APS - what is up with the calendar in September??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So in New England where I lived for 10 years before coming here, it is very common to have 1 week winter break around Christmas to New Years and then mid year break a week in February around Presidents day, and then a week in April for spring break. This I think breaks things down a bit easier and spreads out the time off. I agree with all the new holidays as we need to culturally inclusive,but do see how this is challenging for those who work outside of home especially this year. I also think if we arent getting out earlier, why start back 8/30 and have 1 chopped up first week, and then another a week later? After Labor day start may have been better with new schedule......cut some early release days and get us out at the same time as planned. Just a thought.

I don't consider a 4-day school week with one day, a Friday, off to be "chopped up."
If they started after Labor Day, they'd be getting out a week later in June. No thanks.

[Anonymous]

what is the point of early release anyway???

[Anonymous]

Because some of us have to work - outside the home - and this large number of random days off mid-week is a big inconvenience. I get that school isn't childcare, I really do, but it seems like the constant interruptions would make it difficult for teachers to establish a routine and for kids to learn. I would be happy to trade off a religious holiday or two for minority faiths in exchange for holidays like Columbus Day or President's Day.

Winter break (which we all know is a Christmas holiday) is a huge interruption, too. If we cut that to two or three days, every holiday would treated equitably and we would all be equally inconvenienced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So in New England where I lived for 10 years before coming here, it is very common to have 1 week winter break around Christmas to New Years and then mid year break a week in February around Presidents day, and then a week in April for spring break. This I think breaks things down a bit easier and spreads out the time off. I agree with all the new holidays as we need to culturally inclusive,but do see how this is challenging for those who work outside of home especially this year. I also think if we arent getting out earlier, why start back 8/30 and have 1 chopped up first week, and then another a week later? After Labor day start may have been better with new schedule......cut some early release days and get us out at the same time as planned. Just a thought.

I don't consider a 4-day school week with one day, a Friday, off to be "chopped up."
If they started after Labor Day, they'd be getting out a week later in June. No thanks.

Not that PP, but the point was that if we start a week earlier, we should end a week earlier. But because of all these extra holidays & still having 2 weeks off for Christmas, the school year has been extended. The summer break has been shortened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So in New England where I lived for 10 years before coming here, it is very common to have 1 week winter break around Christmas to New Years and then mid year break a week in February around Presidents day, and then a week in April for spring break. This I think breaks things down a bit easier and spreads out the time off. I agree with all the new holidays as we need to culturally inclusive,but do see how this is challenging for those who work outside of home especially this year. I also think if we arent getting out earlier, why start back 8/30 and have 1 chopped up first week, and then another a week later? After Labor day start may have been better with new schedule......cut some early release days and get us out at the same time as planned. Just a thought.

I don't consider a 4-day school week with one day, a Friday, off to be "chopped up."
If they started after Labor Day, they'd be getting out a week later in June. No thanks.

Not that PP, but the point was that if we start a week earlier, we should end a week earlier. But because of all these extra holidays & still having 2 weeks off for Christmas, the school year has been extended. The summer break has been shortened.

Yes, damn all those non-Christians who want days off to celebrate their important holidays. 🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree there is an excessive amount of holidays.. and grade prep days and early release, the list goes on.. Plus shortened elementary days during covid...

It seems APS has a goal of minimizing learning time for our kids.

It’s the same number of days/hours as a non-covid year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Because some of us have to work - outside the home - and this large number of random days off mid-week is a big inconvenience. I get that school isn't childcare, I really do, but it seems like the constant interruptions would make it difficult for teachers to establish a routine and for kids to learn. I would be happy to trade off a religious holiday or two for minority faiths in exchange for holidays like Columbus Day or President's Day.

Winter break (which we all know is a Christmas holiday) is a huge interruption, too. If we cut that to two or three days, every holiday would treated equitably and we would all be equally inconvenienced.

Just stop already.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So in New England where I lived for 10 years before coming here, it is very common to have 1 week winter break around Christmas to New Years and then mid year break a week in February around Presidents day, and then a week in April for spring break. This I think breaks things down a bit easier and spreads out the time off. I agree with all the new holidays as we need to culturally inclusive,but do see how this is challenging for those who work outside of home especially this year. I also think if we arent getting out earlier, why start back 8/30 and have 1 chopped up first week, and then another a week later? After Labor day start may have been better with new schedule......cut some early release days and get us out at the same time as planned. Just a thought.

I don't consider a 4-day school week with one day, a Friday, off to be "chopped up."
If they started after Labor Day, they'd be getting out a week later in June. No thanks.

Not that PP, but the point was that if we start a week earlier, we should end a week earlier. But because of all these extra holidays & still having 2 weeks off for Christmas, the school year has been extended. The summer break has been shortened.

Yes, damn all those non-Christians who want days off to celebrate their important holidays. 🙄

Christmas is the only Christian holiday the kids are off, and it’s a federal holiday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So in New England where I lived for 10 years before coming here, it is very common to have 1 week winter break around Christmas to New Years and then mid year break a week in February around Presidents day, and then a week in April for spring break. This I think breaks things down a bit easier and spreads out the time off. I agree with all the new holidays as we need to culturally inclusive,but do see how this is challenging for those who work outside of home especially this year. I also think if we arent getting out earlier, why start back 8/30 and have 1 chopped up first week, and then another a week later? After Labor day start may have been better with new schedule......cut some early release days and get us out at the same time as planned. Just a thought.

I don't consider a 4-day school week with one day, a Friday, off to be "chopped up."
If they started after Labor Day, they'd be getting out a week later in June. No thanks.

Not that PP, but the point was that if we start a week earlier, we should end a week earlier. But because of all these extra holidays & still having 2 weeks off for Christmas, the school year has been extended. The summer break has been shortened.

Yes, damn all those non-Christians who want days off to celebrate their important holidays. 🙄

Christmas is the only Christian holiday the kids are off, and it’s a federal holiday.

Lie.

Kids are off Good Friday and Easter Monday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Personally I wish they only had one week off for Winter Break and then could use the other week in February. That’s how it was growing up in New England. It’s a long haul for students and teachers to basically have no break between January and Spring Break which is in April this year. My high schooler gets burned out.

I'm from New England. Our spring break was always 2 weeks at the end of March. And we'd get 2 weeks for Christmas break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Personally I wish they only had one week off for Winter Break and then could use the other week in February. That’s how it was growing up in New England. It’s a long haul for students and teachers to basically have no break between January and Spring Break which is in April this year. My high schooler gets burned out.

I'm from New England. Our spring break was always 2 weeks at the end of March. And we'd get 2 weeks for Christmas break.

PP again. We also started after Labor Day and ended at the end of May. I don't understand why the school year is so much longer here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Personally I wish they only had one week off for Winter Break and then could use the other week in February. That’s how it was growing up in New England. It’s a long haul for students and teachers to basically have no break between January and Spring Break which is in April this year. My high schooler gets burned out.

I'm from New England. Our spring break was always 2 weeks at the end of March. And we'd get 2 weeks for Christmas break.

PP again. We also started after Labor Day and ended at the end of May. I don't understand why the school year is so much longer here.

+1 I grew up in the west where we started mid august and our last day was Memorial Day Friday.

[Anonymous]

It's a calendar change, and we will all get used to it. They can always shorten the winter break by a day or two if the year starts to go too long.

People hate change. But we can deal with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a calendar change, and we will all get used to it. They can always shorten the winter break by a day or two if the year starts to go too long.

People hate change. But we can deal with it.

Of course we can deal with it. But it’s still worth discussing what calendar makes the most sense. I think there are lots of people who would love to have year round school, and shortening summer break by a week is a move in that direction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Personally I wish they only had one week off for Winter Break and then could use the other week in February. That’s how it was growing up in New England. It’s a long haul for students and teachers to basically have no break between January and Spring Break which is in April this year. My high schooler gets burned out.

I'm from New England. Our spring break was always 2 weeks at the end of March. And we'd get 2 weeks for Christmas break.

PP again. We also started after Labor Day and ended at the end of May. I don't understand why the school year is so much longer here.

Is the school day shorter here so they need more days to cover the hours?