APS Calendar - decision timeframe

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those of you who want one week for winter break -- the only way to manage that in 2022 would be for the last day of school before the break to be on December 23 (at least one person has suggested something earlier, but get serious -- you need an entire week, Mon-F, for this one). Do you really think families are going to stick around through the 23rd? I don't.

That's how it always was at my school growing up. It was fine. If people choose to blow off school to go skiing that's their business.

+1
Just like others saying those who observe non-Christian holidays can/have taken off those days, except they're only taking the actual holiday. In this case, students have the actual Christmas day holiday off and would merely be choosing to take more. Why should Christians get a week or two for one-day holiday and others just get there one?

What's wrong with break starting 12/24?

Because this is the only time during the year when the entire country pretty much shuts down. It is as much cultural as it is religious. Plenty of people who do not celebrate Christmas travel during this time.

When FCPS switched to this a few years ago, we were told one of the reasons was to allow families with relatives overseas to travel during this time. I think a lot of parents were just pulling their kids out early and missing school, so the 2 weeks was supposed to alleviate that issue.

The entire country does not shut down for 2 weeks.

I didn't say it did. The PP said why do Christians get a week or two for their holiday and others only get one? My response to that was that many places shut down between the week of Christmas and New Years. It is cultural - no one is celebrating Christmas for a week.

The two weeks part was as I said to help families who travel at this time - to avoid them pulling their kids out of school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those of you who want one week for winter break -- the only way to manage that in 2022 would be for the last day of school before the break to be on December 23 (at least one person has suggested something earlier, but get serious -- you need an entire week, Mon-F, for this one). Do you really think families are going to stick around through the 23rd? I don't.

That's how it always was at my school growing up. It was fine. If people choose to blow off school to go skiing that's their business.

+1
Just like others saying those who observe non-Christian holidays can/have taken off those days, except they're only taking the actual holiday. In this case, students have the actual Christmas day holiday off and would merely be choosing to take more. Why should Christians get a week or two for one-day holiday and others just get there one?

What's wrong with break starting 12/24?

Because this is the only time during the year when the entire country pretty much shuts down. It is as much cultural as it is religious. Plenty of people who do not celebrate Christmas travel during this time.

When FCPS switched to this a few years ago, we were told one of the reasons was to allow families with relatives overseas to travel during this time. I think a lot of parents were just pulling their kids out early and missing school, so the 2 weeks was supposed to alleviate that issue.

The entire country does not shut down for 2 weeks.

Okay then, to rephrase, the parts that matter do. How’s that? We live in a govt town, and yes, it’s shut down for those two weeks. And being so close to the nation’s capital, we have many international families who travel oversees during that time, not necessarily related to a religious holiday. The calendar was responsive to the community, who advocated for a full two weeks at this time in the year. Get over it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those of you who want one week for winter break -- the only way to manage that in 2022 would be for the last day of school before the break to be on December 23 (at least one person has suggested something earlier, but get serious -- you need an entire week, Mon-F, for this one). Do you really think families are going to stick around through the 23rd? I don't.

That's how it always was at my school growing up. It was fine. If people choose to blow off school to go skiing that's their business.

+1
Just like others saying those who observe non-Christian holidays can/have taken off those days, except they're only taking the actual holiday. In this case, students have the actual Christmas day holiday off and would merely be choosing to take more. Why should Christians get a week or two for one-day holiday and others just get there one?

What's wrong with break starting 12/24?

Because this is the only time during the year when the entire country pretty much shuts down. It is as much cultural as it is religious. Plenty of people who do not celebrate Christmas travel during this time.

When FCPS switched to this a few years ago, we were told one of the reasons was to allow families with relatives overseas to travel during this time. I think a lot of parents were just pulling their kids out early and missing school, so the 2 weeks was supposed to alleviate that issue.

The entire country does not shut down for 2 weeks.

Okay then, to rephrase, the parts that matter do. How’s that? We live in a govt town, and yes, it’s shut down for those two weeks. And being so close to the nation’s capital, we have many international families who travel oversees during that time, not necessarily related to a religious holiday. The calendar was responsive to the community, who advocated for a full two weeks at this time in the year. Get over it.

There's no need to be rude.

I'm part of the community, and I have the right to advocate in a calendar survey that was sent to me for the express purpose of soliciting my opinion.

If you celebrate Christmas, you can't both complain about other people's religious holidays being added to the calendar and also argue that your 2 week break for your religious holiday is sacrosanct.

[Anonymous]

I don’t celebrate Christmas - or any religious holiday - and I support 2 week winter break. We always took off the two weeks anyway so it’s nice for the kids not to miss school.

At one point (prepandemic) our school sent out nasty email messages about families leaving for WEEKS in the winter to go visit home countries. IIRC they were concerned about getting enough days of attendance for accreditation? And I believe they even threatened to unenroll kids who were gone more than X days.

So it is an issue for some communities. And has nothing to do with Christmas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those of you who want one week for winter break -- the only way to manage that in 2022 would be for the last day of school before the break to be on December 23 (at least one person has suggested something earlier, but get serious -- you need an entire week, Mon-F, for this one). Do you really think families are going to stick around through the 23rd? I don't.

That's how it always was at my school growing up. It was fine. If people choose to blow off school to go skiing that's their business.

+1
Just like others saying those who observe non-Christian holidays can/have taken off those days, except they're only taking the actual holiday. In this case, students have the actual Christmas day holiday off and would merely be choosing to take more. Why should Christians get a week or two for one-day holiday and others just get there one?

What's wrong with break starting 12/24?

Because this is the only time during the year when the entire country pretty much shuts down. It is as much cultural as it is religious. Plenty of people who do not celebrate Christmas travel during this time.

When FCPS switched to this a few years ago, we were told one of the reasons was to allow families with relatives overseas to travel during this time. I think a lot of parents were just pulling their kids out early and missing school, so the 2 weeks was supposed to alleviate that issue.

The entire country does not shut down for 2 weeks.

Okay then, to rephrase, the parts that matter do. How’s that? We live in a govt town, and yes, it’s shut down for those two weeks. And being so close to the nation’s capital, we have many international families who travel oversees during that time, not necessarily related to a religious holiday. The calendar was responsive to the community, who advocated for a full two weeks at this time in the year. Get over it.

There's no need to be rude.

I'm part of the community, and I have the right to advocate in a calendar survey that was sent to me for the express purpose of soliciting my opinion.

If you celebrate Christmas, you can't both complain about other people's religious holidays being added to the calendar and also argue that your 2 week break for your religious holiday is sacrosanct.

It is not a two week break for Christmas! What about that do you not get?

At what other time during the year does the country slow down for a bit other than this time? Where it's not a big deal to take off for a week because nothing is going on at work. None. That is the point about Winter Break - yes, Christmas is in there, but it is not a break to celebrate for 2 weeks. It is a huge part of American culture. And, as numerous people have also said, around here we went to two weeks because people were taking it off anyway and pulling their kids out of school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those of you who want one week for winter break -- the only way to manage that in 2022 would be for the last day of school before the break to be on December 23 (at least one person has suggested something earlier, but get serious -- you need an entire week, Mon-F, for this one). Do you really think families are going to stick around through the 23rd? I don't.

That's how it always was at my school growing up. It was fine. If people choose to blow off school to go skiing that's their business.

+1
Just like others saying those who observe non-Christian holidays can/have taken off those days, except they're only taking the actual holiday. In this case, students have the actual Christmas day holiday off and would merely be choosing to take more. Why should Christians get a week or two for one-day holiday and others just get there one?

What's wrong with break starting 12/24?

Because this is the only time during the year when the entire country pretty much shuts down. It is as much cultural as it is religious. Plenty of people who do not celebrate Christmas travel during this time.

When FCPS switched to this a few years ago, we were told one of the reasons was to allow families with relatives overseas to travel during this time. I think a lot of parents were just pulling their kids out early and missing school, so the 2 weeks was supposed to alleviate that issue.

The entire country does not shut down for 2 weeks.

Okay then, to rephrase, the parts that matter do. How’s that? We live in a govt town, and yes, it’s shut down for those two weeks. And being so close to the nation’s capital, we have many international families who travel oversees during that time, not necessarily related to a religious holiday. The calendar was responsive to the community, who advocated for a full two weeks at this time in the year. Get over it.

There's no need to be rude.

I'm part of the community, and I have the right to advocate in a calendar survey that was sent to me for the express purpose of soliciting my opinion.

If you celebrate Christmas, you can't both complain about other people's religious holidays being added to the calendar and also argue that your 2 week break for your religious holiday is sacrosanct.

It is not a two week break for Christmas! What about that do you not get?

At what other time during the year does the country slow down for a bit other than this time? Where it's not a big deal to take off for a week because nothing is going on at work. None. That is the point about Winter Break - yes, Christmas is in there, but it is not a break to celebrate for 2 weeks. It is a huge part of American culture. And, as numerous people have also said, around here we went to two weeks because people were taking it off anyway and pulling their kids out of school.

Gosh! Those of you that celebrate NYE/New Years day, well get over yourselves too!

[Anonymous]

Adding the cultural and religious holidays this year was a big mistake and every. single. year. is going to be a mess which each group lobbying for their holiday.

The problem with many of those holidays as they are not set like Federal holidays. They aren't always the same date every single year.

The best approach - federal holidays, winter break, spring break - 3/4 floater holidays that teachers and students can take without penalty. Guidelines for teachers that major tests or assignments are not due on certain religious /cultural holidays and those should be determined by the demographics of the students in the school. The largest demographics are the ones that get considered. If there are a handful of students, then they discuss directly with the teacher/principal.

The longer and tighter they hold on to the idea that they can please everyone and be "inclusive" and "equitable"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Adding the cultural and religious holidays this year was a big mistake and every. single. year. is going to be a mess which each group lobbying for their holiday.

The problem with many of those holidays as they are not set like Federal holidays. They aren't always the same date every single year.

The best approach - federal holidays, winter break, spring break - 3/4 floater holidays that teachers and students can take without penalty. Guidelines for teachers that major tests or assignments are not due on certain religious /cultural holidays and those should be determined by the demographics of the students in the school. The largest demographics are the ones that get considered. If there are a handful of students, then they discuss directly with the teacher/principal.

The longer and tighter they hold on to the idea that they can please everyone and be "inclusive" and "equitable"

+1

[Anonymous]

Calendar surgery is up on the APS website.