Anonymous
Post 01/18/2017 09:46     Subject: DCPS 17-18 Draft Calendar Released
What Inspired Teaching PCS did this year for specials - since you're right in that in every school, Monday and Friday specials always seem to get the short shrift - they do a 5-day rotating schedule for specials, so it's not always Monday = PE, but Day A = PE. And if we have a day off for PD or holiday, the days just shift along with that. The days are updated on our school calendar and on Bloomz. It's been wonderful for the kids - and probably great for the specials teachers who get to plan to see all classes equal times! I'll share this suggestion with DCPS, as well.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2017 20:29     Subject: DCPS 17-18 Draft Calendar Released
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:15:32, you may want to take that up with your schools leadership. You will replace foreign language with what? Art, music, PE? Others may find that more important than foreign language.


I don't want to replace it with anything. That's why I think it's ridiculous that there are 14 Fridays off. They miss 14 weeks of whatever is scheduled that day. I don't care what it is, that's too much!


Better to have multiple Friday's off (long weekends for us to visit grandma) instead of half days.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2017 19:32     Subject: DCPS 17-18 Draft Calendar Released
Anonymous wrote:15:32, you may want to take that up with your schools leadership. You will replace foreign language with what? Art, music, PE? Others may find that more important than foreign language.


I don't want to replace it with anything. That's why I think it's ridiculous that there are 14 Fridays off. They miss 14 weeks of whatever is scheduled that day. I don't care what it is, that's too much!
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2017 19:00     Subject: Re:DCPS 17-18 Draft Calendar Released
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't mind a short winter break if Spring break stays early - do warm trip then. Last time it was set up like this - they moved Spring Break to end of April durin gthe summer so keep an eye on it.

What I do mind is two things.

One. Again five out of six Fridays off from Oct 27 through Dec 1. That killed me this year - too many four day weeks. Start a darn week later.

Two. Five day long Memorial Day weekend????


Now there's a summer vacation opportunity. OBX would be perfect...and cheap!


So you're blowing off parent teacher conferences?
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2017 18:14     Subject: Re:DCPS 17-18 Draft Calendar Released
Winter Break is way too short. This year was short and next year's proposed break is a day less.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2017 17:59     Subject: Re:DCPS 17-18 Draft Calendar Released
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't mind a short winter break if Spring break stays early - do warm trip then. Last time it was set up like this - they moved Spring Break to end of April durin gthe summer so keep an eye on it.

What I do mind is two things.

One. Again five out of six Fridays off from Oct 27 through Dec 1. That killed me this year - too many four day weeks. Start a darn week later.

Two. Five day long Memorial Day weekend????


Now there's a summer vacation opportunity. OBX would be perfect...and cheap!


Oh, I agree and it's a good time of the year to do a driving vacation as things will be warm. Just seems odd.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2017 17:57     Subject: Re:DCPS 17-18 Draft Calendar Released
Anonymous wrote:I don't mind a short winter break if Spring break stays early - do warm trip then. Last time it was set up like this - they moved Spring Break to end of April durin gthe summer so keep an eye on it.

What I do mind is two things.

One. Again five out of six Fridays off from Oct 27 through Dec 1. That killed me this year - too many four day weeks. Start a darn week later.

Two. Five day long Memorial Day weekend????


Now there's a summer vacation opportunity. OBX would be perfect...and cheap!
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2017 17:55     Subject: Re:DCPS 17-18 Draft Calendar Released
I don't mind a short winter break if Spring break stays early - do warm trip then. Last time it was set up like this - they moved Spring Break to end of April durin gthe summer so keep an eye on it.

What I do mind is two things.

One. Again five out of six Fridays off from Oct 27 through Dec 1. That killed me this year - too many four day weeks. Start a darn week later.

Two. Five day long Memorial Day weekend????
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2017 17:01     Subject: DCPS 17-18 Draft Calendar Released
Anonymous wrote:15:32, you may want to take that up with your schools leadership. You will replace foreign language with what? Art, music, PE? Others may find that more important than foreign language.


To avoid this problem, our elementary school went to a 6 day schedule, with a different special on each day. The rotation pauses on no school days, so there's no class missed. (That doesn't change your overall point that it's absurd the number of Fridays with no school.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2017 16:58     Subject: DCPS 17-18 Draft Calendar Released
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Good thing we're doing Disney for Spring Break this year.


See ya there!


Anonymous
Post 01/17/2017 16:56     Subject: DCPS 17-18 Draft Calendar Released
15:32, you may want to take that up with your schools leadership. You will replace foreign language with what? Art, music, PE? Others may find that more important than foreign language.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2017 16:35     Subject: DCPS 17-18 Draft Calendar Released
Anonymous wrote:Good thing we're doing Disney for Spring Break this year.


See ya there!
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2017 16:33     Subject: DCPS 17-18 Draft Calendar Released
Good thing we're doing Disney for Spring Break this year.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2017 15:38     Subject: DCPS 17-18 Draft Calendar Released
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:That is awful. My kid had foreign language instruction on Fridays this year. I'm not even sure what the point was of taking it, they were hardly ever there.

I counted. 14 Fridays off in this proposed calendar, plus 9 Mondays and assorted other Thursdays plus T-Th for the winter and spring breaks.

I suggest that they take 4 of the Fridays off and move them to the week of Dec. 17, giving the students a proper winter break of 2 weeks. This would alleviate some of the disparity of canceled Friday specials, would allow families to travel for Christmas or for a vacation if they are so inclined and would reduce the disruption so many 4 day school weeks have on learning.

And yes, I responded to the survey.


I think people complained last year that the winter break in 2015 was too long.


I loved it because it seemed to finally clear the lice out of the classroom. This year, they came back and promptly the next day we got a new case of lice notification.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2017 15:34     Subject: Re:DCPS 17-18 Draft Calendar Released
In comparison, Montgomery County has the same 180 days of school, ends at the same time in mid-June, but starts two weeks later. DC has a much shorter summer and instead has random days off throughout the year. That's much more disruptive and difficult for childcare (not to mention, difficult for children with autism, like mine, who need more regularity). And, yes, I submitted this to the survey too.