Winter break should be two weeks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were in FCPS for several years. The complaint was the opposite. Why is winter break so long? I much prefer the shorter break.

If they made it longer, most of us would need to arrange childcare since most jobs don't have limits on the amount of time off their employees can have. Sure, teachers and gov employees may have limitless days off but those of us who work in the private sector have far fewer.

Right, but a lot of schools offer winter break camp through their after school programs. And for people who have to work but are willing to shell out more money, there are other specialized winter break camps (gymnastics, art, etc).

So your saying I should be willing to shell out for camps so some rich dude can go to London for holiday over Xmas break?

It is not all rich dudes. I work with lower income immigrant families who often take their kids to visit family in their home countries. Their kids end up missing 1-2 weeks of school because our winter break is so short. These kids desperately need school but would be way better off with a 2 week winter vacation. Some of these families were telling me that back in their native countries, winter break was a month long. They don’t understand the MCPS system

My students go back to their countries for a good 4-6 weeks. It doesn't matter if they have off for a week and a half or two weeks, they are still gone from mid December until the end of January.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nah. I’d rather they have the kids other random days off during the year instead of a longer Winter Break.

OP, check your privilege. Not everyone in MoCo has the money and time to travel to London over Winter Break. For us poors who have to work, it’s nice to have the kids back in school after 10 days.

Get over yourself. Aftercare is open for those in town and working. There are also winter camps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nah. I’d rather they have the kids other random days off during the year instead of a longer Winter Break.

OP, check your privilege. Not everyone in MoCo has the money and time to travel to London over Winter Break. For us poors who have to work, it’s nice to have the kids back in school after 10 days.

Check your mediocrity, why must policy be based on the least among us. Proper holiday trips are cherished holiday traditions for many of us. Of course it doesn’t really matter if kids miss a few days while traveling and apparently it will break your finances

God some of you are just awful. When you have a thought like this, why not just keep it to yourself?

DP and I loved this. Never heard that phrase before. I'm the PP who posted about aftercare and winter camps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS has 180 days of school "officially" these include days where each class in HS is 15 mins long because it's really an early release day, or there are zero classes. because it is a pep rally.

The schools need MORE teaching days, not fewer you absolute numpty.

You clearly have never been in a classroom. The kids stop functioning mid-May. More days are absolutely not the answer, but nice try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nah. I’d rather they have the kids other random days off during the year instead of a longer Winter Break.

OP, check your privilege. Not everyone in MoCo has the money and time to travel to London over Winter Break. For us poors who have to work, it’s nice to have the kids back in school after 10 days.

Check your own privilege. It's much easier to arrange coverage in a 2 week block vs randomly throughout the year.
Consistency is preferable for children's mental well being so a 2 week block is much better than 3 weeks of full school followed by 2 weeks of 4 days weeks then 3 weeks of full school then a week with a day off etc etc

[Anonymous]

disagree. one week is plenty. i would defer to what teachers think is appropriate, not whiny parents.

kids get WAY too many breaks from school as it is!

[Anonymous]

Another vote for 2 weeks for winter break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:disagree. one week is plenty. i would defer to what teachers think is appropriate, not whiny parents.

kids get WAY too many breaks from school as it is!

They actually don't? But ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nah. I’d rather they have the kids other random days off during the year instead of a longer Winter Break.

OP, check your privilege. Not everyone in MoCo has the money and time to travel to London over Winter Break. For us poors who have to work, it’s nice to have the kids back in school after 10 days.

London in December is not where I’d choose to go if I had free rein, but some of us have aging parents overseas and with only one week break it’s not easy to plan our trip to London to see them. Insert whatever international city your family lives in to help you understand the point. London is actually where mine are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were in FCPS for several years. The complaint was the opposite. Why is winter break so long? I much prefer the shorter break.

If they made it longer, most of us would need to arrange childcare since most jobs don't have limits on the amount of time off their employees can have. Sure, teachers and gov employees may have limitless days off but those of us who work in the private sector have far fewer.

Right, but a lot of schools offer winter break camp through their after school programs. And for people who have to work but are willing to shell out more money, there are other specialized winter break camps (gymnastics, art, etc).

So your saying I should be willing to shell out for camps so some rich dude can go to London for holiday over Xmas break?

It is not all rich dudes. I work with lower income immigrant families who often take their kids to visit family in their home countries. Their kids end up missing 1-2 weeks of school because our winter break is so short. These kids desperately need school but would be way better off with a 2 week winter vacation. Some of these families were telling me that back in their native countries, winter break was a month long. They don’t understand the MCPS system

My students go back to their countries for a good 4-6 weeks. It doesn't matter if they have off for a week and a half or two weeks, they are still gone from mid December until the end of January.

Sounds like these families just don't value education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nah. I’d rather they have the kids other random days off during the year instead of a longer Winter Break.

OP, check your privilege. Not everyone in MoCo has the money and time to travel to London over Winter Break. For us poors who have to work, it’s nice to have the kids back in school after 10 days.

Check your mediocrity, why must policy be based on the least among us. Proper holiday trips are cherished holiday traditions for many of us. Of course it doesn’t really matter if kids miss a few days while traveling and apparently it will break your finances

Oh, sweetie, having money and traveling doesn’t make you “the best of us.,” as the ignorant tone of your post makes abundantly clear.

I’m sorry you’re so insecure. I hope you feel better soon.

NP, here: the 'oh sweetie' thing as a put down is just so tiresome. And then 'you're so insecure...'. This is the worst of DCUM.

[Anonymous]

This is an 11-day break from school. It is enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS has 180 days of school "officially" these include days where each class in HS is 15 mins long because it's really an early release day, or there are zero classes. because it is a pep rally.

The schools need MORE teaching days, not fewer you absolute numpty.

You clearly have never been in a classroom. The kids stop functioning mid-May. More days are absolutely not the answer, but nice try.

This is due to teachers who also check out and start showing movies, etc. There are no expectations, so kids do not rise to them. - 15 year teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m French. Schools have a shorter summer vacation (less brain drain), 2 weeks in the fall around All Saints Day, 2 weeks for Christmas, 2 weeks in winter, and 2 weeks for Easter.

How I wish my American children could have the same calendar here!

Perfect idea! Let’s make all the school breaks around the Christian calendar and extend them for 2 weeks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m French. Schools have a shorter summer vacation (less brain drain), 2 weeks in the fall around All Saints Day, 2 weeks for Christmas, 2 weeks in winter, and 2 weeks for Easter.

How I wish my American children could have the same calendar here!

Perfect idea! Let’s make all the school breaks around the Christian calendar and extend them for 2 weeks!

Or let's keep the winter break to a week since that's popular with most residents