I really like the added religious holidays, but I would love for districts to schedule the non-holiday days off next to holidays so the school breaks are consolidated.

I'm seeing reports that Fairfax is considering changing their calendar for next year to remove some holidays and early releases to make for more 5-day weeks. Hopefully APS follows them in that plan and fixes next year's calendar. I think there's consensus amongst many parents across both school districts that there's too many breaks and holidays and days off. And that they're too random.

Anonymous wrote:I remember this from the weather closings! I think the insinuation that everyone that disagrees with you doesn’t work or has married “Dr. Biglaw” is kind of weird. People that have high school kids have also had elementary schoolers. Funny how that works. Get a grip. Maybe YOU shouldn’t have had kids!

Maybe not. Crazy me thinking I could “have it all” when really part time “consultant coaches” who have unlimited PTO and are working for pin money are doing to mom shame me for actually having to be present at my job for the majority of weekdays.

Was the board meeting last night?

P.S. You seem to have a boatload of time to post during the school/workday. Maybe if you applied yourself at your job, you could be a breadwinner, too.

I remember this from the weather closings! I think the insinuation that everyone that disagrees with you doesn’t work or has married “Dr. Biglaw” is kind of weird. People that have high school kids have also had elementary schoolers. Funny how that works. Get a grip. Maybe YOU shouldn’t have had kids!

If they want to close for random stuff they need to decide it more than 3 weeks in advance.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So APS is proposing to cancel school for April 21?

Yes, if it’s a hardship for you email the board. It’s worked in the past

I’m all for it. Spring is such a busy and stressful time for my high schooler. A bonus day off helps tremendously.

Well gee, if your HS kid needs a mental health day, let’s certainly shut down all the schools and make every parent of K-5 kid(s) rearrange their schedules and/or pay for backup camp so your kid can nap and have some me time. 🙄

Oh please. All I said was random days off are good for some high schoolers. And get a grip. Every parent with a high schooler who benefits use to have little ones who were inconvenienced by APS.

I agree with the high school parent. It’s the wisdom of understanding that the days are long, but the years are so short. One day off school (or work, I get it!) is not the end of the world. Enjoy it and do something fun. It’ll be gone so fast!

It’s perspective. It’s also not new. These things happen. Make some lemonade!

Oh my goodness. It is not one day. It is one day IN ADDITION to all the religious holidays, snow days, “it might storm” days, early releases, teacher work days, week long breaks, and oh yeah, sick days.

These days of working and taking care of kids are very long, and these school years are insanely long. As in longer than ever to accommodate all these days off. I’m exhausted. Good for you that you got knocked up by Dr. Biglaw. Some of us have to work to keep a roof over our heads.

And in the middle of AP exam review. Keep the HS open at least!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So APS is proposing to cancel school for April 21?

Yes, if it’s a hardship for you email the board. It’s worked in the past

I’m all for it. Spring is such a busy and stressful time for my high schooler. A bonus day off helps tremendously.

Well gee, if your HS kid needs a mental health day, let’s certainly shut down all the schools and make every parent of K-5 kid(s) rearrange their schedules and/or pay for backup camp so your kid can nap and have some me time. 🙄

Oh please. All I said was random days off are good for some high schoolers. And get a grip. Every parent with a high schooler who benefits use to have little ones who were inconvenienced by APS.

I agree with the high school parent. It’s the wisdom of understanding that the days are long, but the years are so short. One day off school (or work, I get it!) is not the end of the world. Enjoy it and do something fun. It’ll be gone so fast!

It’s perspective. It’s also not new. These things happen. Make some lemonade!

Oh my goodness. It is not one day. It is one day IN ADDITION to all the religious holidays, snow days, “it might storm” days, early releases, teacher work days, week long breaks, and oh yeah, sick days.

These days of working and taking care of kids are very long, and these school years are insanely long. As in longer than ever to accommodate all these days off. I’m exhausted. Good for you that you got knocked up by Dr. Biglaw. Some of us have to work to keep a roof over our heads.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So APS is proposing to cancel school for April 21?

Yes, if it’s a hardship for you email the board. It’s worked in the past

I’m all for it. Spring is such a busy and stressful time for my high schooler. A bonus day off helps tremendously.

Well gee, if your HS kid needs a mental health day, let’s certainly shut down all the schools and make every parent of K-5 kid(s) rearrange their schedules and/or pay for backup camp so your kid can nap and have some me time. 🙄

Oh please. All I said was random days off are good for some high schoolers. And get a grip. Every parent with a high schooler who benefits use to have little ones who were inconvenienced by APS.

I agree with the high school parent. It’s the wisdom of understanding that the days are long, but the years are so short. One day off school (or work, I get it!) is not the end of the world. Enjoy it and do something fun. It’ll be gone so fast!

It’s perspective. It’s also not new. These things happen. Make some lemonade!

But it’s not one day off. It’s one day off on the heels of a bunch of snow days, a rain day, shortened weeks, early releases, etc. in a month where there is already a week off for spring break and a grade prep day. It’s really disingenuous to act like parents complaining are upset over a single day.

Also I don’t need “wisdom” from some parent of a HS kid. I have an older kid myself. But I also still have elementary kids so I can also understand the effects of this sporadic calendar on younger kids. Plus I realize how obnoxious it is when people use the whole “the days are long but the years are short” quip as a way to be totally dismissive of challenges that don’t currently affect you.

You sound like a grump. All these other things were built into the calendar so you should have already planned for them. Teachers planned for them. Everyone knows spring break was coming. And the snow days were built into the calendar too to ensure there will be enough instructional days even if we had to use all of our snow days. People got complacent and used to the extra days when we don't need them, but this contingency was planned for.

I'm surprised those of you with young kids are so ok with random people in your kids building. I'm sure the cones they set up will keep the bad guys away from the littles!

Let me just remind you that most Arlington households have two working parents, so having an extra school day off means many parents with younger kids have to juggle between work responsibilities and childcare. Even for parents who work remote or hybrid (like me), it's hard to work productively when you have to look after younger kids at the same time. As PP said, we already have to deal with too many of those days in a year.

Congratulations to you if you're lucky enough to have a husband who makes big money so you can stay home and don't have to worry about what most other Arlington families have to deal with on an extra school day off. Is it rocket science that most families need two incomes to be able to afford living in Arlington??

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So APS is proposing to cancel school for April 21?

Yes, if it’s a hardship for you email the board. It’s worked in the past

I’m all for it. Spring is such a busy and stressful time for my high schooler. A bonus day off helps tremendously.

Well gee, if your HS kid needs a mental health day, let’s certainly shut down all the schools and make every parent of K-5 kid(s) rearrange their schedules and/or pay for backup camp so your kid can nap and have some me time. 🙄

Oh please. All I said was random days off are good for some high schoolers. And get a grip. Every parent with a high schooler who benefits use to have little ones who were inconvenienced by APS.

I agree with the high school parent. It’s the wisdom of understanding that the days are long, but the years are so short. One day off school (or work, I get it!) is not the end of the world. Enjoy it and do something fun. It’ll be gone so fast!

It’s perspective. It’s also not new. These things happen. Make some lemonade!

But it’s not one day off. It’s one day off on the heels of a bunch of snow days, a rain day, shortened weeks, early releases, etc. in a month where there is already a week off for spring break and a grade prep day. It’s really disingenuous to act like parents complaining are upset over a single day.

Also I don’t need “wisdom” from some parent of a HS kid. I have an older kid myself. But I also still have elementary kids so I can also understand the effects of this sporadic calendar on younger kids. Plus I realize how obnoxious it is when people use the whole “the days are long but the years are short” quip as a way to be totally dismissive of challenges that don’t currently affect you.

You sound like a grump. All these other things were built into the calendar so you should have already planned for them. Teachers planned for them. Everyone knows spring break was coming. And the snow days were built into the calendar too to ensure there will be enough instructional days even if we had to use all of our snow days. People got complacent and used to the extra days when we don't need them, but this contingency was planned for.

I'm surprised those of you with young kids are so ok with random people in your kids building. I'm sure the cones they set up will keep the bad guys away from the littles!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I don’t think so. I’m a high school teacher and have seen how it’s run during a smaller election. Usually an area is blocked off and people go through one entrance point, vote, and exit through the same door. They’re not going to close.

I remember voting at the then McKinley school with little kids on one side of the wide hall and voters on the other. I thought it was weird I could just reach out and grab a kindergartner if I wanted to...not that I did but just that it was physically possible. I guess what I'm saying is, I don't care.

Agreed it really is not secure at all. I have been concerned too. Ours used the gym but there’s not much stopping some Rando from heading down the hall to where the kids are, and they would get to the k-1st graders first. Kids walk alone all the time. Gee what could happen?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone think high schools will flip block schedules for a day that week to avoid having one set of classes three times and the other set once?

Consider considering that the board is full of non-teachers I guarantee they haven’t even thought of that. They also haven’t thought of all the things that will be canceled or reschedule rescheduled due to this change, and they don’t care at all

Isn’t switching the block schedule days something principals can do on their own?

Yes it sure is. Each school sets their own schedule. Schedules can be adjusted. Not a big deal.

Going virtual for a day would solve this whole thing. Too bad that triggers the APEs though.

This is why we can't have nice things.

That is not true. Principals don't switch up schedules (AP here)

We’re not talking all the time. We’re talking about when there’s a day off or a short day. Our school adjusts the schedule when those things happen. You don’t? Why not?

Anonymous wrote:No. I don’t think so. I’m a high school teacher and have seen how it’s run during a smaller election. Usually an area is blocked off and people go through one entrance point, vote, and exit through the same door. They’re not going to close.

I remember voting at the then McKinley school with little kids on one side of the wide hall and voters on the other. I thought it was weird I could just reach out and grab a kindergartner if I wanted to...not that I did but just that it was physically possible. I guess what I'm saying is, I don't care.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So APS is proposing to cancel school for April 21?

Yes, if it’s a hardship for you email the board. It’s worked in the past

I’m all for it. Spring is such a busy and stressful time for my high schooler. A bonus day off helps tremendously.

Well gee, if your HS kid needs a mental health day, let’s certainly shut down all the schools and make every parent of K-5 kid(s) rearrange their schedules and/or pay for backup camp so your kid can nap and have some me time. 🙄

Oh please. All I said was random days off are good for some high schoolers. And get a grip. Every parent with a high schooler who benefits use to have little ones who were inconvenienced by APS.

I agree with the high school parent. It’s the wisdom of understanding that the days are long, but the years are so short. One day off school (or work, I get it!) is not the end of the world. Enjoy it and do something fun. It’ll be gone so fast!

It’s perspective. It’s also not new. These things happen. Make some lemonade!

But it’s not one day off. It’s one day off on the heels of a bunch of snow days, a rain day, shortened weeks, early releases, etc. in a month where there is already a week off for spring break and a grade prep day. It’s really disingenuous to act like parents complaining are upset over a single day.

Also I don’t need “wisdom” from some parent of a HS kid. I have an older kid myself. But I also still have elementary kids so I can also understand the effects of this sporadic calendar on younger kids. Plus I realize how obnoxious it is when people use the whole “the days are long but the years are short” quip as a way to be totally dismissive of challenges that don’t currently affect you.