Anonymous
Post 02/27/2026 11:05     Subject: Melanie Meren's FB post about the calendar
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain why Orthodox Good Friday is a holiday in 2025-2026 and an O day in 2026-2027?

It makes the week after Spring Break this year really strange. They have Monday as a TW and then Friday as a holiday.


It is likely because it allows families to have essentially a two week spring break and only miss four days of schools.

Same with Memorial Day being a five day weekend. Families can take the full week off and only miss two days of school.

I love the schedule!


Good to know you don't value education.


Soooo dramatic. They want to take a two week spring break and have their kids miss a few days of school and now they don't value education? Some of you are so emotionally charged, it's ridiculous/hilarious.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2026 10:59     Subject: Melanie Meren's FB post about the calendar
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:According to the FCPS Grade 3 math pacing guide, Quarter 4 is about 9 weeks long, but only about 2 weeks cover clearly new content (time and money). The remaining 7 weeks—roughly 75–80% of the quarter—are continuation of multiplication/division concepts introduced earlier, SOL review, testing, and flexible instructional time, meaning the vast majority of core material has already been taught before the final quarter even begins.

Why do more parents do not realize this?


With the combination of the snow days, early releases (my kids’ school does not do math on the 3 hour early release days, only Benchmark/language arts), scheduled days off, and unplanned absences/sick days, are the teachers even getting to where they need to get to in the official “pacing guides?” Or are some concepts being glossed over or they just aren’t getting to it entirely?

I grew up in a much snowier area of the country and I can remember a year in high school where we missed the first three days after winter break due to snow, then went to school for 2 days before another storm hit the next weekend and we were out for 4 days. By this point it was already mid-January. We did have MLK day off (can’t remember if it was a holiday for everyone or a teacher work day). And they cancelled midterms for everyone because we just didn’t get through enough material due to the snow days. I look at their calendar this year and it reminds me so much of back then. We just had to leave some material behind and start on new stuff when we finally got back to it in mid-late January.


The pacing guides are built to go slow. Teachers could cover the content of a week in a day and a half if needed.


In elementary. In secondary math they are jam packed. We are currently 2 weeks behind the pacing guide, but since the majority of our kids don't need to pass an SOL (once they pass algebra 1 they have checked the box) we are able to use all of May to teach new content, review a week in June, and then do final exams. By the end we teach it all, just not on their pace.

Honors sometimes has to skip an extension topic or two because they have even more crammed in there, but they are able to pick and choose the important topics that are foundational for higher math and not explicitly taught in higher levels.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2026 10:53     Subject: Melanie Meren's FB post about the calendar
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:According to the FCPS Grade 3 math pacing guide, Quarter 4 is about 9 weeks long, but only about 2 weeks cover clearly new content (time and money). The remaining 7 weeks—roughly 75–80% of the quarter—are continuation of multiplication/division concepts introduced earlier, SOL review, testing, and flexible instructional time, meaning the vast majority of core material has already been taught before the final quarter even begins.

Why do more parents do not realize this?


With the combination of the snow days, early releases (my kids’ school does not do math on the 3 hour early release days, only Benchmark/language arts), scheduled days off, and unplanned absences/sick days, are the teachers even getting to where they need to get to in the official “pacing guides?” Or are some concepts being glossed over or they just aren’t getting to it entirely?

I grew up in a much snowier area of the country and I can remember a year in high school where we missed the first three days after winter break due to snow, then went to school for 2 days before another storm hit the next weekend and we were out for 4 days. By this point it was already mid-January. We did have MLK day off (can’t remember if it was a holiday for everyone or a teacher work day). And they cancelled midterms for everyone because we just didn’t get through enough material due to the snow days. I look at their calendar this year and it reminds me so much of back then. We just had to leave some material behind and start on new stuff when we finally got back to it in mid-late January.


The pacing guides are built to go slow. Teachers could cover the content of a week in a day and a half if needed.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2026 10:09     Subject: Melanie Meren's FB post about the calendar
Anonymous wrote:According to the FCPS Grade 3 math pacing guide, Quarter 4 is about 9 weeks long, but only about 2 weeks cover clearly new content (time and money). The remaining 7 weeks—roughly 75–80% of the quarter—are continuation of multiplication/division concepts introduced earlier, SOL review, testing, and flexible instructional time, meaning the vast majority of core material has already been taught before the final quarter even begins.

Why do more parents do not realize this?


With the combination of the snow days, early releases (my kids’ school does not do math on the 3 hour early release days, only Benchmark/language arts), scheduled days off, and unplanned absences/sick days, are the teachers even getting to where they need to get to in the official “pacing guides?” Or are some concepts being glossed over or they just aren’t getting to it entirely?

I grew up in a much snowier area of the country and I can remember a year in high school where we missed the first three days after winter break due to snow, then went to school for 2 days before another storm hit the next weekend and we were out for 4 days. By this point it was already mid-January. We did have MLK day off (can’t remember if it was a holiday for everyone or a teacher work day). And they cancelled midterms for everyone because we just didn’t get through enough material due to the snow days. I look at their calendar this year and it reminds me so much of back then. We just had to leave some material behind and start on new stuff when we finally got back to it in mid-late January.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2026 09:58     Subject: Melanie Meren's FB post about the calendar
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't know anyone who pays for care on days off. The parents usually just trade using vacation days, telework if possible, use grandparents, or team up with friends.


You know why they do that? Because finding child care on erratic, random days is very difficult.

The calendar is not good for students and their education and that's my main problem with it. I would actually PAY to have education be at the forefront of FCPS. I have HS students so childcare is no longer a concern for me but both my husband and children find this calendar detrimental. "It's been hard to lock in this year" is a refrain I hear a lot from my kids and their friends. We don't need all these days off to relax and sleep.




There it is again. The calendar is not good for students and their education.

PROVE IT. Where is the data that suggests that? Are there lower test scores? Lower overall GPAs? Are reading levels progressing slower? Lower SAT scores? Lower graduation rates? Where are the actual FACTS? Not your opinion or your anecdotal evidence based on your kid and their friends. Real hard data.

Because if you don’t have that you have nothing but your opinion and everyone knows what they say about opinions…


You want actual data, not anecdotes. Multiple nonpartisan research groups - including Brown University, Stanford University, RAND, Harvard’s Shorenstein Center, and UConn’s Neag School—have all found the same thing: when districts reduce or destabilize instructional time, student achievement drops.

• Brown University & Stanford University (EdWorkingPaper 22‑653, 2023–24)
“Lost instructional time has consistently negative effects on student achievement.”
https://www.edworkingpapers.com/ai22-653

• Harvard Shorenstein Center – Journalist’s Resource (2025)
Peer‑reviewed studies show districts with reduced or inconsistent weekly schedules see lower test scores, *especially in math*
https://journalistsresource.org/education/four-day-school-week-research

• RAND Corporation (2023)
Irregular or shortened weekly schedules come with academic tradeoffs, including measurable declines in core subjects.
https://www.rand.org/blog/2023/04/the-four-day-school-week-are-the-pros-worth-the-cons.html

• UConn Neag School of Education / CEPARE (2024)
Fragmented or frequently altered schedules disrupt instructional continuity and harm learning.
https://education.uconn.edu/2024/01/03/around-the-block-evaluating-school-schedules

• American Psychological Association (2024)
Schedule structure - timing, consistency, predictability - has measurable effects on academic performance and attendance.
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2024/08/schools-shift-later-start-times

So yes, there is data. And it’s remarkably consistent: When instructional time becomes irregular or fragmented, student outcomes decline. FCPS’s calendar fits the exact pattern the research warns about.


Thank you. It will be interesting to see FCPS’ data in the coming years.


The links aren’t working for some of these. The others say the studies that have been done on it aren’t great. One says increasing the time is most 8mportsnt which Virginia does by having kids go to school longer each day. That is why there are so many snow days available.


Here ya go 😂
https://www.apa.org/topics/children/school-start-times

https://today.uconn.edu/2024/01/around-the-block-evaluating-school-schedules/
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2026 09:33     Subject: Melanie Meren's FB post about the calendar
According to the FCPS Grade 3 math pacing guide, Quarter 4 is about 9 weeks long, but only about 2 weeks cover clearly new content (time and money). The remaining 7 weeks—roughly 75–80% of the quarter—are continuation of multiplication/division concepts introduced earlier, SOL review, testing, and flexible instructional time, meaning the vast majority of core material has already been taught before the final quarter even begins.

Why do more parents do not realize this?
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2026 09:29     Subject: Melanie Meren's FB post about the calendar
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain why Orthodox Good Friday is a holiday in 2025-2026 and an O day in 2026-2027?

It makes the week after Spring Break this year really strange. They have Monday as a TW and then Friday as a holiday.


There's no rational reason for it.


Embrace it then. Take a nice two week spring break.


Your kid is going to be as dumb as you are.


Insults are usually a substitute for thinking.


Sorry, I call it like I see it.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2026 09:29     Subject: Melanie Meren's FB post about the calendar
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain why Orthodox Good Friday is a holiday in 2025-2026 and an O day in 2026-2027?

It makes the week after Spring Break this year really strange. They have Monday as a TW and then Friday as a holiday.


It is likely because it allows families to have essentially a two week spring break and only miss four days of schools.

Same with Memorial Day being a five day weekend. Families can take the full week off and only miss two days of school.

I love the schedule!


Why? I am genuinely curious why you don't want your kids learning?


Even on a good week, the amount of content is pretty low. If you ever want to do a deep dive, go and look at the pacing guide. There is nothing that cannot be easily caught up on.

And have you ever been in an ES after SOLs are done? Unless your child failed the SOL and is getting remediation, there is very little of substance happening. Sure, the administration claims that teachers are teaching to parents, but everyone knows that the year is wrapping up.



I agree. The vast majority of core instruction is completed well before the end of the school year. The remaining weeks are largely review, reinforcement, and wrap-up—not essential new content. Any material missed during that period can be caught up quickly, especially for students who are already meeting grade-level expectations.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2026 09:25     Subject: Melanie Meren's FB post about the calendar
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain why Orthodox Good Friday is a holiday in 2025-2026 and an O day in 2026-2027?

It makes the week after Spring Break this year really strange. They have Monday as a TW and then Friday as a holiday.


There's no rational reason for it.


Embrace it then. Take a nice two week spring break.


Your kid is going to be as dumb as you are.


Insults are usually a substitute for thinking.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2026 09:24     Subject: Melanie Meren's FB post about the calendar
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain why Orthodox Good Friday is a holiday in 2025-2026 and an O day in 2026-2027?

It makes the week after Spring Break this year really strange. They have Monday as a TW and then Friday as a holiday.


It is likely because it allows families to have essentially a two week spring break and only miss four days of schools.

Same with Memorial Day being a five day weekend. Families can take the full week off and only miss two days of school.

I love the schedule!


Why? I am genuinely curious why you don't want your kids learning?


NP: My kids get 180 (minus snow days) of learning. I'm not sure why you assume people don't want their kids learning because they enjoy and appreciate 3 day weekends and short school weeks.

I very much agree the Tuesdays off are annoying, but I would welcome 4 day weeks with M or F off and a more year round schedule starting in early august.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2026 09:23     Subject: Melanie Meren's FB post about the calendar
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain why Orthodox Good Friday is a holiday in 2025-2026 and an O day in 2026-2027?

It makes the week after Spring Break this year really strange. They have Monday as a TW and then Friday as a holiday.


There's no rational reason for it.


Embrace it then. Take a nice two week spring break.


Your kid is going to be as dumb as you are.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2026 09:22     Subject: Melanie Meren's FB post about the calendar
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Love the five day Memorial Day holiday!

If parents want to spend more time with their children and extended family, this is a great option. Especially because so many parts of the country are done with school on Friday before Memorial Day.


The extended Memorial Day might be the dumbest thing I have seen on the calendar. I would much rather get out earlier in June.

Some of you are so shortsighted


It could change. FCPS moves the days off for Muslim holidays if the lunar calendar changes.

Does anyone know when these days in May will be finalized?


They would add Thursday as holiday or an O day. They would not take away Tuesday or Wednesday because too many families and staff have made vacation plans.


Another reason to plan a full week trip for that week of school might be out of Thursday anyway
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2026 09:21     Subject: Melanie Meren's FB post about the calendar
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Love the five day Memorial Day holiday!

If parents want to spend more time with their children and extended family, this is a great option. Especially because so many parts of the country are done with school on Friday before Memorial Day.


The extended Memorial Day might be the dumbest thing I have seen on the calendar. I would much rather get out earlier in June.

Some of you are so shortsighted


It could change. FCPS moves the days off for Muslim holidays if the lunar calendar changes.

Does anyone know when these days in May will be finalized?


They would add Thursday as holiday or an O day. They would not take away Tuesday or Wednesday because too many families and staff have made vacation plans.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2026 09:18     Subject: Melanie Meren's FB post about the calendar
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Love the five day Memorial Day holiday!

If parents want to spend more time with their children and extended family, this is a great option. Especially because so many parts of the country are done with school on Friday before Memorial Day.


The extended Memorial Day might be the dumbest thing I have seen on the calendar. I would much rather get out earlier in June.

Some of you are so shortsighted


It could change. FCPS moves the days off for Muslim holidays if the lunar calendar changes.

Does anyone know when these days in May will be finalized?
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2026 09:17     Subject: Melanie Meren's FB post about the calendar
Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain why Orthodox Good Friday is a holiday in 2025-2026 and an O day in 2026-2027?

It makes the week after Spring Break this year really strange. They have Monday as a TW and then Friday as a holiday.

This year too many holidays fell on a weekday. To combat this they added a full week to the calendar to accommodate these extra days. They didn’t need all 5 days though, so we got days like Orthodox Good Friday off and other sprinkled TWs throughout the year so that the year wouldn’t end on a Monday or Tuesday.