Would you support a year around school calendar for FCPS?

[Anonymous]

Absolutely not. I have high schoolers, and summer academic programs and internships take place during the summer. These are important for college applications, as are summer jobs, which cannot be done for a few weeks at a time throughout the year.

It might sound like a good idea when the kids are young, but it really doesn't work when they're older.

[Anonymous]

Do I think there are bigger fish to fry here? Of course. I'm not saying I'm going to go and petition the school board right now demanding they do this next year. If it were ever actually a possibility, though, I would support it wholeheartedly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, I don't, and I WOHM.

I never understood the issues with "learning retention." Are 21st-century kids born with shorter memories? We all had summer vacations, and I don't recall hand-wringing about it back then.

We weren't doing so much student comparison back then. Agree or disagree with whether we should do that, it is the world we currently live in.

Also, be honest-how much of the beginning of each year was spent reviewing topics from the previous year? Without that wasted time, imagine how many more topics could be covered over the course of 13 years.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely

[Anonymous]

Don't the school systems that already do this run staggered schedules so the schools are in use everyday? Wasn't this originally created to alleviate overcrowding?

I know in Cary, NC they have tracks, like A, B, C, D. So each track gets different breaks from each of the other tracks, with the exception of Christmas, Easter, and July 4th, where everyone is off for 1-2 weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, I don't, and I WOHM.

I never understood the issues with "learning retention." Are 21st-century kids born with shorter memories? We all had summer vacations, and I don't recall hand-wringing about it back then.

We weren't doing so much student comparison back then. Agree or disagree with whether we should do that, it is the world we currently live in.

Also, be honest-how much of the beginning of each year was spent reviewing topics from the previous year? Without that wasted time, imagine how many more topics could be covered over the course of 13 years.

By the same token, the country we live in bases much of its economy around summer vacations (I don't say "world we live in"--I completely disagree that we should copy the Asian education model, an idea from which most of these "reforms" stem). And I don't support anything that supports yet more student comparison.

I do agree that my kids were bored silly at the beginning of the year from the review. BUT--everyone knew it was being directed at the underperforming kids, not even the middle-ground. Those kids have a slew of challenges that will not be cured by any sort of school schedule changes. I do support, and I would pay more taxes for, their receiving more help separate from the rest of the class. God help the district if they shell out $$$ for consultants to study year-round education when they could be directing it at programs for the children who truly need the extra time in class.

[Anonymous]

Yes. I think this type of calendar makes much more sense. Our summer break is too long. It would be nicer to have it broken up more throughout the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The schools in FCPS who used to have a modified calendar schedule (there were 7 of them at one point) also offered “intersessions” to students who wished to take advantage of them. These intersessions included remedial courses for those who needed them, enrichment courses, and some that were just plain fun (like scrapbooking, for instance). The courses were taught by teachers on staff, or by people who were hired to teach the sessions (like someone who knew how to do scrapbooking). There was a sliding scale fee for the sessions - free and reduced lunch students were either free or reduced, and others paid a fee to attend. They were wildly popular, and ran the same schedule as the school day - one session in the morning, the other in the afternoon. Kids could attend 1 session or both sessions.
It can be expensive, but if done right, it can also pay for itself. Schools would need someone on staff to coordinate these courses - schedule, advertise, collect fees, hire people, etc.
If these were offered, I would be all for this plan.

Do you really believe this will still happen with FCPS's budget? Our school doesn't even have paper. I would like FCPS to stop worrying about these extras and focus on the essentials which are currently lacking.

+1

[Anonymous]

The review because of the summer brain drain happens for all economic levels, though. It isn't only for the underprivileged. Yes, there will always be challenges for kids who come to school hungry and any other number of issues that stem from poverty. And kids I. The upper brackets have receive more summer enrichment. That is another thread entirely. But, research shows that this calendar would benefit all children.

[Anonymous]

Kids in the upper brackets have received. Sorry, iPhone typing.

[Anonymous]

So would full time school. 180 days is less than half time. My vote: 2 weeks off spring, winter, and fall with 3 weeks in summer and all federal holidays off and you have ~207 days for school.

[Anonymous]

Actually if they didn't have the summer loss then the teachers can start teaching SOL material's sooner!!

[Anonymous]

NO. Shorter school years and longer summers are needed. Out Memorial Day in on Labor Day - perfect!

[Anonymous]

Fully support year round school - I went to school here and in Europe and the U.S. summers are too long. Shorter summer vacation allows for more/longer breaks throughout the year which is better than having less breaks and 11 weeks in the summer - IMHO of course.

[Anonymous]

I don't live in Fairfax County, but absolutely YES support this idea 100 percent!