Anonymous wrote:The end of the marking period is November 4th. Today is a professional day for teachers. We’ll be in meetings all day at my school.

And that's why there is no school for students on Monday, November 7th.

I’m a little bummed the teachers have no many meetings and trainings. Some of my HS kid’s teachers are significantly behind on grading and we had hoped they would get caught up today. It’s really a problem for kids when they have no idea how they are doing in a class—makes it much harder to learn what they are doing wrong and correct, which is really the whole point of school.

Anonymous wrote:So today is a professional day for teachers, then, and schools are not closed for Diwali? It's just a coincidence?

I don’t think it is a coincidence. But I don’t have an issue with it. About 10% of my students celebrate Diwali. If we had school today, it would be difficult to do anything of substance because I would need to create a way for them to make it up.

Anonymous wrote:So today is a professional day for teachers, then, and schools are not closed for Diwali? It's just a coincidence?

They intentionally schedule some professional days for teachers on days which are also holidays, when they're able to. Same thing with Lunar New Year and Eid.

Anonymous wrote:I have online trainings and grading with my teacher co-horts. Most staff at my school can do this at home and will do so

Same. I’ve been up since 6:30 grading because my body is trained to be up early and my mental energy slumps in the afternoon. I’m grateful I can do the PD Day from home. My trainings begin at 9 AM today. I get to skip the 8 AM one because I teach a singleton.

The new teachers have to report this morning for training from 8 AM until 11:30. Then they have a 30 min lunch break. Next, they can plan or grade in their rooms. No telecommuting for them.

So today is a professional day for teachers, then, and schools are not closed for Diwali? It's just a coincidence?

I have online trainings and grading with my teacher co-horts. Most staff at my school can do this at home and will do so

Anonymous wrote:I was surprised. Is the Indian or Hindu population that large in MoCo? Where in the county do Diwali celebrants live?

Clarksburg. Check out the At A Glance report for the Clarksburg Elementary Schools. For example, Clarksburg ES's largest student population is Asian at 37%. I live in the area and I can confirm that majority of that 37% are Indian students.

The end of the marking period is November 4th. Today is a professional day for teachers. We’ll be in meetings all day at my school.

Anonymous wrote:Yes, they schedule professional days to accommodate religious holidays.

They might have shifted it slightly but they always take a break for grading at the end of each quarter and that doesn’t shift much.

Yes, they schedule professional days to accommodate religious holidays.

It’s the end of the quarter.

It might be large. Look at the school attendance.

They probably live everywhere in the county.

I was surprised. Is the Indian or Hindu population that large in MoCo? Where in the county do Diwali celebrants live?