APS Calendar - decision timeframe

[Anonymous]

As recently as 2017 APS had a 1-week winter break (including the Friday before and the Monday after, so slightly more than 1 wk).

https://www.apsva.us/post/school-board-approves-2017-18-school-calendar/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As recently as 2017 APS had a 1-week winter break (including the Friday before and the Monday after, so slightly more than 1 wk).

https://www.apsva.us/post/school-board-approves-2017-18-school-calendar/

Yuck. The two week break is so much better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Vacation is much cheaper after Labor Day

It's not the school system's responsibility to help you get a bargain vacation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those of you who want one week for winter break -- the only way to manage that in 2022 would be for the last day of school before the break to be on December 23 (at least one person has suggested something earlier, but get serious -- you need an entire week, Mon-F, for this one). Do you really think families are going to stick around through the 23rd? I don't.

That's how it always was at my school growing up. It was fine. If people choose to blow off school to go skiing that's their business.

If you want a break later in the school year, then, just go. That's your business.

I know this is a radical position, but the purpose of school is to educate the next generation in an equitable manner, not to provide free childcare in a manner middle-class parents find convenient. So when school is in session, students should be there.

If there's school on the 23rd of December, is it OK for teachers to give exams and require a doctor's note for any make-up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those of you who want one week for winter break -- the only way to manage that in 2022 would be for the last day of school before the break to be on December 23 (at least one person has suggested something earlier, but get serious -- you need an entire week, Mon-F, for this one). Do you really think families are going to stick around through the 23rd? I don't.

That's how it always was at my school growing up. It was fine. If people choose to blow off school to go skiing that's their business.

If you want a break later in the school year, then, just go. That's your business.

I know this is a radical position, but the purpose of school is to educate the next generation in an equitable manner, not to provide free childcare in a manner middle-class parents find convenient. So when school is in session, students should be there.

If there's school on the 23rd of December, is it OK for teachers to give exams and require a doctor's note for any make-up?

The APS calendar is now bordering on ridiculous. It is time to make some choices. Adding religious holidays wasn't without negative consequences. There are so few FULL weeks of school, yet people feel entitled to two weeks of winter break. Unbelievable.

[Anonymous]

The APS calendar is now bordering on ridiculous. It is time to make some choices. Adding religious holidays wasn't without negative consequences. There are so few FULL weeks of school, yet people feel entitled to two weeks of winter break. Unbelievable.

And for whom exactly is a 2-week winter break convenient? I don't know any working person (other than teachers) who takes 2 weeks off at the end of the year. These random breaks cause nothing but childcare hassles for working people. If we wanted to be equitable, we would have more regular 5-day weeks of class and then perhaps a longer summer break. At least with summer break, folks can plan for and arrange for camps for their kids. Getting childcare for all of the random 1 and 2 day breaks is darn near close to impossible.

And enough with folks who say "school isn't childcare" - it sure as hell is for working people. People plan their lives around the notion that once kids begin kindergarten that they will be at school from ~9-3, or longer with aftercare. These calendars are build for families with a stay-at-home parent or people with unlimited leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The APS calendar is now bordering on ridiculous. It is time to make some choices. Adding religious holidays wasn't without negative consequences. There are so few FULL weeks of school, yet people feel entitled to two weeks of winter break. Unbelievable.

And for whom exactly is a 2-week winter break convenient? I don't know any working person (other than teachers) who takes 2 weeks off at the end of the year. These random breaks cause nothing but childcare hassles for working people. If we wanted to be equitable, we would have more regular 5-day weeks of class and then perhaps a longer summer break. At least with summer break, folks can plan for and arrange for camps for their kids. Getting childcare for all of the random 1 and 2 day breaks is darn near close to impossible.

And enough with folks who say "school isn't childcare" - it sure as hell is for working people. People plan their lives around the notion that once kids begin kindergarten that they will be at school from ~9-3, or longer with aftercare. These calendars are build for families with a stay-at-home parent or people with unlimited leave.

It depends on your profession. Most working people we know do take off two weeks at the end of the year. Many people pulled their kids from school before APS changed to the full two weeks over winter break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

And enough with folks who say "school isn't childcare" - it sure as hell is for working people. People plan their lives around the notion that once kids begin kindergarten that they will be at school from ~9-3, or longer with aftercare. These calendars are build for families with a stay-at-home parent or people with unlimited leave.

The fact that lots of parents use it as childcare (and I was one of them when my kids were littler) does not mean that's its function. It's a happy side benefit. It's not something you're owed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those of you who want one week for winter break -- the only way to manage that in 2022 would be for the last day of school before the break to be on December 23 (at least one person has suggested something earlier, but get serious -- you need an entire week, Mon-F, for this one). Do you really think families are going to stick around through the 23rd? I don't.

That's how it always was at my school growing up. It was fine. If people choose to blow off school to go skiing that's their business.

+1
Just like others saying those who observe non-Christian holidays can/have taken off those days, except they're only taking the actual holiday. In this case, students have the actual Christmas day holiday off and would merely be choosing to take more. Why should Christians get a week or two for one-day holiday and others just get there one?

What's wrong with break starting 12/24?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The APS calendar is now bordering on ridiculous. It is time to make some choices. Adding religious holidays wasn't without negative consequences. There are so few FULL weeks of school, yet people feel entitled to two weeks of winter break. Unbelievable.

And for whom exactly is a 2-week winter break convenient? I don't know any working person (other than teachers) who takes 2 weeks off at the end of the year. These random breaks cause nothing but childcare hassles for working people. If we wanted to be equitable, we would have more regular 5-day weeks of class and then perhaps a longer summer break. At least with summer break, folks can plan for and arrange for camps for their kids. Getting childcare for all of the random 1 and 2 day breaks is darn near close to impossible.

And enough with folks who say "school isn't childcare" - it sure as hell is for working people. People plan their lives around the notion that once kids begin kindergarten that they will be at school from ~9-3, or longer with aftercare. These calendars are build for families with a stay-at-home parent or people with unlimited leave.

It depends on your profession. Most working people we know do take off two weeks at the end of the year. Many people pulled their kids from school before APS changed to the full two weeks over winter break.

I know a lot of people in various professions that take the week of Christmas off and the week of New Years. Not govt jobs but consultants, HR, tech, etc. Even people that don't take the full 2 weeks usually have more floating days off those weeks- so they only need to cover childcare for 4-6 days vs 10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those of you who want one week for winter break -- the only way to manage that in 2022 would be for the last day of school before the break to be on December 23 (at least one person has suggested something earlier, but get serious -- you need an entire week, Mon-F, for this one). Do you really think families are going to stick around through the 23rd? I don't.

When my middle schooler was in K, Christmas break began on Dec 24 (in APS). Yes, a lot of people skipped the last day I’m sure (us included).

+1

Next year is the perfect year to have 1 one-week winter break. It's not as easy to do that when Xmas falls on, say, a Wednesday.

It's very easy - you get Monday through Friday off. Then you can have Jan 1st off the next week.
Christmas being on a Sunday is when it would be more inconvenient for people who travel and don't want to have to travel on Christmas Day to be back for school on Monday. So then break could be Wed - Wed. It really doesn't matter when you begin and end the week. School scheduling is not for the convenience of parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those of you who want one week for winter break -- the only way to manage that in 2022 would be for the last day of school before the break to be on December 23 (at least one person has suggested something earlier, but get serious -- you need an entire week, Mon-F, for this one). Do you really think families are going to stick around through the 23rd? I don't.

That's how it always was at my school growing up. It was fine. If people choose to blow off school to go skiing that's their business.

Same. As a kid (in another part of VA), we typically got out for winter break on the 22nd or 23rd.

Well if things defaulted to “when I was a kid” the kids would get out of school earlier each summer if there were no snow days. There are 10+ some snow days in the calendar now. We would freak. So good thing things change! Why would when you were a kid be a standard for now?

Because school started 3 days before Labor Day weekend, winter break was fine, AND school got out the first week of June even with snow days. If this area would stop calling snow days on the chance of flurries, the # of snow days wouldn't be such an issue. But it's probably moot now anyway with remote learning available on "snow days."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those of you who want one week for winter break -- the only way to manage that in 2022 would be for the last day of school before the break to be on December 23 (at least one person has suggested something earlier, but get serious -- you need an entire week, Mon-F, for this one). Do you really think families are going to stick around through the 23rd? I don't.

That's how it always was at my school growing up. It was fine. If people choose to blow off school to go skiing that's their business.

If you want a break later in the school year, then, just go. That's your business.

I know this is a radical position, but the purpose of school is to educate the next generation in an equitable manner, not to provide free childcare in a manner middle-class parents find convenient. So when school is in session, students should be there.

If there's school on the 23rd of December, is it OK for teachers to give exams and require a doctor's note for any make-up?

The APS calendar is now bordering on ridiculous. It is time to make some choices. Adding religious holidays wasn't without negative consequences. There are so few FULL weeks of school, yet people feel entitled to two weeks of winter break. Unbelievable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those of you who want one week for winter break -- the only way to manage that in 2022 would be for the last day of school before the break to be on December 23 (at least one person has suggested something earlier, but get serious -- you need an entire week, Mon-F, for this one). Do you really think families are going to stick around through the 23rd? I don't.

That's how it always was at my school growing up. It was fine. If people choose to blow off school to go skiing that's their business.

+1
Just like others saying those who observe non-Christian holidays can/have taken off those days, except they're only taking the actual holiday. In this case, students have the actual Christmas day holiday off and would merely be choosing to take more. Why should Christians get a week or two for one-day holiday and others just get there one?

What's wrong with break starting 12/24?

Because this is the only time during the year when the entire country pretty much shuts down. It is as much cultural as it is religious. Plenty of people who do not celebrate Christmas travel during this time.

When FCPS switched to this a few years ago, we were told one of the reasons was to allow families with relatives overseas to travel during this time. I think a lot of parents were just pulling their kids out early and missing school, so the 2 weeks was supposed to alleviate that issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those of you who want one week for winter break -- the only way to manage that in 2022 would be for the last day of school before the break to be on December 23 (at least one person has suggested something earlier, but get serious -- you need an entire week, Mon-F, for this one). Do you really think families are going to stick around through the 23rd? I don't.

That's how it always was at my school growing up. It was fine. If people choose to blow off school to go skiing that's their business.

+1
Just like others saying those who observe non-Christian holidays can/have taken off those days, except they're only taking the actual holiday. In this case, students have the actual Christmas day holiday off and would merely be choosing to take more. Why should Christians get a week or two for one-day holiday and others just get there one?

What's wrong with break starting 12/24?

Because this is the only time during the year when the entire country pretty much shuts down. It is as much cultural as it is religious. Plenty of people who do not celebrate Christmas travel during this time.

When FCPS switched to this a few years ago, we were told one of the reasons was to allow families with relatives overseas to travel during this time. I think a lot of parents were just pulling their kids out early and missing school, so the 2 weeks was supposed to alleviate that issue.

The entire country does not shut down for 2 weeks.