How DO we get the calendar changed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But I agree about the surveys. The last time they did those surveys, we all participated and then they selected a completely new calendar that wasn’t even on the survey. Definitely made people think they don’t actually care.

Paraphrasing Karl Frisch, he complained that they could receive tens of thousands of responses, but they wouldn’t know if the responses came from the people they wanted to hear from, and what if they desires of the responders conflicted with what Reid wanted to do? Basically, they could not care less about what the community wants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Garza ended early release Mondays in ES and that’s where all these problems of inconsistency, surprise time off and complaints from ES teachers about insufficient planning time began.

Nope.

Garza ending early release was such a positive for FCPS students.

The issue started when FCPS school board decided to mingle church and state with their original, terribly executed O days, as well as cancelling AP exams on their fake Eid date, then trying to cancel a 2nd day of AP exams one week out on the actual Eid date.

The virtue signalling of the previous school board is what created this mess.

If they had simply left Garza's calendar in place, none of these problems would have been created.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are absolutely ridiculous!

No one wants surveys. Just fix the silly calendar in a manner that minimizes all these fragmented weeks!

You can’t fix the calendar without getting rid of religious/cultural holidays in an extraordinarily diverse county. Constituents of those communities should have the say on whether those days are student holidays. If Indians are good with school on Diwali, great. If Jewish folks are good with only one of Rosh/Yom and Muslims are good with only one of the Eid’s, also great. But, no, you can’t have a bunch of white/black school board members simply stating that we aren’t going to observe the non-Christian holidays anymore because parents are annoyed that they have to find child care.

There are ways of improving the calendar without removing all the religious holidays. Last night highlighted how much information is missing from the calendars.

There should be a second page, as is done in other counties, that details when early releases occur and the grade levels impacted. The only early releases published are the school wide end of quarter releases. The elementary school releases are tracked on a separate page, and they’re not in calendar view, so you don’t see how close they are to existing closures and early releases. That was a huge problem this year for one of the regions.

Then there’s apparently a bunch of informal High School early releases around P/SATs and finals.

There should be community engagement from both teachers, principals, and caregivers on how to handle needed planning time. It sounds like Wednesday early releases were unpopular across the board. How can they fix it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone make it through last night’s school board meeting? I was only able to catch bits and pieces. I think it ended up with:

- Indigenous People Day will remain a TW day
- Reid is limited to 8 early releases for elementary school, including the standard and of quarter releases.
- Veterans Day will become an instructional day
- They’ll send out surveys for the 27-28 and 28-29 calendars. Drafts of those calendars will be released in July (although there’s already a 27-28 calendar floating around.)

The early release thing is still going to be problematic. Reid will probably get rid of end of quarter early releases for elementary students to support her 3 hour early release days.

Elementary teachers have been screwed re planning time

lol 😂 ok. Try working 8 hours a day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Next year the teachers have a SD and TW day on Monday and Tuesday June 21, 22. Assuming the last student day will now be the 16th will that back up the last two work days to the 17th and 18th?

June 18 is the observed day for Juneteenth, so probably not. I don’t know how they’d handle having a single workday scheduled for that week. In June 2024, teachers had a year and TW after the last week of school that was sandwiched between Eid and Juneteenth and in June 2023 they only came in the Tuesday after Juneteenth, so I guess there’s precedence.

Most won’t go in on that last TW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is the solution to add ONE day. Why is the solution not to reconstruct the calendar. Compare the number of school planning, teacher workdays and staff development days and elem early releases with other districts. Why can they seem plan and grade and teach students with out so many of these days? We are an outlier and every excuse is made for why we don’t have kids in school consistently with reasonably placed off teacher work days and consistent number of summer weeks. Other districts do it.

Apparently next year’s calendar is already out there so they don’t want to do major changes that would affect people who made plans based on that calendar. But they’re planning to do broader changes for subsequent years.

They’ve never cared about making late changes to a calendar in the past, when parents didn’t want it. Yet, now when parents are begging for changes, they won’t do it. This school board is as feckless as any of the others

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is the solution to add ONE day. Why is the solution not to reconstruct the calendar. Compare the number of school planning, teacher workdays and staff development days and elem early releases with other districts. Why can they seem plan and grade and teach students with out so many of these days? We are an outlier and every excuse is made for why we don’t have kids in school consistently with reasonably placed off teacher work days and consistent number of summer weeks. Other districts do it.

Apparently next year’s calendar is already out there so they don’t want to do major changes that would affect people who made plans based on that calendar. But they’re planning to do broader changes for subsequent years.

The 27-28 calendar is already out too. It was a big accomplishment at the time, announcing the calendars three years in advance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are absolutely ridiculous!

No one wants surveys. Just fix the silly calendar in a manner that minimizes all these fragmented weeks!

You can’t fix the calendar without getting rid of religious/cultural holidays in an extraordinarily diverse county. Constituents of those communities should have the say on whether those days are student holidays. If Indians are good with school on Diwali, great. If Jewish folks are good with only one of Rosh/Yom and Muslims are good with only one of the Eid’s, also great. But, no, you can’t have a bunch of white/black school board members simply stating that we aren’t going to observe the non-Christian holidays anymore because parents are annoyed that they have to find child care.

Some of the holidays recognized are for populations in the low single digits, where the numbers of student and staff taking off is less than an average stomach virus running through an elementary school

The days off should be based on pre O day attendance numbers, period. Pick a set number of absences, say 5%, and only give those holidays off. Give liberal make up options to those who practice smaller religious holidays where school is in session.

Stop putting teachers workdays on the cultural and religious holidays that have miniscule numbers of absences. I can shave off a full week plus one by just being practical. For example:

The Ds have a supermajority. FCPS needs to simply request that their friends in Richmond eliminate the mandated Kings Dominion Friday, a state forced holiday 10 days into the school year. Simply call Rachna and Laura Jane and make it happen.

Day of the Dead/All Saints Day is NOT a holiday celebrated in the US to the point of needing a day off school. Yes, it is a Holy Day of Obligation for Catholics, but there are almost hourly Mass options within 15-20 minutes of every FCPS resident, including evening options. Stop masking that religious/cultural holiday with an unnecessary teacher workday.

Eliminate Bohdi Day and Theravada. There are fewer than 10,000 Buddhists in all of Fairfax County, and not every sect celebrates both holidays Adherents to this fairh in FCPS is in the very low single digits. There is zero justification to not have the other 99% of FCPS students and teachers in school that day. Be generous with the make up policy for the handful of kids at each school that are practicing Buddhists.


Eliminate Orthodox Epiphany. There are only 3 orthodox churches in all of Fairfax County. The numbers do not justify giving Orthodox holidays off. Be liberal with the make up policies.

Remove Lunar New Year as a fake teachers workday. We do not celebrate Lunar New Year in the US like they do in Asia, not even us asian families. Lunar New Year should be a regular school day with regular assignment policies, no O day and no special accommodations.

Leave Eid, Rosh Hoshona, Diwali, etc. The populations ars smaller, but more significant than the 1%-2% of the Buddhist and Orthodox holidays, and non culturally significant nature of Day of the Dead and Lunar New Year, or the pointlessness of Kings Dominion Friday.


Easy and done.


https://www.thearda.com/us-religion/census/congregational-membership?y=2020&t=0&c=51059


https://www.oca.org/parishes/state/VA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are absolutely ridiculous!

No one wants surveys. Just fix the silly calendar in a manner that minimizes all these fragmented weeks!

You can’t fix the calendar without getting rid of religious/cultural holidays in an extraordinarily diverse county. Constituents of those communities should have the say on whether those days are student holidays. If Indians are good with school on Diwali, great. If Jewish folks are good with only one of Rosh/Yom and Muslims are good with only one of the Eid’s, also great. But, no, you can’t have a bunch of white/black school board members simply stating that we aren’t going to observe the non-Christian holidays anymore because parents are annoyed that they have to find child care.

Some of the holidays recognized are for populations in the low single digits, where the numbers of student and staff taking off is less than an average stomach virus running through an elementary school

The days off should be based on pre O day attendance numbers, period. Pick a set number of absences, say 5%, and only give those holidays off. Give liberal make up options to those who practice smaller religious holidays where school is in session.

Stop putting teachers workdays on the cultural and religious holidays that have miniscule numbers of absences. I can shave off a full week plus one by just being practical. For example:

The Ds have a supermajority. FCPS needs to simply request that their friends in Richmond eliminate the mandated Kings Dominion Friday, a state forced holiday 10 days into the school year. Simply call Rachna and Laura Jane and make it happen.

Day of the Dead/All Saints Day is NOT a holiday celebrated in the US to the point of needing a day off school. Yes, it is a Holy Day of Obligation for Catholics, but there are almost hourly Mass options within 15-20 minutes of every FCPS resident, including evening options. Stop masking that religious/cultural holiday with an unnecessary teacher workday.

Eliminate Bohdi Day and Theravada. There are fewer than 10,000 Buddhists in all of Fairfax County, and not every sect celebrates both holidays Adherents to this fairh in FCPS is in the very low single digits. There is zero justification to not have the other 99% of FCPS students and teachers in school that day. Be generous with the make up policy for the handful of kids at each school that are practicing Buddhists.


Eliminate Orthodox Epiphany. There are only 3 orthodox churches in all of Fairfax County. The numbers do not justify giving Orthodox holidays off. Be liberal with the make up policies.

Remove Lunar New Year as a fake teachers workday. We do not celebrate Lunar New Year in the US like they do in Asia, not even us asian families. Lunar New Year should be a regular school day with regular assignment policies, no O day and no special accommodations.

Leave Eid, Rosh Hoshona, Diwali, etc. The populations ars smaller, but more significant than the 1%-2% of the Buddhist and Orthodox holidays, and non culturally significant nature of Day of the Dead and Lunar New Year, or the pointlessness of Kings Dominion Friday.


Easy and done.


https://www.thearda.com/us-religion/census/congregational-membership?y=2020&t=0&c=51059


https://www.oca.org/parishes/state/VA

Easy and done, except:

-You need stare legislation to remove King Dominion Friday, so that’s not for next year.
-All Saints Day is sandwiched between the end of quarter and Election Day and that day along with Indigenous People day is often used for parent teacher conferences.
-Lunar New Year is on a weekend next year and the following year it will be an instructional day.
-Next year there is school on Bodhi day.

At best you can get back Theravada New Year which is aligned with the end of the third quarter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are absolutely ridiculous!

No one wants surveys. Just fix the silly calendar in a manner that minimizes all these fragmented weeks!

You can’t fix the calendar without getting rid of religious/cultural holidays in an extraordinarily diverse county. Constituents of those communities should have the say on whether those days are student holidays. If Indians are good with school on Diwali, great. If Jewish folks are good with only one of Rosh/Yom and Muslims are good with only one of the Eid’s, also great. But, no, you can’t have a bunch of white/black school board members simply stating that we aren’t going to observe the non-Christian holidays anymore because parents are annoyed that they have to find child care.

Some of the holidays recognized are for populations in the low single digits, where the numbers of student and staff taking off is less than an average stomach virus running through an elementary school

The days off should be based on pre O day attendance numbers, period. Pick a set number of absences, say 5%, and only give those holidays off. Give liberal make up options to those who practice smaller religious holidays where school is in session.

Stop putting teachers workdays on the cultural and religious holidays that have miniscule numbers of absences. I can shave off a full week plus one by just being practical. For example:

The Ds have a supermajority. FCPS needs to simply request that their friends in Richmond eliminate the mandated Kings Dominion Friday, a state forced holiday 10 days into the school year. Simply call Rachna and Laura Jane and make it happen.

Day of the Dead/All Saints Day is NOT a holiday celebrated in the US to the point of needing a day off school. Yes, it is a Holy Day of Obligation for Catholics, but there are almost hourly Mass options within 15-20 minutes of every FCPS resident, including evening options. Stop masking that religious/cultural holiday with an unnecessary teacher workday.

Eliminate Bohdi Day and Theravada. There are fewer than 10,000 Buddhists in all of Fairfax County, and not every sect celebrates both holidays Adherents to this fairh in FCPS is in the very low single digits. There is zero justification to not have the other 99% of FCPS students and teachers in school that day. Be generous with the make up policy for the handful of kids at each school that are practicing Buddhists.


Eliminate Orthodox Epiphany. There are only 3 orthodox churches in all of Fairfax County. The numbers do not justify giving Orthodox holidays off. Be liberal with the make up policies.

Remove Lunar New Year as a fake teachers workday. We do not celebrate Lunar New Year in the US like they do in Asia, not even us asian families. Lunar New Year should be a regular school day with regular assignment policies, no O day and no special accommodations.

Leave Eid, Rosh Hoshona, Diwali, etc. The populations ars smaller, but more significant than the 1%-2% of the Buddhist and Orthodox holidays, and non culturally significant nature of Day of the Dead and Lunar New Year, or the pointlessness of Kings Dominion Friday.


Easy and done.


https://www.thearda.com/us-religion/census/congregational-membership?y=2020&t=0&c=51059


https://www.oca.org/parishes/state/VA

Easy and done, except:

-You need stare legislation to remove King Dominion Friday, so that’s not for next year.
-All Saints Day is sandwiched between the end of quarter and Election Day and that day along with Indigenous People day is often used for parent teacher conferences.
-Lunar New Year is on a weekend next year and the following year it will be an instructional day.
-Next year there is school on Bodhi day.

At best you can get back Theravada New Year which is aligned with the end of the third quarter.

The legislature can make it the first item on their agenda. Done.

Stop coupling the end of the quarter abd workdays with holidays that fewer than 2% of the ffx county population celebrates.

[Anonymous]

Lunar new year never should have been given off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are absolutely ridiculous!

No one wants surveys. Just fix the silly calendar in a manner that minimizes all these fragmented weeks!

You can’t fix the calendar without getting rid of religious/cultural holidays in an extraordinarily diverse county. Constituents of those communities should have the say on whether those days are student holidays. If Indians are good with school on Diwali, great. If Jewish folks are good with only one of Rosh/Yom and Muslims are good with only one of the Eid’s, also great. But, no, you can’t have a bunch of white/black school board members simply stating that we aren’t going to observe the non-Christian holidays anymore because parents are annoyed that they have to find child care.

Some of the holidays recognized are for populations in the low single digits, where the numbers of student and staff taking off is less than an average stomach virus running through an elementary school

The days off should be based on pre O day attendance numbers, period. Pick a set number of absences, say 5%, and only give those holidays off. Give liberal make up options to those who practice smaller religious holidays where school is in session.

Stop putting teachers workdays on the cultural and religious holidays that have miniscule numbers of absences. I can shave off a full week plus one by just being practical. For example:

The Ds have a supermajority. FCPS needs to simply request that their friends in Richmond eliminate the mandated Kings Dominion Friday, a state forced holiday 10 days into the school year. Simply call Rachna and Laura Jane and make it happen.

Day of the Dead/All Saints Day is NOT a holiday celebrated in the US to the point of needing a day off school. Yes, it is a Holy Day of Obligation for Catholics, but there are almost hourly Mass options within 15-20 minutes of every FCPS resident, including evening options. Stop masking that religious/cultural holiday with an unnecessary teacher workday.

Eliminate Bohdi Day and Theravada. There are fewer than 10,000 Buddhists in all of Fairfax County, and not every sect celebrates both holidays Adherents to this fairh in FCPS is in the very low single digits. There is zero justification to not have the other 99% of FCPS students and teachers in school that day. Be generous with the make up policy for the handful of kids at each school that are practicing Buddhists.


Eliminate Orthodox Epiphany. There are only 3 orthodox churches in all of Fairfax County. The numbers do not justify giving Orthodox holidays off. Be liberal with the make up policies.

Remove Lunar New Year as a fake teachers workday. We do not celebrate Lunar New Year in the US like they do in Asia, not even us asian families. Lunar New Year should be a regular school day with regular assignment policies, no O day and no special accommodations.

Leave Eid, Rosh Hoshona, Diwali, etc. The populations ars smaller, but more significant than the 1%-2% of the Buddhist and Orthodox holidays, and non culturally significant nature of Day of the Dead and Lunar New Year, or the pointlessness of Kings Dominion Friday.


Easy and done.


https://www.thearda.com/us-religion/census/congregational-membership?y=2020&t=0&c=51059


https://www.oca.org/parishes/state/VA

Easy and done, except:

-You need stare legislation to remove King Dominion Friday, so that’s not for next year.
-All Saints Day is sandwiched between the end of quarter and Election Day and that day along with Indigenous People day is often used for parent teacher conferences.
-Lunar New Year is on a weekend next year and the following year it will be an instructional day.
-Next year there is school on Bodhi day.

At best you can get back Theravada New Year which is aligned with the end of the third quarter.

And lastly, put all elementary half day early releases on Fridays only. Make things easier for working families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are absolutely ridiculous!

No one wants surveys. Just fix the silly calendar in a manner that minimizes all these fragmented weeks!

You can’t fix the calendar without getting rid of religious/cultural holidays in an extraordinarily diverse county. Constituents of those communities should have the say on whether those days are student holidays. If Indians are good with school on Diwali, great. If Jewish folks are good with only one of Rosh/Yom and Muslims are good with only one of the Eid’s, also great. But, no, you can’t have a bunch of white/black school board members simply stating that we aren’t going to observe the non-Christian holidays anymore because parents are annoyed that they have to find child care.

Some of the holidays recognized are for populations in the low single digits, where the numbers of student and staff taking off is less than an average stomach virus running through an elementary school

The days off should be based on pre O day attendance numbers, period. Pick a set number of absences, say 5%, and only give those holidays off. Give liberal make up options to those who practice smaller religious holidays where school is in session.

Stop putting teachers workdays on the cultural and religious holidays that have miniscule numbers of absences. I can shave off a full week plus one by just being practical. For example:

The Ds have a supermajority. FCPS needs to simply request that their friends in Richmond eliminate the mandated Kings Dominion Friday, a state forced holiday 10 days into the school year. Simply call Rachna and Laura Jane and make it happen.

Day of the Dead/All Saints Day is NOT a holiday celebrated in the US to the point of needing a day off school. Yes, it is a Holy Day of Obligation for Catholics, but there are almost hourly Mass options within 15-20 minutes of every FCPS resident, including evening options. Stop masking that religious/cultural holiday with an unnecessary teacher workday.

Eliminate Bohdi Day and Theravada. There are fewer than 10,000 Buddhists in all of Fairfax County, and not every sect celebrates both holidays Adherents to this fairh in FCPS is in the very low single digits. There is zero justification to not have the other 99% of FCPS students and teachers in school that day. Be generous with the make up policy for the handful of kids at each school that are practicing Buddhists.


Eliminate Orthodox Epiphany. There are only 3 orthodox churches in all of Fairfax County. The numbers do not justify giving Orthodox holidays off. Be liberal with the make up policies.

Remove Lunar New Year as a fake teachers workday. We do not celebrate Lunar New Year in the US like they do in Asia, not even us asian families. Lunar New Year should be a regular school day with regular assignment policies, no O day and no special accommodations.

Leave Eid, Rosh Hoshona, Diwali, etc. The populations ars smaller, but more significant than the 1%-2% of the Buddhist and Orthodox holidays, and non culturally significant nature of Day of the Dead and Lunar New Year, or the pointlessness of Kings Dominion Friday.


Easy and done.


https://www.thearda.com/us-religion/census/congregational-membership?y=2020&t=0&c=51059


https://www.oca.org/parishes/state/VA

Easy and done, except:

-You need stare legislation to remove King Dominion Friday, so that’s not for next year.
-All Saints Day is sandwiched between the end of quarter and Election Day and that day along with Indigenous People day is often used for parent teacher conferences.
-Lunar New Year is on a weekend next year and the following year it will be an instructional day.
-Next year there is school on Bodhi day.

At best you can get back Theravada New Year which is aligned with the end of the third quarter.

The legislature can make it the first item on their agenda. Done.

Stop coupling the end of the quarter abd workdays with holidays that fewer than 2% of the ffx county population celebrates.

The problem with All Saint’s Day for is that it often takes place the Monday before Election Day. The alternative is to have school on Monday and then be closed on Tuesday. Personally, I’d rather have a 4 day weekend then waste an instruction day on an isolated Monday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are absolutely ridiculous!

No one wants surveys. Just fix the silly calendar in a manner that minimizes all these fragmented weeks!

You can’t fix the calendar without getting rid of religious/cultural holidays in an extraordinarily diverse county. Constituents of those communities should have the say on whether those days are student holidays. If Indians are good with school on Diwali, great. If Jewish folks are good with only one of Rosh/Yom and Muslims are good with only one of the Eid’s, also great. But, no, you can’t have a bunch of white/black school board members simply stating that we aren’t going to observe the non-Christian holidays anymore because parents are annoyed that they have to find child care.

Some of the holidays recognized are for populations in the low single digits, where the numbers of student and staff taking off is less than an average stomach virus running through an elementary school

The days off should be based on pre O day attendance numbers, period. Pick a set number of absences, say 5%, and only give those holidays off. Give liberal make up options to those who practice smaller religious holidays where school is in session.

Stop putting teachers workdays on the cultural and religious holidays that have miniscule numbers of absences. I can shave off a full week plus one by just being practical. For example:

The Ds have a supermajority. FCPS needs to simply request that their friends in Richmond eliminate the mandated Kings Dominion Friday, a state forced holiday 10 days into the school year. Simply call Rachna and Laura Jane and make it happen.

Day of the Dead/All Saints Day is NOT a holiday celebrated in the US to the point of needing a day off school. Yes, it is a Holy Day of Obligation for Catholics, but there are almost hourly Mass options within 15-20 minutes of every FCPS resident, including evening options. Stop masking that religious/cultural holiday with an unnecessary teacher workday.

Eliminate Bohdi Day and Theravada. There are fewer than 10,000 Buddhists in all of Fairfax County, and not every sect celebrates both holidays Adherents to this fairh in FCPS is in the very low single digits. There is zero justification to not have the other 99% of FCPS students and teachers in school that day. Be generous with the make up policy for the handful of kids at each school that are practicing Buddhists.


Eliminate Orthodox Epiphany. There are only 3 orthodox churches in all of Fairfax County. The numbers do not justify giving Orthodox holidays off. Be liberal with the make up policies.

Remove Lunar New Year as a fake teachers workday. We do not celebrate Lunar New Year in the US like they do in Asia, not even us asian families. Lunar New Year should be a regular school day with regular assignment policies, no O day and no special accommodations.

Leave Eid, Rosh Hoshona, Diwali, etc. The populations ars smaller, but more significant than the 1%-2% of the Buddhist and Orthodox holidays, and non culturally significant nature of Day of the Dead and Lunar New Year, or the pointlessness of Kings Dominion Friday.


Easy and done.


https://www.thearda.com/us-religion/census/congregational-membership?y=2020&t=0&c=51059


https://www.oca.org/parishes/state/VA

Easy and done, except:

-You need stare legislation to remove King Dominion Friday, so that’s not for next year.
-All Saints Day is sandwiched between the end of quarter and Election Day and that day along with Indigenous People day is often used for parent teacher conferences.
-Lunar New Year is on a weekend next year and the following year it will be an instructional day.
-Next year there is school on Bodhi day.

At best you can get back Theravada New Year which is aligned with the end of the third quarter.

And lastly, put all elementary half day early releases on Fridays only. Make things easier for working families.

Nope. That will encourage less attendance all around. Also teachers are exhausted Fridays and don’t want Friday afternoon to plan. They want an earlier day in the week for maximum effect.

Early release Wednesdays have no bearing whatsoever on working families as childcare was provided. Duh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lunar new year never should have been given off.

20% of FCPS celebrates it as the biggest holiday of the year.