Anonymous wrote:Half days are useless but MCPS hides behind them to reach the minimum 180 days of school.

No different than any other school system in MD.

Half days are useless but MCPS hides behind them to reach the minimum 180 days of school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS doesn’t care if students are present or not. Otherwise they would have full days leading up to Thanksgiving. Learning takes a backseat to family vacations.

When else would you like the two half days for parent conferences? Or are you the type who wouldn’t come anyway and just use the time for a 4 day weekend?

MCPS used to do conferences the beginning of November including Veterans Day.

Anonymous wrote:We have one in college with the entire week off, one in private school with the entire week off, and one in public, with two half days and the rest of the week off. Our family is taking the entire week off. We're not going to be held hostage by mcps for one of five, when nothing of importance will be happening those two half days in their classes.

Held hostage? What drama!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS doesn’t care if students are present or not. Otherwise they would have full days leading up to Thanksgiving. Learning takes a backseat to family vacations.

There are other school districts in the country where they are off for the whole week. It’s actually quite a reasonable idea.

Private school, too. The more you pay, the less you go. My kids had 170 days a year max in private. It was a real shock when I put them in MCPS and they realized a) school continued in June and b) more than a few snow days required makeups.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS doesn’t care if students are present or not. Otherwise they would have full days leading up to Thanksgiving. Learning takes a backseat to family vacations.

When else would you like the two half days for parent conferences? Or are you the type who wouldn’t come anyway and just use the time for a 4 day weekend?

I always saw this as a win/win situation. Families traveling for the holidays can go and not worry about missing lots of content. Parent teacher conferences happen this week so as not to mess up yet another week in the school year.

Anonymous wrote:MCPS doesn’t care if students are present or not. Otherwise they would have full days leading up to Thanksgiving. Learning takes a backseat to family vacations.

Are you always this dramatic?

They’ll be fine. We did this when my DD was in 6th grade and they had half days combined with a day off at the end of Jan. I wouldn’t do this with high schoolers though.

We have one in college with the entire week off, one in private school with the entire week off, and one in public, with two half days and the rest of the week off. Our family is taking the entire week off. We're not going to be held hostage by mcps for one of five, when nothing of importance will be happening those two half days in their classes.

Anonymous wrote:MCPS doesn’t care if students are present or not. Otherwise they would have full days leading up to Thanksgiving. Learning takes a backseat to family vacations.

There are other school districts in the country where they are off for the whole week. It’s actually quite a reasonable idea.

Anonymous wrote:MCPS doesn’t care if students are present or not. Otherwise they would have full days leading up to Thanksgiving. Learning takes a backseat to family vacations.

When else would you like the two half days for parent conferences? Or are you the type who wouldn’t come anyway and just use the time for a 4 day weekend?

In MS, there will likely be work due and possibly quizzes if a block day (but more likely assignments as some others will likely be out). I think, as a PP said, it is important to let teachers know in advance. Your kid may have to submit work early or online while on the road in order to get credit. They can refuse to accommodate if it is a vacation. Maybe relate it as a "family event."

MCPS doesn’t care if students are present or not. Otherwise they would have full days leading up to Thanksgiving. Learning takes a backseat to family vacations.

Why is it the struggling students who so often take extra days right before or after break? Is it a chicken or egg thing?

Last year they were half days where they did nothing. Taking them out this year.