Anonymous wrote:When do we think winter break is going to start in Dec 27 and Dec 28?

The 27-28 calendar is out! Winter break 27-28 is two weeks! https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2025/04/2027-28-SCHOOL-CALENDARS-FINAL.pdf

As for 28-29 because 28 is a leap year Christmas is going to skip back to Monday so that break will probably be a little short but start on Dec 21 instead of Dec 23. The last time Christmas, New Years Day were on Mondays in 2023-24 the break went Thursday, Friday, following week and New Years Day.

Anonymous wrote:Also, there are only 3 religious holidays next year, so that cannot be blamed for the crazy APS calendar.

But what will the APEs complain about then?

When do we think winter break is going to start in Dec 27 and Dec 28?

Also, there are only 3 religious holidays next year, so that cannot be blamed for the crazy APS calendar.

16 full weeks of school next year. 24 weeks with at least one half day (or more off). Not counting the full week of winter break or spring break.

I personally have liked having the additional holidays because it makes me more aware of various celebrations, but no wonder I feel like we're constantly pivoting and the kids can't quite get into a rhythm. There are more irregular weeks than regular weeks of school!

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Anonymous wrote:Didn’t APS pass a broad policy about developing calendars and say they would do 2 weeks at every Christmas holiday? A couple years ago.

Indeed they did. There was a whole big assessment with “stakeholder input” over months. Everyone was focused on the start date and somehow APS didn’t mention that they would keep kids in school until the end of June. Latest start to summer in the nation. And yes, two full weeks for winter. What is this 2026/27 nonsense?

Remember when they solicited all those comments and they were all so negative and instead of listening to to any of it they just shit canned the whole thing

And the survey very intentionally didn’t ask anyone’s opinion on keeping or eliminating the newly added religious holidays (nor federal holidays). It basically just asked about start date and how long winter break should last. They didn’t want to hear what people really thought or do anything about it.

+100 !

Yes, very intentionally they didn’t tell us that due to the newly added religious days we would now be the last in the nation to start summer despite beginning two whole weeks earlier than previous years.

APS has made a school calendar so unworkable for families that it reduces treating attendance as required.

This definitely seems true. Attendance has been a bigger issue since this calendar has been adopted.

That is true at my school. We have devalued regular attendance with all the added days off and early releases. For the first time in my career I am taking a frivolous vacation in the middle of the year. I think the added days off and early release dates are actually making teacher burnout worse, because we can't get into a good rhythm. The PD they have us do on early release could not be more useless most of the time.

Anonymous wrote:APS is single-handedly undoing the feminist movement week by week. Parents have to find additional childcare every single week. We're just back from a two week break and they have a half day already, a day off next week, and another the week after. How is anyone supposed to work

Then tell your husband to split them with you.

We are not even 10 school days into the new year and it's a 1/2 day two days before a 3-day weekend? Idiocy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn’t APS pass a broad policy about developing calendars and say they would do 2 weeks at every Christmas holiday? A couple years ago.

Indeed they did. There was a whole big assessment with “stakeholder input” over months. Everyone was focused on the start date and somehow APS didn’t mention that they would keep kids in school until the end of June. Latest start to summer in the nation. And yes, two full weeks for winter. What is this 2026/27 nonsense?

Remember when they solicited all those comments and they were all so negative and instead of listening to to any of it they just shit canned the whole thing

And the survey very intentionally didn’t ask anyone’s opinion on keeping or eliminating the newly added religious holidays (nor federal holidays). It basically just asked about start date and how long winter break should last. They didn’t want to hear what people really thought or do anything about it.

+100 !

Yes, very intentionally they didn’t tell us that due to the newly added religious days we would now be the last in the nation to start summer despite beginning two whole weeks earlier than previous years.

APS has made a school calendar so unworkable for families that it reduces treating attendance as required.

This definitely seems true. Attendance has been a bigger issue since this calendar has been adopted.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS is single-handedly undoing the feminist movement week by week. Parents have to find additional childcare every single week. We're just back from a two week break and they have a half day already, a day off next week, and another the week after. How is anyone supposed to work

In fairness to APS, MLK Day, Winter Break, and teacher workdays are pretty standard.

It's these on top of all the other days. The calendar has more holes than swiss cheese.