Anonymous
Post 09/26/2017 21:31     Subject: Next Year's School Calendar
School should never art before Labor Day. I absolutely abhorred the years when it started the week before. Complete insanity. Nothing is wrong with shorter school year and less contact days. Longer spring and winter break too. It isn't about days is about teaching effectively. Prior to MCPS my kids attended British International School, started around 1st of September and ended by early June. Had over 2 weeks for Christmas breaks and almost as much for Easter. And learned a ton more But, unless government demanded this and that holiday must be no school days, kids went to school. There were no random days off.
Anonymous
Post 09/26/2017 06:50     Subject: Re:Next Year's School Calendar
As a public high school teacher, I love the after Labor Day start to the school year. Whereas it usually takes my students a couple of weeks to exit summer mode, this year they came into the classroom with a different attitude. They had enjoyed a full summer and it seemed natural and appropriate to get down to fall business after Labor Day. I felt the same way, as did my own kids. Now I look forward to a school year where we are finally seeing our students for full five day weeks most of the time. I can plan and teach without the constant disruption of single days off here and there. I know others have posted that they enjoy having many single days off throughout the year to provide breaks for kids, but as a teacher I find these days to be very disruptive to the learning process. I'd much rather review a bit with students after a long summer and then take off on my curriculum than to deal with constant disruptions throughout the year.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2017 21:18     Subject: Next Year's School Calendar
Anonymous wrote:MCPS has 11 weeks of summer in 2018. That seems very normal. For those that think most school districts are far less than that, please point them out because Mid June to Labor Day seems to be what most Northeast schools do. Those warm weather districts go mid August to Memorial Day. Same amount of time. The schools that start in late Aug get done a little earlier or have many more days off. I for one do not like that. We have family in FCPS and they hate their calendar. They had to fight like mad just a few years ago to get rid of half day Fridays. EVERY Friday was a half day.

The only reason FCPS started a week earlier is because they were getting done in late June because their county takes off if is below 30, flurries, or a bus can't start which seems to happen more often than not. I am pretty sure last year the last day was June 27th.

This year they start on Aug 28th and get done June 15th with no snow days yet added in.

They get off Dec 16th to Jan 2nd for winter break
They get off March 24th to April 3rd for spring break
They get off for 2 days after every quarter for "student holiday"
They also get multiple other holidays off including Columbus Day.

My sister complains that they only have 23 full weeks of school out of 44 weeks. As a working mom, it is extremely hard for her. She also hates having the week before Christmas off because she can't afford to take both weeks off and has to pay for a one week camp which is pricy.

So I guess you just can't please everyone. Not everyone wants random days sprinkled off all year. Some want it all in one lump in the summer. I am one of those moms. Some of you aren't. MCPS can not please everyone. But like another poster said, if we started Aug 28th this year, we would have been off for Eid that very first week and people would have been annoyed at that. Damn if you do, damn if you don't.


It's 12 weeks. Check again.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2017 10:08     Subject: Next Year's School Calendar
MCPS has 11 weeks of summer in 2018. That seems very normal. For those that think most school districts are far less than that, please point them out because Mid June to Labor Day seems to be what most Northeast schools do. Those warm weather districts go mid August to Memorial Day. Same amount of time. The schools that start in late Aug get done a little earlier or have many more days off. I for one do not like that. We have family in FCPS and they hate their calendar. They had to fight like mad just a few years ago to get rid of half day Fridays. EVERY Friday was a half day.

The only reason FCPS started a week earlier is because they were getting done in late June because their county takes off if is below 30, flurries, or a bus can't start which seems to happen more often than not. I am pretty sure last year the last day was June 27th.

This year they start on Aug 28th and get done June 15th with no snow days yet added in.

They get off Dec 16th to Jan 2nd for winter break
They get off March 24th to April 3rd for spring break
They get off for 2 days after every quarter for "student holiday"
They also get multiple other holidays off including Columbus Day.

My sister complains that they only have 23 full weeks of school out of 44 weeks. As a working mom, it is extremely hard for her. She also hates having the week before Christmas off because she can't afford to take both weeks off and has to pay for a one week camp which is pricy.

So I guess you just can't please everyone. Not everyone wants random days sprinkled off all year. Some want it all in one lump in the summer. I am one of those moms. Some of you aren't. MCPS can not please everyone. But like another poster said, if we started Aug 28th this year, we would have been off for Eid that very first week and people would have been annoyed at that. Damn if you do, damn if you don't.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2017 09:01     Subject: Next Year's School Calendar
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We are now required to have a 12 week summer at the expense of a guaranteed spring break. Would much rather have spring break. The June end date is absurd but no one focuses on that.


How is it any different than Florida schools that started Aug 14th and get done May 30th? 12 weeks of Summer is the norm. Adding every religious holiday off, multiple teacher service days, and an 11 day Spring Break to shorten summer to 10 weeks is not.

MCPS used to always have mid June to Labor Day. This only changed about 13 years ago. Decades before that it was always 12 weeks. They are just getting back to that.


May 31st, 2017, to August 14th, 2017 (the Orange County, Florida, school calendar) is 10.5 weeks of vacation, not 12 (actually 75 days). This is very similar to what MCPS used to have. On the other hand, June 15, 2018, to September 3, 2018 (the mandated MD summer break) is 11.5 weeks, also not 12 (actually 81 days). Although MCPS may end up with closer to 12 weeks since the last day of school is scheduled for June 12 to allow for makeup days.

At least do the math right if you are going to bring in comparisons with other parts of the country.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2017 08:03     Subject: Next Year's School Calendar
12 weeks of summer is not the norm.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2017 08:00     Subject: Next Year's School Calendar
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We are now required to have a 12 week summer at the expense of a guaranteed spring break. Would much rather have spring break. The June end date is absurd but no one focuses on that.


How is it any different than Florida schools that started Aug 14th and get done May 30th? 12 weeks of Summer is the norm. Adding every religious holiday off, multiple teacher service days, and an 11 day Spring Break to shorten summer to 10 weeks is not.

MCPS used to always have mid June to Labor Day. This only changed about 13 years ago. Decades before that it was always 12 weeks. They are just getting back to that.


What do Florida schools have to do with MoCo? Is the FL system suddenly well regarded?


I think the point is 12 weeks of summer is the norm across the country except at small pockets that do year round school. But you knew that. Do you think MCPS is well regarded? lol


Actually, yes. MCPS is well regarded by everyone else who does live in a rich neighborhood in Montgomery County.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2017 06:20     Subject: Next Year's School Calendar
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We are now required to have a 12 week summer at the expense of a guaranteed spring break. Would much rather have spring break. The June end date is absurd but no one focuses on that.


How is it any different than Florida schools that started Aug 14th and get done May 30th? 12 weeks of Summer is the norm. Adding every religious holiday off, multiple teacher service days, and an 11 day Spring Break to shorten summer to 10 weeks is not.

MCPS used to always have mid June to Labor Day. This only changed about 13 years ago. Decades before that it was always 12 weeks. They are just getting back to that.


What do Florida schools have to do with MoCo? Is the FL system suddenly well regarded?


I think the point is 12 weeks of summer is the norm across the country except at small pockets that do year round school. But you knew that. Do you think MCPS is well regarded? lol


I doubt that it is the norm.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2017 01:15     Subject: Next Year's School Calendar
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We are now required to have a 12 week summer at the expense of a guaranteed spring break. Would much rather have spring break. The June end date is absurd but no one focuses on that.


How is it any different than Florida schools that started Aug 14th and get done May 30th? 12 weeks of Summer is the norm. Adding every religious holiday off, multiple teacher service days, and an 11 day Spring Break to shorten summer to 10 weeks is not.

MCPS used to always have mid June to Labor Day. This only changed about 13 years ago. Decades before that it was always 12 weeks. They are just getting back to that.


What do Florida schools have to do with MoCo? Is the FL system suddenly well regarded?


I think the point is 12 weeks of summer is the norm across the country except at small pockets that do year round school. But you knew that. Do you think MCPS is well regarded? lol
Anonymous
Post 09/24/2017 22:08     Subject: Next Year's School Calendar
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I truly hope they get rid of the Jewish holidays. Less than 10% of the population in MCPS is Jewish and starting the school off with three 4 day weeks is ridiculous.


They really should get rid of the days between Christmas and New Years too. They're not even holidays.


Weekends off too. 180 days straight, starting the day after Labor Day and ending in early March. Let spring and summer be spring and summer.


OMG. Mamma and Pappa could use a break! Send the kids to school on Saturday and Sunday and get the $h!t done that we need to get done without those whiney little suckers making a mess around the house. Booyah!
Anonymous
Post 09/24/2017 21:05     Subject: Next Year's School Calendar
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I truly hope they get rid of the Jewish holidays. Less than 10% of the population in MCPS is Jewish and starting the school off with three 4 day weeks is ridiculous.


They really should get rid of the days between Christmas and New Years too. They're not even holidays.


Weekends off too. 180 days straight, starting the day after Labor Day and ending in early March. Let spring and summer be spring and summer.
Anonymous
Post 09/24/2017 20:57     Subject: Next Year's School Calendar
Anonymous wrote:I truly hope they get rid of the Jewish holidays. Less than 10% of the population in MCPS is Jewish and starting the school off with three 4 day weeks is ridiculous.


They really should get rid of the days between Christmas and New Years too. They're not even holidays.
Anonymous
Post 09/24/2017 19:47     Subject: Next Year's School Calendar
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We are now required to have a 12 week summer at the expense of a guaranteed spring break. Would much rather have spring break. The June end date is absurd but no one focuses on that.


How is it any different than Florida schools that started Aug 14th and get done May 30th? 12 weeks of Summer is the norm. Adding every religious holiday off, multiple teacher service days, and an 11 day Spring Break to shorten summer to 10 weeks is not.

MCPS used to always have mid June to Labor Day. This only changed about 13 years ago. Decades before that it was always 12 weeks. They are just getting back to that.


As parent of HS student the delayed start is a real problem for my child. AP and IB exams are in the month of May and the late start puts my child beyond schedule. FCPS start August 28th in contradiction to the Virginia Beach. Why, because they recognized kids needed that extra week to prepare for end-of-year tests.

Also there is very little in terms of child-care/camps for younger kids and not everyone can take a week at Ocean City then. Many businesses need their workers then as well.

Last year, many Delaware beaches didn't have lifeguards the last weeks of August because college kids had to go back to school. The beaches hire college kids because they can start mid-May and work until mid-august which is when most people go to the beach.
in short, this schedule has been nothing but a mess for my family.


You do realize that you would have only started 4 days earlier because of Eid? And 3 of those days would have been teacher service days for all 3 quarters. So starting after Labor Day gets your child 1 extra school day. Nice try though.

You should be 100% against an 11 day Spring Break in April then, correct? I would think that would affect the AP curriculum and testing in early May.
Anonymous
Post 09/24/2017 19:21     Subject: Next Year's School Calendar
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We are now required to have a 12 week summer at the expense of a guaranteed spring break. Would much rather have spring break. The June end date is absurd but no one focuses on that.


How is it any different than Florida schools that started Aug 14th and get done May 30th? 12 weeks of Summer is the norm. Adding every religious holiday off, multiple teacher service days, and an 11 day Spring Break to shorten summer to 10 weeks is not.

MCPS used to always have mid June to Labor Day. This only changed about 13 years ago. Decades before that it was always 12 weeks. They are just getting back to that.


As parent of HS student the delayed start is a real problem for my child. AP and IB exams are in the month of May and the late start puts my child beyond schedule. FCPS start August 28th in contradiction to the Virginia Beach. Why, because they recognized kids needed that extra week to prepare for end-of-year tests.

Also there is very little in terms of child-care/camps for younger kids and not everyone can take a week at Ocean City then. Many businesses need their workers then as well.

Last year, many Delaware beaches didn't have lifeguards the last weeks of August because college kids had to go back to school. The beaches hire college kids because they can start mid-May and work until mid-august which is when most people go to the beach.
in short, this schedule has been nothing but a mess for my family.


My daughter attends a private that starts after Labor Day. Always has. They also have cycles in which they only have their major classes 4 out of 6 days. So technically, they have much less class time than any public school, even one that starts after Labor Day. They never have anyone get below a 3 and rarely have anyone get below a 4.

Boarding schools tend to start mid September and they do AP's too. No issue.

AP's are not that hard. They are one semester college courses. If you can't teach them in an entire school year, you shouldn't be taking the AP.

Anonymous
Post 09/24/2017 18:56     Subject: Next Year's School Calendar
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We are now required to have a 12 week summer at the expense of a guaranteed spring break. Would much rather have spring break. The June end date is absurd but no one focuses on that.


How is it any different than Florida schools that started Aug 14th and get done May 30th? 12 weeks of Summer is the norm. Adding every religious holiday off, multiple teacher service days, and an 11 day Spring Break to shorten summer to 10 weeks is not.

MCPS used to always have mid June to Labor Day. This only changed about 13 years ago. Decades before that it was always 12 weeks. They are just getting back to that.


What do Florida schools have to do with MoCo? Is the FL system suddenly well regarded?