MCPS closing/delaying on Monday?

[Anonymous]

But yes, MCPS really needs to build-in 5 days from the start. There's too much pressure to give teachers unscheduled days off in the winter. Yes, it's going to have to be made up, but the make-up days will likely be a half days where they watch movies because the parents at the W schools still want to go to Disney.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But yes, MCPS really needs to build-in 5 days from the start. There's too much pressure to give teachers unscheduled days off in the winter. Yes, it's going to have to be made up, but the make-up days will likely be a half days where they watch movies because the parents at the W schools still want to go to Disney.

MCPS never "gives back" snow days. So if we don't use them, we still have to go in 5 extra days. And MCPS refuses to do anymore than 1 half day at the end of the school year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's a makeup day on Friday June 6th. They should use that before taking away from spring break or adding on to the end of the year.

No reason to wait until then. Then next scheduled make-up day is Jan 29. The one after that is March 31.

We should enact the 29th day so March 31 is available for the next snow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a makeup day on Friday June 6th. They should use that before taking away from spring break or adding on to the end of the year.

No reason to wait until then. Then next scheduled make-up day is Jan 29. The one after that is March 31.

We should enact the 29th day so March 31 is available for the next snow.

Those are days for end of term grading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But yes, MCPS really needs to build-in 5 days from the start. There's too much pressure to give teachers unscheduled days off in the winter. Yes, it's going to have to be made up, but the make-up days will likely be a half days where they watch movies because the parents at the W schools still want to go to Disney.

MCPS never "gives back" snow days. So if we don't use them, we still have to go in 5 extra days. And MCPS refuses to do anymore than 1 half day at the end of the school year.

Why would we "give back" days? You don't think there are useful things to do in school?

We we have several make-up day options before the end of the year. The BoE just needs to stand up to MCEA, particularly since its illegal to be negotiating with them about those days anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a makeup day on Friday June 6th. They should use that before taking away from spring break or adding on to the end of the year.

No reason to wait until then. Then next scheduled make-up day is Jan 29. The one after that is March 31.

We should enact the 29th day so March 31 is available for the next snow.

Those are days for end of term grading.

Look again. They're also explicitly identified as make-up days in the calendar. If you don't like that, you should brought it up before the 24-25 calendar was adopted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But yes, MCPS really needs to build-in 5 days from the start. There's too much pressure to give teachers unscheduled days off in the winter. Yes, it's going to have to be made up, but the make-up days will likely be a half days where they watch movies because the parents at the W schools still want to go to Disney.

MCPS never "gives back" snow days. So if we don't use them, we still have to go in 5 extra days. And MCPS refuses to do anymore than 1 half day at the end of the school year.

Do you think MCEA realizes their position on make-up days (i.e., refusing to allow mcps to use the ones in the calendar) makes it illegal for MCPS to ever use virtual days?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a makeup day on Friday June 6th. They should use that before taking away from spring break or adding on to the end of the year.

No reason to wait until then. Then next scheduled make-up day is Jan 29. The one after that is March 31.

We should enact the 29th day so March 31 is available for the next snow.

Those are days for end of term grading.

Look again. They're also explicitly identified as make-up days in the calendar. If you don't like that, you should brought it up before the 24-25 calendar was adopted.

I know that, but my point stands. And no, I am not an MCEA member. January 29th is particularly beneficial at the HS level for first semester grades and all the class changes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But yes, MCPS really needs to build-in 5 days from the start. There's too much pressure to give teachers unscheduled days off in the winter. Yes, it's going to have to be made up, but the make-up days will likely be a half days where they watch movies because the parents at the W schools still want to go to Disney.

MCPS never "gives back" snow days. So if we don't use them, we still have to go in 5 extra days. And MCPS refuses to do anymore than 1 half day at the end of the school year.

Do you think MCEA realizes their position on make-up days (i.e., refusing to allow mcps to use the ones in the calendar) makes it illegal for MCPS to ever use virtual days?

DP. MSDE's new policy makes it required for MCPS to use available makeup days before resorting to virtual days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many snow days were built in to the calendar this year? If kids can't go to school with any icy/snowy sidewalks, but also not in the summer because of poor AC, would there have to be makeup days over spring break? There are only so many ways to fit in 180 days. Gotta pick your poison- although I must say I've never lived somewhere so.....delicate.

Last year they did some kind of work at home make up day where my kindergartener came home with a packet.

They're not allowed to do that anymore. The previous allowance for that wasn't intended to cover normal/expected snow events like that (or this). Districts are expected to have real make-up days for forseeable weather events.

Oh no that sucks.

Then 2 snow days doesn’t seem realistic

Why? As you almost certainly saw last year, that make-up day was a joke. MCPS should have implemented one of the reserved make-up days. There were two very good options but MCEA fought efforts to use them.

I think once people are expecting to have the day off it’s unfortunate when it needs to be taken away. Yes I understand they are labeled as make up days. As I said I think more snow days should be built in, but I know nothing is going to please everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a makeup day on Friday June 6th. They should use that before taking away from spring break or adding on to the end of the year.

No reason to wait until then. Then next scheduled make-up day is Jan 29. The one after that is March 31.

We should enact the 29th day so March 31 is available for the next snow.

Those are days for end of term grading.

Look again. They're also explicitly identified as make-up days in the calendar. If you don't like that, you should brought it up before the 24-25 calendar was adopted.

I know that, but my point stands. And no, I am not an MCEA member. January 29th is particularly beneficial at the HS level for first semester grades and all the class changes.

Sounds like parents should be reaching out to board members and remind them of Maryland Code, Educ. § 6-408(c)(3) before MCEA starts to lobby them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But yes, MCPS really needs to build-in 5 days from the start. There's too much pressure to give teachers unscheduled days off in the winter. Yes, it's going to have to be made up, but the make-up days will likely be a half days where they watch movies because the parents at the W schools still want to go to Disney.

MCPS never "gives back" snow days. So if we don't use them, we still have to go in 5 extra days. And MCPS refuses to do anymore than 1 half day at the end of the school year.

Why would we "give back" days? You don't think there are useful things to do in school?

We we have several make-up day options before the end of the year. The BoE just needs to stand up to MCEA, particularly since its illegal to be negotiating with them about those days anyway.

Exactly right. There is nothing useful about being in school in June for five extra days. Good luck with getting the BOE to require a loss of grading/planning days for teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many snow days were built in to the calendar this year? If kids can't go to school with any icy/snowy sidewalks, but also not in the summer because of poor AC, would there have to be makeup days over spring break? There are only so many ways to fit in 180 days. Gotta pick your poison- although I must say I've never lived somewhere so.....delicate.

Last year they did some kind of work at home make up day where my kindergartener came home with a packet.

They're not allowed to do that anymore. The previous allowance for that wasn't intended to cover normal/expected snow events like that (or this). Districts are expected to have real make-up days for forseeable weather events.

Oh no that sucks.

Then 2 snow days doesn’t seem realistic

Why? As you almost certainly saw last year, that make-up day was a joke. MCPS should have implemented one of the reserved make-up days. There were two very good options but MCEA fought efforts to use them.

I think once people are expecting to have the day off it’s unfortunate when it needs to be taken away. Yes I understand they are labeled as make up days. As I said I think more snow days should be built in, but I know nothing is going to please everyone.

Which is why we really need to make this an automatic process. If a school closure requires a make-up day, the next available day 3 weeks or more out should be a automatically selected without BoE action.

[Anonymous]

They have never used spring break to make up days. At best, they make the last day of the year a make-up day and then seek a waiver of any other days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They have never used spring break to make up days. At best, they make the last day of the year a make-up day and then seek a waiver of any other days.

That’s good. I’m still not over losing spring break as a high schooler in 20033 (this area, not MCPS).