Reply to Thoughts on the MCPS 2017-2018 calendar?

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[quote=Anonymous]As a teacher and a parent there are several things I like about the calendar for next year.

1- post Labor Day start - partially due to tradition, but mostly b/c it allows for the first several weeks of school to be more consistent.  Many years in MCPS you can go three or four weeks before having a full week of school- it makes setting the routines at home and school difficult.

2- when possible, early release and professional days are Mondays and Fridays.  As a parent I hate random mid-week days off, as a teacher I also found them more disruptive and harder to keep the flow/routine of the week - throws things off for the entire week.

3- Make up days over spring break (or other times before May) make sense - at least you are making up instruction when it can matter, before AP tests for those worried about them, and before grades are due, or everyone is just "checked out" for others.  I would love to see a long weekend in February or Marc built in with a contingency day or two.  Make up instruction in the marking period, or at least semester, it is missed in.  Otherwise it is meaningless to kids and teachers.

4- Although I would prefer more instructional days in the school year, every year we don't use the built in snow days we hear people whine about them not being "given back". This way there are fewer days to hear people whine about.  (Personally, I love having several snow days that don't need to be made up built in the calendar, but most don't share my opinion.)

5- Although the longer summer may not be ideal for many students, I'm not sure 9 versus 10 weeks makes much difference on summer "brain drain".  However, I do think the longer summer might make it so MCPS may be able to plan meaningful summer activities for kids and get teachers who are willing to staff them.

6- As a teacher I like the added professional days at the beginning of the year.  I'm in the mind set of the new school year, learn something new and am ready to apply it.  Way better than having "required" summer training interrupting the summer break, or stuffed in the middle of the school year when you have competing priorities with planning, grading and so forth.  (As a teacher who is also a parent, not as much, but childcare is needed whenever/where ever the professional days fall.  Easier to ask for family support when they are all together).
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