APS proposed school year calendar up

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In all the fighting over the first day of school, no one paid attention to the last. I emailed and emailed. June 18 is late to be getting out. And, folks, the religious holidays are why. That’s the difference. I’m happy if they keep them. But they need to find other days to cut.

??? 180 school days is Virginia law. I don’t understand the opposition to this.

The religious holidays are only four days. They could keep them and get rid of other random days off (like grade prep days) and have kids come to school on veterans day.

Great! And yes they could. But they won’t. Someone suggested they go to school on Veterans Day and their response was “no” because a lot of veterans live around here. They won’t get rid of any of the holidays. So we are stuck with an absurd ending date. And still going to school before Labor Day!

I think it's sad that everyone is eager to eliminate Veterans' Day as the holiday off. We should be HONORING the sacrifices of those who have protected and served this country. I suppose folks think going on family picnics and long weekends "celebrating" Memorial Day.....those who DIED protecting and serving this country, is enough. But there are a lot of people who have done so and have not yet died. It's nice to honor them while they're still around to feel the honor.

Nobody ever suggests eliminating Columbus Day now Indigenous Peoples' Day; and they surely would never suggest eliminating Juneteenth as a day off if school extended beyond that date. What about Presidents' Day? That seems like one of the silliest holidays, imo.

I don't understand all the people insisting on a full two weeks winter break but then griping about getting out too late in June and/or starting before Labor Day. You can't have it all folks.

Well, you know what? We had pretty close to “it all” last year. We had 2 weeks of winter break, started one week before Labor Day, got our earlier then June 18, AND had the religious holidays. But some people got upset because we had 990 hours but not 180 days. So APS added more days. We have 13 snow days built in.

The main thing is, there needs to be consistency. For example, federal holidays off only. Or, only religious holidays where at least X percentage of staff/students are likely to be absent. Adding religious holidays randomly is a no-win, because you can’t include everyone.

By some people you mean a lobbying group named Arlington Parents for Education. They lobbied heavily for 180 days. Even though a lot of them have their own kids in private school, they still want to control public ed for the rest of us.

180 school days is Virginia law. https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title8/agency20/chapter131/section150/#:~:text=The%20standard%20school%20year%20shall,in%20grades%20kindergarten%20through%2012.

Nope. 180 days OR 990 hours. APS has enough extra hours for 13 snow days this year.

APS always had more than 180 days before the pandemic. Going back years. i can't believe people want fewer days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In all the fighting over the first day of school, no one paid attention to the last. I emailed and emailed. June 18 is late to be getting out. And, folks, the religious holidays are why. That’s the difference. I’m happy if they keep them. But they need to find other days to cut.

??? 180 school days is Virginia law. I don’t understand the opposition to this.

The religious holidays are only four days. They could keep them and get rid of other random days off (like grade prep days) and have kids come to school on veterans day.

Great! And yes they could. But they won’t. Someone suggested they go to school on Veterans Day and their response was “no” because a lot of veterans live around here. They won’t get rid of any of the holidays. So we are stuck with an absurd ending date. And still going to school before Labor Day!

I think it's sad that everyone is eager to eliminate Veterans' Day as the holiday off. We should be HONORING the sacrifices of those who have protected and served this country. I suppose folks think going on family picnics and long weekends "celebrating" Memorial Day.....those who DIED protecting and serving this country, is enough. But there are a lot of people who have done so and have not yet died. It's nice to honor them while they're still around to feel the honor.

Nobody ever suggests eliminating Columbus Day now Indigenous Peoples' Day; and they surely would never suggest eliminating Juneteenth as a day off if school extended beyond that date. What about Presidents' Day? That seems like one of the silliest holidays, imo.

I don't understand all the people insisting on a full two weeks winter break but then griping about getting out too late in June and/or starting before Labor Day. You can't have it all folks.

Well, you know what? We had pretty close to “it all” last year. We had 2 weeks of winter break, started one week before Labor Day, got our earlier then June 18, AND had the religious holidays. But some people got upset because we had 990 hours but not 180 days. So APS added more days. We have 13 snow days built in.

The main thing is, there needs to be consistency. For example, federal holidays off only. Or, only religious holidays where at least X percentage of staff/students are likely to be absent. Adding religious holidays randomly is a no-win, because you can’t include everyone.

By some people you mean a lobbying group named Arlington Parents for Education. They lobbied heavily for 180 days. Even though a lot of them have their own kids in private school, they still want to control public ed for the rest of us.

180 school days is Virginia law. https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title8/agency20/chapter131/section150/#:~:text=The%20standard%20school%20year%20shall,in%20grades%20kindergarten%20through%2012.

Nope. 180 days OR 990 hours. APS has enough extra hours for 13 snow days this year.

APS always had more than 180 days before the pandemic. Going back years. i can't believe people want fewer days.

They also had 10-11 week long summers. It’s not that people want fewer days of school per se, but we don’t want a shorter summer with a bunch of random days off during the ever-lengthening school year.

[Anonymous]

This is such BS. FCCPS promised us that IF we gave up Labor Day we'd get out earlier. June 18th was the date we were our the last year we had Labor Day for summer.

I'm so sick of liars adding a bunch of woke days and what not while taking away Sumner and Labor Day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In all the fighting over the first day of school, no one paid attention to the last. I emailed and emailed. June 18 is late to be getting out. And, folks, the religious holidays are why. That’s the difference. I’m happy if they keep them. But they need to find other days to cut.

The religious holidays are only four days. They could keep them and get rid of other random days off (like grade prep days) and have kids come to school on veterans day.

Why do you think grade prep days are less important than religious holidays?

I work in APS and I agree. When I taught in NY we never had grade prep days. Especially now with electronic grading. So dumb.

I’m guessing you’re not an elementary classroom teacher. We have to input everything into Synergy then write lengthy comments. (And input those into Synergy too.)

Our experience: only one or two teachers ever made what would be considered a "lengthy comment" in our elementary report cards, and half of those were templates summarizing what the class curriculum did. We've been out of elementary a while now, so maybe that's changed???

My own kids’ teachers (not in APS) do that too. I don’t know if it’s districtwide or what. Drives me crazy. But we write long (or longer, at least) ones.

A typical comment for my kid on her APS report card is: Larla is meeting grade level standards and I enjoy having her in my class. Keep up the good work, Larla!

Thar's it. The rest is a summary of what they've covered that semester.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In all the fighting over the first day of school, no one paid attention to the last. I emailed and emailed. June 18 is late to be getting out. And, folks, the religious holidays are why. That’s the difference. I’m happy if they keep them. But they need to find other days to cut.

The religious holidays are only four days. They could keep them and get rid of other random days off (like grade prep days) and have kids come to school on veterans day.

Why do you think grade prep days are less important than religious holidays?

I work in APS and I agree. When I taught in NY we never had grade prep days. Especially now with electronic grading. So dumb.

I’m guessing you don’t teach elementary. Writing personalized comments for each child takes hours. Now that I’m in middle school, grade prep is a much faster process.

Even with APS’s new retake policy? I ask because secondary teachers have said that adds a lot of time to their grading.

It does add more time but usually not on grade prep days. By then, the grades are in. Middle and high school teachers spend a lot more time grading throughout the quarter.

[Anonymous]

I guess I am in minority bc I am all for more school days and shorter summer breaks. Provided of course they are actually teaching and not just playing for three weeks following SOLs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess I am in minority bc I am all for more school days and shorter summer breaks. Provided of course they are actually teaching and not just playing for three weeks following SOLs.

I also don't really care about shorter summers. Less summer camp I have to pay for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess I am in minority bc I am all for more school days and shorter summer breaks. Provided of course they are actually teaching and not just playing for three weeks following SOLs.

They do nothing in June. Kids are "in school," but it's basically daycare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess I am in minority bc I am all for more school days and shorter summer breaks. Provided of course they are actually teaching and not just playing for three weeks following SOLs.

I also don't really care about shorter summers. Less summer camp I have to pay for.

But now you have to pay for more random days off throughout the year.

I wish they'd add to the calendar rules that there cannot not be two non-consecutive days off/early releases in a single week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess I am in minority bc I am all for more school days and shorter summer breaks. Provided of course they are actually teaching and not just playing for three weeks following SOLs.

I also don't really care about shorter summers. Less summer camp I have to pay for.

But now you have to pay for more random days off throughout the year.

I wish they'd add to the calendar rules that there cannot not be two non-consecutive days off/early releases in a single week.

In 2024 they have an early release on Wednesday (10/30), then a full day on Thursday (10/31), and no school on Friday (11/1, Diwali). It basically kills the whole end of the week. Move the early release to 10/31 and have a full day on 10/30. Don't have non-consecutive closures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess I am in minority bc I am all for more school days and shorter summer breaks. Provided of course they are actually teaching and not just playing for three weeks following SOLs.

I also don't really care about shorter summers. Less summer camp I have to pay for.

But now you have to pay for more random days off throughout the year.

I wish they'd add to the calendar rules that there cannot not be two non-consecutive days off/early releases in a single week.

In 2024 they have an early release on Wednesday (10/30), then a full day on Thursday (10/31), and no school on Friday (11/1, Diwali). It basically kills the whole end of the week. Move the early release to 10/31 and have a full day on 10/30. Don't have non-consecutive closures.

I do love no school on 11/1 though!

[Anonymous]

June 18th was the end of school back when we started in September. This is ridiculous. I'm glad my kid will be a senior next year, but sad that the summer is going to be even shorter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess I am in minority bc I am all for more school days and shorter summer breaks. Provided of course they are actually teaching and not just playing for three weeks following SOLs.

I also don't really care about shorter summers. Less summer camp I have to pay for.

But now you have to pay for more random days off throughout the year.

I wish they'd add to the calendar rules that there cannot not be two non-consecutive days off/early releases in a single week.

PP here. I actually don't use paid care on those days. I work from home and the kids can entertain themselves for one day, but an entire summer is too much. But I get how that can be hard for other folks (although our school offers day off camps for a pretty low cost, lower than summer camp anyway)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess I am in minority bc I am all for more school days and shorter summer breaks. Provided of course they are actually teaching and not just playing for three weeks following SOLs.

I also don't really care about shorter summers. Less summer camp I have to pay for.

But now you have to pay for more random days off throughout the year.

I wish they'd add to the calendar rules that there cannot not be two non-consecutive days off/early releases in a single week.

PP here. I actually don't use paid care on those days. I work from home and the kids can entertain themselves for one day, but an entire summer is too much. But I get how that can be hard for other folks (although our school offers day off camps for a pretty low cost, lower than summer camp anyway)

Are you at an APS school? Or another district?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess I am in minority bc I am all for more school days and shorter summer breaks. Provided of course they are actually teaching and not just playing for three weeks following SOLs.

I also don't really care about shorter summers. Less summer camp I have to pay for.

But now you have to pay for more random days off throughout the year.

I wish they'd add to the calendar rules that there cannot not be two non-consecutive days off/early releases in a single week.

In 2024 they have an early release on Wednesday (10/30), then a full day on Thursday (10/31), and no school on Friday (11/1, Diwali). It basically kills the whole end of the week. Move the early release to 10/31 and have a full day on 10/30. Don't have non-consecutive closures.

Great - We'll go on vacation starting that Wednesday. And they wonder why absences are so much higher. Add in a bunch of days off and people will turn it into a long weekend away.