Anonymous
Post 04/02/2014 12:04     Subject: Waiver approved
Anonymous wrote:So many parents were extremely vocal about their insistence that the days not be waived, that the state listened. Parents whose vacations are impacted by school Easter Monday should be just as vocal.
In MCPS, there is never a way to make everyone happy.


No kidding. If MCPS doesn't make up the days, that's bad. If MCPS makes up the days at the end of the year, that's bad. If MCPS makes up the days on any specific day before the end of the year, that's bad.

I'm sticking with my plan of blaming Joshua Starr for the weather.
Anonymous
Post 04/02/2014 12:00     Subject: Waiver approved
I agree PP. I am envisioning doubled classes with movies. Maybe I should have more faith than that but I don't.
Anonymous
Post 04/02/2014 11:55     Subject: Re:Waiver approved
The real question is how are they going to be able to find enough subs for all the teachers who will be out? This is also a crappy way to treat employees who have also made travel plans. I am a parent but two weeks out is simply not enough notice to change the calendar. We happen to be here and I will send my kid to school but I wonder if the school day will be beneficial in any way.
Anonymous
Post 04/02/2014 11:55     Subject: Waiver approved
So many parents were extremely vocal about their insistence that the days not be waived, that the state listened. Parents whose vacations are impacted by school Easter Monday should be just as vocal.
In MCPS, there is never a way to make everyone happy.
Anonymous
Post 04/02/2014 11:54     Subject: Waiver approved
Anonymous wrote:The problem with the plan is that it is impossible to plan for both possibilities. People pay for camps, camps get set up to run and hire staff for that week. People plan vacations. You have to assume that school will be out that week and make plans accordingly.

So if there suddenly is school - what happens? Camp staff don't get paid? Ordered food etc rots? Parents lose money paid for camps?

It isn't so easy to just say leave that week open and either there will or won't be school. At some point you have to make a plan either way.


And that would be true for any plan. If Easter Monday is a contingency day in the MCPS calendar next year (which would be fine with me), then you'd still have to make two plans, one for if there isn't school on Easter Monday, and one for if there is.
Anonymous
Post 04/02/2014 11:51     Subject: Waiver approved
The problem with the plan is that it is impossible to plan for both possibilities. People pay for camps, camps get set up to run and hire staff for that week. People plan vacations. You have to assume that school will be out that week and make plans accordingly.

So if there suddenly is school - what happens? Camp staff don't get paid? Ordered food etc rots? Parents lose money paid for camps?

It isn't so easy to just say leave that week open and either there will or won't be school. At some point you have to make a plan either way.
Anonymous
Post 04/02/2014 11:49     Subject: Waiver approved
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Its okay, it is one day, the schools are going to be 1/2 empty.


Tell that to my 5th grader who has perfect attendance. We take school seriously in our house. We did what the county asked and left the week open for snow day make-ups. But I guess the families that blew it off, signed up for camps and vacations and then complained got what they wanted. Less school to have to deal with. It is really sad that more people are excited school is ending early than upset that the plan in place was pulled out and changed because...??


This is a great learning opportunity for your 5th grader. Life doesn't always work out the way you want it to. It isn't fair, but sometimes that's the way the ball bounces. Missing a day of school certainly won't kill her.


I guess you never strived for perfect attendance as a kid? It is a big deal. I did it twice in 13yrs and it was an awesome feeling. We also had parties and certificates and shook hands with the principal but my guess is that they don't that anymore.

And really, it is the BOE fault for backing out of a plan that was a written policy. One they expected the parents to abide by.


Not the PP, but no, I didn't. When I was too sick to go to school, I stayed home.

And I don't agree with the idea that you should stick with a plan that is not a good plan, just because it's the plan.
Anonymous
Post 04/02/2014 11:46     Subject: Waiver approved
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Its okay, it is one day, the schools are going to be 1/2 empty.


Tell that to my 5th grader who has perfect attendance. We take school seriously in our house. We did what the county asked and left the week open for snow day make-ups. But I guess the families that blew it off, signed up for camps and vacations and then complained got what they wanted. Less school to have to deal with. It is really sad that more people are excited school is ending early than upset that the plan in place was pulled out and changed because...??


This is a great learning opportunity for your 5th grader. Life doesn't always work out the way you want it to. It isn't fair, but sometimes that's the way the ball bounces. Missing a day of school certainly won't kill her.


I guess you never strived for perfect attendance as a kid? It is a big deal. I did it twice in 13yrs and it was an awesome feeling. We also had parties and certificates and shook hands with the principal but my guess is that they don't that anymore.

And really, it is the BOE fault for backing out of a plan that was a written policy. One they expected the parents to abide by.
Anonymous
Post 04/02/2014 11:42     Subject: Waiver approved
Anonymous wrote:I think if they had a plan in place, it should have been followed. Otherwise, what's the point of the plan?


Exactly!!!
Anonymous
Post 04/02/2014 11:41     Subject: Waiver approved
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Its okay, it is one day, the schools are going to be 1/2 empty.


Tell that to my 5th grader who has perfect attendance. We take school seriously in our house. We did what the county asked and left the week open for snow day make-ups. But I guess the families that blew it off, signed up for camps and vacations and then complained got what they wanted. Less school to have to deal with. It is really sad that more people are excited school is ending early than upset that the plan in place was pulled out and changed because...??


This is a great learning opportunity for your 5th grader. Life doesn't always work out the way you want it to. It isn't fair, but sometimes that's the way the ball bounces. Missing a day of school certainly won't kill her.
Anonymous
Post 04/02/2014 11:38     Subject: Waiver approved
Write BOE and complain that the contingency plan doesn't work. MCPS needs to have a plan that they would actually implement, beginning with President's Day, teacher workdays, Easter Monday, and finally adding days in June. Other school districts in MD use this approach.

Anonymous
Post 04/02/2014 11:36     Subject: Waiver approved
I think if they had a plan in place, it should have been followed. Otherwise, what's the point of the plan?
Anonymous
Post 04/02/2014 11:36     Subject: Waiver approved
Anonymous wrote:I have no strong feelings about this year's plan. However, the scrambling and disorganization that leaves folks with travel issues and attendance concerns just highlights the importance of having a diversified plan for making up days that goes beyond tacking on days at the end and then requesting a waiver. I wrote a letter to the superintendent, Board of Ed, and state Board of Ed, asking that they come up with a more comprehensive plan for the inevitable future time we go over our allotted days. Those of you who feel strongly about this issue should do the same...



I agree with this.
Anonymous
Post 04/02/2014 11:34     Subject: Waiver approved
I have no strong feelings about this year's plan. However, the scrambling and disorganization that leaves folks with travel issues and attendance concerns just highlights the importance of having a diversified plan for making up days that goes beyond tacking on days at the end and then requesting a waiver. I wrote a letter to the superintendent, Board of Ed, and state Board of Ed, asking that they come up with a more comprehensive plan for the inevitable future time we go over our allotted days. Those of you who feel strongly about this issue should do the same...

Anonymous
Post 04/02/2014 11:23     Subject: Waiver approved
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Its okay, it is one day, the schools are going to be 1/2 empty.


Tell that to my 5th grader who has perfect attendance. We take school seriously in our house. We did what the county asked and left the week open for snow day make-ups. But I guess the families that blew it off, signed up for camps and vacations and then complained got what they wanted. Less school to have to deal with. It is really sad that more people are excited school is ending early than upset that the plan in place was pulled out and changed because...??


Actually, people are more excited that there aren't going to be six extra days of wasted time tacked onto the end of the year, than worried about your fifth-grader who has perfect attendance. Which is not to say that you and your fifth-grader shouldn't be upset. But I don't think that MCPS and the State of Maryland should make their decisions based on their effect on a fifth-grader with perfect attendance (to date) and vacation plans on Easter Monday. Life is uncertain. Plans change. That's a good lesson for everybody to learn.


By you saying the time is wasted just proved her point.

And it isn't about somebody's attendance. It is about having a plan and sticking with it. We all knew the contingency plan. Never was Easter Monday on it.