Dear Incoming Chancellor: Start Schools After Labor Day

[Anonymous]

Private schools and Virginia public schools have started after labor day for years and seem to be quite successful. MD is now moving the entire state to this model as well. Please don't start DC schools weeks before labor day. Let kids enjoy their summer and don't make them feel that their schools are the pits so they have to be "punished" by starting earlier.

Some ways this could be achieved:

- Consolidate the many professional development days to the two weeks prior to Labor day.
- Require teaching during the last two-three weeks of school (rather than watching movies while teachers dismantle their classrooms, etc.)
- Start school 15 - 30 minutes earlier (8:45 is very late for elementary school drop off)
- Hold parent-teacher conferences in the late afternoon/early evening rather than closing the school for a day (much easier for parents too)

I know many people like the move to year-round school, but many also like the "old school" way that we all grew up with. It gives kids time over the summer to have fun and be kids. Really, we all lived through that system and I'd say that it worked out fine for most (nothing works best for everyone).

[Anonymous]

In Maryland the school districts are pushing back on this hard and it's unlikely to be implemented. In Virginia more counties have sought and been granted waivers to start before Labor Day.

Data shows a longer school year is more effective. Charters can and still will set their own schedules.

Find another windmill to tilt at OP. Or consider private schools.

[Anonymous]

The "old way" was before schools were mandated to have 180 school days a year. The way Maryland is going to have to do this is by shortening a LOT of vacations and holidays.

Also, the whole point of professional development days is to help the teachers as they progress in their careers and throughout the school year. You cram it all at the beginning of the year and it's going to be useless.

Who's going to pay the teachers to work until 10 p.m. 4X per year for conferences?

There's before care if you need it. 8:45 is great for many of us who don't need our kids getting out of school too early and being stuck in after care for 4+ hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The "old way" was before schools were mandated to have 180 school days a year. The way Maryland is going to have to do this is by shortening a LOT of vacations and holidays.

Also, the whole point of professional development days is to help the teachers as they progress in their careers and throughout the school year. You cram it all at the beginning of the year and it's going to be useless.

Who's going to pay the teachers to work until 10 p.m. 4X per year for conferences?

There's before care if you need it. 8:45 is great for many of us who don't need our kids getting out of school too early and being stuck in after care for 4+ hours.

PP here- though I totally agree with you on the no-TV teaching the last weeks of school!!! it is outrageous.

[Anonymous]

There is a lot of resistance to the "King's Dominion" law in VA. Now that some school systems can obtain waivers to start earlier based on snow closure days there will be more of a push to eradicate the law in order to level the testing playing field.

I have come across very few people who support the post-Labor Day school start in my VA community.

[Anonymous]

I agree with you that the school year should be consolidated -- I don't understand why DC teachers need so many more professional days than teachers in other jurisdictions. Starting the week before labor day and ending a week earlier than they do now would be perfect for my family.

[Anonymous]

Register this as another person who reads OP's post and says "nah."

[Anonymous]

DC is moving toward extended school days and an extended school year.

[Anonymous]

OP, I completely disagree with everything other than getting rid of all the tv-watching at the end of the school year. The executive order in MD is appalling, and I grew up in public schools in MD that began after Labor Day. Adding weeks of summer when families have to pay for camps or childcare of take off work is a burden to many, and prioritizing tourism revenue over education is shortsighted among other faults. The best professional development is when it happens year-round rather in a once-a-year, get-it-all-over-with cram. And a longer school year with more in and out of school breaks sprinkled throughout is less stressful and more productive.

[Anonymous]

I'd sooner the kids went back to school in August and have a longer stretch before snow days disrupt the schedule, and still have a decent length spring and winter break. As it is, some AP classes don't cover all the material before the tests, much less if they lost 2 weeks of classtime. DC doesn't have the school makeup of most MD or VA districts, so I don't think their model should be applied here. I don't see any positives in changing the schedule, except to help out teachers whose own kids are in MD or VA schools or private school

[Anonymous]

How do camps work with the extended year? Currently they're all organized during the summer and align with the private school year, at least near our house. If DCPS has random weeks of breaks during the school year, what do the kids do? Do parents then have to take those weeks off because no camps are offered? That would be a burden.

Also, DCPS can't get scores up despite throwing money at the school system hand over fist for years (more than nearly any jurisdiction), I hope for the best but am skeptical that they have a real plan for doing better just with the addition of more days. It will be interesting to see how these first school fare, hopefully it will show positive results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Private schools and Virginia public schools have started after labor day for years and seem to be quite successful. MD is now moving the entire state to this model as well. Please don't start DC schools weeks before labor day. Let kids enjoy their summer and don't make them feel that their schools are the pits so they have to be "punished" by starting earlier.

Some ways this could be achieved:

- Consolidate the many professional development days to the two weeks prior to Labor day.
- Require teaching during the last two-three weeks of school (rather than watching movies while teachers dismantle their classrooms, etc.)
- Start school 15 - 30 minutes earlier (8:45 is very late for elementary school drop off)
- Hold parent-teacher conferences in the late afternoon/early evening rather than closing the school for a day (much easier for parents too)

I know many people like the move to year-round school, but many also like the "old school" way that we all grew up with. It gives kids time over the summer to have fun and be kids. Really, we all lived through that system and I'd say that it worked out fine for most (nothing works best for everyone).

Unless you work and have to pay for child care/camp for all those days... This is a very SAHM perspective.

[Anonymous]

I'd rather kids go back in August and get more/longer breaks throughout the year. 6 weeks would be a great break in my mind--end school the last week in June. If we had a longer break around President's Day, we'd probably need fewer make-up days for snow since it seems like school is often closed then anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private schools and Virginia public schools have started after labor day for years and seem to be quite successful. MD is now moving the entire state to this model as well. Please don't start DC schools weeks before labor day. Let kids enjoy their summer and don't make them feel that their schools are the pits so they have to be "punished" by starting earlier.

Some ways this could be achieved:

- Consolidate the many professional development days to the two weeks prior to Labor day.
- Require teaching during the last two-three weeks of school (rather than watching movies while teachers dismantle their classrooms, etc.)
- Start school 15 - 30 minutes earlier (8:45 is very late for elementary school drop off)
- Hold parent-teacher conferences in the late afternoon/early evening rather than closing the school for a day (much easier for parents too)

I know many people like the move to year-round school, but many also like the "old school" way that we all grew up with. It gives kids time over the summer to have fun and be kids. Really, we all lived through that system and I'd say that it worked out fine for most (nothing works best for everyone).

Unless you work and have to pay for child care/camp for all those days... This is a very SAHM perspective.

All of those random Monday/Fridays off is way more disruptive to my child care needs.

[Anonymous]

Nope. Love the mid-August start for dcps.