Melanie Meren's FB post about the calendar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Melanie Meren just posted this on Facebook:

The School Board has heard from many families regarding the lack of full, five-day school weeks this year and the significant burden this places on families who must navigate complex and often costly childcare arrangements. In the 2025-26 school year alone, partial weeks occurred more than half the time, functioning as an informal “childcare tax” that falls hardest on our hourly-wage and most vulnerable households.
To address these challenges, I am collaborating on a new draft policy to be circulated among my School Board colleagues that aims to consolidate overlapping directives into a single, unified framework. A primary goal is to prioritize five-day school weeks as the default standard to restore instructional continuity and provide families with stability they need.
Another goal is to clarify the Superintendent’s responsibilities in developing the student calendar while ensuring the School Board reviews and approves it as part of our annual work cycle.
My goal is to have the calendar beginning in SY 26-27 adjusted to increase the number of five-day school weeks.
I’ll keep the community updated as work proceeds.
Sincerely,
Melanie

So, reach out to your Board and have your opinions heard! Don't wait for some dumb and poorly designed survey to land in your spam folder.

It is clear from Meren’s post that she is concerned about the childcare costs to families. She does not cite academics as one of her concerns.

FCPS staff and leadership are all aware that the content in ES does not require a full five days. Parents should also be aware of this in order to be fully informed during any policy change discussions.

Then— crazy idea here— use the time to teach children more than the bare minimum required.

Or, end elementary school two weeks earlier than middle and high school so the kids can start summer (and summer plans which prioritize kids) sooner.

+1. Why is everyone afraid of their kids learning more than the bare minimum required for a test?

We aren’t. We just don’t need the childcare and can handle the 4 day weeks and random days off here and there. If that helps teachers, I’m all for it.

Teachers signed up for this job. Why do they need to only work 4 days a week? We don't need religious holidays. We don't need weeks off in the winter. We don't need 5 days off for Memorial Day.
Kids shouldn't be getting the bare minimum! You won't convince me otherwise.

And likewise you won’t convince me that we absolutely need 5 day weeks.

If there is some spare time, how about adding more material.

If your kid needs that, they should be in AAP where there is more material. This is a very capitalistic view. Work just gets you more work. Can you explain why you think kids should be taught this at age 5-6? In your mind, is that the way you “get ahead” and “be best?” I’m genuinely curious why more material and getting farther is so important to you. Win the future kind of stuff hasn’t really worked for us here in the USA.

Capitalistic? That's how it is in communistic countries too. I actually went to school 6 days a week
I was responding to people saying teaching current curriculum doesn't require 5 days a week. To which I said how about we then aim at one that does require 5 days a week. Saying that we are wasting time anyways so why won't kids go to school less sounds really strange to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Melanie Meren just posted this on Facebook:

The School Board has heard from many families regarding the lack of full, five-day school weeks this year and the significant burden this places on families who must navigate complex and often costly childcare arrangements. In the 2025-26 school year alone, partial weeks occurred more than half the time, functioning as an informal “childcare tax” that falls hardest on our hourly-wage and most vulnerable households.
To address these challenges, I am collaborating on a new draft policy to be circulated among my School Board colleagues that aims to consolidate overlapping directives into a single, unified framework. A primary goal is to prioritize five-day school weeks as the default standard to restore instructional continuity and provide families with stability they need.
Another goal is to clarify the Superintendent’s responsibilities in developing the student calendar while ensuring the School Board reviews and approves it as part of our annual work cycle.
My goal is to have the calendar beginning in SY 26-27 adjusted to increase the number of five-day school weeks.
I’ll keep the community updated as work proceeds.
Sincerely,
Melanie

So, reach out to your Board and have your opinions heard! Don't wait for some dumb and poorly designed survey to land in your spam folder.

It is clear from Meren’s post that she is concerned about the childcare costs to families. She does not cite academics as one of her concerns.

FCPS staff and leadership are all aware that the content in ES does not require a full five days. Parents should also be aware of this in order to be fully informed during any policy change discussions.

Then— crazy idea here— use the time to teach children more than the bare minimum required.

Or, end elementary school two weeks earlier than middle and high school so the kids can start summer (and summer plans which prioritize kids) sooner.

+1. Why is everyone afraid of their kids learning more than the bare minimum required for a test?

We aren’t. We just don’t need the childcare and can handle the 4 day weeks and random days off here and there. If that helps teachers, I’m all for it.

Teachers signed up for this job. Why do they need to only work 4 days a week? We don't need religious holidays. We don't need weeks off in the winter. We don't need 5 days off for Memorial Day.
Kids shouldn't be getting the bare minimum! You won't convince me otherwise.

And likewise you won’t convince me that we absolutely need 5 day weeks.

No, "we" don't need it, but the students do.

What is the "students MUST have 5 days" based upon? A social norm? The fact YOU have to work 5 days a week? What makes 5 days a week for 180 total days, the "bare minimum"? What if the school year was initially designed to be 160 days and the standards and units made to reflect that? Would 180 days be over doing it?

HS kids go to school 5 days a week, roughly 7.5 hours a day. Why couldn't they go 4 days for 9 hours? Why couldn't they go 6 days a week for 6 hours a day? Instead of 180 days a year, how about 210 days a year, but shorter days? Or 150 days a year, but longer days?

Why does it HAVE to be 5 days?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Melanie Meren just posted this on Facebook:

The School Board has heard from many families regarding the lack of full, five-day school weeks this year and the significant burden this places on families who must navigate complex and often costly childcare arrangements. In the 2025-26 school year alone, partial weeks occurred more than half the time, functioning as an informal “childcare tax” that falls hardest on our hourly-wage and most vulnerable households.
To address these challenges, I am collaborating on a new draft policy to be circulated among my School Board colleagues that aims to consolidate overlapping directives into a single, unified framework. A primary goal is to prioritize five-day school weeks as the default standard to restore instructional continuity and provide families with stability they need.
Another goal is to clarify the Superintendent’s responsibilities in developing the student calendar while ensuring the School Board reviews and approves it as part of our annual work cycle.
My goal is to have the calendar beginning in SY 26-27 adjusted to increase the number of five-day school weeks.
I’ll keep the community updated as work proceeds.
Sincerely,
Melanie

So, reach out to your Board and have your opinions heard! Don't wait for some dumb and poorly designed survey to land in your spam folder.

It is clear from Meren’s post that she is concerned about the childcare costs to families. She does not cite academics as one of her concerns.

FCPS staff and leadership are all aware that the content in ES does not require a full five days. Parents should also be aware of this in order to be fully informed during any policy change discussions.

Then— crazy idea here— use the time to teach children more than the bare minimum required.

Or, end elementary school two weeks earlier than middle and high school so the kids can start summer (and summer plans which prioritize kids) sooner.

+1. Why is everyone afraid of their kids learning more than the bare minimum required for a test?

We aren’t. We just don’t need the childcare and can handle the 4 day weeks and random days off here and there. If that helps teachers, I’m all for it.

Teachers signed up for this job. Why do they need to only work 4 days a week? We don't need religious holidays. We don't need weeks off in the winter. We don't need 5 days off for Memorial Day.
Kids shouldn't be getting the bare minimum! You won't convince me otherwise.

And likewise you won’t convince me that we absolutely need 5 day weeks.

No, "we" don't need it, but the students do.

What is the "students MUST have 5 days" based upon? A social norm? The fact YOU have to work 5 days a week? What makes 5 days a week for 180 total days, the "bare minimum"? What if the school year was initially designed to be 160 days and the standards and units made to reflect that? Would 180 days be over doing it?

HS kids go to school 5 days a week, roughly 7.5 hours a day. Why couldn't they go 4 days for 9 hours? Why couldn't they go 6 days a week for 6 hours a day? Instead of 180 days a year, how about 210 days a year, but shorter days? Or 150 days a year, but longer days?

Why does it HAVE to be 5 days?

It doesn't need to be anything. We are just arguing that the level and quality of education isn't that great in FCPS. We could do better for the kids and we could teach to a higher level than a mediocre test. We could strive to provide kids with a consistent, predictable calendar. Aiming to meet the VA state minimum is a low bar in my opinion. Mediocrity shouldn't be the goal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Melanie Meren just posted this on Facebook:

The School Board has heard from many families regarding the lack of full, five-day school weeks this year and the significant burden this places on families who must navigate complex and often costly childcare arrangements. In the 2025-26 school year alone, partial weeks occurred more than half the time, functioning as an informal “childcare tax” that falls hardest on our hourly-wage and most vulnerable households.
To address these challenges, I am collaborating on a new draft policy to be circulated among my School Board colleagues that aims to consolidate overlapping directives into a single, unified framework. A primary goal is to prioritize five-day school weeks as the default standard to restore instructional continuity and provide families with stability they need.
Another goal is to clarify the Superintendent’s responsibilities in developing the student calendar while ensuring the School Board reviews and approves it as part of our annual work cycle.
My goal is to have the calendar beginning in SY 26-27 adjusted to increase the number of five-day school weeks.
I’ll keep the community updated as work proceeds.
Sincerely,
Melanie

So, reach out to your Board and have your opinions heard! Don't wait for some dumb and poorly designed survey to land in your spam folder.

It is clear from Meren’s post that she is concerned about the childcare costs to families. She does not cite academics as one of her concerns.

FCPS staff and leadership are all aware that the content in ES does not require a full five days. Parents should also be aware of this in order to be fully informed during any policy change discussions.

Then— crazy idea here— use the time to teach children more than the bare minimum required.

Or, end elementary school two weeks earlier than middle and high school so the kids can start summer (and summer plans which prioritize kids) sooner.

+1. Why is everyone afraid of their kids learning more than the bare minimum required for a test?

This is one of the things that has really surprised me the most about the early release Wednesday. Let’s take them at their word-hyphen that the teachers desperately *desperately* need three extra hours to plan.

What stops FCPS from finding enriching programming for three hours? Have author talks, nature/science presentations, classical musicians, heck that bubble man. Get the same people providing “childcare” to supervise the kids in a 90 minute assembly where the kids are exposed to something worthwhile and interesting. Less pushback from the parents then you do warehouse children on screens for then reminding parents that it’s only for “hardship” cases.

I honestly think this is the answer. Having days off or early releases is fine, especially if the teachers need it. The issue is the constant disruption it causes to families (for all sorts of reasons) and the constant scrambling. So many people are in survivor mode and this is just one more thing on top of the "mountain of things" that need to be handled.

Money is definitely an issue but I think many parents would be willing to work around cost and find solutions if it meant having one less major stressor. Just think about how much easier things would be if families knew that, no matter what, kids *could* be in school Monday through Friday from August to June.

The solutions could be endless. Schools could offer things like mini-camps, tutoring, enrichment programs, gym or playground time, movie days, read-ins, guest lectures, special assemblies, field trips, mentor programs, community service or structured free time where students can dive deeper into interests they enjoy. Other options could include special projects, student clubs, creative writing, public speaking, piano lessons, sports, photography, and more.

Staffing could come from a mix of employees, contractors, volunteers, parents, substitute teachers, and local businesses in the community.

Funding could also come from multiple sources, including tax dollars, grants, and private payments, with support built in for families who could not afford it. Many kid-focused businesses would jump at the chance to offer free or low-cost programs simply for the exposure. Traditional advertising is expensive and the return is unpredictable, so having direct access to families would be extremely appealing to many organizations.

So in other words, you want childcare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Melanie Meren just posted this on Facebook:

The School Board has heard from many families regarding the lack of full, five-day school weeks this year and the significant burden this places on families who must navigate complex and often costly childcare arrangements. In the 2025-26 school year alone, partial weeks occurred more than half the time, functioning as an informal “childcare tax” that falls hardest on our hourly-wage and most vulnerable households.
To address these challenges, I am collaborating on a new draft policy to be circulated among my School Board colleagues that aims to consolidate overlapping directives into a single, unified framework. A primary goal is to prioritize five-day school weeks as the default standard to restore instructional continuity and provide families with stability they need.
Another goal is to clarify the Superintendent’s responsibilities in developing the student calendar while ensuring the School Board reviews and approves it as part of our annual work cycle.
My goal is to have the calendar beginning in SY 26-27 adjusted to increase the number of five-day school weeks.
I’ll keep the community updated as work proceeds.
Sincerely,
Melanie

So, reach out to your Board and have your opinions heard! Don't wait for some dumb and poorly designed survey to land in your spam folder.

It is clear from Meren’s post that she is concerned about the childcare costs to families. She does not cite academics as one of her concerns.

FCPS staff and leadership are all aware that the content in ES does not require a full five days. Parents should also be aware of this in order to be fully informed during any policy change discussions.

Then— crazy idea here— use the time to teach children more than the bare minimum required.

Or, end elementary school two weeks earlier than middle and high school so the kids can start summer (and summer plans which prioritize kids) sooner.

+1. Why is everyone afraid of their kids learning more than the bare minimum required for a test?

This is one of the things that has really surprised me the most about the early release Wednesday. Let’s take them at their word-hyphen that the teachers desperately *desperately* need three extra hours to plan.

What stops FCPS from finding enriching programming for three hours? Have author talks, nature/science presentations, classical musicians, heck that bubble man. Get the same people providing “childcare” to supervise the kids in a 90 minute assembly where the kids are exposed to something worthwhile and interesting. Less pushback from the parents then you do warehouse children on screens for then reminding parents that it’s only for “hardship” cases.

I honestly think this is the answer. Having days off or early releases is fine, especially if the teachers need it. The issue is the constant disruption it causes to families (for all sorts of reasons) and the constant scrambling. So many people are in survivor mode and this is just one more thing on top of the "mountain of things" that need to be handled.

Money is definitely an issue but I think many parents would be willing to work around cost and find solutions if it meant having one less major stressor. Just think about how much easier things would be if families knew that, no matter what, kids *could* be in school Monday through Friday from August to June.

The solutions could be endless. Schools could offer things like mini-camps, tutoring, enrichment programs, gym or playground time, movie days, read-ins, guest lectures, special assemblies, field trips, mentor programs, community service or structured free time where students can dive deeper into interests they enjoy. Other options could include special projects, student clubs, creative writing, public speaking, piano lessons, sports, photography, and more.

Staffing could come from a mix of employees, contractors, volunteers, parents, substitute teachers, and local businesses in the community.

Funding could also come from multiple sources, including tax dollars, grants, and private payments, with support built in for families who could not afford it. Many kid-focused businesses would jump at the chance to offer free or low-cost programs simply for the exposure. Traditional advertising is expensive and the return is unpredictable, so having direct access to families would be extremely appealing to many organizations.

So in other words, you want childcare.

FCPS calls what they’re offering childcare. Parents are saying it could be enriching and beneficial time and not school days with no meaningful instruction followed by afternoons warehoused in the school in front of a Chromebook.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Melanie Meren just posted this on Facebook:

The School Board has heard from many families regarding the lack of full, five-day school weeks this year and the significant burden this places on families who must navigate complex and often costly childcare arrangements. In the 2025-26 school year alone, partial weeks occurred more than half the time, functioning as an informal “childcare tax” that falls hardest on our hourly-wage and most vulnerable households.
To address these challenges, I am collaborating on a new draft policy to be circulated among my School Board colleagues that aims to consolidate overlapping directives into a single, unified framework. A primary goal is to prioritize five-day school weeks as the default standard to restore instructional continuity and provide families with stability they need.
Another goal is to clarify the Superintendent’s responsibilities in developing the student calendar while ensuring the School Board reviews and approves it as part of our annual work cycle.
My goal is to have the calendar beginning in SY 26-27 adjusted to increase the number of five-day school weeks.
I’ll keep the community updated as work proceeds.
Sincerely,
Melanie

So, reach out to your Board and have your opinions heard! Don't wait for some dumb and poorly designed survey to land in your spam folder.

It is clear from Meren’s post that she is concerned about the childcare costs to families. She does not cite academics as one of her concerns.

FCPS staff and leadership are all aware that the content in ES does not require a full five days. Parents should also be aware of this in order to be fully informed during any policy change discussions.

Then— crazy idea here— use the time to teach children more than the bare minimum required.

Or, end elementary school two weeks earlier than middle and high school so the kids can start summer (and summer plans which prioritize kids) sooner.

+1. Why is everyone afraid of their kids learning more than the bare minimum required for a test?

This is one of the things that has really surprised me the most about the early release Wednesday. Let’s take them at their word-hyphen that the teachers desperately *desperately* need three extra hours to plan.

What stops FCPS from finding enriching programming for three hours? Have author talks, nature/science presentations, classical musicians, heck that bubble man. Get the same people providing “childcare” to supervise the kids in a 90 minute assembly where the kids are exposed to something worthwhile and interesting. Less pushback from the parents then you do warehouse children on screens for then reminding parents that it’s only for “hardship” cases.

I honestly think this is the answer. Having days off or early releases is fine, especially if the teachers need it. The issue is the constant disruption it causes to families (for all sorts of reasons) and the constant scrambling. So many people are in survivor mode and this is just one more thing on top of the "mountain of things" that need to be handled.

Money is definitely an issue but I think many parents would be willing to work around cost and find solutions if it meant having one less major stressor. Just think about how much easier things would be if families knew that, no matter what, kids *could* be in school Monday through Friday from August to June.

The solutions could be endless. Schools could offer things like mini-camps, tutoring, enrichment programs, gym or playground time, movie days, read-ins, guest lectures, special assemblies, field trips, mentor programs, community service or structured free time where students can dive deeper into interests they enjoy. Other options could include special projects, student clubs, creative writing, public speaking, piano lessons, sports, photography, and more.

Staffing could come from a mix of employees, contractors, volunteers, parents, substitute teachers, and local businesses in the community.

Funding could also come from multiple sources, including tax dollars, grants, and private payments, with support built in for families who could not afford it. Many kid-focused businesses would jump at the chance to offer free or low-cost programs simply for the exposure. Traditional advertising is expensive and the return is unpredictable, so having direct access to families would be extremely appealing to many organizations.

So in other words, you want childcare.

You truly think these ideas would be privately funded, get real.

The taxpayers are the ones who would end up footing the bill. You're better off paying for childcare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Melanie Meren just posted this on Facebook:

The School Board has heard from many families regarding the lack of full, five-day school weeks this year and the significant burden this places on families who must navigate complex and often costly childcare arrangements. In the 2025-26 school year alone, partial weeks occurred more than half the time, functioning as an informal “childcare tax” that falls hardest on our hourly-wage and most vulnerable households.
To address these challenges, I am collaborating on a new draft policy to be circulated among my School Board colleagues that aims to consolidate overlapping directives into a single, unified framework. A primary goal is to prioritize five-day school weeks as the default standard to restore instructional continuity and provide families with stability they need.
Another goal is to clarify the Superintendent’s responsibilities in developing the student calendar while ensuring the School Board reviews and approves it as part of our annual work cycle.
My goal is to have the calendar beginning in SY 26-27 adjusted to increase the number of five-day school weeks.
I’ll keep the community updated as work proceeds.
Sincerely,
Melanie

So, reach out to your Board and have your opinions heard! Don't wait for some dumb and poorly designed survey to land in your spam folder.

It is clear from Meren’s post that she is concerned about the childcare costs to families. She does not cite academics as one of her concerns.

FCPS staff and leadership are all aware that the content in ES does not require a full five days. Parents should also be aware of this in order to be fully informed during any policy change discussions.

Then— crazy idea here— use the time to teach children more than the bare minimum required.

Or, end elementary school two weeks earlier than middle and high school so the kids can start summer (and summer plans which prioritize kids) sooner.

+1. Why is everyone afraid of their kids learning more than the bare minimum required for a test?

This is one of the things that has really surprised me the most about the early release Wednesday. Let’s take them at their word-hyphen that the teachers desperately *desperately* need three extra hours to plan.

What stops FCPS from finding enriching programming for three hours? Have author talks, nature/science presentations, classical musicians, heck that bubble man. Get the same people providing “childcare” to supervise the kids in a 90 minute assembly where the kids are exposed to something worthwhile and interesting. Less pushback from the parents then you do warehouse children on screens for then reminding parents that it’s only for “hardship” cases.

I honestly think this is the answer. Having days off or early releases is fine, especially if the teachers need it. The issue is the constant disruption it causes to families (for all sorts of reasons) and the constant scrambling. So many people are in survivor mode and this is just one more thing on top of the "mountain of things" that need to be handled.

Money is definitely an issue but I think many parents would be willing to work around cost and find solutions if it meant having one less major stressor. Just think about how much easier things would be if families knew that, no matter what, kids *could* be in school Monday through Friday from August to June.

The solutions could be endless. Schools could offer things like mini-camps, tutoring, enrichment programs, gym or playground time, movie days, read-ins, guest lectures, special assemblies, field trips, mentor programs, community service or structured free time where students can dive deeper into interests they enjoy. Other options could include special projects, student clubs, creative writing, public speaking, piano lessons, sports, photography, and more.

Staffing could come from a mix of employees, contractors, volunteers, parents, substitute teachers, and local businesses in the community.

Funding could also come from multiple sources, including tax dollars, grants, and private payments, with support built in for families who could not afford it. Many kid-focused businesses would jump at the chance to offer free or low-cost programs simply for the exposure. Traditional advertising is expensive and the return is unpredictable, so having direct access to families would be extremely appealing to many organizations.

So in other words, you want childcare.

You truly think these ideas would be privately funded, get real.

The taxpayers are the ones who would end up footing the bill. You're better off paying for childcare.

Don't forget all of these ideas/programs would have to be equitable across all schools...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Melanie Meren just posted this on Facebook:

The School Board has heard from many families regarding the lack of full, five-day school weeks this year and the significant burden this places on families who must navigate complex and often costly childcare arrangements. In the 2025-26 school year alone, partial weeks occurred more than half the time, functioning as an informal “childcare tax” that falls hardest on our hourly-wage and most vulnerable households.
To address these challenges, I am collaborating on a new draft policy to be circulated among my School Board colleagues that aims to consolidate overlapping directives into a single, unified framework. A primary goal is to prioritize five-day school weeks as the default standard to restore instructional continuity and provide families with stability they need.
Another goal is to clarify the Superintendent’s responsibilities in developing the student calendar while ensuring the School Board reviews and approves it as part of our annual work cycle.
My goal is to have the calendar beginning in SY 26-27 adjusted to increase the number of five-day school weeks.
I’ll keep the community updated as work proceeds.
Sincerely,
Melanie

So, reach out to your Board and have your opinions heard! Don't wait for some dumb and poorly designed survey to land in your spam folder.

It is clear from Meren’s post that she is concerned about the childcare costs to families. She does not cite academics as one of her concerns.

FCPS staff and leadership are all aware that the content in ES does not require a full five days. Parents should also be aware of this in order to be fully informed during any policy change discussions.

Then— crazy idea here— use the time to teach children more than the bare minimum required.

Or, end elementary school two weeks earlier than middle and high school so the kids can start summer (and summer plans which prioritize kids) sooner.

+1. Why is everyone afraid of their kids learning more than the bare minimum required for a test?

This is one of the things that has really surprised me the most about the early release Wednesday. Let’s take them at their word-hyphen that the teachers desperately *desperately* need three extra hours to plan.

What stops FCPS from finding enriching programming for three hours? Have author talks, nature/science presentations, classical musicians, heck that bubble man. Get the same people providing “childcare” to supervise the kids in a 90 minute assembly where the kids are exposed to something worthwhile and interesting. Less pushback from the parents then you do warehouse children on screens for then reminding parents that it’s only for “hardship” cases.

I honestly think this is the answer. Having days off or early releases is fine, especially if the teachers need it. The issue is the constant disruption it causes to families (for all sorts of reasons) and the constant scrambling. So many people are in survivor mode and this is just one more thing on top of the "mountain of things" that need to be handled.

Money is definitely an issue but I think many parents would be willing to work around cost and find solutions if it meant having one less major stressor. Just think about how much easier things would be if families knew that, no matter what, kids *could* be in school Monday through Friday from August to June.

The solutions could be endless. Schools could offer things like mini-camps, tutoring, enrichment programs, gym or playground time, movie days, read-ins, guest lectures, special assemblies, field trips, mentor programs, community service or structured free time where students can dive deeper into interests they enjoy. Other options could include special projects, student clubs, creative writing, public speaking, piano lessons, sports, photography, and more.

Staffing could come from a mix of employees, contractors, volunteers, parents, substitute teachers, and local businesses in the community.

Funding could also come from multiple sources, including tax dollars, grants, and private payments, with support built in for families who could not afford it. Many kid-focused businesses would jump at the chance to offer free or low-cost programs simply for the exposure. Traditional advertising is expensive and the return is unpredictable, so having direct access to families would be extremely appealing to many organizations.

So in other words, you want childcare.

You truly think these ideas would be privately funded, get real.

The taxpayers are the ones who would end up footing the bill. You're better off paying for childcare.

Don't forget all of these ideas/programs would have to be equitable across all schools...

What they’ve been doing so far has not been, why would that need to change?

[Anonymous]

So in other words, you want childcare.

Stop it, PARENTS WORK!! So yes when a child is at school they are under the care of the school. So it is child care! If you are assuming a parents need for income is somehow below a child’s need to be in a safe and enriching period of time your are arguing about the wrong thing here.

We are all two income households around here, and if you aren’t you are in the minority so STOP IT already!

[Anonymous]

Look. Both adults work in this household. It is school which is different than child care. That argument will lose every time so stop using it.

This is about consistency and momentum for learning! It is awful for the children trying to learn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look. Both adults work in this household. It is school which is different than child care. That argument will lose every time so stop using it.

This is about consistency and momentum for learning! It is awful for the children trying to learn.

You actually mean it’s awful for the parents who both have to work because then one of them has to use vacation time to stay home or you have to find child care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look. Both adults work in this household. It is school which is different than child care. That argument will lose every time so stop using it.

This is about consistency and momentum for learning! It is awful for the children trying to learn.

You actually mean it’s awful for the parents who both have to work because then one of them has to use vacation time to stay home or you have to find child care.

Gosh, as a teacher, constant disruptions are not good. These three and four day weeks are disruptive--whether planned or snow days.

I don't think people would begrudge the snow days if there were not so many other shortened weeks.

[Anonymous]

Agreed, and the county doesn’t seem to do anything except close. Which sure when it’s one day but “frozen buss stops” NYC managed to dig themselves out in a day we couldn’t do it in a week?

Also the child care argument is a dog whistle, yes teaching should be a respected profession but yelling at parents for how dare they be upset they can’t work a full week of work without planning 12 months in advance. Is disenginious at best. We had to sign up for SAIC 1.5 yrs in advance to get on a 3 yr waiting list, camps are all full about now so yes.. school being closed and taking into account parents needs too isn’t discounting anyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Melanie Meren just posted this on Facebook:

The School Board has heard from many families regarding the lack of full, five-day school weeks this year and the significant burden this places on families who must navigate complex and often costly childcare arrangements. In the 2025-26 school year alone, partial weeks occurred more than half the time, functioning as an informal “childcare tax” that falls hardest on our hourly-wage and most vulnerable households.
To address these challenges, I am collaborating on a new draft policy to be circulated among my School Board colleagues that aims to consolidate overlapping directives into a single, unified framework. A primary goal is to prioritize five-day school weeks as the default standard to restore instructional continuity and provide families with stability they need.
Another goal is to clarify the Superintendent’s responsibilities in developing the student calendar while ensuring the School Board reviews and approves it as part of our annual work cycle.
My goal is to have the calendar beginning in SY 26-27 adjusted to increase the number of five-day school weeks.
I’ll keep the community updated as work proceeds.
Sincerely,
Melanie

So, reach out to your Board and have your opinions heard! Don't wait for some dumb and poorly designed survey to land in your spam folder.

It is clear from Meren’s post that she is concerned about the childcare costs to families. She does not cite academics as one of her concerns.

FCPS staff and leadership are all aware that the content in ES does not require a full five days. Parents should also be aware of this in order to be fully informed during any policy change discussions.

Then— crazy idea here— use the time to teach children more than the bare minimum required.

Or, end elementary school two weeks earlier than middle and high school so the kids can start summer (and summer plans which prioritize kids) sooner.

+1. Why is everyone afraid of their kids learning more than the bare minimum required for a test?

This is one of the things that has really surprised me the most about the early release Wednesday. Let’s take them at their word-hyphen that the teachers desperately *desperately* need three extra hours to plan.

What stops FCPS from finding enriching programming for three hours? Have author talks, nature/science presentations, classical musicians, heck that bubble man. Get the same people providing “childcare” to supervise the kids in a 90 minute assembly where the kids are exposed to something worthwhile and interesting. Less pushback from the parents then you do warehouse children on screens for then reminding parents that it’s only for “hardship” cases.

I honestly think this is the answer. Having days off or early releases is fine, especially if the teachers need it. The issue is the constant disruption it causes to families (for all sorts of reasons) and the constant scrambling. So many people are in survivor mode and this is just one more thing on top of the "mountain of things" that need to be handled.

Money is definitely an issue but I think many parents would be willing to work around cost and find solutions if it meant having one less major stressor. Just think about how much easier things would be if families knew that, no matter what, kids *could* be in school Monday through Friday from August to June.

The solutions could be endless. Schools could offer things like mini-camps, tutoring, enrichment programs, gym or playground time, movie days, read-ins, guest lectures, special assemblies, field trips, mentor programs, community service or structured free time where students can dive deeper into interests they enjoy. Other options could include special projects, student clubs, creative writing, public speaking, piano lessons, sports, photography, and more.

Staffing could come from a mix of employees, contractors, volunteers, parents, substitute teachers, and local businesses in the community.

Funding could also come from multiple sources, including tax dollars, grants, and private payments, with support built in for families who could not afford it. Many kid-focused businesses would jump at the chance to offer free or low-cost programs simply for the exposure. Traditional advertising is expensive and the return is unpredictable, so having direct access to families would be extremely appealing to many organizations.

Our PTA tried to do this (specifically tutoring and STEM activities) last year with parent volunteers and the principal wouldn't let it through because "we can't have parents instructing." There are some great teachers and administrators in FCPS but so many just want the status quo which means they have to shut down anything that might be better than what they can/will offer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Melanie Meren just posted this on Facebook:

The School Board has heard from many families regarding the lack of full, five-day school weeks this year and the significant burden this places on families who must navigate complex and often costly childcare arrangements. In the 2025-26 school year alone, partial weeks occurred more than half the time, functioning as an informal “childcare tax” that falls hardest on our hourly-wage and most vulnerable households.
To address these challenges, I am collaborating on a new draft policy to be circulated among my School Board colleagues that aims to consolidate overlapping directives into a single, unified framework. A primary goal is to prioritize five-day school weeks as the default standard to restore instructional continuity and provide families with stability they need.
Another goal is to clarify the Superintendent’s responsibilities in developing the student calendar while ensuring the School Board reviews and approves it as part of our annual work cycle.
My goal is to have the calendar beginning in SY 26-27 adjusted to increase the number of five-day school weeks.
I’ll keep the community updated as work proceeds.
Sincerely,
Melanie

So, reach out to your Board and have your opinions heard! Don't wait for some dumb and poorly designed survey to land in your spam folder.

It is clear from Meren’s post that she is concerned about the childcare costs to families. She does not cite academics as one of her concerns.

FCPS staff and leadership are all aware that the content in ES does not require a full five days. Parents should also be aware of this in order to be fully informed during any policy change discussions.

Then— crazy idea here— use the time to teach children more than the bare minimum required.

Or, end elementary school two weeks earlier than middle and high school so the kids can start summer (and summer plans which prioritize kids) sooner.

+1. Why is everyone afraid of their kids learning more than the bare minimum required for a test?

This is one of the things that has really surprised me the most about the early release Wednesday. Let’s take them at their word-hyphen that the teachers desperately *desperately* need three extra hours to plan.

What stops FCPS from finding enriching programming for three hours? Have author talks, nature/science presentations, classical musicians, heck that bubble man. Get the same people providing “childcare” to supervise the kids in a 90 minute assembly where the kids are exposed to something worthwhile and interesting. Less pushback from the parents then you do warehouse children on screens for then reminding parents that it’s only for “hardship” cases.

I honestly think this is the answer. Having days off or early releases is fine, especially if the teachers need it. The issue is the constant disruption it causes to families (for all sorts of reasons) and the constant scrambling. So many people are in survivor mode and this is just one more thing on top of the "mountain of things" that need to be handled.

Money is definitely an issue but I think many parents would be willing to work around cost and find solutions if it meant having one less major stressor. Just think about how much easier things would be if families knew that, no matter what, kids *could* be in school Monday through Friday from August to June.

The solutions could be endless. Schools could offer things like mini-camps, tutoring, enrichment programs, gym or playground time, movie days, read-ins, guest lectures, special assemblies, field trips, mentor programs, community service or structured free time where students can dive deeper into interests they enjoy. Other options could include special projects, student clubs, creative writing, public speaking, piano lessons, sports, photography, and more.

Staffing could come from a mix of employees, contractors, volunteers, parents, substitute teachers, and local businesses in the community.

Funding could also come from multiple sources, including tax dollars, grants, and private payments, with support built in for families who could not afford it. Many kid-focused businesses would jump at the chance to offer free or low-cost programs simply for the exposure. Traditional advertising is expensive and the return is unpredictable, so having direct access to families would be extremely appealing to many organizations.

Our PTA tried to do this (specifically tutoring and STEM activities) last year with parent volunteers and the principal wouldn't let it through because "we can't have parents instructing." There are some great teachers and administrators in FCPS but so many just want the status quo which means they have to shut down anything that might be better than what they can/will offer.

This is infuriating, but unsurprising, because it cuts against the FCPS belief that every student has a SAHM with no obligations but to get them three hours early. Some kids would probably enjoy three extra hours of STEM and then where’s the “hardship” narrative?