Proposed APS Calendar Policy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how they think that “hey if we don’t use snow days we can end sooner and tell you in the 4th quarter” is a real solution, as if they think we can just magically find camps for these new days off with such short notice. I start registering my kids for camp in January.

The whole point of doing this policy is so they can decide the calendar way in advance to give everyone plenty of planning notice. The above is the complete opposite of that!

I hope people comment on this. It is the newest aspect of the calendar policy, so maybe it's one area where they are less dug in and are open to feedback.

I mean, they have shown no inclination to listen to what 95% of families want, so why would they care about this? Especially if it means Syphax staff get yet another paid day off.

Will syphax staff get more days off if school ends earlier in June be because of a lack of snow days?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love how they think that “hey if we don’t use snow days we can end sooner and tell you in the 4th quarter” is a real solution, as if they think we can just magically find camps for these new days off with such short notice. I start registering my kids for camp in January.

The whole point of doing this policy is so they can decide the calendar way in advance to give everyone plenty of planning notice. The above is the complete opposite of that!

+100 Can't even believe this.

On a side note, I think it would be save to assume we don't need any snow days anymore... so please just end the school year sooner, if you insist on starting it earlier and earlier.

[Anonymous]

Did the board discuss this last night?

[Anonymous]

Does anyone remember why Fairfax decided to start two-weeks before Labor Day to begin with? What is the benefit of starting that early?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did the board discuss this last night?

Yes. Here is my summary:

- according to presenter (forgot his name), policy will allow us to end earlier in June because we start earlier. If that’s the case ءwhy not include it in the policy.

-Mary Kadara was the only board member who cared about parental input. Said that if the comments overwhelmingly oppose the earlier start date then need to articulate exactly why we are doing this. Rick Goldstein asked difficult questions but was cut off by Cristina Diazء Torres.

-Bethany Sutton basically said that the comments do not represent the wider APS community and probably represent the most extreme negative positions. Said that most APS community members didn’t comment. Well if that’s the case then why have comments at all?

- No one addressed the overwhelming opposition to the religious holidays. Dr Duran mentioned that he sat on a committee a few years ago the committee determined which holidays were important. My understanding is this was a northern Virginia wide committee.

I was disappointed by Bethany Sutton’s comments and found Diaz Torres rubber stamping of everything quite annoying. She doesn’t ask critical questions at all and always defers to the superintendent. What a waste of a seat. I didn’t get where Rick Goldstein was going with his questions but at least he was asking questions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did the board discuss this last night?

Yes. Here is my summary:

- according to presenter (forgot his name), policy will allow us to end earlier in June because we start earlier. If that’s the case ءwhy not include it in the policy.

-Mary Kadara was the only board member who cared about parental input. Said that if the comments overwhelmingly oppose the earlier start date then need to articulate exactly why we are doing this. Rick Goldstein asked difficult questions but was cut off by Cristina Diazء Torres.

-Bethany Sutton basically said that the comments do not represent the wider APS community and probably represent the most extreme negative positions. Said that most APS community members didn’t comment. Well if that’s the case then why have comments at all?

- No one addressed the overwhelming opposition to the religious holidays. Dr Duran mentioned that he sat on a committee a few years ago the committee determined which holidays were important. My understanding is this was a northern Virginia wide committee.

I was disappointed by Bethany Sutton’s comments and found Diaz Torres rubber stamping of everything quite annoying. She doesn’t ask critical questions at all and always defers to the superintendent. What a waste of a seat. I didn’t get where Rick Goldstein was going with his questions but at least he was asking questions.

CDT is so terrible she literally closed the meeting by saying "we will adopt this policy on September 7." Boy, why even bother to vote?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did the board discuss this last night?

Yes. Here is my summary:

- according to presenter (forgot his name), policy will allow us to end earlier in June because we start earlier. If that’s the case ءwhy not include it in the policy.

-Mary Kadara was the only board member who cared about parental input. Said that if the comments overwhelmingly oppose the earlier start date then need to articulate exactly why we are doing this. Rick Goldstein asked difficult questions but was cut off by Cristina Diazء Torres.

-Bethany Sutton basically said that the comments do not represent the wider APS community and probably represent the most extreme negative positions. Said that most APS community members didn’t comment. Well if that’s the case then why have comments at all?

- No one addressed the overwhelming opposition to the religious holidays. Dr Duran mentioned that he sat on a committee a few years ago the committee determined which holidays were important. My understanding is this was a northern Virginia wide committee.

I was disappointed by Bethany Sutton’s comments and found Diaz Torres rubber stamping of everything quite annoying. She doesn’t ask critical questions at all and always defers to the superintendent. What a waste of a seat. I didn’t get where Rick Goldstein was going with his questions but at least he was asking questions.

Kadera also asked, if alignment of the start date/starting two weeks before Labor Day was so important for staff retention, then why did this not come through in the comments any of the three times APS has asked.

[Anonymous]

If starting earlier really means getting out earlier, they need to include that in the policy. For example, out by June 10… or a minimum of 10 weeks for summer break. I feel like they don’t want to say that, because they actually have a no intention of ending earlier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how they think that “hey if we don’t use snow days we can end sooner and tell you in the 4th quarter” is a real solution, as if they think we can just magically find camps for these new days off with such short notice. I start registering my kids for camp in January.

The whole point of doing this policy is so they can decide the calendar way in advance to give everyone plenty of planning notice. The above is the complete opposite of that!

+100 Can't even believe this.

On a side note, I think it would be save to assume we don't need any snow days anymore... so please just end the school year sooner, if you insist on starting it earlier and earlier.

Well, we do close upon threat of freezing rain; so maybe allow one or two "weather days." But really, just add make-up days to the end of the year if needed like we used to do "back in the day." First of all, even if people must begin their vacations the day after school lets out, they won't be missing anything instruction-wise since nothing significantly academic happens at the end of the year anyway. Second of all, people can be notified during the year as they approach and hten reach or exceed allowable weather closures that they need to extend the school year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If starting earlier really means getting out earlier, they need to include that in the policy. For example, out by June 10… or a minimum of 10 weeks for summer break. I feel like they don’t want to say that, because they actually have a no intention of ending earlier.

That’s my issue. If they really mean they will be ending earlier (and not only if we have unused snow days) then why not include it in the policy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did the board discuss this last night?

Yes. Here is my summary:

- according to presenter (forgot his name), policy will allow us to end earlier in June because we start earlier. If that’s the case ءwhy not include it in the policy.

-Mary Kadara was the only board member who cared about parental input. Said that if the comments overwhelmingly oppose the earlier start date then need to articulate exactly why we are doing this. Rick Goldstein asked difficult questions but was cut off by Cristina Diazء Torres.

-Bethany Sutton basically said that the comments do not represent the wider APS community and probably represent the most extreme negative positions. Said that most APS community members didn’t comment. Well if that’s the case then why have comments at all?

- No one addressed the overwhelming opposition to the religious holidays. Dr Duran mentioned that he sat on a committee a few years ago the committee determined which holidays were important. My understanding is this was a northern Virginia wide committee.

I was disappointed by Bethany Sutton’s comments and found Diaz Torres rubber stamping of everything quite annoying. She doesn’t ask critical questions at all and always defers to the superintendent. What a waste of a seat. I didn’t get where Rick Goldstein was going with his questions but at least he was asking questions.

Diaz Torres is a child with zero relevant experience. She should have never been elected but for the partisan grip Arlington Dems have on the process.

GIGO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did the board discuss this last night?

Yes. Here is my summary:

- according to presenter (forgot his name), policy will allow us to end earlier in June because we start earlier. If that’s the case ءwhy not include it in the policy.

-Mary Kadara was the only board member who cared about parental input. Said that if the comments overwhelmingly oppose the earlier start date then need to articulate exactly why we are doing this. Rick Goldstein asked difficult questions but was cut off by Cristina Diazء Torres.

-Bethany Sutton basically said that the comments do not represent the wider APS community and probably represent the most extreme negative positions. Said that most APS community members didn’t comment. Well if that’s the case then why have comments at all?

- No one addressed the overwhelming opposition to the religious holidays. Dr Duran mentioned that he sat on a committee a few years ago the committee determined which holidays were important. My understanding is this was a northern Virginia wide committee.

I was disappointed by Bethany Sutton’s comments and found Diaz Torres rubber stamping of everything quite annoying. She doesn’t ask critical questions at all and always defers to the superintendent. What a waste of a seat. I didn’t get where Rick Goldstein was going with his questions but at least he was asking questions.

CDT is so terrible she literally closed the meeting by saying "we will adopt this policy on September 7." Boy, why even bother to vote?

It’s pretty convenient to dismiss parental feedback when it doesn’t align with what you want.

Grateful for Kadera but she’s only one vote.

[Anonymous]

WOW why even take comments then! What is the point?!?!?

BTW it isn't ALL parents commenting negatively, staff is as well

[Anonymous]

Staff doesn’t want this. Majority live in FFX and starting a week later than them means they don’t have to find childcare. Staff AND parents don’t want this. Sutton is probably just white-splaining that there are many families who never comment or give feed back due to language/literacy barriers, but that doesn’t mean ignore those who do or assume it’s not representative of the majority. I have yet to hear of any large constituency FOR the earlier start.

[Anonymous]

Anyone know where to find APS contracts? I would love to know how much $$ they’re spending on ThoughtExchange to then dismiss it as not inclusive enough. A quick google shows Seattle Public Schools spent $325k for a 3 year contract