I don't understand the people who freak out about full days and half days off midweek. Most likely younger kids with parents who work full time go to some type of before and aftercare. There are such places are open on days off from school. Our before and aftercare is open for all of spring break except Good Friday. They are closed over winter break but we either use vacation and go away or we create a rotation with neighbors to stay home and watch the kids.

Today is a half day. The bus will take my kid to his aftercare for the rest of the afternoon. When I was looking for before and aftercares, I made sure to choose one that was open on professional days , holidays such as Rosh Hashanah and half days.

Do that many people really not pay for before and aftercare and that's why they're bent out of shape over a few midweek closings and half days per year? They are there to put their kids on the bus and then be able to be home by the time it returns every day? If there is that much flexibility in their schedules then a few closings for holidays or professional days shouldn't be an issue. Or did they not think ahead and they chose a before/aftercare that is closed when schools are closed?

As a parent it's my responsibility to find care for my kid. It costs me $600/month but that's life. I can't expect the schools to operate on a schedule that works best for me as a parent.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dear BOE,

Just pick out a school calendar from Westchester County, NY, and cut out the week of February "mid-winter" vacation. That ought to fix your conundrum.

Many thanks,
Concerned Parent

They get out late June and for Jewish holidays.

Yup - they get out 1 week later, including Regents exams for the older kids. Thus, the comment to cut out the February, mid-winter/President's week break. See, for example, New Rochelle, NY: http://www.nred.org/calendar

I've always thought spring break was too long-- it's more than a week! It's not that I'm looking for a babysitter then, but a break would be more helpful in terms of lowering kids' stress if it were more spread out. My preference would be to lengthen TGiving break, shorten Spring break, and add a couple of long weekends during the longest slogs of the academic year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the drama around this. I'm in Charles County and we've been able to make it work. I don't love it -- we have a glorified long weekend as a spring break --- but it still works.

Because you are not entitled whiners like MoCo parents. You had a kid, you figure out how to take care of that kid, right?

Yes, one of the ways that MCPS is trying to "make it work" is through a glorified long weekend over Easter as a spring break. The drama is because, in Montgomery County, whatever MCPS does, there will be people who say that MCPS is doing it wrong.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would be really curious to see a poll (not one of just the UMC DCUM posters) of how many in MoCo actually go away for a whole week at spring break and want to keep it that way.

My kids do camp that week. We take a vacation in the summer but can't afford multiple week long vacations all year long. A long weekend around Easter would be perfect rather than paying for camp for the whole week. As for empty offices - some people may currently take the time off rather than paying for child care. That does not mean that they WANT to take all that time off at that time of school were to keep going.

The people who seem to hate this the most appear to be those with enough money to burn on long spring break vacations. That is not the entire county.

School is not your baby sitter. Stop being a user.

Of course school is my baby sitter. It's not the only function of school, it's not the primary function of school, but it is certainly a function of school. That's why I only had to worry about before care and after care, not during care.

And for the people who say that child care shouldn't be a consideration when it comes to setting the school calendar -- please explain why child care shouldn't be a consideration, but tourist revenues from Ocean City should.

Your whole point of view is messed up. In Germany school might end at 12 or 1:30pm. You think German parents are complaining to their government? They find a way, you had a kid, not MoCo public school system. Babysitting has never been a function of school, ever.

Yes, they are. See here, for example: http://www.spiegel.de/lebenundlernen/schule/grundschule-fuer-555-000-kinder-fehlt-die-nachmittags-betreuung-a-1160664.html

There is increasing demand for all-day schools and for school-based child care. What's more, "find a way" typically involves limiting the mother's participation in the paid labor force.

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the drama around this. I'm in Charles County and we've been able to make it work. I don't love it -- we have a glorified long weekend as a spring break --- but it still works.

Because you are not entitled whiners like MoCo parents. You had a kid, you figure out how to take care of that kid, right?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would be really curious to see a poll (not one of just the UMC DCUM posters) of how many in MoCo actually go away for a whole week at spring break and want to keep it that way.

My kids do camp that week. We take a vacation in the summer but can't afford multiple week long vacations all year long. A long weekend around Easter would be perfect rather than paying for camp for the whole week. As for empty offices - some people may currently take the time off rather than paying for child care. That does not mean that they WANT to take all that time off at that time of school were to keep going.

The people who seem to hate this the most appear to be those with enough money to burn on long spring break vacations. That is not the entire county.

School is not your baby sitter. Stop being a user.

Of course school is my baby sitter. It's not the only function of school, it's not the primary function of school, but it is certainly a function of school. That's why I only had to worry about before care and after care, not during care.

And for the people who say that child care shouldn't be a consideration when it comes to setting the school calendar -- please explain why child care shouldn't be a consideration, but tourist revenues from Ocean City should.

Your whole point of view is messed up. In Germany school might end at 12 or 1:30pm. You think German parents are complaining to their government? They find a way, you had a kid, not MoCo pubic school system. Babysitting has never been a function of school, ever.

Whether spring break is a vacation or a break, it is much needed at that point in the school year. If you don't travel, there are and will be plenty of fun camps during that time for child care.

I don't understand the drama around this. I'm in Charles County and we've been able to make it work. I don't love it -- we have a glorified long weekend as a spring break --- but it still works.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would be really curious to see a poll (not one of just the UMC DCUM posters) of how many in MoCo actually go away for a whole week at spring break and want to keep it that way.

My kids do camp that week. We take a vacation in the summer but can't afford multiple week long vacations all year long. A long weekend around Easter would be perfect rather than paying for camp for the whole week. As for empty offices - some people may currently take the time off rather than paying for child care. That does not mean that they WANT to take all that time off at that time of school were to keep going.

The people who seem to hate this the most appear to be those with enough money to burn on long spring break vacations. That is not the entire county.

We don't vacation in the spring other than family holiday travel..but we really need the break. No hw ior activities. Start studying for ap tests..look at colleges. It us a long slog from January to June with put a long break. And of course we do not take extra vacations in the summer just because it is longer.

Exactly. My DD studies often till midnight. It is people with young kids who just use school as a baby sitting service, they don't care about actual learning, just not having to find camp or pay somebody to watch their kid. Once they have a kid who can stay home alone, they will change their tune. There seems to be a selfish point of view from these parents, where all they care is money and don't even take into consideration that even their young kids need time at home. I have seen it with younger kids who go to day care, many parents work 4 day week, but bring their kid to childcare on their day off. Why? They say they need time to rest and time just for themselves. But, they never think that maybe their kid might need it too?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would be really curious to see a poll (not one of just the UMC DCUM posters) of how many in MoCo actually go away for a whole week at spring break and want to keep it that way.

My kids do camp that week. We take a vacation in the summer but can't afford multiple week long vacations all year long. A long weekend around Easter would be perfect rather than paying for camp for the whole week. As for empty offices - some people may currently take the time off rather than paying for child care. That does not mean that they WANT to take all that time off at that time of school were to keep going.

The people who seem to hate this the most appear to be those with enough money to burn on long spring break vacations. That is not the entire county.

School is not your baby sitter. Stop being a user.

Of course school is my baby sitter. It's not the only function of school, it's not the primary function of school, but it is certainly a function of school. That's why I only had to worry about before care and after care, not during care.

And for the people who say that child care shouldn't be a consideration when it comes to setting the school calendar -- please explain why child care shouldn't be a consideration, but tourist revenues from Ocean City should.

Anonymous wrote:I would be really curious to see a poll (not one of just the UMC DCUM posters) of how many in MoCo actually go away for a whole week at spring break and want to keep it that way.

My kids do camp that week. We take a vacation in the summer but can't afford multiple week long vacations all year long. A long weekend around Easter would be perfect rather than paying for camp for the whole week. As for empty offices - some people may currently take the time off rather than paying for child care. That does not mean that they WANT to take all that time off at that time of school were to keep going.

The people who seem to hate this the most appear to be those with enough money to burn on long spring break vacations. That is not the entire county.

School is not your baby sitter. Stop being a user.

Anonymous wrote:I would be really curious to see a poll (not one of just the UMC DCUM posters) of how many in MoCo actually go away for a whole week at spring break and want to keep it that way.

My kids do camp that week. We take a vacation in the summer but can't afford multiple week long vacations all year long. A long weekend around Easter would be perfect rather than paying for camp for the whole week. As for empty offices - some people may currently take the time off rather than paying for child care. That does not mean that they WANT to take all that time off at that time of school were to keep going.

The people who seem to hate this the most appear to be those with enough money to burn on long spring break vacations. That is not the entire county.

We don't vacation in the spring other than family holiday travel..but we really need the break. No hw ior activities. Start studying for ap tests..look at colleges. It us a long slog from January to June with put a long break. And of course we do not take extra vacations in the summer just because it is longer.

Anonymous wrote:I would be really curious to see a poll (not one of just the UMC DCUM posters) of how many in MoCo actually go away for a whole week at spring break and want to keep it that way.

My kids do camp that week. We take a vacation in the summer but can't afford multiple week long vacations all year long. A long weekend around Easter would be perfect rather than paying for camp for the whole week. As for empty offices - some people may currently take the time off rather than paying for child care. That does not mean that they WANT to take all that time off at that time of school were to keep going.

The people who seem to hate this the most appear to be those with enough money to burn on long spring break vacations. That is not the entire county.

I think a long weekend at Easter would be ok but doesn't the longer summer just mean that you have to pay for an extra week or two of child care then? I'm not sure what the difference is. And some after care providers (like KAH) include the Spring Break days but each week of summer camp is close to $300.

I would be really curious to see a poll (not one of just the UMC DCUM posters) of how many in MoCo actually go away for a whole week at spring break and want to keep it that way.

My kids do camp that week. We take a vacation in the summer but can't afford multiple week long vacations all year long. A long weekend around Easter would be perfect rather than paying for camp for the whole week. As for empty offices - some people may currently take the time off rather than paying for child care. That does not mean that they WANT to take all that time off at that time of school were to keep going.

The people who seem to hate this the most appear to be those with enough money to burn on long spring break vacations. That is not the entire county.