Please hold spring break in April annually starting in 2027 no matter when Easter occurs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
You have presented no compelling evidence that A) the majority of DCPS stakeholders are opposed to this calendar change (anonymous posts you’ve read on DCUM have no more credibility than DCPS’s survey results) or B) the results of the survey are so flawed as to be worthless or C) making this change to DCPS’s calendar will do nothing to help them attract and retain staff/have adequate staff levels around Easter. You’ve brought no facts to the discussion except that the dates on which Easter falls can vary by weeks — which was not among the assertions of yours that were in dispute. You don’t like a calendar change that DCPS made based on responses they received from their own stakeholders. The people of MD had nothing to do with that, except for DCPS teachers who live in MD — but they are legitimate DCPS stakeholders who had a right to submit surveys.
You’re appealing to DCUM posters on the MCPS forum to change MCPS’s spring break calendar (which we don’t have the power to do), simply because you think the majority of us agree with you. You see this as an end run around DCPS to force them change their calendar back to the way it used to be in order to remain aligned to MCPS’s calendar. It is a fool’s errand.

I just presented the evidence that almost nobody wants spring break shifting weeks from year to year. The results are flawed since if the teachers who are a small minority become the majority then it's obviously not valid since they voted over and over again. Even if only 5% of the students and parents of students voted that would still outnumber the teachers if all the teachers voted once. Easter is on a Sunday every year so there is no school anyways so that shouldn't create a problem.

Yes the teachers had a right to submit surveys and technically they didn't break any rule since I didn't see anything saying you could only vote once. They came up with a plan to multiply their votes AND few non-teachers took part in the survey so the teacher vote actually won.

No, you don't have the power to change MoCo's spring break calendar but this is the perfect opportunity to influence their 2026-27 calendar which is not out yet. Getting spring break 2027 to occur after Easter is a good thing for people to request given how early that is. Now maybe they'll choose March 26-April 2 or maybe April 12-16 with March 26 and 29 off but NOT March 22-29 if enough people on here bother to input that. You may or may not agree on when to hold spring break but most (though not all based on one teacher) don't want break floating weeks apart based on Easter. It's not a fools errand if people ACTUALLY bother to get the districts to hold spring break at a reasonable time.

You have not provided evidence that almost no DCPS stakeholders want DCPS’s calendar to align with MCPS’s as long as MCPS’s remains tied to Easter. The only data you have from DCPS stakeholders is a survey that indicates the exact opposite, and which you believe, but cannot prove, is bogus.

You say few non-teachers participated in the survey, while teachers overwhelmingly replied. That’s the way optional surveys work. People who are passionate and motivated about an issue make their voices heard. People who are checked out or don’t have strong opinions don’t participate. Surveys are conducted to get a read on which position has a groundswell of support. Your position didn’t have it on this issue. If enough DCPS stakeholders are surprised and upset about this change, they will participate in the next calendar survey and make it known that they want spring break changed back to the way it’s previously been scheduled.

If you didn’t have a groundswell of support from motivated DCPS stakeholders when they were specifically surveyed about whether they wanted to maintain status quo and stick to the existing spring break schedule, then how do you think that as a single DC resident posting on a single message board you’re going to be the catalyst that gets MCPS stakeholders, who are not currently being surveyed by MCPS, to demand that we reverse our own status quo and change our longstanding spring break schedule? That is the fool’s errand.

Your best chance at getting what you want is to get DC residents to complain to DCPS about the change in their spring break schedule. At least you have some standing within the DCPS community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
You have not provided evidence that almost no DCPS stakeholders want DCPS’s calendar to align with MCPS’s as long as MCPS’s remains tied to Easter. The only data you have from DCPS stakeholders is a survey that indicates the exact opposite, and which you believe, but cannot prove, is bogus.

You say few non-teachers participated in the survey, while teachers overwhelmingly replied. That’s the way optional surveys work. People who are passionate and motivated about an issue make their voices heard. People who are checked out or don’t have strong opinions don’t participate. Surveys are conducted to get a read on which position has a groundswell of support. Your position didn’t have it on this issue. If enough DCPS stakeholders are surprised and upset about this change, they will participate in the next calendar survey and make it known that they want spring break changed back to the way it’s previously been scheduled.

If you didn’t have a groundswell of support from motivated DCPS stakeholders when they were specifically surveyed about whether they wanted to maintain status quo and stick to the existing spring break schedule, then how do you think that as a single DC resident posting on a single message board you’re going to be the catalyst that gets MCPS stakeholders, who are not currently being surveyed by MCPS, to demand that we reverse our own status quo and change our longstanding spring break schedule? That is the fool’s errand.

Your best chance at getting what you want is to get DC residents to complain to DCPS about the change in their spring break schedule. At least you have some standing within the DCPS community.

Well almost no non-teachers responded to the survey but most that post on these boards want spring break consistent although that is split between March and April. They don't want if floating based on Easter. They should be lobbying for MoCo to change off the floating spring break schedule instead of DC changing to it. Now this is not next year it's two years out so there is time for DC to change its break back and possibly still line up with MD school districts. If they don't line up well somewhere there are going to be cities, counties, even towns that border each other that don't align. Just bring in a sub if you choose to travel during your children's break or take your children if you choose to travel during your break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
You have not provided evidence that almost no DCPS stakeholders want DCPS’s calendar to align with MCPS’s as long as MCPS’s remains tied to Easter. The only data you have from DCPS stakeholders is a survey that indicates the exact opposite, and which you believe, but cannot prove, is bogus.

You say few non-teachers participated in the survey, while teachers overwhelmingly replied. That’s the way optional surveys work. People who are passionate and motivated about an issue make their voices heard. People who are checked out or don’t have strong opinions don’t participate. Surveys are conducted to get a read on which position has a groundswell of support. Your position didn’t have it on this issue. If enough DCPS stakeholders are surprised and upset about this change, they will participate in the next calendar survey and make it known that they want spring break changed back to the way it’s previously been scheduled.

If you didn’t have a groundswell of support from motivated DCPS stakeholders when they were specifically surveyed about whether they wanted to maintain status quo and stick to the existing spring break schedule, then how do you think that as a single DC resident posting on a single message board you’re going to be the catalyst that gets MCPS stakeholders, who are not currently being surveyed by MCPS, to demand that we reverse our own status quo and change our longstanding spring break schedule? That is the fool’s errand.

Your best chance at getting what you want is to get DC residents to complain to DCPS about the change in their spring break schedule. At least you have some standing within the DCPS community.

Well almost no non-teachers responded to the survey but most that post on these boards want spring break consistent although that is split between March and April. They don't want if floating based on Easter. They should be lobbying for MoCo to change off the floating spring break schedule instead of DC changing to it. Now this is not next year it's two years out so there is time for DC to change its break back and possibly still line up with MD school districts. If they don't line up well somewhere there are going to be cities, counties, even towns that border each other that don't align. Just bring in a sub if you choose to travel during your children's break or take your children if you choose to travel during your break.

A couple dozen anonymous posts on a message board are not conclusive proof of anything. DCPS’s survey was their chosen method for determining stakeholder preferences. The survey respondents have spoken. DCPS will sync up their spring break with Easter.

MCPS is not seeking input from DC residents on their school calendar. You’ve made your pitch and we’ve heard you. Now MCPS will do its own thing and DCUM posters do their own thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please disconnect Easter from spring break!! I want to travel over spring break. But my family is also religious and we like to go to family for Easter, so we never get to travel. And if we choose my family to visit for Easter (12 hour drive or flight), we have to drive on the actual holiday instead of enjoying it. Or maybe make the Easter weekend the start of spring break.

Why not be an adult and tell your family that you intend to travel next year?

I’m religious and I’ve celebrated Easter all over Latin America and Europe.

[Anonymous]

what difference does it make, OP, be a little adaptable

[Anonymous]

My private school has spring break the same week of March every single year and I hated it. The rich people would go skiing or to a warm location and the rest of us sat at home with nothing to do. And we could never travel to see family at Easter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My private school has spring break the same week of March every single year and I hated it. The rich people would go skiing or to a warm location and the rest of us sat at home with nothing to do. And we could never travel to see family at Easter.

I'm guessing you were at a secular private school, not a Catholic or Protestant school. I'm also guessing it was mid-March not late-March so it never ran into Easter.

[Anonymous]

Why don't you pray about it or complain to the Pope? Maybe Easter can be on the same date each year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:what difference does it make, OP, be a little adaptable

When the school year ends in mid-June or later there is a long haul either to spring break (if in April or after spring break (if in March). If spring break is in April, than an extra day or two off in February/March can remedy that and build up the excitement towards spring break. If spring break is in March with an end later than the first week of June then those extra days need to be in late April. Both situations are difficult to conduct under the difficult Maryland law.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why don't you pray about it or complain to the Pope? Maybe Easter can be on the same date each year.

The Pope doesn't require ANYONE to set spring break around Easter nor does the Pope have any control on school days required.

[Anonymous]

Public school is secular and it should be between Q3 and Q4

[Anonymous]

What ever happened to starting MCP schools after Labor day? Have they ever tried it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What ever happened to starting MCP schools after Labor day? Have they ever tried it?

Governor Hogan mandated a post Labor Day start for MD schools for a couple years but it was unpopular and is no longer mandated. The last thing we need is to make our schedule even more incompatible with AP courses/testing than it already is.