FCPS Calendar C Option?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there a final calendar?

No. I don't know if they set when they are voting on it, even?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just saw that on today's SB meeting, they added a new calendar C option that removes the new 4 religious holidays? It also moves spring break to a fixed week.

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/BXTJNC4DF7C7/$file/2020-12-03%20SB%20Work%20Session%20Calendar%20Presentation%20Final.pdf

At this point I'd rather they just settle on something and keep it roughly the same from year to year.

Good, those explicitly religious holidays should not be in the school calendar.

Totally agree, and also we need to push winter break to be literally half-way through the school year. It doesn't make sense to have a two week break in the middle of the second quarter, it needs to be at the end of the second quarter. Christians can take Christmas off as an excused absence like other religious groups do.

Yes! There should be no more than a one week break between Christmas and New Years, and then another week break at the end of the semester in January. If it had been a normal year, so many people would have taken vacation the week of January 18 given that the kids were only in 2.5 days anyway.

And don't get me started on the moving spring break. Pick a week, preferably whatever one aligns with the end of the third quarter, and stick with it!

[Anonymous]

I do not like Calendar C at all. I hope they pick A or B.

[Anonymous]

Fixed spring break week please.

How are they collecting more data? Did they say? Will there be another survey?

[Anonymous]

While I understand the inclusion of Jewish Holidays, It doesn’t make any sense to recognize the religious holidays of some and not of others. Just make a wide variety of religious holidays test-free so that students can take off if they need to.

Calendar C makes the most sense.

Zero religious affiliation.
Spring Break is even detached from Easter (although I wish they’d make the fixed week the last week of March or first week of April instead)

Plus they get out a week earlier

And while we’re at it, let’s shorten the whole year since we aren’t doing snow days anymore.

[Anonymous]

We should not be peppering a calendar with religious holidays to the point that it extends the year an entire week.

Who was even sent these surveys?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are catholic so I feel like that was always related to Good Friday but I’m fine just getting Good Friday off too. Or even better Easter Monday.

Version C doesn't have Good Friday off. Easter is like a regular weekend.

Even if they adopt version C, I suspect it will get changed because people wouldn't be ready for an abrupt switch from a whole week off to nothing off.

There is no reason to give Good Friday off other than to accommodate Christians (I am one). You cannot do that. Kids can abstain from meat and repent while in class, and attend mass in the evening. Just like working adults do.

It’s not even all Christians. It’s just Catholics. Most Protestant denominations recognize but don’t go to church on or celebrate good friday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While I understand the inclusion of Jewish Holidays, It doesn’t make any sense to recognize the religious holidays of some and not of others. Just make a wide variety of religious holidays test-free so that students can take off if they need to.

Calendar C makes the most sense.

Zero religious affiliation.
Spring Break is even detached from Easter (although I wish they’d make the fixed week the last week of March or first week of April instead)

Plus they get out a week earlier

And while we’re at it, let’s shorten the whole year since we aren’t doing snow days anymore.

Except "winter" break which we all know is Christmas break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just saw that on today's SB meeting, they added a new calendar C option that removes the new 4 religious holidays? It also moves spring break to a fixed week.

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/BXTJNC4DF7C7/$file/2020-12-03%20SB%20Work%20Session%20Calendar%20Presentation%20Final.pdf

At this point I'd rather they just settle on something and keep it roughly the same from year to year.

Good, those explicitly religious holidays should not be in the school calendar.

Totally agree, and also we need to push winter break to be literally half-way through the school year. It doesn't make sense to have a two week break in the middle of the second quarter, it needs to be at the end of the second quarter. Christians can take Christmas off as an excused absence like other religious groups do.

Well, except it is a Federal holiday, so it would be treated as such.

Wednesday before Thanksgiving—school day!
12/25-1/1–off! We don’t need 2 weeks—that is way too long!
Spring break must match up with other local jurisdictions, nothing having to do with Easter.

No additional holidays for every religion under the sun needs added—take an absence if you need to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just saw that on today's SB meeting, they added a new calendar C option that removes the new 4 religious holidays? It also moves spring break to a fixed week.

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/BXTJNC4DF7C7/$file/2020-12-03%20SB%20Work%20Session%20Calendar%20Presentation%20Final.pdf

At this point I'd rather they just settle on something and keep it roughly the same from year to year.

Good, those explicitly religious holidays should not be in the school calendar.

Totally agree, and also we need to push winter break to be literally half-way through the school year. It doesn't make sense to have a two week break in the middle of the second quarter, it needs to be at the end of the second quarter. Christians can take Christmas off as an excused absence like other religious groups do.

Well, except it is a Federal holiday, so it would be treated as such.

Wednesday before Thanksgiving—school day!
12/25-1/1–off! We don’t need 2 weeks—that is way too long!
Spring break must match up with other local jurisdictions, nothing having to do with Easter.

No additional holidays for every religion under the sun needs added—take an absence if you need to.

The Wed during Thanksgiving has been wonderful. If you look at the survey that was given, the majority of staff and parents want a two week winter break. We have a huge international population that use that time to go abroad.

[Anonymous]

The other issue is if they adopt Calendar C it will not match Loudoun, PW or Arlington. So staff will have different breaks than there kids. All of the calendars should align.

[Anonymous]

I can't imagine that they are going to approve Option C. They made such a big deal about the Religious Observation Task Force and they'd get such blowback if they ignored that. I don't really get why they'd even introduce another option at this point.

[Anonymous]

I hate the 17 day long or similar winter break but we are too poor to travel so it just seems long and pointless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The other issue is if they adopt Calendar C it will not match Loudoun, PW or Arlington. So staff will have different breaks than there kids. All of the calendars should align.

Disagree. The calendar should be what’s best academically for FCPS students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The other issue is if they adopt Calendar C it will not match Loudoun, PW or Arlington. So staff will have different breaks than there kids. All of the calendars should align.

Why must we align? Parks& Rec have camps during spring brk.