Anonymous wrote:Moving Spring Break to a random week while not aligning with other school districts (where teachers live) will go backwards in thought/teacher retention.

We weren’t aligned before and it didn’t cause a massive crisis (I’ve worked for APS for 7 years)

Anonymous wrote:Moving Spring Break to a random week while not aligning with other school districts (where teachers live) will go backwards in thought/teacher retention.

There's no reason APS can't talk to neighboring school districts.

I suspect that many teachers may actually appreciate the cheaper spring break airfare and lodging. Those with younger kids or with older than HS would likely appreciate the change.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS calendar is terrible with all these choppy weeks

Horrendous

I think APS needs to offer extended day coverage at schools on these single days off like Fairfax County does. It would make working parents' lives so much easier.

Yes. And I think they could have an "opt-in" program where you pay $50 for each day, but that you must opt-in at the start of the year. I'd sign up for every single one!!

Though the holidays are tougher. Teacher work days make sense because the schools are open and full of staff. Holidays the schools are closed. I am sure they could arrange this, but I can at least understand some of the staffing challenges (custodial, administrative) if Ext Day runs on non-school days.

Moving Spring Break to a random week while not aligning with other school districts (where teachers live) will go backwards in thought/teacher retention.

Anonymous wrote:It makes the most sense to have spring break at the end of third quarter, tack an extra day for grade prep at the end. Give all employees two floating holidays for religious observances.

This!

Anonymous wrote:Spring break shouldn’t be connected to Easter.

And we shouldn’t have off for all of these various religious holidays. It’s all or none and I vote none.

Have flexibility around assignments/testing on those days, if absolutely necessary.

+1

Just because a bunch of humans thousands of years ago made up some stories about God and now people still identify with this based on where their ancestors are from (even though we all know deep down that even if there is a God, religion I just a bunch of made up malarkey) doesn’t mean my kids shouldn’t go to school today. A Wednesday off is so disruptive to the school week and can’t be made into a long weekend. My SN kid was really out of sorts this morning from the change in schedule and I had to pay nearly $500 out of pocket on camps in order to work because a holiday I don’t even celebrate.

I think I could stomach it better if it were cited as a staffing issue (for instance I know there have been bus driver shortages during orthodox Easter). Because then I’m being inconvenienced for a rational, statistical decision regarding school operations.

But being out a bunch of money and dealing with a morning kid meltdown so someone else can practice their religion (I am not religious so I do not seek any sort of inconvenience from others for this purpose) just grates.

And totally agree about separating SB and Easter. I also don’t want to pay higher airfare just so people can travel to take their family photos and post “He Is Risen” all over their FB feeds.

If people want a school year that acknowledges their religion then choose a religious based school. The end.

It makes the most sense to have spring break at the end of third quarter, tack an extra day for grade prep at the end. Give all employees two floating holidays for religious observances.

People who bleat bUtwhuTaBoUtChrisTmAs?? need to remember that it’s a federal holiday.

So yes, we’re going to have off AND the vast majority of people in the US celebrate on and around the day, so without “winter break” there would be attendance issues greater than any involving Eid, Rosh Hashanah, or Lunar New Year (I’m looking at you, lcps).

Anonymous wrote:Spring break shouldn’t be connected to Easter.

And we shouldn’t have off for all of these various religious holidays. It’s all or none and I vote none.

Have flexibility around assignments/testing on those days, if absolutely necessary.

+1

Spring break shouldn’t be connected to Easter.

And we shouldn’t have off for all of these various religious holidays. It’s all or none and I vote none.

Have flexibility around assignments/testing on those days, if absolutely necessary.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS blows.

What about all the other PS in the area off today?

Do they have Monday off too?

Anonymous wrote:APS blows.

What about all the other PS in the area off today?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Attendance is important though. Ha. We really couldn’t consolidate today’s holiday with the grading day?

It's a religious holiday so no. APS doesn't control when Eid al-Fitr is. No one has an issue when Christmas falls in the middle of the week and we build spring break around easter every single year, I don't think it is THAT much of a burden to have ONE day off a year so that students of another major religion get some protected time with their families where they aren't missing content etc. for one major holiday. I am Christian, for the record. Yes it is annoying how it falls with the grading period, it has felt like a lot lately. But I don't think the general premise is flawed.

I think a lot of people (most?) would be happy to disconnect Easter from Spring break for less expensive travel. And Easter is on a Sunday, so it doesn't really matter.

APS needs to consolidate it's days off. Why do we have both Wednesday and Monday off? Non-muslim teachers could certainly work today.

-someone who celebrates Easter

YES! I'd love to separate the two. Airfare is so expensive over the Holy Week and it's a pain to travel. Growing up, we never had Spring Break tied to Easter, as it was early in March. This is the only region that I'm familiar with that couples Spring Break with Easter. Most S/W states keep separate but then will have F or M off for Easter weekend.

APS blows.

Anonymous wrote:At a minimum, they should change it so that there is no grade prep day if there is another holiday in the two weeks prior. Also not all school districts have grade prep days as days off. I think they should have says off for grade prep or religious holidays, but not both. Some teachers would likely prefer a longer summer break anyway.

This is the correct answer.