2025-26 school calendar first drafts

[Anonymous]

That presentation says they only have 181 days of instruction. Does that mean that they only have one weather closure built in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That presentation says they only have 181 days of instruction. Does that mean that they only have one weather closure built in?

Apparently. They've had 182 days the last several years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The board meets Tuesday to discuss the 25-26 calendar. These new drafts have the 10-day winter break version with a last day of school on a Monday half-day following a three day weekend. Which seems absurd to me. How they could even draw up an option like that is ridiculous.

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DA2QU36AEFCC/$file/Draft%202025%E2%80%932026%20SY%20Calendar%20241022%20PPT.pdf

The survey results showed a clear preference for the 10-day winter break. I think they need to come up with a version of that that ends on Thursday 6/18/26 at the latest. Even if it means eliminating the new transition day before the first day of school.

Which actually was what was in the survey they sent for people to vote on. The two survey calendars had last days on June 18th (10 day winter break) or 16th (8 day winter break). Now they have June 22nd as the last day for the 10-day break option.

Looks like they added October 20 (Diwali) as a day off since the original survey, which leads to this stupid half-day Monday (June 22) situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The board meets Tuesday to discuss the 25-26 calendar. These new drafts have the 10-day winter break version with a last day of school on a Monday half-day following a three day weekend. Which seems absurd to me. How they could even draw up an option like that is ridiculous.

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DA2QU36AEFCC/$file/Draft%202025%E2%80%932026%20SY%20Calendar%20241022%20PPT.pdf

The survey results showed a clear preference for the 10-day winter break. I think they need to come up with a version of that that ends on Thursday 6/18/26 at the latest. Even if it means eliminating the new transition day before the first day of school.

Which actually was what was in the survey they sent for people to vote on. The two survey calendars had last days on June 18th (10 day winter break) or 16th (8 day winter break). Now they have June 22nd as the last day for the 10-day break option.

Looks like they added October 20 (Diwali) as a day off since the original survey, which leads to this stupid half-day Monday (June 22) situation.

They are likely going to have to add days to the end of the school year if they only have one snow day built in. No one is going to attend at all that entire final week.

[Anonymous]

I don't see why they can't have the transition day on the Thursday before school starts like they've been doing for years. They can invite more categories of students to attend than they have in the past, and still provide bus transportation. Then the following Monday can be an instructional day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't see why they can't have the transition day on the Thursday before school starts like they've been doing for years. They can invite more categories of students to attend than they have in the past, and still provide bus transportation. Then the following Monday can be an instructional day.

Agree. And that would give them two snow days built in.

[Anonymous]

I want names on whoever put Monday June 22 half day as the last day of school! That is cray-cray

[Anonymous]

So the only choices are the shorter winter break, which means school on Dec. 23, a day no one will attend, vs. the longer winter break, which means school on June 22, a day no one will attend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The board meets Tuesday to discuss the 25-26 calendar. These new drafts have the 10-day winter break version with a last day of school on a Monday half-day following a three day weekend. Which seems absurd to me. How they could even draw up an option like that is ridiculous.

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DA2QU36AEFCC/$file/Draft%202025%E2%80%932026%20SY%20Calendar%20241022%20PPT.pdf

The survey results showed a clear preference for the 10-day winter break. I think they need to come up with a version of that that ends on Thursday 6/18/26 at the latest. Even if it means eliminating the new transition day before the first day of school.

Which actually was what was in the survey they sent for people to vote on. The two survey calendars had last days on June 18th (10 day winter break) or 16th (8 day winter break). Now they have June 22nd as the last day for the 10-day break option.

Looks like they added October 20 (Diwali) as a day off since the original survey, which leads to this stupid half-day Monday (June 22) situation.

Serious question: do the people who celebrate Diwali normally stay home from work and school to do daytime observation of this holiday?

[Anonymous]

Why is there a teacher workday on 10/17?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is there a teacher workday on 10/17?

Professional development. Like yesterday.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:So if they have 5 days of preservice plus a transition day on Monday, are they getting rid of a professional development day for teachers on another day?

Professional development days/grading days/pre service days are in the mcea contract. they can’t give some unit members an extra day (the transition day) and take one from others.

So if it doesn't count as a day of school and it doesn't count as professional development, how are teachers paid for the transition day?

super double secret overtime?!?!

They said last night to MCCPTA that they are arguing to the state that it should count as a day of instruction.

They should revert to having the orientation half-day as part of preservice week and offer 180 days of education to all kids. Kids are behind--they need more time in class, not less.

They would still have 182 days of instruction regardless of whether there is a transition day.

No they are saying that the transition day counts toward the 180.

That's not what was presented at the policy committee meeting. The slide about the transition day says it would be a non-instructional day, and this was confirmed during their conversation.

They presented two nights ago to MCCPTA, and someone explicitly asked that question. They said that they were trying to get the state to approve it to count as 180 days. They said they had added other groups, like EMLs, to attend on the transition day. With more people attending, they think they can get the state to approve it.

The feedback survey says the transition day is considered a non-instructional day.

They’re considered instructional days in private schools. Any day any group of students is on campus is considered an instructional day in MD private schools. This is in addition to private schools already having a shorter instructional day minimum!

[Anonymous]

So in either option, the teachers have to come back the week of June 22nd. It seems that the school year is starting earlier and earlier and ending later and later…

[Anonymous]

This will mean only a 9 week summer vacation instead of 10 weeks in 2026.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This will mean only a 9 week summer vacation instead of 10 weeks in 2026.

Actually, I’m wrong — Labor Day is very late that year, so it’s still 10 weeks if they start the week before Labor Day.