I scheduled DD's doctor's appt for one of the half days. So she'll miss that one.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great way to teach your kids that school doesn't matter.

+1.

My kids complain every time we have these that so many other kids skip and I won't let them. I only wish teachers would expect more of kids on these days-- even if they don't do new material because of all of the absences, they could do substantive review or enrichment.

Yep. I tell my kids, "I have a job I go to every day. Your job is to go to school and learn. Just because there's a half-day doesn't mean you get to skip."

You get paid to work. Going to school and learning is not a job.

Wow, you have a pretty limited understanding of what a job is. Yes, I get paid to work, but it's also just what I do as part of my contribution to society. But if you want to talk in terms of payment, they get a pretty massive payment if they try hard -- a good education. But what I really mean by "job," is that school is a major part of what they're supposed to do as kids. Their mandate, at their stage in life, is to learn, both at school and at home, how to be functional, contributing adults.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And why do HS kids suddenly have them off now too even though there are no conferences?

Because the high school teachers can't do planning/in-service when the high school kids are in school, and there can't be separate planning/in-service days (as there used to be) because of the governor's Ocean City School Calendar executive order.

But the elementary teachers do not get a planning day..they are hosting conferences.

Read the superintendent's memo, here: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/calendar/2019-2020%20Sch%20Yr%20Calendar%20Revised%20181009.pdf

and look for the explanation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great way to teach your kids that school doesn't matter.

+1.

My kids complain every time we have these that so many other kids skip and I won't let them. I only wish teachers would expect more of kids on these days-- even if they don't do new material because of all of the absences, they could do substantive review or enrichment.

Yep. I tell my kids, "I have a job I go to every day. Your job is to go to school and learn. Just because there's a half-day doesn't mean you get to skip."

You get paid to work. Going to school and learning is not a job.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great way to teach your kids that school doesn't matter.

+1.

My kids complain every time we have these that so many other kids skip and I won't let them. I only wish teachers would expect more of kids on these days-- even if they don't do new material because of all of the absences, they could do substantive review or enrichment.

Yep. I tell my kids, "I have a job I go to every day. Your job is to go to school and learn. Just because there's a half-day doesn't mean you get to skip."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great way to teach your kids that school doesn't matter.

You can also teach your kids to be thoughtful for the bigger world during the snow days when the road is so dry and clean in your neighborhood.

?

How is this connected to this discussion?

Anonymous wrote:Great way to teach your kids that school doesn't matter.

You can also teach your kids to be thoughtful for the bigger world during the snow days when the road is so dry and clean in your neighborhood.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And why do HS kids suddenly have them off now too even though there are no conferences?

Because the high school teachers can't do planning/in-service when the high school kids are in school, and there can't be separate planning/in-service days (as there used to be) because of the governor's Ocean City School Calendar executive order.

But the elementary teachers do not get a planning day..they are hosting conferences.

Anonymous wrote:Great way to teach your kids that school doesn't matter.

+1.

My kids complain every time we have these that so many other kids skip and I won't let them. I only wish teachers would expect more of kids on these days-- even if they don't do new material because of all of the absences, they could do substantive review or enrichment.

Great way to teach your kids that school doesn't matter.

To answer your questions, OP:

1. No, I am not planning for my kids to skip school.
2. Should you feel guilty? No. If you think it's ok, do it; if you don't think it's ok, don't do it.

Yep. We're going to Disney!

Anonymous wrote:And why do HS kids suddenly have them off now too even though there are no conferences?

Because the high school teachers can't do planning/in-service when the high school kids are in school, and there can't be separate planning/in-service days (as there used to be) because of the governor's Ocean City School Calendar executive order.

And why do HS kids suddenly have them off now too even though there are no conferences?

There will be sooo many half days in November...should I feel guilty to drag out kids (lover and higher grade level in elementary school) from school during those kind of school days to plan a vacation?