Anonymous
Post 08/23/2017 12:09     Subject: Hogan's calendar and the above-normal winter forecast
I'm only seeing a very wet and cold November predicted by the Farmer's Almanac. The rest doesn't look very concerning at all, although it's probably completely inaccurate.
https://www.almanac.com/weather/longrange/DC/Washington.

I also noticed a link to Doug Kammerer's "colder than normal" winter forecast for last year, which was completely wrong.

That said, I think cramming the school year in between Labor Day and June 15 just for the sake of Ocean City businesses is insane and short-sighted.
Anonymous
Post 08/23/2017 11:57     Subject: Hogan's calendar and the above-normal winter forecast
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Who are you people that freak out about this stuff? We booked our spring break trip to the Caribbean, and I couldn't care less if we have a snowy winter that *might* prompt shaving off a day or two of spring break. What's the big deal if my kids miss a day or two...especially since we all know that *if* that happens there will be tons of subs since many teachers will be on vacation and the only thing your kid will miss is videos and random worksheets.

Given the controversy surrounding Hogan's personal crusade with this calendar, I suspect he will grant waivers if we end up using too many snow days.

Seriously, there's nothing to worry about. Book your spring break trip.


You sound like a clueless parent of young children. At the high school level, missing days of school is a big deal. And many sports or music practices require near perfect attendance once you reach a certain age. For example my middle schooler's choir allows just 2 absences a semester.


+1 Exactly
Anonymous
Post 08/23/2017 11:56     Subject: Hogan's calendar and the above-normal winter forecast
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
In my home country the students have shorter summer breaks, one week around All Saints Day, two weeks at Christmas, one week in February and two weeks at Easter. It's so much better: students can go on skiing vacations or just relax instead of building up tension throughout the school year then getting brain drain in summer.

How I wish the school systems around here would implement something like this...


NP. I really like the sound of this kind of schedule. What does summer break look like then?


This in France. Summer holidays are from July to August, so two months. School starts in September, just when the temperature cools off and leaves start to fall (more in the north than the south, but it's a small country!), which is a good psychological cue.

Many people can get as much as 5 weeks off there, so the weeks-long breaks come in really useful for travel for the whole family, a different times in the year. At upper management levels, of course, it's not done to take all of your paid leave. My father took three weeks total every year, which compared to American standards is still nice.
Anonymous
Post 08/23/2017 11:48     Subject: Hogan's calendar and the above-normal winter forecast
Anonymous wrote:Who are you people that freak out about this stuff? We booked our spring break trip to the Caribbean, and I couldn't care less if we have a snowy winter that *might* prompt shaving off a day or two of spring break. What's the big deal if my kids miss a day or two...especially since we all know that *if* that happens there will be tons of subs since many teachers will be on vacation and the only thing your kid will miss is videos and random worksheets.

Given the controversy surrounding Hogan's personal crusade with this calendar, I suspect he will grant waivers if we end up using too many snow days.

Seriously, there's nothing to worry about. Book your spring break trip.


You sound like a clueless parent of young children. At the high school level, missing days of school is a big deal. And many sports or music practices require near perfect attendance once you reach a certain age. For example my middle schooler's choir allows just 2 absences a semester.

Anonymous
Post 08/23/2017 11:44     Subject: Hogan's calendar and the above-normal winter forecast
Anonymous wrote:
In my home country the students have shorter summer breaks, one week around All Saints Day, two weeks at Christmas, one week in February and two weeks at Easter. It's so much better: students can go on skiing vacations or just relax instead of building up tension throughout the school year then getting brain drain in summer.

How I wish the school systems around here would implement something like this...


NP. I really like the sound of this kind of schedule. What does summer break look like then?
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2017 18:58     Subject: Hogan's calendar and the above-normal winter forecast
Who are you people that freak out about this stuff? We booked our spring break trip to the Caribbean, and I couldn't care less if we have a snowy winter that *might* prompt shaving off a day or two of spring break. What's the big deal if my kids miss a day or two...especially since we all know that *if* that happens there will be tons of subs since many teachers will be on vacation and the only thing your kid will miss is videos and random worksheets.

Given the controversy surrounding Hogan's personal crusade with this calendar, I suspect he will grant waivers if we end up using too many snow days.

Seriously, there's nothing to worry about. Book your spring break trip.
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2017 18:08     Subject: Re:Hogan's calendar and the above-normal winter forecast
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Of course. The drama around the start date being a week later is ridiculous.


Have you checked the forecast?


You really need to unclench.

One week doesn't make a difference
A few snow days and whatever result of waivers doesn't make a difference
Spring Break shortened or not doesn't make a difference.
Your kids missing a few days of school if you book a vacation doesn't make a difference.

There are much bigger problems in this world. It is summer and you are worried about click bait snow forecasts 5 months away?

Sit back and drink a Margarita. Live a little more. Stress a little less.



Great answer. I'm now taking pp advice and pouring myself a glass of wine.

Happy summer!
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2017 18:04     Subject: Re:Hogan's calendar and the above-normal winter forecast
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Of course. The drama around the start date being a week later is ridiculous.


The summer is mandated to be two weeks longer, not one. All school days (including snow make up days) must take place before June 15.


This year they wanted to start two weeks before Labor Day, but normally it is just one week. We still have plenty of random days off so I'm not concerned.


No, we actually don't.

List these "random" days.


I'm assuming you have a school calendar, but since you can't seem to find it the dates after Jan 1 are:

1/15
1/25 (half day)
1/26
2/19
3/2 (half day)
4/9 (half day)
5/28
6/13
6/14
6/15



Random days are stupid. You can't go anywhere, have to arrange for child-care, it takes away from instruction time, and it doesn't feel and can never take the place of a vacation.



So you're saying that it's good to just have a lover summer break. All the days off are kept together.


Sorry, not following you.

I'm saying it's much better to have solid weeks off at regular times during the school year, that people can remember to plan for, and if they're not leaving for vacation at those times, they can enroll their children in fun or relaxing activities that last that entire week (if need be) and have a defined program instead of scrambling for random babysitting on single days off.

Also, my larger point is that it's SO MUCH BETTER for children to have psychological breathing spaces in their school year and less time to forget academic knowledge during the summer. Kids look forward to those and can really decompress, whereas a single day off won't do much - there will always be school the next day.

Another, more minor point is that summers are too hot and humid to enjoy the outdoors in some parts of the country, and that students could enjoy spending time outdoors for longer periods during other breaks.

Anonymous
Post 08/19/2017 17:56     Subject: Re:Hogan's calendar and the above-normal winter forecast
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Of course. The drama around the start date being a week later is ridiculous.


The summer is mandated to be two weeks longer, not one. All school days (including snow make up days) must take place before June 15.


This year they wanted to start two weeks before Labor Day, but normally it is just one week. We still have plenty of random days off so I'm not concerned.


No, we actually don't.

List these "random" days.


I'm assuming you have a school calendar, but since you can't seem to find it the dates after Jan 1 are:

1/15
1/25 (half day)
1/26
2/19
3/2 (half day)
4/9 (half day)
5/28
6/13
6/14
6/15



Random days are stupid. You can't go anywhere, have to arrange for child-care, it takes away from instruction time, and it doesn't feel and can never take the place of a vacation.



So you're saying that it's good to just have a lover summer break. All the days off are kept together.
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2017 17:55     Subject: Re:Hogan's calendar and the above-normal winter forecast
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Of course. The drama around the start date being a week later is ridiculous.


Have you checked the forecast?


You really need to unclench.

One week doesn't make a difference
A few snow days and whatever result of waivers doesn't make a difference
Spring Break shortened or not doesn't make a difference.
Your kids missing a few days of school if you book a vacation doesn't make a difference.

There are much bigger problems in this world. It is summer and you are worried about click bait snow forecasts 5 months away?

Sit back and drink a Margarita. Live a little more. Stress a little less.

Anonymous
Post 08/19/2017 17:42     Subject: Re:Hogan's calendar and the above-normal winter forecast
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Of course. The drama around the start date being a week later is ridiculous.


The summer is mandated to be two weeks longer, not one. All school days (including snow make up days) must take place before June 15.


This year they wanted to start two weeks before Labor Day, but normally it is just one week. We still have plenty of random days off so I'm not concerned.


No, we actually don't.

List these "random" days.


I'm assuming you have a school calendar, but since you can't seem to find it the dates after Jan 1 are:

1/15
1/25 (half day)
1/26
2/19
3/2 (half day)
4/9 (half day)
5/28
6/13
6/14
6/15

MLK Day is a "random day" in your opinion? Memorial Day is random? Funny, I thought those were federal holidays that schools are closed by law not the whim of MCPS. I can kinda give you Presidents Day since this isn't Virginia, but really?



I don't know if mlk and president's day are mandated by md law. I should have double-checked, but I work for a Fortune 500 company and neither of those days are holidays. Same for my DH's nonprofit based in MD (and affiliated with a university). Memorial Day should be removed. I know Easter Monday is mandated by law to be a day off (which I think is ridiculous and I'm catholic) so I didn't include it. 13, 14 and 15 should stay because the school year has to end by that date so they could be make-up days.

I still thinks lots of drama for nothing.
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2017 17:34     Subject: Hogan's calendar and the above-normal winter forecast
Anonymous wrote:June 13,14 and 15 aren't even school days. Why did you include them in your list?


Because she's talking out her arse about random days off.
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2017 17:33     Subject: Re:Hogan's calendar and the above-normal winter forecast
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Of course. The drama around the start date being a week later is ridiculous.


The summer is mandated to be two weeks longer, not one. All school days (including snow make up days) must take place before June 15.


This year they wanted to start two weeks before Labor Day, but normally it is just one week. We still have plenty of random days off so I'm not concerned.


No, we actually don't.

List these "random" days.


I'm assuming you have a school calendar, but since you can't seem to find it the dates after Jan 1 are:

1/15
1/25 (half day)
1/26
2/19
3/2 (half day)
4/9 (half day)
5/28
6/13
6/14
6/15

MLK Day is a "random day" in your opinion? Memorial Day is random? Funny, I thought those were federal holidays that schools are closed by law not the whim of MCPS. I can kinda give you Presidents Day since this isn't Virginia, but really?

Anonymous
Post 08/19/2017 17:31     Subject: Hogan's calendar and the above-normal winter forecast
June 13,14 and 15 aren't even school days. Why did you include them in your list?
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2017 17:27     Subject: Hogan's calendar and the above-normal winter forecast
You can't be serious about including Memorial Day, Presidents' Day and MLK days as random days off.