaks. If you're an UMC family, chances are far better than for the lower-income families.

[Anonymous]

Looks good to me. But all those half days need to be made into full days.

There should never be a half day or professional day during the week. Kids should be in school 5 days a week.

Meetings can be help after hours.

[Anonymous]

My complaint is that they did not change the sports start date. Can't go anywhere if you kid is on a team. Just use vacation time driving to mid day practices from 3.5 weeks in August.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looks good to me. But all those half days need to be made into full days.

There should never be a half day or professional day during the week. Kids should be in school 5 days a week.

Meetings can be help after hours.

Really? So you'd prefer to increase teacher salaries to account for weekend professional days?

The half days are there because teachers still need some professional time and they count as full school days. And we have to jam all the days in before June 15.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like this schedule so much better. I found this year's schedule to be much more disruptive with the numerous days off iSeptember through December. I also think spring break is way too long and we should get rid of the Good Friday and Easter Monday holiday. One week is plenty.

Then you need to contact your state legislator to ask them to change the state law that requires schools to close for Good Friday and the Monday after Easter.

I already did that.