Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of you are crazy.
Summer break is almost a week shorter this year, Summer should be a minimum of 10 weeks for students (9 weeks for teachers), holiday break should be at least December 23-January 1, possibly two full weeks if the majority votes that way. President's Day weekend should be longer than 3 days although it could be used for makeup days. The grading day after Q1 should be a half day to build in some room since it is too early to use as a makeup day.

Change Maryland law to require 175 days and not require the closure of schools on Election Day or Good Friday. Schools shall be allowed to go virtual on election days. If a single emergency closes schools for 3 or more days schools shall be able to go virtual for the 3rd day though the end of the closure. State of emergency days that occur in school days shall be waived from the requirement.

Reducing the required minimum of days to 175 only benefits lazy McPS staffers who don’t want to work 180 days. They would still work over 180 days. Pre-service week + 4 or 5 in year PD or grading days results in 184 or 185 days.
In contrast, look at higher performing Massachusetts where 185 days are scheduled with the expectation of losing several to blizzards but with no fewer than 180 days.

Quality does NOT equal quality
Massachusetts schools could end a week earlier and have the same high quality. Schools are ending June 26 for the sake of holding 180 days but that last week will be HOT AND USELESS! If they had the same schedule but ended June 18 it would be just as high quality.

Why stop there? If instructional time doesn't matter, why not end in May? Or April?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of you are crazy.
Summer break is almost a week shorter this year, Summer should be a minimum of 10 weeks for students (9 weeks for teachers), holiday break should be at least December 23-January 1, possibly two full weeks if the majority votes that way. President's Day weekend should be longer than 3 days although it could be used for makeup days. The grading day after Q1 should be a half day to build in some room since it is too early to use as a makeup day.

Change Maryland law to require 175 days and not require the closure of schools on Election Day or Good Friday. Schools shall be allowed to go virtual on election days. If a single emergency closes schools for 3 or more days schools shall be able to go virtual for the 3rd day though the end of the closure. State of emergency days that occur in school days shall be waived from the requirement.

Reducing the required minimum of days to 175 only benefits lazy McPS staffers who don’t want to work 180 days. They would still work over 180 days. Pre-service week + 4 or 5 in year PD or grading days results in 184 or 185 days.
In contrast, look at higher performing Massachusetts where 185 days are scheduled with the expectation of losing several to blizzards but with no fewer than 180 days.

Quality does NOT equal quality
Massachusetts schools could end a week earlier and have the same high quality. Schools are ending June 26 for the sake of holding 180 days but that last week will be HOT AND USELESS! If they had the same schedule but ended June 18 it would be just as high quality.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of you are crazy.
Summer break is almost a week shorter this year, Summer should be a minimum of 10 weeks for students (9 weeks for teachers), holiday break should be at least December 23-January 1, possibly two full weeks if the majority votes that way. President's Day weekend should be longer than 3 days although it could be used for makeup days. The grading day after Q1 should be a half day to build in some room since it is too early to use as a makeup day.

Change Maryland law to require 175 days and not require the closure of schools on Election Day or Good Friday. Schools shall be allowed to go virtual on election days. If a single emergency closes schools for 3 or more days schools shall be able to go virtual for the 3rd day though the end of the closure. State of emergency days that occur in school days shall be waived from the requirement.

Reducing the required minimum of days to 175 only benefits lazy McPS staffers who don’t want to work 180 days. In contrast, look at higher performing Massachusetts where 185 days are scheduled with the expectation of losing several to blizzards but with no fewer than 180 days.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of you are crazy.
Summer break is almost a week shorter this year, Summer should be a minimum of 10 weeks for students (9 weeks for teachers), holiday break should be at least December 23-January 1, possibly two full weeks if the majority votes that way. President's Day weekend should be longer than 3 days although it could be used for makeup days. The grading day after Q1 should be a half day to build in some room since it is too early to use as a makeup day.

Change Maryland law to require 175 days and not require the closure of schools on Election Day or Good Friday. Schools shall be allowed to go virtual on election days. If a single emergency closes schools for 3 or more days schools shall be able to go virtual for the 3rd day though the end of the closure. State of emergency days that occur in school days shall be waived from the requirement.

Reducing the required minimum of days to 175 only benefits lazy McPS staffers who don’t want to work 180 days. They would still work over 180 days. Pre-service week + 4 or 5 in year PD or grading days results in 184 or 185 days.
In contrast, look at higher performing Massachusetts where 185 days are scheduled with the expectation of losing several to blizzards but with no fewer than 180 days.

Anonymous wrote:Some of you are crazy.
Summer break is almost a week shorter this year, Summer should be a minimum of 10 weeks for students (9 weeks for teachers), holiday break should be at least December 23-January 1, possibly two full weeks if the majority votes that way. President's Day weekend should be longer than 3 days although it could be used for makeup days. The grading day after Q1 should be a half day to build in some room since it is too early to use as a makeup day.

Change Maryland law to require 175 days and not require the closure of schools on Election Day or Good Friday. Schools shall be allowed to go virtual on election days. If a single emergency closes schools for 3 or more days schools shall be able to go virtual for the 3rd day though the end of the closure. State of emergency days that occur in school days shall be waived from the requirement.

Anonymous wrote:It didn't pass, and parents are going to be on notice to look for this next year. It's appalling that MCPS and MSDE got the Montgomery Delegation to introduce it as a permanent exemption from the 180 day requirement, full stop.

Anonymous wrote:did this pass?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't forget to sign up to testify against the bill on Tuesday. You have to sign up by 6 p.m. today.

The original bill was crap but I’m actually fine with the new one. Going until June 26 just doesn’t work and they can only shorten the year next year if we experience the same nonsense as this year. I’d rather this passing than my kid missing the last week of school this year

We will absolutely have a shortened year next year if this bill passes. MCPS isn't going to adjust the calendar sensibly if they don't need to make up days lost.

The calendar for next year already passed. Even without this bill they’re under no obligation to fix anything next year. At least the bill limits this to 175 days minimum.

+1 Massachusetts schedules 185 with the target of having 180. That MCPS only schedules 181 shows that they're not that keen to educate students well.
If they're going to do something like this bill, it should require Montgomery County to go back to scheduling 184 days if they don't want to be held to make-up days.

+1

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't forget to sign up to testify against the bill on Tuesday. You have to sign up by 6 p.m. today.

The original bill was crap but I’m actually fine with the new one. Going until June 26 just doesn’t work and they can only shorten the year next year if we experience the same nonsense as this year. I’d rather this passing than my kid missing the last week of school this year

We will absolutely have a shortened year next year if this bill passes. MCPS isn't going to adjust the calendar sensibly if they don't need to make up days lost.

The calendar for next year already passed. Even without this bill they’re under no obligation to fix anything next year. At least the bill limits this to 175 days minimum.

If they're going to do something like this bill, it should require Montgomery County to go back to scheduling 184 days if they don't want to be held to make-up days.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't forget to sign up to testify against the bill on Tuesday. You have to sign up by 6 p.m. today.

The original bill was crap but I’m actually fine with the new one. Going until June 26 just doesn’t work and they can only shorten the year next year if we experience the same nonsense as this year. I’d rather this passing than my kid missing the last week of school this year

We will absolutely have a shortened year next year if this bill passes. MCPS isn't going to adjust the calendar sensibly if they don't need to make up days lost.

The calendar for next year already passed. Even without this bill they’re under no obligation to fix anything next year. At least the bill limits this to 175 days minimum.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did any post the oped from Bethesda magazine from the PTA? https://bethesdamagazine.com/2026/03/20/opinion-mcps-school-board-advocating-less-school/

They're not happy...

Yeah I really can't with any elected official that supports this bill. The MoCo delegation that pushed it has lost my vote.

Anne Arundel County passed this last year. Do you even know what you’re angry about? Explain. Majority of other states have either/or (days vs. hours) NOT both. So again… why are you so upset?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't forget to sign up to testify against the bill on Tuesday. You have to sign up by 6 p.m. today.

The original bill was crap but I’m actually fine with the new one. Going until June 26 just doesn’t work and they can only shorten the year next year if we experience the same nonsense as this year. I’d rather this passing than my kid missing the last week of school this year

We will absolutely have a shortened year next year if this bill passes. MCPS isn't going to adjust the calendar sensibly if they don't need to make up days lost.

The calendar for next year already passed. Even without this bill they’re under no obligation to fix anything next year. At least the bill limits this to 175 days minimum.