How DO we get the calendar changed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So do the 8 early release days include early release Wednesdays? Or will that be a totally different thing since it only applies to elementary schools? They have been so dumb.

The motion turned into a disaster. Dunne was trying to stop elementary early releases by using language in the calendar planning policy, but then it was pointed out that there are a ton of high school early releases that aren’t on the calendar either, and we can’t just make high schoolers sit around at school after they’ve finished their AP exam or final because the school board said they couldn’t leave early!

Then the new guy threw out 8 days as a compromise and the language specifying elementary schools got added.

Basically, the attempt to kill the Wednesday early releases resulted in the death of end of quarter early releases, which isn’t going to be popular with the long weekend travelers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So do the 8 early release days include early release Wednesdays? Or will that be a totally different thing since it only applies to elementary schools? They have been so dumb.

The motion turned into a disaster. Dunne was trying to stop elementary early releases by using language in the calendar planning policy, but then it was pointed out that there are a ton of high school early releases that aren’t on the calendar either, and we can’t just make high schoolers sit around at school after they’ve finished their AP exam or final because the school board said they couldn’t leave early!

Then the new guy threw out 8 days as a compromise and the language specifying elementary schools got added.

Basically, the attempt to kill the Wednesday early releases resulted in the death of end of quarter early releases, which isn’t going to be popular with the long weekend travelers.

Updated calendar from today still has the QE early dismissals. The long weekends are safe.

[Anonymous]

Next year's calendar is missing the first week of August.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So do the 8 early release days include early release Wednesdays? Or will that be a totally different thing since it only applies to elementary schools? They have been so dumb.

The motion turned into a disaster. Dunne was trying to stop elementary early releases by using language in the calendar planning policy, but then it was pointed out that there are a ton of high school early releases that aren’t on the calendar either, and we can’t just make high schoolers sit around at school after they’ve finished their AP exam or final because the school board said they couldn’t leave early!

Then the new guy threw out 8 days as a compromise and the language specifying elementary schools got added.

Basically, the attempt to kill the Wednesday early releases resulted in the death of end of quarter early releases, which isn’t going to be popular with the long weekend travelers.

This just shows how much the board doesn’t understand about school. High schoolers often leave early at the end of the year when it’s exams and that is totally normal. I don’t think the AP tests will count because it’s only the kids taking that specific test. More like a field trip because it’s only a few kids. As usual a few loud grumpy people caused a whole mess.

[Anonymous]

FCPS offers a fantastic education that is the envy of many communities across the country. The school year calendar is not hurting it. Kids of all ages work hard in school and deserve the breaks.

The holidays are more difficult for parents of elementary school kids, but the calendar is released well in advance. Plan ahead for childcare. It doesn't have to be expensive. Get together with neighbors and friends to create a babysitter-share. Many high schoolers are happy to babysit for a little bit of extra cash.

The holidays are a gift to the middle schoolers and high schoolers, who can stay home alone and catch up on studying, projects, research papers, sleep, relax, or babysit the younger kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FCPS offers a fantastic education that is the envy of many communities across the country. The school year calendar is not hurting it. Kids of all ages work hard in school and deserve the breaks.

The holidays are more difficult for parents of elementary school kids, but the calendar is released well in advance. Plan ahead for childcare. It doesn't have to be expensive. Get together with neighbors and friends to create a babysitter-share. Many high schoolers are happy to babysit for a little bit of extra cash.

The holidays are a gift to the middle schoolers and high schoolers, who can stay home alone and catch up on studying, projects, research papers, sleep, relax, or babysit the younger kids.

Clearly all of these tired points didn’t convince anyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FCPS offers a fantastic education that is the envy of many communities across the country. The school year calendar is not hurting it. Kids of all ages work hard in school and deserve the breaks.

The holidays are more difficult for parents of elementary school kids, but the calendar is released well in advance. Plan ahead for childcare. It doesn't have to be expensive. Get together with neighbors and friends to create a babysitter-share. Many high schoolers are happy to babysit for a little bit of extra cash.

The holidays are a gift to the middle schoolers and high schoolers, who can stay home alone and catch up on studying, projects, research papers, sleep, relax, or babysit the younger kids.

Fairfax county has some of the highest childcare costs in the country, so while perhaps it doesn’t “need” to be expensive, it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FCPS offers a fantastic education that is the envy of many communities across the country. The school year calendar is not hurting it. Kids of all ages work hard in school and deserve the breaks.

The holidays are more difficult for parents of elementary school kids, but the calendar is released well in advance. Plan ahead for childcare. It doesn't have to be expensive. Get together with neighbors and friends to create a babysitter-share. Many high schoolers are happy to babysit for a little bit of extra cash.

The holidays are a gift to the middle schoolers and high schoolers, who can stay home alone and catch up on studying, projects, research papers, sleep, relax, or babysit the younger kids.

This is hilarious. Can I offer you some more Kool-Aid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FCPS offers a fantastic education that is the envy of many communities across the country. The school year calendar is not hurting it. Kids of all ages work hard in school and deserve the breaks.

The holidays are more difficult for parents of elementary school kids, but the calendar is released well in advance. Plan ahead for childcare. It doesn't have to be expensive. Get together with neighbors and friends to create a babysitter-share. Many high schoolers are happy to babysit for a little bit of extra cash.

The holidays are a gift to the middle schoolers and high schoolers, who can stay home alone and catch up on studying, projects, research papers, sleep, relax, or babysit the younger kids.

The calendar wasn’t created to give your low energy kid breaks. Tell them to figure out how to handle their work the way you are telling parents to figure out childcare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS offers a fantastic education that is the envy of many communities across the country. The school year calendar is not hurting it. Kids of all ages work hard in school and deserve the breaks.

The holidays are more difficult for parents of elementary school kids, but the calendar is released well in advance. Plan ahead for childcare. It doesn't have to be expensive. Get together with neighbors and friends to create a babysitter-share. Many high schoolers are happy to babysit for a little bit of extra cash.

The holidays are a gift to the middle schoolers and high schoolers, who can stay home alone and catch up on studying, projects, research papers, sleep, relax, or babysit the younger kids.

The calendar wasn’t created to give your low energy kid breaks. Tell them to figure out how to handle their work the way you are telling parents to figure out childcare.

So low energy is an insult now? The first person I ever heard use that expression was Trump. If you are in real life as you sound in your post,should want lots of “low energy” people around you- makes it easier for your kid to get to the top!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FCPS offers a fantastic education that is the envy of many communities across the country. The school year calendar is not hurting it. Kids of all ages work hard in school and deserve the breaks.

The holidays are more difficult for parents of elementary school kids, but the calendar is released well in advance. Plan ahead for childcare. It doesn't have to be expensive. Get together with neighbors and friends to create a babysitter-share. Many high schoolers are happy to babysit for a little bit of extra cash.

The holidays are a gift to the middle schoolers and high schoolers, who can stay home alone and catch up on studying, projects, research papers, sleep, relax, or babysit the younger kids.

Thanks, Michelle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So do the 8 early release days include early release Wednesdays? Or will that be a totally different thing since it only applies to elementary schools? They have been so dumb.

The motion turned into a disaster. Dunne was trying to stop elementary early releases by using language in the calendar planning policy, but then it was pointed out that there are a ton of high school early releases that aren’t on the calendar either, and we can’t just make high schoolers sit around at school after they’ve finished their AP exam or final because the school board said they couldn’t leave early!

Then the new guy threw out 8 days as a compromise and the language specifying elementary schools got added.

Basically, the attempt to kill the Wednesday early releases resulted in the death of end of quarter early releases, which isn’t going to be popular with the long weekend travelers.

Updated calendar from today still has the QE early dismissals. The long weekends are safe.

Could you please link to this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FCPS offers a fantastic education that is the envy of many communities across the country. The school year calendar is not hurting it. Kids of all ages work hard in school and deserve the breaks.

The holidays are more difficult for parents of elementary school kids, but the calendar is released well in advance. Plan ahead for childcare. It doesn't have to be expensive. Get together with neighbors and friends to create a babysitter-share. Many high schoolers are happy to babysit for a little bit of extra cash.

The holidays are a gift to the middle schoolers and high schoolers, who can stay home alone and catch up on studying, projects, research papers, sleep, relax, or babysit the younger kids.

They're really not. It's nearly impossible to find middle and high school babysitters nowadays. They don't want to do it. If a real person had written this post instead of using AI, you would know that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So do the 8 early release days include early release Wednesdays? Or will that be a totally different thing since it only applies to elementary schools? They have been so dumb.

The motion turned into a disaster. Dunne was trying to stop elementary early releases by using language in the calendar planning policy, but then it was pointed out that there are a ton of high school early releases that aren’t on the calendar either, and we can’t just make high schoolers sit around at school after they’ve finished their AP exam or final because the school board said they couldn’t leave early!

Then the new guy threw out 8 days as a compromise and the language specifying elementary schools got added.

Basically, the attempt to kill the Wednesday early releases resulted in the death of end of quarter early releases, which isn’t going to be popular with the long weekend travelers.

Updated calendar from today still has the QE early dismissals. The long weekends are safe.

Could you please link to this?

https://www.fcps.edu/system/files/forms/2025-04/2026-2027-standard-school-year-calendar.pdf

Updated 4/10, QE days unchanged

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FCPS offers a fantastic education that is the envy of many communities across the country. The school year calendar is not hurting it. Kids of all ages work hard in school and deserve the breaks.

The holidays are more difficult for parents of elementary school kids, but the calendar is released well in advance. Plan ahead for childcare. It doesn't have to be expensive. Get together with neighbors and friends to create a babysitter-share. Many high schoolers are happy to babysit for a little bit of extra cash.

The holidays are a gift to the middle schoolers and high schoolers, who can stay home alone and catch up on studying, projects, research papers, sleep, relax, or babysit the younger kids.

If your child truly— truly— cannot handle routine five day weeks more than 60% of the time, you need to engage with your pediatrician. Or you need to make some difficult parenting choices about Screen Time, extracurriculars, course-load, family travel, whatever it is that is keeping them from being able to be in a five day week half the time successfully.