Earlier start date proposed for MCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bowers' first draft was a good calendar, and it is mostly back in this draft. Hooray!

As for the earlier start if school in 2017, won't that be dependent on the new Superintendent slated to start July 1? Does an extra week prior to AP exams make much of a difference? There are still states that start after Labor Day, and I don't hear major complaints about AP exams.

But, yes, we are all on notice!

2017-18's status may be dependent on the new Superintendent. But maybe not. Hard to really know for sure.

Durso was quoted Tuesday as saying he hopes to have an announcement in or around February. So we'll see soon enough.

[Anonymous]

An announcement about the superintendent?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like they really listened to community concerns that this wasn't enough lead time to make these changes but we should expect an earlier start date the following year.

The 2017-18 tentative calendar that was put forth at the 11/10 meeting did have the first day of school 2 weeks prior to Labor Day. MCPS said they wished to have an additional school year to implement for facilities (mainly) and not have back-to-back years of major systemwide change (i.e., bell times this year and earlier than usual start date next year).

That seems like reasonable notice. Changing for this coming year was not.

2 weeks prior? Wow. Not a fan!!!

That is a start date of Monday Aug 21st and preview days in the week of late teens? And high school sports starting Aug 3rd or 7th? All of these days off are ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

I'm not a fan of the earlier start either. Hopefully MCPS will solicit more input from stakeholders.

[Anonymous]

I no longer teach AP, but yes, an extra week would make a difference, just like three lost days makes a difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, back to 8/29 start and the last day on a Friday (6/16 ish).

But 10/21 is gone.

I suggested to them to get rid of 10/21!

Yes, because the last thing we want to encourage is our district's teachers attending a statewide conference of their peers.

[Anonymous]

It would be interesting to see some statistics on how many teachers actually attend the conference from MoCo.

[Anonymous]

I have a feeling teachers would be more likely to attend
If the option was another day of teaching?.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It would be interesting to see some statistics on how many teachers actually attend the conference from MoCo.

I've taught at a highly regarded school for 12 years and I have yet to meet a single teacher who has attended.

[Anonymous]

Based on the commentary from teachers, like 20:45, it seems to me that the day was repurposed appropriately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a fan of the earlier start either. Hopefully MCPS will solicit more input from stakeholders.

+1

[Anonymous]

The calendar has me confused. I don't see holidays for Rosh Hoshannah (October 3) or Yom Kippur (October 12).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If professional leave is granted...won;t lots of teachers take it? Will there be enough subs? Seems like a very low learning day to me!

Allegedly few teachers attend the conference.

Isn't it in Ocean City every year? Not everybody can drive 3 hours for a conference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The calendar has me confused. I don't see holidays for Rosh Hoshannah (October 3) or Yom Kippur (October 12).

They are no longer "holidays" but non instructional days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If professional leave is granted...won;t lots of teachers take it? Will there be enough subs? Seems like a very low learning day to me!

Allegedly few teachers attend the conference.

Isn't it in Ocean City every year? Not everybody can drive 3 hours for a conference.

There are also local county-level sub-conferences that are more heavily attended. I suspect that they will be swamped this year as MCPS is footing the bill for a professional day.