Melanie Meren's FB post about the calendar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:lol teachers get a 3-4 day work week and summers off, nevermind parents work 5 days a week+ funding schools fully with heavy tax burdens

Again, you chose your career and to be a parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:lol teachers get a 3-4 day work week and summers off, nevermind parents work 5 days a week+ funding schools fully with heavy tax burdens

And they’ll get the same salary and longer summers with a rational calendar.

Most accomplished teachers I know have summer jobs which are actually more lucrative than their teaching. Good teacher teachers will not object to more time off in the summer. The ones who make ends waitressing might.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This entire thread boils down to:

1) Jews and Muslims shouldn't get holidays.

and

2) I don't want my kids at home with me during federal holidays.

That's pretty much it.

Actually, speaking only for myself, it’s the excessive Thanksgiving and Memorial Day that need to go first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This entire thread boils down to:

1) Jews and Muslims shouldn't get holidays.

and

2) I don't want my kids at home with me during federal holidays.

That's pretty much it.

Actually, speaking only for myself, it’s the excessive Thanksgiving and Memorial Day that need to go first.

FCPS should follow the federal govt holiday calendar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:lol teachers get a 3-4 day work week and summers off, nevermind parents work 5 days a week+ funding schools fully with heavy tax burdens

And they’ll get the same salary and longer summers with a rational calendar.

Most accomplished teachers I know have summer jobs which are actually more lucrative than their teaching. Good teacher teachers will not object to more time off in the summer. The ones who make ends waitressing might.

Teachers have 40 week days in the summer from last day of work in June to first day of teacher workdays in August.

The starting teaching salary in FCPS is $61,747. For a 190 contract that’s $324 a day. Or $46 a hour.

What summer job do your teacher friends have for 40 days in the summer that pays more than $61,747?

Or what summer job do they have that will pay them more than $13,000?

What part time job is paying teachers more than $40 a hour, for 7 hours every weekday, for just the 40 days they’re available in the summer.

Please post the job link because teachers will line up for this lucrative endeavor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:lol teachers get a 3-4 day work week and summers off, nevermind parents work 5 days a week+ funding schools fully with heavy tax burdens

Soooo now teachers aren’t responsible for paying their taxes?

taxes are funded from real estate taxes, i just got my bill and its 34k doubt a teacher is living in even living in fcps or if they are,they aren't paying 34k / year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This entire thread boils down to:

1) Jews and Muslims shouldn't get holidays.

and

2) I don't want my kids at home with me during federal holidays.

That's pretty much it.

Actually, speaking only for myself, it’s the excessive Thanksgiving and Memorial Day that need to go first.

So for this instance, it’s #2.

Never understood people having kids and not wanting to spend the most time possible with them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:lol teachers get a 3-4 day work week and summers off, nevermind parents work 5 days a week+ funding schools fully with heavy tax burdens

Soooo now teachers aren’t responsible for paying their taxes?

taxes are funded from real estate taxes, i just got my bill and its 34k doubt a teacher is living in even living in fcps or if they are,they aren't paying 34k / year

Sick humble brag to anonymous people on the internet dude, congrats on your $3mil property?

Teachers definitely don’t live in multimillion dollar properties, but they pay the taxes based on what they do live in just like everyone else.

Or do you honestly believe no teacher working in FCPS lives in Fairfax County?

The replies here literally get dumber and dumber.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:lol teachers get a 3-4 day work week and summers off, nevermind parents work 5 days a week+ funding schools fully with heavy tax burdens

And they’ll get the same salary and longer summers with a rational calendar.

Most accomplished teachers I know have summer jobs which are actually more lucrative than their teaching. Good teacher teachers will not object to more time off in the summer. The ones who make ends waitressing might.

Teachers have 40 week days in the summer from last day of work in June to first day of teacher workdays in August.

The starting teaching salary in FCPS is $61,747. For a 190 contract that’s $324 a day. Or $46 a hour.

What summer job do your teacher friends have for 40 days in the summer that pays more than $61,747?

Or what summer job do they have that will pay them more than $13,000?

What part time job is paying teachers more than $40 a hour, for 7 hours every weekday, for just the 40 days they’re available in the summer.

Please post the job link because teachers will line up for this lucrative endeavor.

I know personally:

Two specialized camp directors, one who is a HS language teacher and makes $55,000 for her summer contract, and one who is a special-ed teacher her who is a camp director at an overnight camp for kids with special needs and makes more (but also has some school year commitments to meet with prospective parents).

A HS social studies teacher who leads two, two week trips abroad each summer and is paid $15,000 for each in addition to free participation for her kids and spouse.

I have heard of (but do not personally know)

An elementary school gym teacher who runs a sports camp and makes $150+


All of these folks would love an extra summer week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This entire thread boils down to:

1) Jews and Muslims shouldn't get holidays.

and

2) I don't want my kids at home with me during federal holidays.

That's pretty much it.

Actually, speaking only for myself, it’s the excessive Thanksgiving and Memorial Day that need to go first.

So for this instance, it’s #2.

Never understood people having kids and not wanting to spend the most time possible with them.

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving isn’t a federal holiday and I’m not off. Id rather a longer summer to actually spend time more time together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:lol teachers get a 3-4 day work week and summers off, nevermind parents work 5 days a week+ funding schools fully with heavy tax burdens

And they’ll get the same salary and longer summers with a rational calendar.

Most accomplished teachers I know have summer jobs which are actually more lucrative than their teaching. Good teacher teachers will not object to more time off in the summer. The ones who make ends waitressing might.

Teachers have 40 week days in the summer from last day of work in June to first day of teacher workdays in August.

The starting teaching salary in FCPS is $61,747. For a 190 contract that’s $324 a day. Or $46 a hour.

What summer job do your teacher friends have for 40 days in the summer that pays more than $61,747?

Or what summer job do they have that will pay them more than $13,000?

What part time job is paying teachers more than $40 a hour, for 7 hours every weekday, for just the 40 days they’re available in the summer.

Please post the job link because teachers will line up for this lucrative endeavor.

I know personally:

Two specialized camp directors, one who is a HS language teacher and makes $55,000 for her summer contract, and one who is a special-ed teacher her who is a camp director at an overnight camp for kids with special needs and makes more (but also has some school year commitments to meet with prospective parents).

A HS social studies teacher who leads two, two week trips abroad each summer and is paid $15,000 for each in addition to free participation for her kids and spouse.

I have heard of (but do not personally know)

An elementary school gym teacher who runs a sports camp and makes $150+


All of these folks would love an extra summer week.

Is there any way you can post the name or the link to the camp so other teachers can see and take advantage of employment opportunities there? Lots of sped teachers would be interested.

What company does that social studies teacher run trips abroad for? Could you post the name or the link for that? Lots of teachers would be interested in traveling abroad with the families for free + $30k.

Could you also post the name or the link to the sports camp? There’s a lot of PE teachers on here who I’m sure would love to work for $150+ a hour for 7 hours a day for all 8 weeks of summer. $42,000 for a sports camp is insane! Definitely need that name or link!

Thanks in advanced, this could really change the lives of a lot of teachers!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:lol teachers get a 3-4 day work week and summers off, nevermind parents work 5 days a week+ funding schools fully with heavy tax burdens

And they’ll get the same salary and longer summers with a rational calendar.

Most accomplished teachers I know have summer jobs which are actually more lucrative than their teaching. Good teacher teachers will not object to more time off in the summer. The ones who make ends waitressing might.

Teachers have 40 week days in the summer from last day of work in June to first day of teacher workdays in August.

The starting teaching salary in FCPS is $61,747. For a 190 contract that’s $324 a day. Or $46 a hour.

What summer job do your teacher friends have for 40 days in the summer that pays more than $61,747?

Or what summer job do they have that will pay them more than $13,000?

What part time job is paying teachers more than $40 a hour, for 7 hours every weekday, for just the 40 days they’re available in the summer.

Please post the job link because teachers will line up for this lucrative endeavor.

I know personally:

Two specialized camp directors, one who is a HS language teacher and makes $55,000 for her summer contract, and one who is a special-ed teacher her who is a camp director at an overnight camp for kids with special needs and makes more (but also has some school year commitments to meet with prospective parents).

A HS social studies teacher who leads two, two week trips abroad each summer and is paid $15,000 for each in addition to free participation for her kids and spouse.

I have heard of (but do not personally know)

An elementary school gym teacher who runs a sports camp and makes $150+


All of these folks would love an extra summer week.

I'd prefer teachers who see teaching as their first job and not their off-season gap-filler.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow. I can't believe I just read all of this. This is... a lot.

The idea that the school board/school system is somehow responsible for easing the financial burden of child care costs (or the costs of ANYTHING outside of school is ludicrous. Your child is your financial responsibility. It's called being a parent. The fact that needs to be explained to people who are currently parents is incredibly sad.

For what it's worth, the Virginia Department of Education has a Child Care Subsidy Program. Explain your circumstance and try applying.

Here is the link for those who actually need it: https://www.childcare.virginia.gov/families/paying-for-child-care

I truly feel bad for the people struggling, but help/solutions are out there beyond hoping that the schoolboard will change the schedule on the sole basis that it financially helps families. Hope isn't a plan. But YOU do need a plan on how to financially be responsible for YOUR child.

The calendar is released well in advance. There are numerous changes YOU can make as a parent for YOUR child to better be able to handle the financial burden of increased childcare needs besides hoping for someone else to help YOU afford YOUR child.

Own? Move to a smaller house with less of a mortgage. Use the savings to offset the increased childcare costs.

Rent? Move to a cheaper apartment. Use the savings to offset the increased childcare costs.

Have a car payment? Sell it and buy a cheaper car. Use the savings to offset the increased childcare costs.

Car paid off? Sell it and buy a used older car. Use the money you made off of your car sale to offset the increased childcare costs.

Eat at home? Shop at cheaper grocery stores and buy in bulk. Use the savings to offset the increased childcare costs.

Eat out? Eat out a few times less per month. Use the savings to offset the increased childcare costs.

These are just a few of MANY solutions/sacrifices that YOU as a parent should be willing to make to financially support YOUR child.

Are these difficult changes? Yes, and I'm sure there will be lots of arguments why they're preposterous ideas to some and how they shouldn't have to make them. But again, it's YOUR child and YOU should be willing to do anything to be able to financially provide the best YOU can.

The hard truth is, if it was that important of an issue or was really hurting your pockets that much, you would. But it's easier to anonymously complain on the internet, send some emails to your school board politicians, and rely on hope.

I'm so happy your husband can afford to pay your nanny.

My wife and I pay child care for three kids. Both work full time. I almost six figures pretax and my wife makes less than 50k pretax. We factor childcare expenses into our budget at the beginning of the school year and put that money in a separate account each paycheck. We utilize the school calendar to know what random days we’ll need extra care and factor in 11 days extra for each of the potential snow days. If we don’t have the snow days, we put the excess money towards our family vacation in the summer.

We’re not rich by any means for this area, but we make it work. Some years we have more money left over, some we have less. Some months we eat out more, some months we eat out less. We chose to have 3 kids and their wellbeing comes first. The last thing we’re going to do is consider them or their needs a financial burden. It’s just part of being their parents.

So what would you do with an extra $5000 this year?

Presumably, as good parents, it would go to help your kids, right?

What is it that an erratic calendar does that is worth $5000 to you?

An extra $5000? Currently we’d put it towards a low cost starter car for our oldest. She’ll be getting her license soon and it would help us all if she had her own vehicle to drive. She already has a job she’s been saving money at for insurance, gas, and property taxes, but having her able to drive there herself and help with her siblings needs would be beneficial to herself and the whole family.

So why is supporting an erratic calendar, and resisting any efforts for elected officials to be accountable to the priorities of their constituents more important than your oldest getting a car?

Well, for starters, changing the current calendar would not save my family $5000 a year.

Right, I imagine as the parent of someone approaching driving age that is the case. If you can put yourself in the position of people with elementary age children, why should they support an erratic Calendar – – which does cost many of them $5000 or more per year— instead of advocating for better for their families?

I have two elementary aged children…

I’m just a firm believer that I should not expect the public school system / the politicians on the school board to help ME financially support MY children. It’s really that simple.

Except...you think their educations should be free and most likely hit certain standards that are completely unrelatable for most of the United States. It was not that long ago that having children meant you would pay school fees and it most of the world, it's still like that. So you DO expect public offices to support your children financially. Stop pretending because you don't want one specific change that you are carrying the entire financial burden of having children yourself.

I actually vehemently disagree with literally all of what you say I think. I would happily pay school fees, another way for me to help financially contribute to my children (not the other way around). I’m also incredibly realistic about the education they receive in FCPS and what standards FCPS should uphold financially and ethically, but thanks for telling me what I think.

I’m sure you make your spouse incredibly happy with that trait!

But you don't. You could pay and go to private school but you choose not to pay. You could be an amazing citizen and pay your taxes to support broader education in society and pay more to contribute more to your children's future. But you don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:lol teachers get a 3-4 day work week and summers off, nevermind parents work 5 days a week+ funding schools fully with heavy tax burdens

And they’ll get the same salary and longer summers with a rational calendar.

Most accomplished teachers I know have summer jobs which are actually more lucrative than their teaching. Good teacher teachers will not object to more time off in the summer. The ones who make ends waitressing might.

Teachers have 40 week days in the summer from last day of work in June to first day of teacher workdays in August.

The starting teaching salary in FCPS is $61,747. For a 190 contract that’s $324 a day. Or $46 a hour.

What summer job do your teacher friends have for 40 days in the summer that pays more than $61,747?

Or what summer job do they have that will pay them more than $13,000?

What part time job is paying teachers more than $40 a hour, for 7 hours every weekday, for just the 40 days they’re available in the summer.

Please post the job link because teachers will line up for this lucrative endeavor.

I know personally:

Two specialized camp directors, one who is a HS language teacher and makes $55,000 for her summer contract, and one who is a special-ed teacher her who is a camp director at an overnight camp for kids with special needs and makes more (but also has some school year commitments to meet with prospective parents).

A HS social studies teacher who leads two, two week trips abroad each summer and is paid $15,000 for each in addition to free participation for her kids and spouse.

I have heard of (but do not personally know)

An elementary school gym teacher who runs a sports camp and makes $150+


All of these folks would love an extra summer week.

I'd prefer teachers who see teaching as their first job and not their off-season gap-filler.

I doubt it. The social studies teacher in particular has won awards nationally. You would be thrilled if your kid had her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know anyone who pays for care on days off. The parents usually just trade using vacation days, telework if possible, use grandparents, or team up with friends.

You know why they do that? Because finding child care on erratic, random days is very difficult.

The calendar is not good for students and their education and that's my main problem with it. I would actually PAY to have education be at the forefront of FCPS. I have HS students so childcare is no longer a concern for me but both my husband and children find this calendar detrimental. "It's been hard to lock in this year" is a refrain I hear a lot from my kids and their friends. We don't need all these days off to relax and sleep.

There it is again. The calendar is not good for students and their education.

PROVE IT. Where is the data that suggests that? Are there lower test scores? Lower overall GPAs? Are reading levels progressing slower? Lower SAT scores? Lower graduation rates? Where are the actual FACTS? Not your opinion or your anecdotal evidence based on your kid and their friends. Real hard data.

Because if you don’t have that you have nothing but your opinion and everyone knows what they say about opinions…

Just because kids aren't failing doesn't mean you have the data!!! Fact is consistency is proven. Another fact is that FCPS is teaching to a legal minimum. Why? Why can't we strive to do better than just the bare minimum? Don't the kids deserve to be given the very best we can give? Why is everyone always trying to take the lazy, as little school as possible way out?