Making up snow days

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Say it with me: no waiver!

And yes, I've been inconvenienced - and so have thousands of other working parents. If you are thrilled at yet another snow day, good for you - but you are hardly the norm from my interactions with parents in this area.

But inconvenience isn't the point here - the point is that if the state imposes a requirement for days of classes, it should not be routinely disregarded. If MCPS publishes an academic calendar, with policies for extensions based on a large volume of closures, it should adhere to the calendar and those policies, and the state shouldn't be facilitating efforts to knock off a week of classes. I'm not an MCPS basher by any stretch, but there's something screwed up about an educational system trying to duck its own (self-created) standards.

I have taught as an adjunct professor at 2 area universities - when there are snow cancellations, you better believe that there are required makeups. Why should elementary and secondary school be any different?

I agree completely. I have one in private and she gets 2-3hrs of homework emailed to her iPad every snow day. They also have half the closures and delays as my public kids. She also goes 1.5hrs more of school each day. It makes me angry to see so many complacent moms that just want to throw all these requires school days away from public. I feel like my kids have barely been taught since Christmas break. They need more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Even if EVERY snow day was actually needed,the days need to be made up as stated on their calendar. I have no sympathy for people that pay for a camp when it shows on every MCPS calendar how the snow says work and the year gets extended. You took a gamble paying for something you weren't 100% sure was going to work

Come on, though, you'd also excoriate a parent who *didn't* plan for those days, wouldn't you? That would be a lack of preparation, right?

[Anonymous]

You are absolutely right, if the kids are obligated 180 days of instruction, they should have it. Let's start adding 5 extra days into the calendar next year (ie: the school year is 185 days) and on April 15, every day that isn't used gets deducted from the school year! Takers???
I thought not!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even if EVERY snow day was actually needed,the days need to be made up as stated on their calendar. I have no sympathy for people that pay for a camp when it shows on every MCPS calendar how the snow says work and the year gets extended. You took a gamble paying for something you weren't 100% sure was going to work

Come on, though, you'd also excoriate a parent who *didn't* plan for those days, wouldn't you? That would be a lack of preparation, right?

No idiot, you make temporary plans instead of spending non-refundable money on a week there COULD be snow days. It is common sense. You put only a deposit down, you hire a babysitter for the week, you swap kids with another mom, you figure out plans in April after the snow days are over and the waiver is thru/not thru. Seriously, do I have to type any more ideas? I work and can figure out plans for the week after school without issue. Stupid is as stupid does. No sympathy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are absolutely right, if the kids are obligated 180 days of instruction, they should have it. Let's start adding 5 extra days into the calendar next year (ie: the school year is 185 days) and on April 15, every day that isn't used gets deducted from the school year! Takers???
I thought not!

I would take it in a heartbeat. What parent wouldn't take 5 more days of school for their kids?

[Anonymous]

There is no reason for summer to be 10 weeks long.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even if EVERY snow day was actually needed,the days need to be made up as stated on their calendar. I have no sympathy for people that pay for a camp when it shows on every MCPS calendar how the snow says work and the year gets extended. You took a gamble paying for something you weren't 100% sure was going to work

Come on, though, you'd also excoriate a parent who *didn't* plan for those days, wouldn't you? That would be a lack of preparation, right?

No idiot, you make temporary plans instead of spending non-refundable money on a week there COULD be snow days. It is common sense. You put only a deposit down, you hire a babysitter for the week, you swap kids with another mom, you figure out plans in April after the snow days are over and the waiver is thru/not thru. Seriously, do I have to type any more ideas? I work and can figure out plans for the week after school without issue. Stupid is as stupid does. No sympathy.

You must be a very entitled SAH mom or have lots of family around to be so callous. I'm in the same situation as OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even if EVERY snow day was actually needed,the days need to be made up as stated on their calendar. I have no sympathy for people that pay for a camp when it shows on every MCPS calendar how the snow says work and the year gets extended. You took a gamble paying for something you weren't 100% sure was going to work

Come on, though, you'd also excoriate a parent who *didn't* plan for those days, wouldn't you? That would be a lack of preparation, right?

No idiot, you make temporary plans instead of spending non-refundable money on a week there COULD be snow days. It is common sense. You put only a deposit down, you hire a babysitter for the week, you swap kids with another mom, you figure out plans in April after the snow days are over and the waiver is thru/not thru. Seriously, do I have to type any more ideas? I work and can figure out plans for the week after school without issue. Stupid is as stupid does. No sympathy.

You must be a very entitled SAH mom or have lots of family around to be so callous. I'm in the same situation as OP.

No, I work full time. Are you telling me you put your child in camp every single week of summer? That is your only plan for your child and you have to prepay in advance with no refund for every one of those weeks? And you absolutely have no other options? Come on. Stop the drama already. You knew the MCPS calendar. It was a gamble and no one's fault but your own. To ask that the entire county waive them because a few moms made plans is ridiculous. I want my child in school that whole week. Saves me time and money.

[Anonymous]

I am full tiem working mother and yes my children attend camp every single week of the summer aside frm our vacation week. We sign up in January so I can ensure they are at activities they will enjoy. Many camps fill up almost immediately. In all the years my children haven have attended MCPS has never actually followed their plan so it is hard to take it seriously. I don't believe that adding days at the end is a productive way to do it especially after ES. Yes it was my gamble but it is one many many families are forced to take.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am full tiem working mother and yes my children attend camp every single week of the summer aside frm our vacation week. We sign up in January so I can ensure they are at activities they will enjoy. Many camps fill up almost immediately. In all the years my children haven have attended MCPS has never actually followed their plan so it is hard to take it seriously. I don't believe that adding days at the end is a productive way to do it especially after ES. Yes it was my gamble but it is one many many families are forced to take.

+1. Yes it was a gamble to pay for camp so far ahead of time when there was a chance that school could be extended for makeup days, but it would have been an even bigger gamble to not sign up for a camp and then be left without any childcare for a week. Considering that MCPS has almost never extended the school year, the smart thing was to make plans assuming the year would end on time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no reason for summer to be 10 weeks long.

How long should it be?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am full tiem working mother and yes my children attend camp every single week of the summer aside frm our vacation week. We sign up in January so I can ensure they are at activities they will enjoy. Many camps fill up almost immediately. In all the years my children haven have attended MCPS has never actually followed their plan so it is hard to take it seriously. I don't believe that adding days at the end is a productive way to do it especially after ES. Yes it was my gamble but it is one many many families are forced to take.

+1. Yes it was a gamble to pay for camp so far ahead of time when there was a chance that school could be extended for makeup days, but it would have been an even bigger gamble to not sign up for a camp and then be left without any childcare for a week. Considering that MCPS has almost never extended the school year, the smart thing was to make plans assuming the year would end on time.

I have already paid for camp as well. If I lose a week of money - oh well. It is what is is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Say it with me: no waiver!

And yes, I've been inconvenienced - and so have thousands of other working parents. If you are thrilled at yet another snow day, good for you - but you are hardly the norm from my interactions with parents in this area.

But inconvenience isn't the point here - the point is that if the state imposes a requirement for days of classes, it should not be routinely disregarded. If MCPS publishes an academic calendar, with policies for extensions based on a large volume of closures, it should adhere to the calendar and those policies, and the state shouldn't be facilitating efforts to knock off a week of classes. I'm not an MCPS basher by any stretch, but there's something screwed up about an educational system trying to duck its own (self-created) standards.

I have taught as an adjunct professor at 2 area universities - when there are snow cancellations, you better believe that there are required makeups. Why should elementary and secondary school be any different?

I agree completely. I have one in private and she gets 2-3hrs of homework emailed to her iPad every snow day. They also have half the closures and delays as my public kids. She also goes 1.5hrs more of school each day. It makes me angry to see so many complacent moms that just want to throw all these requires school days away from public. I feel like my kids have barely been taught since Christmas break. They need more.

This. And hitting a minimum number of instruction days (and covering all of the material in the lesson plans) is much more important than lost money for camp or a cancelled vacation. If you don't agree, you need to reevaluate your priorities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Say it with me: no waiver!

And yes, I've been inconvenienced - and so have thousands of other working parents. If you are thrilled at yet another snow day, good for you - but you are hardly the norm from my interactions with parents in this area.

But inconvenience isn't the point here - the point is that if the state imposes a requirement for days of classes, it should not be routinely disregarded. If MCPS publishes an academic calendar, with policies for extensions based on a large volume of closures, it should adhere to the calendar and those policies, and the state shouldn't be facilitating efforts to knock off a week of classes. I'm not an MCPS basher by any stretch, but there's something screwed up about an educational system trying to duck its own (self-created) standards.

I have taught as an adjunct professor at 2 area universities - when there are snow cancellations, you better believe that there are required makeups. Why should elementary and secondary school be any different?

I agree completely. I have one in private and she gets 2-3hrs of homework emailed to her iPad every snow day. They also have half the closures and delays as my public kids. She also goes 1.5hrs more of school each day. It makes me angry to see so many complacent moms that just want to throw all these requires school days away from public. I feel like my kids have barely been taught since Christmas break. They need more.

This. And hitting a minimum number of instruction days (and covering all of the material in the lesson plans) is much more important than lost money for camp or a cancelled vacation. If you don't agree, you need to reevaluate your priorities.

agree completely. I paid for my son's camp, but I do wish all the snow cancellation days can be made up. If the camp can refund my money, it's great. If not, I can live with it.
Now-a-day kids have too much. They need more study.

[Anonymous]

I just had a conversation with my son's summer camp and they allowed me to switch out of the 6/16 week into a later week. If they get a waiver I'll deal with it later, but these camps are such a large percentage of my take home that I can't afford to waste that tuition.