Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My board of supervisors rep is running on an affordability platform. I wrote and asked them to address the affordability issues that FCPS is causing their constituents with this calendar. Appropriate childcare for 2-3 kids for early releases and other fully optional days off is running into the five figures and it’s completely avoidable.

I understand that care can be pricey, but this is surprising to me.

It shouldn’t surprise you in this area. October alone cost $2000. We are in jobs which require us to go to the office so the week of snow days a week after the storm was $40/hour.

Yes, we are in Fairfax Co, but 5 figures for just early releases and “fully optional” days off?
BTW, what does that mean, “fully optional days off”? Maybe I’m not considering the same number of days.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My board of supervisors rep is running on an affordability platform. I wrote and asked them to address the affordability issues that FCPS is causing their constituents with this calendar. Appropriate childcare for 2-3 kids for early releases and other fully optional days off is running into the five figures and it’s completely avoidable.

I understand that care can be pricey, but this is surprising to me.

It shouldn’t surprise you in this area. October alone cost $2000. We are in jobs which require us to go to the office so the week of snow days a week after the storm was $40/hour.

Anonymous wrote:FCPS has a lot of nerve keeping the early‑release day next week. It’s honestly exhausting how little regard there seems to be for families or for the kids who keep losing instructional time.

You knew this in August if not earlier ….

Anonymous wrote:My board of supervisors rep is running on an affordability platform. I wrote and asked them to address the affordability issues that FCPS is causing their constituents with this calendar. Appropriate childcare for 2-3 kids for early releases and other fully optional days off is running into the five figures and it’s completely avoidable.

I understand that care can be pricey, but this is surprising to me.

My board of supervisors rep is running on an affordability platform. I wrote and asked them to address the affordability issues that FCPS is causing their constituents with this calendar. Appropriate childcare for 2-3 kids for early releases and other fully optional days off is running into the five figures and it’s completely avoidable.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's going to blow your mind to realize that fcps has off days on Monday and Tuesday, for the oh so important American holiday of lunar new year.

Amother 2.5 day week to recover from this week, one of the very few 5 day weeks on the calendar.

23 of the 41 school weeks are 5 day weeks. Not one of the few, one of the absolute majority. School should've taught you the difference.

Tuesday is a Teacher Workday. It is not an off day for Lunar New Year. Pretty easy to verify that information.

Only 23 weeks of 5 days is an abomination.

The biggest chunk of 5 day weeks occurs late spring, during and after end of year testing.

Tuesday is off because of Lunar New Year. Calling it a "teacher work day" is a farce and you know it. We just had two teacher work days just 2 weeks ago. There is no reason to have another teacher work day 2 weeks into the quarter, on a random Tuesday that oh so coincidentally happens to occur on the calendar recognized Lunar New Year. THIS day off is not needed and was never needed as a teacher work day and everyone knows it.

No month is a full month of 5 day weeks. This is unacceptable. FCPS needs to get rid of at least half of these unnecessary holidays that are not major holidays in the US, starting with Lunar New Year and any holiday that is masked with a fake teacher workday. The kids need to be in school. If individual parents don't want them in school, pull them out and give them an excused absence.

"No month is a full month of 5 day weeks"

First off, no singular month has all 5 day work weeks. The week always starts or ends with another month sometime during the week...

Also, August is the only month without a federal holiday, soooo the whole "getting rid of at least half of these unnecessary holidays that are not major holidays in the US" argument still wouldn't put your child in school every weekday for a month straight.

March and April have no federal holidays. If you're lumping in Easter as "major holiday in the US", that's understandable, but it isn't a federal holiday and isn't in both months in the same year.

Most feds I know would be happy to have their kids in school for Veterans' Day, Presidents' Day, and Columbus/Indigenous People's Day.

Those are definitely holidays that could provide learning in the classrooms. MLK day too.

I personally want kids in school for more of the days that aren't federal holidays. Like Halloween and Lunar New Year.

Stop w the MLK day nonsense and lumping it in w the lunar new year and Halloween. Jerk/jerk off.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These threads are so tiring.

The inconsistent, roller‑coaster schedule is more exhausting than anything. Every time the kids finally get some momentum and routine, here comes another day off - or two. Would be nice for kids to actually stay in school for several weeks in a row, right? But somehow we’re still expected to keep perfect attendance.

Good thing college or the military and life all have extremely consistent schedules

There’s a time and place for learning how to manage inconsistency. Elementary school is not it. Have some sense.

Elementary school is glorified babysitting. Let's be honest here. Also, unless your child's elementary school teacher is sticking to a strict classroom routine that never deviates (they don't), your point is mute.

Interesting how you're implying elementary school is apparently the appropriate time for students to learn routine and consistency, but not how to manage inconsistency.

The National Institute of Health would disagree, but what do they know. Make it make sense.

Even if elementary school is “glorified babysitting”, the frustration is in the complete lack of consistency. Next week my kids will be in backup care on Monday, SACC on Tuesday, and early release on Wednesday. It is what it is. We make it work. But we pretty much only know how to manage an inconsistent schedule at this point.

The calendar is posted nearly two years in advance. Besides snow days (that everyone has to deal with and no one has control over) if you're struggling to manage a schedule with two years notice, that's on you.

Early release was added summer ‘24 and changed summer ‘25.
Perhaps if your kid spent more time in school simple arithmetic wouldn’t elude you.

Anonymous wrote:My HSer likes the breaks. Gives them time to get everything done to the best of their ability. Straight A student, all honors and APs.

+1. NP and the daily 2 hour delays would be perfect for MS and HS students only.

Keep the breaks, keep 2 hour delays, start after Labor Day, end at Memorial Day and let them make up any extra needed hours on Schoology or asynchronous.

Elementary goes full time, normal days.

Do that and a school board member wins in a landslide. No, I don’t want to run.

But somehow we’re still expected to keep perfect attendance.

I don't know a school in FCPS that's advocating perfect attendance. Maybe PARENTS are, but I've never seen a school want that.

Our family has been in FCPS a long time. I think these screwy calendars really began about 12 years ago....my oldest was in 1st grade and we had a major snowstorm and went to school in January for maybe 3 (5?) total days. It was terrible. After that, they changed to 180 days, "extended" the school day so that the available drop off and dismissal times could be counted as instructional time and really started chopping up the weeks. The calendar has been inconsistent (and seemingly getting worse) for many years, and despite the "opportunity" to provide input, the calendar always seems to be counterintuitive to what anyone I know would like.

I also don't think the constant revolving door of superintendents has been a benefit. I understand there's not much we can truly do about that, unfortunately. But having a new set of priorities every few years has likely added to the chaotic calendaring.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's going to blow your mind to realize that fcps has off days on Monday and Tuesday, for the oh so important American holiday of lunar new year.

Amother 2.5 day week to recover from this week, one of the very few 5 day weeks on the calendar.

23 of the 41 school weeks are 5 day weeks. Not one of the few, one of the absolute majority. School should've taught you the difference.

Tuesday is a Teacher Workday. It is not an off day for Lunar New Year. Pretty easy to verify that information.

Only 23 weeks of 5 days is an abomination.

The biggest chunk of 5 day weeks occurs late spring, during and after end of year testing.

Tuesday is off because of Lunar New Year. Calling it a "teacher work day" is a farce and you know it. We just had two teacher work days just 2 weeks ago. There is no reason to have another teacher work day 2 weeks into the quarter, on a random Tuesday that oh so coincidentally happens to occur on the calendar recognized Lunar New Year. THIS day off is not needed and was never needed as a teacher work day and everyone knows it.

No month is a full month of 5 day weeks. This is unacceptable. FCPS needs to get rid of at least half of these unnecessary holidays that are not major holidays in the US, starting with Lunar New Year and any holiday that is masked with a fake teacher workday. The kids need to be in school. If individual parents don't want them in school, pull them out and give them an excused absence.

"No month is a full month of 5 day weeks"

First off, no singular month has all 5 day work weeks. The week always starts or ends with another month sometime during the week...

Also, August is the only month without a federal holiday, soooo the whole "getting rid of at least half of these unnecessary holidays that are not major holidays in the US" argument still wouldn't put your child in school every weekday for a month straight.

March and April have no federal holidays. If you're lumping in Easter as "major holiday in the US", that's understandable, but it isn't a federal holiday and isn't in both months in the same year.

Most feds I know would be happy to have their kids in school for Veterans' Day, Presidents' Day, and Columbus/Indigenous People's Day.

Those are definitely holidays that could provide learning in the classrooms. MLK day too.

I personally want kids in school for more of the days that aren't federal holidays. Like Halloween and Lunar New Year.

Anonymous wrote:My HSer likes the breaks. Gives them time to get everything done to the best of their ability. Straight A student, all honors and APs.

+100 My oldest has said this prepares them for college- less frequent class meetings and more independent work time. I do see how this could be troublesome for younger students, so ideally there would be fewer breaks at the elementary level while still maintaining them in high school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These threads are so tiring.

The inconsistent, roller‑coaster schedule is more exhausting than anything. Every time the kids finally get some momentum and routine, here comes another day off - or two. Would be nice for kids to actually stay in school for several weeks in a row, right? But somehow we’re still expected to keep perfect attendance.

Good thing college or the military and life all have extremely consistent schedules

There’s a time and place for learning how to manage inconsistency. Elementary school is not it. Have some sense.

Elementary school is glorified babysitting. Let's be honest here. Also, unless your child's elementary school teacher is sticking to a strict classroom routine that never deviates (they don't), your point is mute.

Interesting how you're implying elementary school is apparently the appropriate time for students to learn routine and consistency, but not how to manage inconsistency.

The National Institute of Health would disagree, but what do they know. Make it make sense.

Even if elementary school is “glorified babysitting”, the frustration is in the complete lack of consistency. Next week my kids will be in backup care on Monday, SACC on Tuesday, and early release on Wednesday. It is what it is. We make it work. But we pretty much only know how to manage an inconsistent schedule at this point.

The calendar is posted nearly two years in advance. Besides snow days (that everyone has to deal with and no one has control over) if you're struggling to manage a schedule with two years notice, that's on you.

My kids are in HS. This isn't a care issue but a need for them to find their rhythm. This calendar does NOT work.

Being able to navigate an inconsistent and ever fluctuating schedule (although they had 2 years heads up) is one of the best life skills your high schooler could possibly learn at their age. Perhaps it's YOUR student who is not putting in the effort to make it work.

Go away. Truly. I am pretty certain most of us can agree this calendar is terrible for kids.

If you disagree, then good for you. I will assume you are either uber privileged or a teacher.

As for me, I am a single parent to two special education HSers. They don't need care but they need consistent education. And I need to work and can't provide education!!

FCPS has 183,000+ students. That means 360,000+ parents.

Let's not confuse the vocal minority on here with the silent majority of the county.

The silent majority hate this calendar.

Every year when they put out the calendar, it's a dog and pony show. They ask for input. Everyone hates it. Sometimes we even vote on which calendar we prefer. All the calendar options are terrible and don't take into account what parents and teachers are asking for. They make sure not to choose the calendar that the majority voted for and they choose the calendar they wanted in the first place.

Nearly everyone hates the calendar.

I just don't know anyone who wants random little days off instead of week long breaks where kids can really get refreshed, visit family members or go to a week long camp.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's going to blow your mind to realize that fcps has off days on Monday and Tuesday, for the oh so important American holiday of lunar new year.

Amother 2.5 day week to recover from this week, one of the very few 5 day weeks on the calendar.

23 of the 41 school weeks are 5 day weeks. Not one of the few, one of the absolute majority. School should've taught you the difference.

Tuesday is a Teacher Workday. It is not an off day for Lunar New Year. Pretty easy to verify that information.

Only 23 weeks of 5 days is an abomination.

The biggest chunk of 5 day weeks occurs late spring, during and after end of year testing.

Tuesday is off because of Lunar New Year. Calling it a "teacher work day" is a farce and you know it. We just had two teacher work days just 2 weeks ago. There is no reason to have another teacher work day 2 weeks into the quarter, on a random Tuesday that oh so coincidentally happens to occur on the calendar recognized Lunar New Year. THIS day off is not needed and was never needed as a teacher work day and everyone knows it.

No month is a full month of 5 day weeks. This is unacceptable. FCPS needs to get rid of at least half of these unnecessary holidays that are not major holidays in the US, starting with Lunar New Year and any holiday that is masked with a fake teacher workday. The kids need to be in school. If individual parents don't want them in school, pull them out and give them an excused absence.

"No month is a full month of 5 day weeks"

First off, no singular month has all 5 day work weeks. The week always starts or ends with another month sometime during the week...

Also, August is the only month without a federal holiday, soooo the whole "getting rid of at least half of these unnecessary holidays that are not major holidays in the US" argument still wouldn't put your child in school every weekday for a month straight.

March and April have no federal holidays. If you're lumping in Easter as "major holiday in the US", that's understandable, but it isn't a federal holiday and isn't in both months in the same year.

Most feds I know would be happy to have their kids in school for Veterans' Day, Presidents' Day, and Columbus/Indigenous People's Day.

Anonymous wrote:My HSer likes the breaks. Gives them time to get everything done to the best of their ability. Straight A student, all honors and APs.

+1 same

My HSer likes the breaks. Gives them time to get everything done to the best of their ability. Straight A student, all honors and APs.