Anonymous
05/17/2025 14:02
Subject: Fcps 2026 calendar, January
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ok. Thank you.
I am glad i am misreading the O days.
Why is next year's calendar so long?
Because our school board is run by idiots.
The only thing FCPS is good at is keeping kids out of school.
Sigh. You get 180 days. They are not keeping kids out of school any more or less than years past.
Oh, so I'm imagining that school starts earlier than ever and ends later than ever?
No wonder the FCPS budget keeps going up.
This year, we started August 19th and are ending June 11th. There were 180 instructional days over 42.5 weeks.
Next year, we will start August 18th and end June 17th. There will 180 instructional days over 43.5 weeks.
So somewhere, yes, there are 5 more days off in the middle of the school year than there were this year. I counted and there were 6 Teacher workday/Staff Development days this year and there will be 9 next year (not counting the days before and after school ends), so that's three of them. The remaining two must be holidays.
I just laugh so hard at all the white christians complaining about TWO extra holidays this year when they literally get three weeks off due to theirs.
*queue the lady who goes on and on about this is the only time for international families to visit their families overseas. My family always went in the summer. Yes, to India. Yes, during monsoon season.
Umm, there were no explicitly Christian holidays on the calendar until they added the unnecessary Orthodox holidays.
You may be referring to Spring and Winter Breaks, but as you can easily see, these are not Christian holidays.
Try harder. [/quote
Christmas and Easter are the two most important holidays for most sects of Christianity and you know that. Others may celebrate them secularly but they're religious at their core. If FCPS pivoted to winter break at the end of the 2nd quarter with just Christmas day off and spring break at the end of the 3rd quarter with nothing off for Easter (bc its a sunday), that would be reaching equitability with what is given to minority religious groups in Fairfax County.
Nice try, but you failed again.
There's no need for "holiday equity" and, as as anyone can plainly see, this leads to a farcical calendar that emphasizes days off instead of actual learning. Christmas is literally one day; the rest is fluff added by the school board.
As for the rest of your ideas, they would be rejected by everyone.
If you want religious holidays, go to a religious school. Let the rest of us learn.
Anonymous
05/17/2025 12:12
Subject: Fcps 2026 calendar, January
Oh, and I almost forgot the part where everyone dismisses viewpoints that disagree with their own as invalid, ill-considered, minority perspective, irrational, etc.
Anonymous
05/17/2025 12:11
Subject: Fcps 2026 calendar, January
Every calendar or schedule-related post I've ever seen on this site is more or less summarized by the following:
- Some see a shorter summer (say 7-9 weeks) as also helping to at least somewhat mitigate the degree of academic summer slide.
- Some want a longer summer (say 10-12 weeks) because that's what they are used to or they find it easier for planning vacations.
- Some are opposed to ending late (mid-June) because the last few weeks of school post-testing "not much gets done".
- Some like ending late (mid-June) because it gives more time for teachers to work with students on projects/learning that isn't so "teach to the test" oriented.
- Some would prefer ensuring FCPS is as aligned as possible with the calendars of surrounding jurisdictions and/or other parts of the country. Having slightly different vacation windows can be disadvantageous for attending certain events and coordinating with distributed friends/family.
- Some would prefer ensuring FCPS does what makes most sense for our county, students, parents, etc. without worrying about what other areas are doing. Having slightly different vacation windows can be advantageous for keeping holiday costs lower.
- Similar points and counterpoints apply to how soon the school year starts, how many mid-year days off students and teachers have, the value/priority of having "full weeks", aligning breaks with quarter ends, extracurricular planning/coordination, how large of a percentage of the population needs to participate in a religious or cultural observance in order for the system to plan around it, and on and on and on.
The key thing is that most on DCUM seem to enjoy stating their preferred stances on any/all of the above positions as if they are clear, obvious, objective truths with no legitimate counterpoints, rather than simply a matter of personal preference and rolling with whatever the broader community and school system (most of whom don't express their preferences on DCUM, so even if a thread had consensus, which they don't, it would be basically meaningless consensus).
The school system for their part gives out surveys to check the "community engagement" box but doesn't structure the surveys with sufficient options or nuance of feedback to really be meaningful in terms of gauging community sentiment. We're usually given a list of options none of which really accurately capture anyone's actual POV. The quality of reporting out on these surveys and transparency as to how this did or did not influence decisions is also sorely lacking.
So why do I keep reading these threads? Not sure, I guess it's kind of like a guilty pleasure watching people fret about with such certainty in their opinions. I suppose everyone needs a good opportunity to shake their head and chuckle from time to time.
- Some see a shorter summer (say 7-9 weeks) as also helping to at least somewhat mitigate the degree of academic summer slide.
- Some want a longer summer (say 10-12 weeks) because that's what they are used to or they find it easier for planning vacations.
- Some are opposed to ending late (mid-June) because the last few weeks of school post-testing "not much gets done".
- Some like ending late (mid-June) because it gives more time for teachers to work with students on projects/learning that isn't so "teach to the test" oriented.
- Some would prefer ensuring FCPS is as aligned as possible with the calendars of surrounding jurisdictions and/or other parts of the country. Having slightly different vacation windows can be disadvantageous for attending certain events and coordinating with distributed friends/family.
- Some would prefer ensuring FCPS does what makes most sense for our county, students, parents, etc. without worrying about what other areas are doing. Having slightly different vacation windows can be advantageous for keeping holiday costs lower.
- Similar points and counterpoints apply to how soon the school year starts, how many mid-year days off students and teachers have, the value/priority of having "full weeks", aligning breaks with quarter ends, extracurricular planning/coordination, how large of a percentage of the population needs to participate in a religious or cultural observance in order for the system to plan around it, and on and on and on.
The key thing is that most on DCUM seem to enjoy stating their preferred stances on any/all of the above positions as if they are clear, obvious, objective truths with no legitimate counterpoints, rather than simply a matter of personal preference and rolling with whatever the broader community and school system (most of whom don't express their preferences on DCUM, so even if a thread had consensus, which they don't, it would be basically meaningless consensus).
The school system for their part gives out surveys to check the "community engagement" box but doesn't structure the surveys with sufficient options or nuance of feedback to really be meaningful in terms of gauging community sentiment. We're usually given a list of options none of which really accurately capture anyone's actual POV. The quality of reporting out on these surveys and transparency as to how this did or did not influence decisions is also sorely lacking.
So why do I keep reading these threads? Not sure, I guess it's kind of like a guilty pleasure watching people fret about with such certainty in their opinions. I suppose everyone needs a good opportunity to shake their head and chuckle from time to time.
Anonymous
05/16/2025 14:47
Subject: Fcps 2026 calendar, January
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ok. Thank you.
I am glad i am misreading the O days.
Why is next year's calendar so long?
Because our school board is run by idiots.
The only thing FCPS is good at is keeping kids out of school.
Sigh. You get 180 days. They are not keeping kids out of school any more or less than years past.
Oh, so I'm imagining that school starts earlier than ever and ends later than ever?
No wonder the FCPS budget keeps going up.
This year, we started August 19th and are ending June 11th. There were 180 instructional days over 42.5 weeks.
Next year, we will start August 18th and end June 17th. There will 180 instructional days over 43.5 weeks.
So somewhere, yes, there are 5 more days off in the middle of the school year than there were this year. I counted and there were 6 Teacher workday/Staff Development days this year and there will be 9 next year (not counting the days before and after school ends), so that's three of them. The remaining two must be holidays.
I just laugh so hard at all the white christians complaining about TWO extra holidays this year when they literally get three weeks off due to theirs.
*queue the lady who goes on and on about this is the only time for international families to visit their families overseas. My family always went in the summer. Yes, to India. Yes, during monsoon season.
Umm, there were no explicitly Christian holidays on the calendar until they added the unnecessary Orthodox holidays.
You may be referring to Spring and Winter Breaks, but as you can easily see, these are not Christian holidays.
Try harder. [/quote
Christmas and Easter are the two most important holidays for most sects of Christianity and you know that. Others may celebrate them secularly but they're religious at their core. If FCPS pivoted to winter break at the end of the 2nd quarter with just Christmas day off and spring break at the end of the 3rd quarter with nothing off for Easter (bc its a sunday), that would be reaching equitability with what is given to minority religious groups in Fairfax County.
Anonymous
05/16/2025 14:13
Subject: Fcps 2026 calendar, January
Anonymous wrote:Memorial Day is a five day weekend next year.
Who thought that was a good idea?
Expedia.com
Airbnb
Hilton
Ocean City
Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce
Margaritaville
Anonymous
05/16/2025 14:04
Subject: Fcps 2026 calendar, January
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Memorial Day is a five day weekend next year.
Who thought that was a good idea?
That's a really great idea!
Right?
Standardized testing is over and things are winding down. I wish every Memorial Day was a 5-day weekend!
Why? I would rather they get out 2 days earlier.
Also because it is after all testing it is really not a big deal with kids miss a few days for religious preferences
Anonymous
05/16/2025 11:10
Subject: Fcps 2026 calendar, January
Did you guys see Spring Break next school year? They have a whole week off and then also the Monday and Friday of the very mect week?! Whose dumb idea was that? I see a lot of international students taking a 2 week trip now and missing those 3 days.
So stupid!!
So stupid!!
Anonymous
05/16/2025 11:07
Subject: Fcps 2026 calendar, January
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Memorial Day is a five day weekend next year.
Who thought that was a good idea?
It’s when Eid al-Daha falls. This year it’s on a weekend. Next year it’s the Wednesday of Memorial Day week so they made Tuesday a work day.
absolutely ridiculous. the Muslim population of Fairfax county is about 5% no reason to tack on 2 days out of school at the end of the year. We go back Aug 18 and get out later than schools that go back AFTER labor day.
Anonymous
05/15/2025 22:25
Subject: Fcps 2026 calendar, January
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Memorial Day is a five day weekend next year.
Who thought that was a good idea?
That's a really great idea!
Right?
Standardized testing is over and things are winding down. I wish every Memorial Day was a 5-day weekend!
Anonymous
05/15/2025 22:03
Subject: Fcps 2026 calendar, January
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ok. Thank you.
I am glad i am misreading the O days.
Why is next year's calendar so long?
Because our school board is run by idiots.
The only thing FCPS is good at is keeping kids out of school.
Sigh. You get 180 days. They are not keeping kids out of school any more or less than years past.
Oh, so I'm imagining that school starts earlier than ever and ends later than ever?
No wonder the FCPS budget keeps going up.
DP
Huh? 180 days is 180 days. That doesn't change based on the start/end dates.
Then how come many other school systems can start after Labor Day and end in late May/early June?
Are you being serious? Trolling? I'll assume you are seriously asking.
They have the same number of days (180), and fewer days off. The result is a shorter range from beginning to end of the SY.
I went to school in a system like that.
Almost no student free teacher workdays. Maybe that did this prior to school opening.
Three day Spring Break in March--not tied to Easter.
Two days at Thanksgiving.
Two weeks in December.
We did get some federal holidays.
Sure. I did too. Nobody is questioning the existence of a Labor Day to late May/early June calendar.
Anonymous
05/15/2025 21:43
Subject: Fcps 2026 calendar, January
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ok. Thank you.
I am glad i am misreading the O days.
Why is next year's calendar so long?
Because our school board is run by idiots.
The only thing FCPS is good at is keeping kids out of school.
Sigh. You get 180 days. They are not keeping kids out of school any more or less than years past.
Oh, so I'm imagining that school starts earlier than ever and ends later than ever?
No wonder the FCPS budget keeps going up.
DP
Huh? 180 days is 180 days. That doesn't change based on the start/end dates.
Then how come many other school systems can start after Labor Day and end in late May/early June?
Are you being serious? Trolling? I'll assume you are seriously asking.
They have the same number of days (180), and fewer days off. The result is a shorter range from beginning to end of the SY.
I went to school in a system like that.
Almost no student free teacher workdays. Maybe that did this prior to school opening.
Three day Spring Break in March--not tied to Easter.
Two days at Thanksgiving.
Two weeks in December.
We did get some federal holidays.
Anonymous
05/15/2025 21:39
Subject: Fcps 2026 calendar, January
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ok. Thank you.
I am glad i am misreading the O days.
Why is next year's calendar so long?
Because our school board is run by idiots.
The only thing FCPS is good at is keeping kids out of school.
Sigh. You get 180 days. They are not keeping kids out of school any more or less than years past.
Oh, so I'm imagining that school starts earlier than ever and ends later than ever?
No wonder the FCPS budget keeps going up.
DP
Huh? 180 days is 180 days. That doesn't change based on the start/end dates.
Then how come many other school systems can start after Labor Day and end in late May/early June?
Are you being serious? Trolling? I'll assume you are seriously asking.
They have the same number of days (180), and fewer days off. The result is a shorter range from beginning to end of the SY.
Anonymous
05/15/2025 21:27
Subject: Fcps 2026 calendar, January
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ok. Thank you.
I am glad i am misreading the O days.
Why is next year's calendar so long?
Because our school board is run by idiots.
The only thing FCPS is good at is keeping kids out of school.
Sigh. You get 180 days. They are not keeping kids out of school any more or less than years past.
Oh, so I'm imagining that school starts earlier than ever and ends later than ever?
No wonder the FCPS budget keeps going up.
DP
Huh? 180 days is 180 days. That doesn't change based on the start/end dates.
Then how come many other school systems can start after Labor Day and end in late May/early June?
Because those school systems prefer longer summers (and/or have less than 180 days of school). FCPS prefers shorter summers.
Anonymous
05/15/2025 21:18
Subject: Fcps 2026 calendar, January
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ok. Thank you.
I am glad i am misreading the O days.
Why is next year's calendar so long?
Because our school board is run by idiots.
The only thing FCPS is good at is keeping kids out of school.
+1
Anonymous
05/15/2025 21:03
Subject: Fcps 2026 calendar, January
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ok. Thank you.
I am glad i am misreading the O days.
Why is next year's calendar so long?
Because our school board is run by idiots.
The only thing FCPS is good at is keeping kids out of school.
Sigh. You get 180 days. They are not keeping kids out of school any more or less than years past.
Oh, so I'm imagining that school starts earlier than ever and ends later than ever?
No wonder the FCPS budget keeps going up.
This year, we started August 19th and are ending June 11th. There were 180 instructional days over 42.5 weeks.
Next year, we will start August 18th and end June 17th. There will 180 instructional days over 43.5 weeks.
So somewhere, yes, there are 5 more days off in the middle of the school year than there were this year. I counted and there were 6 Teacher workday/Staff Development days this year and there will be 9 next year (not counting the days before and after school ends), so that's three of them. The remaining two must be holidays.
I just laugh so hard at all the white christians complaining about TWO extra holidays this year when they literally get three weeks off due to theirs.
*queue the lady who goes on and on about this is the only time for international families to visit their families overseas. My family always went in the summer. Yes, to India. Yes, during monsoon season.
Umm, there were no explicitly Christian holidays on the calendar until they added the unnecessary Orthodox holidays.
You may be referring to Spring and Winter Breaks, but as you can easily see, these are not Christian holidays.
Try harder.
Just because they go by different names doesn’t make them Christian holidays.