Summer is getting shorter. Fix the 26-29 calendars

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fewer PD days
School on records days (maybe a short day) - If parents don't like them have the schools hold a childcare program between the early dismissal and regular dismissal times.
Hold PD or go virtual on the November election day instead of a complete non school day.
If there is an election day in early June go virtual, if in mid-June end the year before it.
Change the municipal law to hours so there is a buffer for snow days without having to all of them up.
Change the 26-27 calendar to August 24-June 10/11 OR August 31-June 17 depending if people prefer earlier start/end or later.
27-28 would be August 23-June 8/9 OR August 30-June 15
28-29 should be August 28-June 14/15 since August 21 is too early

Wait, I thought we WANTED shorter summers? Isn't that the goal? Why would anyone want longer summers?

dp - I want longer summers, not shorter. And I want less days off for nothingness.

Why on earth? Most people want shorter summers. DC isn't exactly farm country. We need our kids in school year-round, with breaks scattered throughout the year. I like the way we've been moving. Who the hell wants a long summer break? That's stupid. Huge waste of time. Too much learning loss.

Because my kids and I can make much better use of the summer than random breaks at other times of year. We're not alone. Sorry you don't speak for everyone, as you seem to presume.

The longer the summer, the worse the “melt.” It’s also bad for all sorts of public health reasons.
Shorter summer breaks are a good thing for working parents as well, and greatly reduce the overall cost of childcare.
The reason the US has a long summer break is we used to be a nation of farmers. We are not that, anymore. The fewer breaks kids get, the better for their academic outcomes.

Anything you don't do for a while will have melt. That includes the non-academic skills kids learn over summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fewer PD days
School on records days (maybe a short day) - If parents don't like them have the schools hold a childcare program between the early dismissal and regular dismissal times.
Hold PD or go virtual on the November election day instead of a complete non school day.
If there is an election day in early June go virtual, if in mid-June end the year before it.
Change the municipal law to hours so there is a buffer for snow days without having to all of them up.
Change the 26-27 calendar to August 24-June 10/11 OR August 31-June 17 depending if people prefer earlier start/end or later.
27-28 would be August 23-June 8/9 OR August 30-June 15
28-29 should be August 28-June 14/15 since August 21 is too early

Wait, I thought we WANTED shorter summers? Isn't that the goal? Why would anyone want longer summers?

dp - I want longer summers, not shorter. And I want less days off for nothingness.

Why on earth? Most people want shorter summers. DC isn't exactly farm country. We need our kids in school year-round, with breaks scattered throughout the year. I like the way we've been moving. Who the hell wants a long summer break? That's stupid. Huge waste of time. Too much learning loss.

Who the hell wants to be in school during the best weather instead of outside at camp, beaches, hiking etc. We have winter for that with the exception of 2-3 weeks for holiday and winter activities.

[Anonymous]

OMG those of you desperate to run off to the family's compound in Maine on Memorial Day: just homeschool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fewer PD days
School on records days (maybe a short day) - If parents don't like them have the schools hold a childcare program between the early dismissal and regular dismissal times.
Hold PD or go virtual on the November election day instead of a complete non school day.
If there is an election day in early June go virtual, if in mid-June end the year before it.
Change the municipal law to hours so there is a buffer for snow days without having to all of them up.
Change the 26-27 calendar to August 24-June 10/11 OR August 31-June 17 depending if people prefer earlier start/end or later.
27-28 would be August 23-June 8/9 OR August 30-June 15
28-29 should be August 28-June 14/15 since August 21 is too early

Wait, I thought we WANTED shorter summers? Isn't that the goal? Why would anyone want longer summers?

dp - I want longer summers, not shorter. And I want less days off for nothingness.

Why on earth? Most people want shorter summers. DC isn't exactly farm country. We need our kids in school year-round, with breaks scattered throughout the year. I like the way we've been moving. Who the hell wants a long summer break? That's stupid. Huge waste of time. Too much learning loss.

Who the hell wants to be in school during the best weather instead of outside at camp, beaches, hiking etc. We have winter for that with the exception of 2-3 weeks for holiday and winter activities.

Are you even in DC? DC is a swamp in the summer. It’s disgusting and 95 degrees. The best weather is fall and spring (it’s beautiful here!) but our only long breaks are summer and winter. We do have spring break but they tie it to Easter so my family can’t go away

[Anonymous]

You know how this would work in high school? First, you will have a sports/modelUN/robotics/etc commitment on everyone of those Fall, Winter, or Spring breaks that no one else has.

Your child won't be able to have a summer job or internship. Just misc dats during the year to play video games.

Forget summer school.

Do any of you visit relatives with kids outside of DC during the summer? Forget seeing cousins.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fewer PD days
School on records days (maybe a short day) - If parents don't like them have the schools hold a childcare program between the early dismissal and regular dismissal times.
Hold PD or go virtual on the November election day instead of a complete non school day.
If there is an election day in early June go virtual, if in mid-June end the year before it.
Change the municipal law to hours so there is a buffer for snow days without having to all of them up.
Change the 26-27 calendar to August 24-June 10/11 OR August 31-June 17 depending if people prefer earlier start/end or later.
27-28 would be August 23-June 8/9 OR August 30-June 15
28-29 should be August 28-June 14/15 since August 21 is too early

Wait, I thought we WANTED shorter summers? Isn't that the goal? Why would anyone want longer summers?

dp - I want longer summers, not shorter. And I want less days off for nothingness.

Why on earth? Most people want shorter summers. DC isn't exactly farm country. We need our kids in school year-round, with breaks scattered throughout the year. I like the way we've been moving. Who the hell wants a long summer break? That's stupid. Huge waste of time. Too much learning loss.

Who the hell wants to be in school during the best weather instead of outside at camp, beaches, hiking etc. We have winter for that with the exception of 2-3 weeks for holiday and winter activities.

Are you even in DC? DC is a swamp in the summer. It’s disgusting and 95 degrees. The best weather is fall and spring (it’s beautiful here!) but our only long breaks are summer and winter. We do have spring break but they tie it to Easter so my family can’t go away

Who says you have to STAY IN DC during the summer? Go somewhere OUTSIDE the city! All I know is being inside the schools during such weather is punishing enough! That's why summer school is usually for deficiencies since nobody wants to be there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fewer PD days
School on records days (maybe a short day) - If parents don't like them have the schools hold a childcare program between the early dismissal and regular dismissal times.
Hold PD or go virtual on the November election day instead of a complete non school day.
If there is an election day in early June go virtual, if in mid-June end the year before it.
Change the municipal law to hours so there is a buffer for snow days without having to all of them up.
Change the 26-27 calendar to August 24-June 10/11 OR August 31-June 17 depending if people prefer earlier start/end or later.
27-28 would be August 23-June 8/9 OR August 30-June 15
28-29 should be August 28-June 14/15 since August 21 is too early

Wait, I thought we WANTED shorter summers? Isn't that the goal? Why would anyone want longer summers?

dp - I want longer summers, not shorter. And I want less days off for nothingness.

Why on earth? Most people want shorter summers. DC isn't exactly farm country. We need our kids in school year-round, with breaks scattered throughout the year. I like the way we've been moving. Who the hell wants a long summer break? That's stupid. Huge waste of time. Too much learning loss.

Who the hell wants to be in school during the best weather instead of outside at camp, beaches, hiking etc. We have winter for that with the exception of 2-3 weeks for holiday and winter activities.

Are you even in DC? DC is a swamp in the summer. It’s disgusting and 95 degrees. The best weather is fall and spring (it’s beautiful here!) but our only long breaks are summer and winter. We do have spring break but they tie it to Easter so my family can’t go away

Who says you have to STAY IN DC during the summer? Go somewhere OUTSIDE the city! All I know is being inside the schools during such weather is punishing enough! That's why summer school is usually for deficiencies since nobody wants to be there.

Lol those of us who have to work can’t simply “summer at the cape” like you fabulous people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Lol those of us who have to work can’t simply “summer at the cape” like you fabulous people.

Do you not get ANYTIME off in the summer?

[Anonymous]

I’m sure it reduces the overall cost of summer camps. But with all the random breaks during the year and no care options for dual-working households (and no family nearby to help), the cost is exhausted parents trying to stagger together PTO or work from home. Older kids can be independent but anyone with elementary aged or younger kids is SOL with so many breaks and inconsistent days off during the year. I can’t take vacations either my kids when i work for a university that has a completely different schedule of breaks (or, like me, am a staff member who works during summer and other breaks).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You know how this would work in high school? First, you will have a sports/modelUN/robotics/etc commitment on everyone of those Fall, Winter, or Spring breaks that no one else has.

Your child won't be able to have a summer job or internship. Just misc dats during the year to play video games.

Forget summer school.

Do any of you visit relatives with kids outside of DC during the summer?
Forget seeing cousins.

Love this take. Too many families don’t expect their kids to work anymore. Having a longer break in the summer is so important for kids to find other ways to engage outside of school and for parents to have a consistent and predictable schedule for finding consistent alternative care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Lol those of us who have to work can’t simply “summer at the cape” like you fabulous people.

Do you not get ANYTIME off in the summer?

True story: My first job wouldn’t let me take any time off the first summer. Had a terrible boss and didn’t like the field. I gave my two weeks notice, went on a two week vacation and started grad school for teaching that August. I haven’t worked a summer since. (But we summer in the Adirondacks not the Cape!)