School in June is a waste of time

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tell that to parents who work in our workaholic culture where camps start at $600/week per kid.

I would guess the true professional "workaholics" can easily afford $600/week camp. It's the people who have to work multiple lower wage jobs to get by who rely on school as free/inexpensive childcare.

OP here. Just to be clear I’m not advocating for less than 180 days of school. Just less random days off in the middle of the school year so we can get off earlier. I am a working parent and I don’t make much. I find it harder to find care for those random days off. I also don’t like how little 5 day weeks they have especially in the first semester. Also can someone explain early release Wednesdays as opposed to Fridays? Easier for me to take off work on a Friday afternoon as opposed to the middle of the week.

Probably because it's also easier for teachers to take off Friday afternoons instead of Wednesday afternoons.

[Anonymous]

If I understand correctly, the state testing window is actually open until late June, so I get really frustrated by having such early testing windows in the districts. And now that even ES kids can take retakes, our testing calendar takes that into account, so even though it seems like testing is over, we are still doing retakes all next week.

I'd much rather we do SOLs in the last two weeks of the year. If so much weren't dependent on pass rates, I bet we would.

They have to do the testing when they do because they have to allow for make-ups and retakes. If they pushed it any later, there wouldn't be time for that part of the process.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I already submitted my comments on the calendar. I am now planning to email each board member and decided to come on this board to express my thoughts. I can whine all I want. This entire forum is filled with posts with people whining on one thing or another. If you don’t like it or don’t have an opinion one way or another, click on something else.

You sound like a real peach. I feel sorry for the school staff who have to deal with you.

[Anonymous]

The problem isn't 180 days, which APS always exceeded before the pandemic. Anyone who care about equity should care about schools having at least 180 days, which is the norm around the US.

The problem is all the extra holidays and minimum of two week winter break they've added since the pandemic. Agree with PP that if we want to add the extra holidays then we need to return to pre-pandemic winter break patters and plan to attend schools on some of the lesser federal holidays, which other school districts do as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:APS has wasted June ever since my senior was in Kindergarten. That's as far back as my knowledge goes. But I bet it's been longer than that even.

However, kid #2 is now in private HS where they are still teaching new content and writing papers. This kid will be spending the last week of school taking final exams.

Also, the *only* organized voice in Arlington that would advocate for meaningful reform on this is APE.

APE did, they pushed for more school days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS has wasted June ever since my senior was in Kindergarten. That's as far back as my knowledge goes. But I bet it's been longer than that even.

However, kid #2 is now in private HS where they are still teaching new content and writing papers. This kid will be spending the last week of school taking final exams.

Also, the *only* organized voice in Arlington that would advocate for meaningful reform on this is APE.

APE did, they pushed for more school days.

Keep up the good work, APE! 180+ days was the normal pre-pandemic. The new holidays is what’s extending us out past June even though we start earlier.

[Anonymous]

Eh my kids are in ES and both are still working. Maybe your schools slack but not all do. My 5th grader has a project due the week after next. My 2nd grader started learning early 3rd grade math this week (we are in APS)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS has wasted June ever since my senior was in Kindergarten. That's as far back as my knowledge goes. But I bet it's been longer than that even.

However, kid #2 is now in private HS where they are still teaching new content and writing papers. This kid will be spending the last week of school taking final exams.

Also, the *only* organized voice in Arlington that would advocate for meaningful reform on this is APE.

APE did, they pushed for more school days.

I guess I should send them a thank you note. Returning to 180 days means a lot to my family because my child has a disability. Every single day counts and makes a difference to us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tell that to parents who work in our workaholic culture where camps start at $600/week per kid.

I would guess the true professional "workaholics" can easily afford $600/week camp. It's the people who have to work multiple lower wage jobs to get by who rely on school as free/inexpensive childcare.

OP here. Just to be clear I’m not advocating for less than 180 days of school. Just less random days off in the middle of the school year so we can get off earlier. I am a working parent and I don’t make much. I find it harder to find care for those random days off. I also don’t like how little 5 day weeks they have especially in the first semester. Also can someone explain early release Wednesdays as opposed to Fridays? Easier for me to take off work on a Friday afternoon as opposed to the middle of the week.

Probably because it's also easier for teachers to take off Friday afternoons instead of Wednesday afternoons.

This was discussed during the 23-24 calendar process. I remember streaming the school board meeting. It sounded like the Superintendent and the SB members were open to moving them to Fridays, but haven't seen any other mention of it since then. I added it to my comments when I filled out the calendar policy survey recently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tell that to parents who work in our workaholic culture where camps start at $600/week per kid.

I would guess the true professional "workaholics" can easily afford $600/week camp. It's the people who have to work multiple lower wage jobs to get by who rely on school as free/inexpensive childcare.

OP here. Just to be clear I’m not advocating for less than 180 days of school. Just less random days off in the middle of the school year so we can get off earlier. I am a working parent and I don’t make much. I find it harder to find care for those random days off. I also don’t like how little 5 day weeks they have especially in the first semester. Also can someone explain early release Wednesdays as opposed to Fridays? Easier for me to take off work on a Friday afternoon as opposed to the middle of the week.

Probably because it's also easier for teachers to take off Friday afternoons instead of Wednesday afternoons.

Fairfax has far fewer half days than aps. Pretty sure APS has some of the most compared to other nova schools. TBH I would not care if teachers took off on half day Fridays. Pretty sure they are getting their work done.

[Anonymous]

My youngest kid is a senior now, and back when, ES used to come up with interesting and engaging stuff to do with the kids once SOLs were over.

There were also parties and Field Day and whatever, but it was all good.

But once kids are in HS, there isn't much point to school when APs and IBs are over. And the biggest empty exercise of all, at least for most kids, is freaking Senior Experience.

Why can't my kid's Senior Experience be "cleaning out your room before leaving for college" or "get started early on the job hunt" or "do whatever you want before you head off to basic training and your time is not your own"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My youngest kid is a senior now, and back when, ES used to come up with interesting and engaging stuff to do with the kids once SOLs were over.

There were also parties and Field Day and whatever, but it was all good.

But once kids are in HS, there isn't much point to school when APs and IBs are over. And the biggest empty exercise of all, at least for most kids, is freaking Senior Experience.

Why can't my kid's Senior Experience be "cleaning out your room before leaving for college" or "get started early on the job hunt" or "do whatever you want before you head off to basic training and your time is not your own"?

I'm glad we're at Wakefield where we have a senior project instead of senior "experience." What qualifies for "experience," anyway?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My youngest kid is a senior now, and back when, ES used to come up with interesting and engaging stuff to do with the kids once SOLs were over.

There were also parties and Field Day and whatever, but it was all good.

But once kids are in HS, there isn't much point to school when APs and IBs are over. And the biggest empty exercise of all, at least for most kids, is freaking Senior Experience.

Why can't my kid's Senior Experience be "cleaning out your room before leaving for college" or "get started early on the job hunt" or "do whatever you want before you head off to basic training and your time is not your own"?

I'm glad we're at Wakefield where we have a senior project instead of senior "experience." What qualifies for "experience," anyway?

A project or a mini-internship

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

If I understand correctly, the state testing window is actually open until late June, so I get really frustrated by having such early testing windows in the districts. And now that even ES kids can take retakes, our testing calendar takes that into account, so even though it seems like testing is over, we are still doing retakes all next week.

I'd much rather we do SOLs in the last two weeks of the year. If so much weren't dependent on pass rates, I bet we would.

They have to do the testing when they do because they have to allow for make-ups and retakes. If they pushed it any later, there wouldn't be time for that part of the process.

Right, which annoys me as a teacher because it is hard to convince kids you are there to learn when the bulk of the testing has concluded weeks before the end of the year. Testing is driving our calendar instead of instruction.

[Anonymous]

I guess just look at it as free camp? 2/3 less weeks you have to pay for?

My dream schedule would be year round with 3-4 week breaks between quarters.