Anonymous wrote:I’m good with either blue or orange option (teacher).

We are thinking either blue or purple, but need to read to see what allows for the 177 student days.

2 ES Teachers

I’m good with either blue or orange option (teacher).

Anonymous wrote:I looked at the future calendars and I am PISSED that they are continuing to put spring break around Easter when they promised last year that they were going to stop doing that. It is so expensive to travel for spring break when it is aligned to easter - the only reason we are traveling this year is because Southwest just decided to hold a sale to make up for its holiday travel fiasco.

Well then they said they’d align it to other districts which every district is doing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I looked at the future calendars and I am PISSED that they are continuing to put spring break around Easter when they promised last year that they were going to stop doing that. It is so expensive to travel for spring break when it is aligned to easter - the only reason we are traveling this year is because Southwest just decided to hold a sale to make up for its holiday travel fiasco.

I also looked at the slide deck and it's very clear that they build these calendars around what teachers and staff want and not what families want. Families said they did not want spring break tied to easter, but teachers and staff did.

Neither of us need it tied to Easter. A fixed week is preferred.

ES Teachers

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I looked at the future calendars and I am PISSED that they are continuing to put spring break around Easter when they promised last year that they were going to stop doing that. It is so expensive to travel for spring break when it is aligned to easter - the only reason we are traveling this year is because Southwest just decided to hold a sale to make up for its holiday travel fiasco.

I also looked at the slide deck and it's very clear that they build these calendars around what teachers and staff want and not what families want. Families said they did not want spring break tied to easter, but teachers and staff did.

They should listen to teachers because they are the ones they need to retain.

Anonymous wrote:Where in the freaking page are the calendars? I can't seem to find them.

Page 12 of the PDF https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/CN2UZX7AB38F/$file/Calendar%20SB%202023.01.17%20final.pdf

It seems like the main changes are whether we start 8/21 or 8/28 for students and whether we have a shorter WB or a full 2 weeks. SB is aligned with Easter in all the options. If I HAD TO GUESS, I would say they go with the “Blue” calendar which is basically what we had this year; starting 8/21, 2 week WB, last day 6/14.

Where in the freaking page are the calendars? I can't seem to find them.

Anonymous wrote:I looked at the future calendars and I am PISSED that they are continuing to put spring break around Easter when they promised last year that they were going to stop doing that. It is so expensive to travel for spring break when it is aligned to easter - the only reason we are traveling this year is because Southwest just decided to hold a sale to make up for its holiday travel fiasco.

I also looked at the slide deck and it's very clear that they build these calendars around what teachers and staff want and not what families want. Families said they did not want spring break tied to easter, but teachers and staff did.

Looks like all the options are in this PDF? https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/CN2UZX7AB38F/$file/Calendar%20SB%202023.01.17%20final.pdf

I looked at the future calendars and I am PISSED that they are continuing to put spring break around Easter when they promised last year that they were going to stop doing that. It is so expensive to travel for spring break when it is aligned to easter - the only reason we are traveling this year is because Southwest just decided to hold a sale to make up for its holiday travel fiasco.

I don’t know how to link to the actual item - every time I try to copy the link it just links to the general board docs page. Anyway here is the text - going to look at the options now -

Subject: School Year 2023/24 Calendar

Staff Contact: Marty K Smith, chief operating officer

Other Staff Present: Sloan Presidio, chief academic officer
Nardos King, chief equity officer
Lisa Hall, chief experience and engagement officer
Sherry Wilson, assistant superintendent, Human Resources

Meeting Category: January 17, 2023 – Work Session

School Board Action Required: Discussion

Related to: Legal Requirement

Summary/Background:

Draft calendars have been created for the 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26 school years. Three frameworks were developed:

Draft blue calendar: starting 2 weeks before Labor Day, 2-week winter break, 180 instructional days
Draft orange calendar: starting 2 weeks before Labor Day, shortened winter break, 180 instructional days
Draft green calendar: starting 1 week before Labor Day, shortened winter break, 180 instructional days
Draft purple calendar: starting 2 weeks before Labor Day, 2-week winter break, 177 instructional days
Calendars were developed using the following criteria:

Federal, state and Virginia Department of Education guidance
Superintendent’s priorities
School Board input
Student absentee data
Staff absentee data
Surrounding jurisdictions’ calendars
Survey Results
Calendar Feedback Committee input

Anonymous wrote:I will have to kill myself if they give two weeks plus one day for winter break.

Apparently you survived this one.

Anonymous wrote:OH MY GOD WHY ARE THEY GIVING VETERANS DAY OFF????

I don’t understand that either. It’s another choppy calendar.

I will have to kill myself if they give two weeks plus one day for winter break.