Will voting out the school board make the school calendar sane again?

[Anonymous]

Winter break is too long.
4 day weeks are unbearable- even for HS students. This isn't a childcare issue
5 days for Memorial Day is excessive
Spring break is too long
Random days in February and March are an irritant.

Enough!!! Let's get back to academics

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Winter break is too long.
4 day weeks are unbearable- even for HS students. This isn't a childcare issue
5 days for Memorial Day is excessive
Spring break is too long
Random days in February and March are an irritant.

Enough!!! Let's get back to academics

I will die on this hill as will most of my colleagues and teachers. Do not touch the winter break.

Regarding the 5-day Memorial Day break—it’s an anomaly.
—a principal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:What's so insane about the school year calendar? I think it's great that we're observing religious holidays beyond the Christian ones.

Do you have a job? If I have to explain this to you, you clearly do not have younger children and work full time.

Your job is not the school’s problem. 🤷‍♀️

I keep hearing things like this. Why do you think that’s true?

Public School is a public service. It changes to meet the needs of the public. That means evolving schedules to reflect changing economic realities (or do you still send your kids to do agricultural labor?) like the reality that most FFX households are now supported by all adults in the household working.

So as long as people don’t allow themselves to be gaslit by comments like yours, it will change if pressure remains on the school board.

Because it is true. You don’t like it. Oh well.

Here’s a sane calendar from ancient history…2018.

https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/SY16-17StandardCal.pdf

Admire the art of the possible.

Sure with some calendar “luck” thrown in:
Yom Kippur in 2017 was on a Friday night leading into Saturday.
Veteran’s Day fell on a Saturday.
Eid Al-Fitre was after school ended in June. It moves every year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's so insane about the school year calendar? I think it's great that we're observing religious holidays beyond the Christian ones.

Do you have a job? If I have to explain this to you, you clearly do not have younger children and work full time.

Your job is not the school’s problem. 🤷‍♀️

I keep hearing things like this. Why do you think that’s true?

Public School is a public service. It changes to meet the needs of the public. That means evolving schedules to reflect changing economic realities (or do you still send your kids to do agricultural labor?) like the reality that most FFX households are now supported by all adults in the household working.

So as long as people don’t allow themselves to be gaslit by comments like yours, it will change if pressure remains on the school board.

Because it is true. You don’t like it. Oh well.

Here’s a sane calendar from ancient history…2018.

https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/SY16-17StandardCal.pdf

Admire the art of the possible.

Sure with some calendar “luck” thrown in:
Yom Kippur in 2017 was on a Friday night leading into Saturday.
Veteran’s Day fell on a Saturday.
Eid Al-Fitre was after school ended in June. It moves every year.

Easy. Don't take any of those off. Problem solved.

[Anonymous]

The date everyone needs to be focused on is Tuesday, June 16, 2026.

It’s another primary Election Day. And it’s the day before school ends. It’s the day that most elementary schools hold their sixth grade promotion ceremony.

As you may recall, the Board of Elections asked that all schools be closed on Sept 9th this year, even though the polling only impacted a fraction of the schools. Region 3, for example, had ONE school as a polling place, yet all schools were closed. Families had a couple of week’s notice.

WHAT’S THE PLAN FOR JUNE 16?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Winter break is too long.
4 day weeks are unbearable- even for HS students. This isn't a childcare issue
5 days for Memorial Day is excessive
Spring break is too long
Random days in February and March are an irritant.

Enough!!! Let's get back to academics

It's still 180 school days. Academically speaking, shorter summer means less summer slide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The date everyone needs to be focused on is Tuesday, June 16, 2026.

It’s another primary Election Day. And it’s the day before school ends. It’s the day that most elementary schools hold their sixth grade promotion ceremony.

As you may recall, the Board of Elections asked that all schools be closed on Sept 9th this year, even though the polling only impacted a fraction of the schools. Region 3, for example, had ONE school as a polling place, yet all schools were closed. Families had a couple of week’s notice.

WHAT’S THE PLAN FOR JUNE 16?

Well, sweetie, why don't you contact the school system and ask them tomorrow, and then report back with what they tell you. Mmmkay, thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Winter break is too long.
4 day weeks are unbearable- even for HS students. This isn't a childcare issue
5 days for Memorial Day is excessive
Spring break is too long
Random days in February and March are an irritant.

Enough!!! Let's get back to academics

You’re wrong on all points. Winter break isn’t too long - the majority of parents and staff wanted to keep it 2 weeks.

MS and HS love the 4 day weeks - gives them a chance to sleep and catch up on work and not be so overwhelmed.

Memorial Day usually isn’t 5 days - as PP said, it’s an anomaly this year.

Spring Break is always a week - it’s not “too long.” It’s just right.

Random days in February and March? There’s only one day in February - President’s Day and one day in March - Eid.

You are an idiot!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Winter break is too long.
4 day weeks are unbearable- even for HS students. This isn't a childcare issue
5 days for Memorial Day is excessive
Spring break is too long
Random days in February and March are an irritant.

Enough!!! Let's get back to academics

It's still 180 school days. Academically speaking, shorter summer means less summer slide.

179 this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's so insane about the school year calendar? I think it's great that we're observing religious holidays beyond the Christian ones.

Do you have a job? If I have to explain this to you, you clearly do not have younger children and work full time.

Have you made the mistake of confusing school with child care?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a former teacher, kids need consistency and five day weeks. Period.

You opinion is neither valid nor credible. I mean, you are a “former” teacher so obviously you sucked at it.

Why are you so insistent on defending this calendar when even some of the SB members have acknowledged that it is difficult and excessive? I’ll never understand the people who ride so hard to defend FCPS. It’s not going to get you special treatment.

[Anonymous]

I recognize how some families like the days off, but the crazy calendar plus the early release days for elementary have made it very difficult. We can’t schedule after school activities. Specials classes and instruments are not being made up when they are constantly missed. And we can’t get our kids into a routine. It’s rough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Winter break is too long.
4 day weeks are unbearable- even for HS students. This isn't a childcare issue
5 days for Memorial Day is excessive
Spring break is too long
Random days in February and March are an irritant.

Enough!!! Let's get back to academics

It's still 180 school days. Academically speaking, shorter summer means less summer slide.

Is there any research that shows a shorter summer is better than multiple broken weeks?

It doesn't matter how short the summer is if you never learned anything during the year in the first place.

[Anonymous]

Just found out my kids summer camp is the same week 14-19th but we are now in school until the 17th!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just found out my kids summer camp is the same week 14-19th but we are now in school until the 17th!

So that means you’ll need coverage for 2 days?