Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And it will creep ... it will get earlier and earlier in August.

Yes. The goal is to shorten the break as much as possible so that there is less time for kids to forget what they have learned.

No. the goal has been to simply add in more instructional time BEFORE the SOLs versus after it. The state sets the testing window, and it typically starts in mid-May. Beginning school a week earlier gives one more week of learning before the tests. What PP is proposing doesn't make sense because the school year will be the same length of 180 days. If FCPS starts lengthening breaks inside the school year, i.e. giving a 2 week spring break and adding teacher planning days, then that would move the end date to later in June. Those types of moves would close the gap between the last day of school in June and the first day in August. I don't see any of that happening.

News flash - how about they get more efficient during the school year, have fewer school holidays in Jan and Feb when we usually have the most snow days, and still let the kids have a proper summer break?!

It's amazing how many days are wasted during the school year with the above holidays, not to mention half days where the kids watch movies or play on their electronics. What about that last day of school (2 hours) where absolutely nothing is accomplished and half the kids choose not to go anyway? Got to love FCPS - first they make teenage middle schoolers start school at 715a - 730a and now they start school in August just in time to have a 3 day weekend after the first week. Yet another way this country is going backwards in time.

Gosh, I hope so!

The best school calenders start the third or fourth week of August and get out the beginning of June or late May.

The "way we always did things" really sucks in this case. Ending school the final week of June is just too late.

Anonymous wrote:

Yes. The goal is to shorten the break as much as possible so that there is less time for kids to forget what they have learned.

BS. The purpose is to accommodate snow days and not have to make up so many days in June. That's why they were able to get a waiver.

I disagree. If this were true winter break would not be over two weeks long next year.

Yes. The goal is to shorten the break as much as possible so that there is less time for kids to forget what they have learned.

BS. The purpose is to accommodate snow days and not have to make up so many days in June. That's why they were able to get a waiver.

Anonymous wrote:And it will creep ... it will get earlier and earlier in August.

Yes. The goal is to shorten the break as much as possible so that there is less time for kids to forget what they have learned.

I think FCPS is pretty committed to making this a forever change.

We had to change our plans too so I feel your pain.

And it will creep ... it will get earlier and earlier in August.

It's a waiver that's good for the next few years (I think through 2019 or so). It can be extended though, if we continue to get a high number of days off for snow.

"This waiver is granted if a division misses an average of eight days per year during any five of the last 10 years due to weather conditions or other emergency situations. During the last 10 years, FCPS had five years in which the average number of snow days equaled more than eight days. "

The waiver option has to be decided on each year though. So, even though we're eligible for the next couple years, we don't necessarily have to do it.

No change in the rules. Just a one year waiver at a time.

Anonymous wrote:I thought there was a time limit

+1

I thought it was only for a couple years, and then no more waiver.

I thought there was a time limit

Your kids will now get out of school earlier in June starting next school year and thereafter. They'll get the same length summer ( except for this summer which is shorter to accommodate ending this school year on the current schedule and starting next school year on the new schedule). You'll lose a week in August and gain one in June. It's a wash. I know people will post about how they can only rent their favored beach house that one week in August or whatever, but people are going to have to adjust the "we've always done it that way" summer plans.

Forever!

We always vacation the last week of August. Bummed that school starts before Labor Day next year. Wondering if this will be a forever change in schedule or just for the 2017-2018 school year.