FCPS School Calendar Survey

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t they start after Labor Day and get out in early June? The two weeks of built in snow days keeps my kid in public in school two weeks longer than my kid in private, and both meet the minimum number of days for the state of va.

Because working parents of elementary students can’t handle it. Gotta have that free daycare!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please let FCPS change that damn 2-week winter break! I responded for a shorter winter break and, for teacher planning, 3 full days rather than 6 half days. How productive are those half days for teachers and students? Plus, I'd rather adjust my work schedule for three days rather than six to accommodate the planning days. Also responded to make President's Day a full school day- because that's right around the time we get winter weather that closes FCPS, and they seem to be out of school sporadically as a result.

I felt more strongly that we should have Pres Day off, rather than Columbus Day or Veteran's Day - but I guess that's because I always have to work on the latter 2, but I have off on the former.

I have never understood why we don't get Veteran's Day off - of all people we should be celebrating and honoring. If they need to trade a holiday, they should get rid of Columbus or President's Day. Neither one are nearly as meaningful as Veteran's Day.

[Anonymous]

I personally love the two-week winter break. It gives my kids some much-needed rest and something to really look forward to. They start back in January feeling refreshed and ready to work again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I personally love the two-week winter break. It gives my kids some much-needed rest and something to really look forward to. They start back in January feeling refreshed and ready to work again.

+1 We love the 2 week break, too.

[Anonymous]

They can start after Labor Day and get out mid-June. All they have to do is get rid of the endless amount of snow days/hours.

Wait til the next year when the before Labor Day exception expires, it starts all over again with the calendar.

FCPS lives in a bubble and should consider the rest of the world around them. For those that live in FCPS and teach in APS, the schedule is a mess.

3 hour early releases don't accomodate working parents or help the teachers.

[Anonymous]

AUGUST is vacation month for those of us that are up north in the summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t they start after Labor Day and get out in early June? The two weeks of built in snow days keeps my kid in public in school two weeks longer than my kid in private, and both meet the minimum number of days for the state of va.

Because working parents of elementary students can’t handle it. Gotta have that free daycare!

WTF? You're delusional.

It is more disruptive to working parents to have to deal with the 8 million unnecessary snow days that FCPS has than it would be to end school a week earlier. I also much preferred starting after labor day - in my experience, it's the rich SAHMs who want to start before labor day because they want to head to the beach earlier in the summer. Almost all the working parents I know preferred the old schedule - not the least because taking vacation out of state that last week in August is the best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:AUGUST is vacation month for those of us that are up north in the summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, this - AUGUST is the month DC empties out and everyone goes on vacation. Why on earth would you people want to send your kids back to school when the city is empty? It's when we have the most fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If there is a set spring break, they'd likely need to give off Good Friday and Easter Monday. Changing spring break each year to match up with Easter works to avoid having to give off those days for a religious holiday.

2 weeks at Christmas seems extreme sometimes, especially next year when that second week is going into January. I believe the school board voted on that a few years ago to be a set thing.

I liked starting earlier this year and glad we get out June 15!

You should just take your religious holidays off on your own time like the rest of us have to. I don't want to take off a random friday and monday just because of someone else's holiday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t they start after Labor Day and get out in early June? The two weeks of built in snow days keeps my kid in public in school two weeks longer than my kid in private, and both meet the minimum number of days for the state of va.

Because working parents of elementary students can’t handle it. Gotta have that free daycare!

WTF? You're delusional.

It is more disruptive to working parents to have to deal with the 8 million unnecessary snow days that FCPS has than it would be to end school a week earlier. I also much preferred starting after labor day - in my experience, it's the rich SAHMs who want to start before labor day because they want to head to the beach earlier in the summer. Almost all the working parents I know preferred the old schedule - not the least because taking vacation out of state that last week in August is the best.

"Rich SAHM" here, and I much prefer the after Labor Day start. It doesn't feel like summer is really over when we start in August.

[Anonymous]

What on earth are these 3 hr. early release days?? The 2 hr. early release were bad enough - lunch at 8:30am??? - but why even bother waking up your child just to send them for three hours of nothing. FCPS, you can do better than this. A 3 hr. day is *not* a school day. Either make it a day off, or make it a full day. Stop being ridiculous.

I won't be sending my kids on those days, that's for sure.

[Anonymous]

I voted for a shorter winter break, school Presidents' day and Columbus Day, and off the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. I wrote in suggesting a full week off for Thanksgiving since many kids with family out of town miss a lot of that week anyway. The shorter winter break and fewer random holidays would compensate for the 3 extra days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If there is a set spring break, they'd likely need to give off Good Friday and Easter Monday. Changing spring break each year to match up with Easter works to avoid having to give off those days for a religious holiday.

2 weeks at Christmas seems extreme sometimes, especially next year when that second week is going into January. I believe the school board voted on that a few years ago to be a set thing.

I liked starting earlier this year and glad we get out June 15!

Why would they need to give off easter Monday? They didn't used to give that off and it was fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there is a set spring break, they'd likely need to give off Good Friday and Easter Monday. Changing spring break each year to match up with Easter works to avoid having to give off those days for a religious holiday.

2 weeks at Christmas seems extreme sometimes, especially next year when that second week is going into January. I believe the school board voted on that a few years ago to be a set thing.

I liked starting earlier this year and glad we get out June 15!

Why would they need to give off easter Monday? They didn't used to give that off and it was fine.

They also don't have it off next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t they start after Labor Day and get out in early June? The two weeks of built in snow days keeps my kid in public in school two weeks longer than my kid in private, and both meet the minimum number of days for the state of va.

The built in time does not keep your kids in school longer. They schedule 180 days on the student calendar. That’s the minimum number of days. The time is built in by hours, but that doesn’t extend the school year.