Anonymous wrote:So b/c of snow days, delays and MSA testing, my 4th grader in compacted math says his class is a month behind in the curriculum.

Who doesn't want a waiver. ME! I want his class to be able to catch up.

My child is in compacted math as well. Frankly, they've spend so much time going over the same concepts over and over and over, that being a month behind is probably the same as being right on track. Way to go 2.0!

Maybe that's the silver lining of 2.0: no matter how many days you miss, you don't get behind b/c you're never moving ahead. That's the way you must reason in order to make sense of MCPS.

So b/c of snow days, delays and MSA testing, my 4th grader in compacted math says his class is a month behind in the curriculum.

Who doesn't want a waiver. ME! I want his class to be able to catch up.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don't learn anything in 2.0. What is the point of extending a week? Agree free child care is basically the only things MCPS provides.

this is a little over the top no?

A little?

What money??? Yes, the professional staff (admin and teachers) won't need to be paid if the school year us extended..but the hourly staff (bus drivers, cafeteria workers, paraeducators, security, maintenance, etc.) will need to be paid...and the current budget doesn't contemplate those additional (and significant) expenses. Seriously people, thus isn't going to happen. Make your child care arrangements now.

Not quite. That would entail pushing assessments back...which would affect grading and report cards. They aren't going to do that. Period. It's simply not how things work at mcps. They'll extend it through Friday, but they won't tack on another week. End of story.

Anonymous wrote:To 14:07 - it's more than kids checking out. It's the fact that there's no way in hell they will spend tons of money to extend school for one week when they can simply cover whatever concepts must be covered in order to do the final assessments in late May. Extending school for one week would result in busy work...not a more thorough review of new concepts (as assessments are completed in May).

Again: Talk to a teacher and ask them what they actually do during the last week of school. The answer is nothing. Busy work. And the Superintendent knows this and won't go over budget to finance a week of "nothing."

What money?

If it's extended ten what would have been the last week the students will still be learning even if notduring the new last week.

Anonymous wrote:I agree that the last week of school is fairly mindless.

But the concept "they don't do anything the last week, so don't extend" is silly. If the last week is now June 19, then the week of June 9 is no longer "the last week."

All this being said, I'm in favor of a partial waiver, but not a full one. Extend to June 17 or 18. I definitely think the 2 days missed for the State of Emergency on Feb. 13-14 should be waived. I'm not convinced about the others.

This is my view as well.

It is true that they don't do much during the last week - but that applies whenever that last week occurs. If the waiver is denied then the days-wasting would just occur later than normal, it would not begin when school would have ended (but for the snow).

As far as I'm concerned they can extend all the way to the end of that last week of school, June 20th.

But it is the 10th week of the planned 9 week quarter. It does not help with concepts missed in the 3rd quarter. Older kids may not even be in the same classes that they missed in December.

I agree that the last week of school is fairly mindless.

But the concept "they don't do anything the last week, so don't extend" is silly. If the last week is now June 19, then the week of June 9 is no longer "the last week."

All this being said, I'm in favor of a partial waiver, but not a full one. Extend to June 17 or 18. I definitely think the 2 days missed for the State of Emergency on Feb. 13-14 should be waived. I'm not convinced about the others.

To 14:07 - it's more than kids checking out. It's the fact that there's no way in hell they will spend tons of money to extend school for one week when they can simply cover whatever concepts must be covered in order to do the final assessments in late May. Extending school for one week would result in busy work...not a more thorough review of new concepts (as assessments are completed in May).

Again: Talk to a teacher and ask them what they actually do during the last week of school. The answer is nothing. Busy work. And the Superintendent knows this and won't go over budget to finance a week of "nothing."

Anonymous wrote:They don't learn anything in 2.0. What is the point of extending a week? Agree free child care is basically the only things MCPS provides.

this is a little over the top no?

And you think that missed work will be covered mid-June?

I am opposed of the waiver and all the crappy parents who use the excuse that kids are "checked out". Our own parents and grandparents valued an education and encouraged kids, worked with teachers and made us do the work. Summer camps were NEVER a priority.

Parents these days coddle, complain in front of their kids, side with their whiny kids and choose camps over school. It is really sad. You all say it is just daycare and they don't learn anything anyway? Wow, then homeschool your kids. I like my kids teachers. They have missed a lot since Christmas and it is a year they will never get back again. I can see the difference it has made in their attitude and I clearly see my younger one has missed a lot of what her brother 2yrs older learned. I want to show them that blowing off school isn't the norm. Hard workers finish the job.

They can be covered quickly or thoroughly. with lots of examples or a few. The teachers will not likely even know what is happening with the days by the end of the third quarter. They will get back on track same way I will after missing work today.