Why is MCPS closed on Tuesday, February 17?

[Anonymous]

I do not understand this forum’s opposition to starting a couple weeks earlier in August. I’m a mid-career teacher. I and most of my colleagues at my school would love to start earlier so we could keep all of the holidays and breaks as well as accommodate snow days. Please note this wouldn’t increase our salaries.

I think this would be beneficial for student well-being. Observing a religious holiday shouldn’t cause students stress of worrying how they will catch up on missed instruction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not understand this forum’s opposition to starting a couple weeks earlier in August. I’m a mid-career teacher. I and most of my colleagues at my school would love to start earlier so we could keep all of the holidays and breaks as well as accommodate snow days. Please note this wouldn’t increase our salaries.

I think this would be beneficial for student well-being. Observing a religious holiday shouldn’t cause students stress of worrying how they will catch up on missed instruction.

Sure,Jan. You're the only "teacher" I know who wants to start earlier in August.

No kid is worried about missing instruction. The AP kids are fine despite what one parent wants you to believe.

The MCPS forum is such a mess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not understand this forum’s opposition to starting a couple weeks earlier in August. I’m a mid-career teacher. I and most of my colleagues at my school would love to start earlier so we could keep all of the holidays and breaks as well as accommodate snow days. Please note this wouldn’t increase our salaries.

I think this would be beneficial for student well-being. Observing a religious holiday shouldn’t cause students stress of worrying how they will catch up on missed instruction.

Same! My colleagues and I would prefer to start earlier in August with breaks/ and days spaced throughout the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not understand this forum’s opposition to starting a couple weeks earlier in August. I’m a mid-career teacher. I and most of my colleagues at my school would love to start earlier so we could keep all of the holidays and breaks as well as accommodate snow days. Please note this wouldn’t increase our salaries.

I think this would be beneficial for student well-being. Observing a religious holiday shouldn’t cause students stress of worrying how they will catch up on missed instruction.

As a parent, I would certainly support starting earlier - especially important for high schoolers, who have AP tests in the spring, although my kids are not there yet. I would start in mid-August and include at least 4 snow days built in. If we didn't use them, I'd give them back and end the year early. But chances are we would use them. We normally do.

[Anonymous]

why do we need spring break?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:why do we need spring break?

5+ months with no full week off? Are you insane?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I always wonder why there is not a week off for mid-winter break. Is that just for states near skiing areas?

They would not be able to do that in MCPS without starting a week earlier. There are just too many single days off during the year.

It would be great if McPS started earlier in August…but we have what we have.

We’d still have to take off 17 different days to honor Jewish holidays.

There are only 2 days off for Jewish Holidays; the 1st day of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur-that's it. Schools are open the 2nd day of Rosh Hashana, all of Sukkot, Hanukkah (except in years where it's by Christmas), much of Passover most years and Shavuot.

[Anonymous]

Teacher here- I’d rather the school year start after Labor Day but run later into June.

Also, get rid of transition day and non-grading day PD days. Do we also need a full week before students start? Give 2.5 days to prep classrooms and a 1/2 day for compliance training. During an election year, Election Day can be the grading day. IMO, we shouldn’t be using a snow day for the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Save it for an actual inclement weather day. It’s always challenging to squeeze PT conferences into the handful of hours allotted during the existing 2 early release days. Make all three days prior to Thanksgiving early release days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not understand this forum’s opposition to starting a couple weeks earlier in August. I’m a mid-career teacher. I and most of my colleagues at my school would love to start earlier so we could keep all of the holidays and breaks as well as accommodate snow days. Please note this wouldn’t increase our salaries.

I think this would be beneficial for student well-being. Observing a religious holiday shouldn’t cause students stress of worrying how they will catch up on missed instruction.

Same! My colleagues and I would prefer to start earlier in August with breaks/ and days spaced throughout the year.

+1. Teachers aren’t some monolithic group. We have different opinions. Some are happy to start earlier and have more breaks throughout.

[Anonymous]

There are only 184 days of school in a year. Makes it pretty easy to accommodate our diverse population.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are only 184 days of school in a year. Makes it pretty easy to accommodate our diverse population.

Huh? There are only 180 required days, and our calendar only adds 1 weather contingency day, so it's still only 181 if you are counting that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here- I’d rather the school year start after Labor Day but run later into June.

Also, get rid of transition day and non-grading day PD days. Do we also need a full week before students start? Give 2.5 days to prep classrooms and a 1/2 day for compliance training. During an election year, Election Day can be the grading day. IMO, we shouldn’t be using a snow day for the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Save it for an actual inclement weather day. It’s always challenging to squeeze PT conferences into the handful of hours allotted during the existing 2 early release days. Make all three days prior to Thanksgiving early release days.

Wait, you only want PD days for grading, not for actual PD?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:why do we need spring break?

For those that have not worked in school, and think of how things are for you at work, this is a reasonable question.

But once you are in schools, you begin to realize, these breaks are necessary for the kids. When we have several weeks without a day off, behaviors increase and this isn't just theory or anecdotally, it's backed by data of suspensions and referrals. Especially when that stretch of no breaks coincides with nice weather and more sunshine. School becomes a pressure cooker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I always wonder why there is not a week off for mid-winter break. Is that just for states near skiing areas?

They would not be able to do that in MCPS without starting a week earlier. There are just too many single days off during the year.

It would be great if McPS started earlier in August…but we have what we have.

love this! makes it sounds more cute and personable, like... the McDs!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here- I’d rather the school year start after Labor Day but run later into June.

Also, get rid of transition day and non-grading day PD days. Do we also need a full week before students start? Give 2.5 days to prep classrooms and a 1/2 day for compliance training. During an election year, Election Day can be the grading day. IMO, we shouldn’t be using a snow day for the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Save it for an actual inclement weather day. It’s always challenging to squeeze PT conferences into the handful of hours allotted during the existing 2 early release days. Make all three days prior to Thanksgiving early release days.

Wait, you only want PD days for grading, not for actual PD?

Poster is saying no PD days. With the way MCPS does PD days, I agree. I don't agree with cutting preservice week though. I always feel like I need more time to set up prior and have to use my own time to get it all done as it is. It would be helpful if we had more of our own self managed time during pre service though.

With that being said, there's a way to structure PD days that make them useful. MCPS just doesn't do that. Other counties/ states have PD days that are similar to educator conventions where like subject colleagues all meet together and different topics are presented that are relevant to that subject/ age group. Professionals walk away from that day with ideas and tangible things they can start implementing in their own classroom or incorporating into their own planning. MCPS just gives everyone the same PD no matter if you're in your 1st year teaching or 20th. No matter if you teach 12th grade english or 1st grade. It's the same scripted PD for all.