Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m trying to understand the point of having school in June. My kids are in elementary school in Arlington. The entire month is filled with class parties, movie days etc. We could cut out at least 5 days from the end of the school year and it would make no difference whatsoever. If we are starting school early, please at the very least let’s end early. Also if we must have all these religious holidays off, at the very least let’s not take Columbus Day off and Washington’s Birthday/President’s Day.

Hate to tell ya, it isn't going to be much more valuable when they get to high school, either. LOTS of wasted time. But we're required by law to provide a minimum # days/hours of "instruction."

DCUM-approved high schools in FCPS are watching movies for the entire month of May.

Anonymous wrote:The last 3 weeks will be useless regardless of what month they take place in.

As someone who grew up in New York with Regents exams (their version of SOLs), I don't understand why the SOLs are given so early. The Regents were given the last week or two of the school year, so mid-late June. The upper grades spent the last few weeks reviewing for the exams.

Regardless of when school starts or ends, the last two weeks have always and always will be like this. I remember it from back when I was in FCPS! Field trips, music concerts, field day, movies, etc. I don’t mind. The kids are occupied and celebrating the end of the school year with friend. The learning piece has mostly wrapped up and now they get to blow off some steam before launching into summer.

Anonymous wrote:The group Arlington Parents for Education has pushed for more days in school. So you can thank them for the useless days in June.

You're so correct, because this is a brand new problem that only began within the past two or three years.

The last 3 weeks will be useless regardless of what month they take place in.

Anonymous wrote:They have to have 180 days and they have so may teacher work days, Jewish holidays, Eid, all of the fake holidays the government gets. They hardly had a full week all year. I bet there were fewer than 10.

No, they only need 990 hours. But some people are pushing APS to increase the number of days even though they just lengthened the school day, too. It’s maddening.

They have to have 180 days and they have so may teacher work days, Jewish holidays, Eid, all of the fake holidays the government gets. They hardly had a full week all year. I bet there were fewer than 10.

The group Arlington Parents for Education has pushed for more days in school. So you can thank them for the useless days in June.

Definitely. Really appreciating that my senior is now in "senior experience" aka don't come to school but figure out something interesting to do. She's putting in a garden in our backyard.

Anonymous wrote:It's crazy. My middle schooler's last exam is June 6th. Then a week and a half of parties and movie days. It doesn't qualify as instruction at all.

My kids last exam in a class was April 20

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m trying to understand the point of having school in June. My kids are in elementary school in Arlington. The entire month is filled with class parties, movie days etc. We could cut out at least 5 days from the end of the school year and it would make no difference whatsoever. If we are starting school early, please at the very least let’s end early. Also if we must have all these religious holidays off, at the very least let’s not take Columbus Day off and Washington’s Birthday/President’s Day.

Hate to tell ya, it isn't going to be much more valuable when they get to high school, either. LOTS of wasted time. But we're required by law to provide a minimum # days/hours of "instruction."

If it isn’t valuable in high school either then why on earth aren’t we all pushing for the school year to end early? Very little learning seems to happen after SOLs. Both students and teachers are checked out. We can still meet the minimum days of instruction by removing wasteful holidays in the middle of the year. To the other PP’s point, I am sure that the first two weeks have very little instruction too. But at the very least, that can be chalked to everyone adjusting to the new school year. The last day of elementary school is June 16 in Arlington County. At the very least they should be ending on June 9.

You are correct. My middle schooler claims that the first two weeks & last two weeks have almost no academic content & could be removed without affecting learning. That’s probably an exaggeration, but they could definitely remove at least a week in June and it would make no difference in education.

It's crazy. My middle schooler's last exam is June 6th. Then a week and a half of parties and movie days. It doesn't qualify as instruction at all.

Anonymous wrote:I’m trying to understand the point of having school in June. My kids are in elementary school in Arlington. The entire month is filled with class parties, movie days etc. We could cut out at least 5 days from the end of the school year and it would make no difference whatsoever. If we are starting school early, please at the very least let’s end early. Also if we must have all these religious holidays off, at the very least let’s not take Columbus Day off and Washington’s Birthday/President’s Day.

Hate to tell ya, it isn't going to be much more valuable when they get to high school, either. LOTS of wasted time. But we're required by law to provide a minimum # days/hours of "instruction."

I’m trying to understand the point of having school in June. My kids are in elementary school in Arlington. The entire month is filled with class parties, movie days etc. We could cut out at least 5 days from the end of the school year and it would make no difference whatsoever. If we are starting school early, please at the very least let’s end early. Also if we must have all these religious holidays off, at the very least let’s not take Columbus Day off and Washington’s Birthday/President’s Day.