Reply to Will voting out the school board make the school calendar sane again?

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Reply to "Will voting out the school board make the school calendar sane again?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It's not about the calendar. Complaining about the school calendar seems “non-political” on the surface, but it provides a way to voice broader discontent with the school board’s values or priorities. It’s easier to rally people around something tangible, like too many days off, than around abstract policy disagreements.

That's why this discussion will never end. Concerns about childcare challenges ([b]despite many available solutions), [/b]the impact on student learning (FCPS consistently ranks among the top school systems in the country), or the length of summer break (too short for what, exactly?) will never be satisfied. Because it's not about the calendar. It’s a means to rally support for a different school board.

So just say what you mean so that we can have a proper discussion.[/quote]

Oh yes? Share the “many” taxpayer funded, age and developmentally appropriate childcare options available for one-off days. [/quote]

There are actually quite a few options, though availability can vary by age and location. Many of them were posted earlier in the thread. For one-off school holidays, families often use:

Fairfax County Park Authority “Schools Out” day camps at local recreation centers, which run 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. for elementary-aged children. These taxpayer-funded through the county’s park system

Local RECenter programs and YMCA camps that offer day programs aligned with FCPS holidays. RECenters are county-operated facilities funded by taxes, though some program fees may apply.

Private enrichment programs like Mad Science, Bricks 4 Kidz, ArtSpace, and STEM or sports camps that run single-day sessions.

School- or PTA-organized programs at some elementary schools for early release or teacher workdays.

These are all taxpayer-supported or community-based programs designed to be age-appropriate and structured, and many families in Fairfax use them regularly for occasional school closures. Hope they help you manage the one-off school closures like they've helped me.[/quote]

[b]None of what you've listed provides transportation, support for children with special needs, or before/aftercare[/b]. Fairfax expects September birthdays to start kindergarten at four which most Rec center classes don’t accept, so early days off like 9/9 are just SOL.

Yes— there are plenty of options for parents who have unlimited money and time. If FCPS wants to underscore their commitment to being a school district out of touch with those constituents that do not, they will continue as they are. [/quote]

Parenting. Try it sometime.[/quote]

Sure do! Including making sure to highlight ways that our elected officials can gain the support of parents— and what will make parents vote them out.[/quote]

Honey, they aren’t getting “voted out.” Sorry,[/quote]

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