DCPS asks parents to "create your own calendar proposal" for SY 26-29

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only thing I find truly idiotic next year is the two day week after New Year’s instead of just giving a two week winter break. I know that’s not what they’re asking for but these really short weeks are dumb.

From 2005-06 to 2015-16 they had 2 weeks off 10 out of 11 years but not once since. The only guarantee for 2 weeks is when December 23 is a Tuesday and January 1 is a Thursday (last occurred in 2014-15) which will happen in 2025-26.

[Anonymous]

2020-21 should be the calendar to look at since the days all match up. The only difference is that there were 2 extra days off for Inauguration day which was the Wednesday after MLK Jr. Day where as there is no Inauguration in 2027 thus 2 extra days of cushion. https://dcps.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dcps/publication/attachments/SY20-21_Revised_Final_Calendars_5-12-20%20.pdf

[Anonymous]

In most school years starting in even years it's easy to anchor the 1st quarter to end right before election day but there is one fewer week then usual since the last Monday in August 2026 is the 31st and Election Day is it's 2nd earliest day November 3rd. This leaves 9 weeks instead of the usual 10. Since 2 weekdays are Labor Day and Indigenous People's Day there are precisely 43 weekdays in that stretch which would mean all 43 would have to be regular school days to meet that requirement when their is traditionally a Parent Teacher Conference day right before IP's Day and oftentimes a PD day adjacent to it.
Another challenge is the Juneteenth anchor to end the school year as there is 1 fewer week from the last Monday in August to Juneteenth then there is in 2025-26.
While people complained about half days having ONE isn't so bad if it's the last day of school. I wouldn't even request it annually only if the last day of school for students is either a Friday or a Thursday before a Friday holiday. Since Juneteenth is on a Saturday in 2027 it will be moved to Friday, June 18 just like it was in it's Federal Holiday debut in 2021.

The 2020-21 calendar appeared to end on Thursday, June 24 but there was a surplus of 4 days so they first moved the end back to Friday, June 18 and then when Juneteenth was signed into law school ended a day sooner (and some people's end of year parties were canceled as a result)!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:when will the 2026-2027 calendar come out?

I would guess fall 2025

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not have spring break in March like most of the other local schools. Then you don't need a February break. Or what feels like an endless winter to get to a mid-April break. I heard they always tie spring break to Emancipation Day, but why not just offer Emancipation Day as a one-off No School Day?

They tie spring break to Emancipation Day because it's otherwise really hard to hit 180 days of school instruction and not get out of school until late June. Having ED inside the spring break week ensures kids get out of school in June one day earlier.

DCPS has 12 forced federal or District holidays every school year. Plus 4 record keeping/PD days. Plus another 8 PD days. It's really tough to hit 180 days of classes.

DCPS would have a lot more flexibility if they didn't use the schools for elections and they pared back the Professional Development days.

Do teachers even want 10 days of Professional Development? I guess they probably don't want to give up the salary for those days.

Regardless of where you stand on the February break, the most important things DCPS could do is: (1) do two full weeks of classes before Labor Day and (2) ensure last day of school is June 15. Hard stop. With those two points of consistency, I think families would be happier.

I'm not sure why two weeks before Labor day is so important, maybe starting two weeks before Labor Day in 2026-27/2027-28 when it is a week closer to Election Day (Juneteenth but starting on August 18th/19th (which would be August 11th/12th for teachers) is too early especially in Washington D.C.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not have spring break in March like most of the other local schools. Then you don't need a February break. Or what feels like an endless winter to get to a mid-April break. I heard they always tie spring break to Emancipation Day, but why not just offer Emancipation Day as a one-off No School Day?

They tie spring break to Emancipation Day because it's otherwise really hard to hit 180 days of school instruction and not get out of school until late June. Having ED inside the spring break week ensures kids get out of school in June one day earlier.

DCPS has 12 forced federal or District holidays every school year. Plus 4 record keeping/PD days. Plus another 8 PD days. It's really tough to hit 180 days of classes.

DCPS would have a lot more flexibility if they didn't use the schools for elections and they pared back the Professional Development days.

Do teachers even want 10 days of Professional Development? I guess they probably don't want to give up the salary for those days.

Regardless of where you stand on the February break, the most important things DCPS could do is: (1) do two full weeks of classes before Labor Day and (2) ensure last day of school is June 15. Hard stop. With those two points of consistency, I think families would be happier.

I'm not sure why two weeks before Labor day is so important, maybe starting two weeks before Labor Day in 2026-27/2027-28 when it is a week closer to Election Day (Juneteenth but starting on August 18th/19th (which would be August 11th/12th for teachers) is too early especially in Washington D.C.

Because most summer camps end the first few days in August due to college kids going back to school. It's a camp staffing issue.

Parents need to scramble for three weeks of care in August most years. Starting earlier in August and ending earlier in June will ensure that working parents have more camp coverage over the summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not have spring break in March like most of the other local schools. Then you don't need a February break. Or what feels like an endless winter to get to a mid-April break. I heard they always tie spring break to Emancipation Day, but why not just offer Emancipation Day as a one-off No School Day?

They tie spring break to Emancipation Day because it's otherwise really hard to hit 180 days of school instruction and not get out of school until late June. Having ED inside the spring break week ensures kids get out of school in June one day earlier.

DCPS has 12 forced federal or District holidays every school year. Plus 4 record keeping/PD days. Plus another 8 PD days. It's really tough to hit 180 days of classes.

DCPS would have a lot more flexibility if they didn't use the schools for elections and they pared back the Professional Development days.

Do teachers even want 10 days of Professional Development? I guess they probably don't want to give up the salary for those days.

Regardless of where you stand on the February break, the most important things DCPS could do is: (1) do two full weeks of classes before Labor Day and (2) ensure last day of school is June 15. Hard stop. With those two points of consistency, I think families would be happier.

I'm not sure why two weeks before Labor day is so important, maybe starting two weeks before Labor Day in 2026-27/2027-28 when it is a week closer to Election Day (Juneteenth but starting on August 18th/19th (which would be August 11th/12th for teachers) is too early especially in Washington D.C.

Because most summer camps end the first few days in August due to college kids going back to school. It's a camp staffing issue.

Parents need to scramble for three weeks of care in August most years. Starting earlier in August and ending earlier in June will ensure that working parents have more camp coverage over the summer.

THIS. It's also a problem DCPS is aware of because many schools host summer camps and they all end the first week of August because they have to give up the facility so teachers can come in and set up classrooms and do any PD before school starts.

It drives me crazy that my kid can attend a summer camp through our after care provider until the first week of August, but then we just have to come up with something else for the rest of August and don't actually start until right before Labor Day. I also don't understand the point in having at the second week of school always be a short week (due to Labor Day). The kids need to get into a proper rhythm with school and then the second week of school is weird. It is not useful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not have spring break in March like most of the other local schools. Then you don't need a February break. Or what feels like an endless winter to get to a mid-April break. I heard they always tie spring break to Emancipation Day, but why not just offer Emancipation Day as a one-off No School Day?

They tie spring break to Emancipation Day because it's otherwise really hard to hit 180 days of school instruction and not get out of school until late June. Having ED inside the spring break week ensures kids get out of school in June one day earlier.

DCPS has 12 forced federal or District holidays every school year. Plus 4 record keeping/PD days. Plus another 8 PD days. It's really tough to hit 180 days of classes.

DCPS would have a lot more flexibility if they didn't use the schools for elections and they pared back the Professional Development days.

Do teachers even want 10 days of Professional Development? I guess they probably don't want to give up the salary for those days.

Regardless of where you stand on the February break, the most important things DCPS could do is: (1) do two full weeks of classes before Labor Day and (2) ensure last day of school is June 15. Hard stop. With those two points of consistency, I think families would be happier.

I'm not sure why two weeks before Labor day is so important, maybe starting two weeks before Labor Day in 2026-27/2027-28 when it is a week closer to Election Day (Juneteenth but starting on August 18th/19th (which would be August 11th/12th for teachers) is too early especially in Washington D.C.

Because most summer camps end the first few days in August due to college kids going back to school. It's a camp staffing issue.

Parents need to scramble for three weeks of care in August most years. Starting earlier in August and ending earlier in June will ensure that working parents have more camp coverage over the summer.

THIS. It's also a problem DCPS is aware of because many schools host summer camps and they all end the first week of August because they have to give up the facility so teachers can come in and set up classrooms and do any PD before school starts.

It drives me crazy that my kid can attend a summer camp through our after care provider until the first week of August, but then we just have to come up with something else for the rest of August and don't actually start until right before Labor Day. I also don't understand the point in having at the second week of school always be a short week (due to Labor Day). The kids need to get into a proper rhythm with school and then the second week of school is weird. It is not useful.

A 4-day week isn't weird heck some schools go on a 4-day week schedule as their weekly schedule. Having a 2-day week feels weird but ONE day off in the first two weeks actually first 6 weeks shouldn't be an issue.

[Anonymous]

August is HOT in Washington D.C. in fact that is Congress longest recess so less school in August makes sense. The issue is camps, they should go 2 weeks into August. Ending the first week of August is too early!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:August is HOT in Washington D.C. in fact that is Congress longest recess so less school in August makes sense. The issue is camps, they should go 2 weeks into August. Ending the first week of August is too early!

Why does the heat mean kids shouldn't be in school? To me it's an argument for having school in session because kids will be inside out of the heat. Most DC families do not have a summer house or the resources to visit family in Kennebunkport or take a couple weeks on the continent, so following what Congress does is dumb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only thing I find truly idiotic next year is the two day week after New Year’s instead of just giving a two week winter break. I know that’s not what they’re asking for but these really short weeks are dumb.

From 2005-06 to 2015-16 they had 2 weeks off 10 out of 11 years but not once since. The only guarantee for 2 weeks is when December 23 is a Tuesday and January 1 is a Thursday (last occurred in 2014-15) which will happen in 2025-26.

None of this reasoning means a two day week after winter break is a good idea. It is a waste of instructional days because so many students and teachers will be absent. If DCPS actually cared about student attendance and learning they wouldn’t have this schedule around winter break. But they really don’t care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I still love the idea of nearly year-round school, though America appears to not love it at all. I have a year-round job, learning loss is real, and my kids don't need to bring in the harvest. But hey, inertia.

OP of this thread:
I would absolutely LOVE year-round school for our kid in DCPS. He has an IEP and does a lot better during the school year with a regular schedule. He definitely regresses during the summer, both academically and behaviorally.

But yeah, not really many options at all - even if you want to pay for private - year round schooling.

Then you need to get ESY on his IEP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:August is HOT in Washington D.C. in fact that is Congress longest recess so less school in August makes sense. The issue is camps, they should go 2 weeks into August. Ending the first week of August is too early!

Why does the heat mean kids shouldn't be in school? To me it's an argument for having school in session because kids will be inside out of the heat. Most DC families do not have a summer house or the resources to visit family in Kennebunkport or take a couple weeks on the continent, so following what Congress does is dumb.

That means more days in hot classrooms unless ALL D.C. schools have central air conditioning (or window units in all classrooms) which I have a feeling they don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only thing I find truly idiotic next year is the two day week after New Year’s instead of just giving a two week winter break. I know that’s not what they’re asking for but these really short weeks are dumb.

From 2005-06 to 2015-16 they had 2 weeks off 10 out of 11 years but not once since. The only guarantee for 2 weeks is when December 23 is a Tuesday and January 1 is a Thursday (last occurred in 2014-15) which will happen in 2025-26.

None of this reasoning means a two day week after winter break is a good idea. It is a waste of instructional days because so many students and teachers will be absent. If DCPS actually cared about student attendance and learning they wouldn’t have this schedule around winter break. But they really don’t care.

I never said a 2-day week by winter break is a good idea the only guarantee is there won't be a 1-day week (except the last day of school some years like this year) so the 2025-26 year has 2 full weeks but winter break should be two weeks when Christmas falls on Tuesday-Friday and include December 23 and January 2 annually. When Christmas is on Saturday-Monday it's possible to be off December 23-January 2 and still have at least 3 days in the weeks leading into and following the break.

[Anonymous]

How about the first day for students is the FOURTH Monday in August regardless if there are 4 Mondays or 5 Mondays in August so when there are 5 Mondays they start 2 weeks before Labor Day but when there are 4 Mondays there is still enough room to end the 1st term before election day and the school year before Juneteenth.