Anonymous
12/11/2024 23:08
Subject: School calendar sucks
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We could solve a lot of problems by having a shorter winter break. It's so unnecessary.
What problem are you trying to solve? Do you want a longer summer? Many of us are pushing for a shorter summer.
There's a strong correlation between disliking summer and being an incredibly boring person. Way too many of you around here.
There's a strong correlation between your post and being smug and condescending. There's way too many of you around here (even if it's only one).
That's not even a good comeback. You're still boring.
Anonymous
12/11/2024 22:46
Subject: School calendar sucks
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We could solve a lot of problems by having a shorter winter break. It's so unnecessary.
What problem are you trying to solve? Do you want a longer summer? Many of us are pushing for a shorter summer.
If they want a shorter summer they need to commit to it. Summer break, 5 weeks from roughly July 4th through sometime in early to mid August. And give us actual LONGER vacations throughout the year instead of this “3 day weekend here, Wednesday off there” nonsense. At least then we could do some travel in the off seasons.
Find a private school if you want year long school.
No one wants what you are suggesting.
I don’t want it either but my point is they need to pick a lane. Summer is down to 9.5 weeks (for students) between this school year and next. I think most of us would like to see around 11.5-12 weeks, so getting out around a week to week and a half earlier and starting a week later in August. Or, they could actually commit to year round school with a shorter summer, still probably ~5 weeks, and longer breaks throughout the school year. But the current calendar is the worst of both worlds, a short summer and no longer breaks outside of the usual winter and spring. It just makes everything a long slog all year with all those mid week days off and 3 day weekends here and there that are impossible for actual travel beyond an overnight at Great Wolf Lodge or whatever.
The thing is FCPS doesn’t care about that in the slightest. So you need to prioritize family time if that’s what is important to you (and I agree it should be) and ignore their rhetoric on how important is is to be in class. Ask for make up material if you need to and make sure your kid isn’t penalized but don’t sacrifice what matters.
Anonymous
12/11/2024 22:41
Subject: School calendar sucks
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We could solve a lot of problems by having a shorter winter break. It's so unnecessary.
What problem are you trying to solve? Do you want a longer summer? Many of us are pushing for a shorter summer.
If they want a shorter summer they need to commit to it. Summer break, 5 weeks from roughly July 4th through sometime in early to mid August. And give us actual LONGER vacations throughout the year instead of this “3 day weekend here, Wednesday off there” nonsense. At least then we could do some travel in the off seasons.
Find a private school if you want year long school.
No one wants what you are suggesting.
I don’t want it either but my point is they need to pick a lane. Summer is down to 9.5 weeks (for students) between this school year and next. I think most of us would like to see around 11.5-12 weeks, so getting out around a week to week and a half earlier and starting a week later in August. Or, they could actually commit to year round school with a shorter summer, still probably ~5 weeks, and longer breaks throughout the school year. But the current calendar is the worst of both worlds, a short summer and no longer breaks outside of the usual winter and spring. It just makes everything a long slog all year with all those mid week days off and 3 day weekends here and there that are impossible for actual travel beyond an overnight at Great Wolf Lodge or whatever.
Anonymous
12/11/2024 20:21
Subject: School calendar sucks
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Moon and Dunne have both acknowledged that the 2025-26 calendar needs to be fixed.
Please PLEASE your school board member instead of posting here!
https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/contact-us/school-board
Eye roll.
Nothing will change.
+1
We are stuck with it for next year. Best case they realize what a disaster it is to hand out holidays like candy and dial it back to a saner amount in 2026-2027
Totally agree. The long winter break is totally unnecessary.
The two week winter break was a teacher demand years ago. Wonder if that’s still a priority for them.
It was what we were promised when we began going to school before Labor Day.
Now that most teachers are back at school by August 1-5 so they can begin room set up, and knowing that we are on contract until the end of June, most of us want that two week break. Our summers are only 4-5 weeks now.
.
.
CUE people saying, "Boo-hoo! You only have 4-5 weeks off during the summer. No one else gets that kind of break! Stop complaining!"
Please remember: (1) school breaks are a perk of our job, much like most jobs have some type of perks, (2) many of us use summer to write new curriculum and lessons, (3) many teachers need a summer job in order to make ends meet since we aren't paid over the summer, (4) many of us entered this profession so our schedules would closely-align with our own children's schedules, (5) most of us aren't complaining; we are instead pointing out facts and points to ponder. That's not complaining.
New teachers didn’t even have contract days until Aug 5. Others started August 12. I know very few who go in more than a day or two early for room set up. Our school doesn’t let teachers in much earlier than that.
Anonymous
12/11/2024 19:14
Subject: School calendar sucks
Anonymous wrote:This thread is the perfect example of why they can’t win. People are adamant about their position and can’t imagine there are people who want the exact opposite.
People are pretty clear that pointless early dismissal and midweek days off are garbage. Not that it will stop FCPS but, universally, they are seen as disrespectful of families.
Anonymous
12/11/2024 18:55
Subject: School calendar sucks
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Moon and Dunne have both acknowledged that the 2025-26 calendar needs to be fixed.
Please PLEASE your school board member instead of posting here!
https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/contact-us/school-board
Eye roll.
Nothing will change.
+1
We are stuck with it for next year. Best case they realize what a disaster it is to hand out holidays like candy and dial it back to a saner amount in 2026-2027
Totally agree. The long winter break is totally unnecessary.
The long winter break was one of the few things that all groups surveyed agreed upon. You are in the minority.
Anonymous
12/11/2024 17:26
Subject: School calendar sucks
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Moon and Dunne have both acknowledged that the 2025-26 calendar needs to be fixed.
Please PLEASE your school board member instead of posting here!
https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/contact-us/school-board
Eye roll.
Nothing will change.
+1
We are stuck with it for next year. Best case they realize what a disaster it is to hand out holidays like candy and dial it back to a saner amount in 2026-2027
Totally agree. The long winter break is totally unnecessary.
The two week winter break was a teacher demand years ago. Wonder if that’s still a priority for them.
It was what we were promised when we began going to school before Labor Day.
Now that most teachers are back at school by August 1-5 so they can begin room set up, and knowing that we are on contract until the end of June, most of us want that two week break. Our summers are only 4-5 weeks now.
.
.
CUE people saying, "Boo-hoo! You only have 4-5 weeks off during the summer. No one else gets that kind of break! Stop complaining!"
Please remember: (1) school breaks are a perk of our job, much like most jobs have some type of perks, (2) many of us use summer to write new curriculum and lessons, (3) many teachers need a summer job in order to make ends meet since we aren't paid over the summer, (4) many of us entered this profession so our schedules would closely-align with our own children's schedules, (5) most of us aren't complaining; we are instead pointing out facts and points to ponder. That's not complaining.
Anonymous
12/11/2024 16:47
Subject: School calendar sucks
School should be out all of June and July. Right after Memorial Day.
Anonymous
12/11/2024 09:57
Subject: School calendar sucks
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We could solve a lot of problems by having a shorter winter break. It's so unnecessary.
What problem are you trying to solve? Do you want a longer summer? Many of us are pushing for a shorter summer.
There's a strong correlation between disliking summer and being an incredibly boring person. Way too many of you around here.
There's a strong correlation between your post and being smug and condescending. There's way too many of you around here (even if it's only one).
Anonymous
12/11/2024 08:50
Subject: School calendar sucks
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
FCPS can't control when a holiday happens, but they can certainly choose not to take the day off. There should be no explicitly religious holidays on the public school calendar.
Christmas is also a secular and cultural federal holiday in the US. It is the biggest holiday in the US, bigger than Thanksgiving, in case you haven't noticed. The secular, non religious, non Christian Christmas "season" stretches from shortly after Halloween until January 1. A tremendous part of our consumer economy is centered on Christmas, more than on any other holiday on our calendar. Christmas is part of the fiber of American culture, not just religious traditions but secular traditions.
It is one of the original federal holidays.
FCPS could not have school on Christmas or Christmas Eve because they would not have enough students or teachers to run the school.
Throwing out "but but but... Christmas" is a dumb argument that has no substance behind it and shows almost no understanding of American secular cultural history.
Indeed, why does FCPS have to observe any of these other religious holidays, when the federal government only observes Christmas? Just stop trying to please all the different religious groups. All these days off and the restrictions on the "O" days is gutting the quality of education. Get back to basics and stop pandering to every vocal group. There are religious schools for those who prefer to have more religious holidays off. Public schools don't need to/can't accommodate all these different interests without giving up educational content.
Anonymous
12/11/2024 08:00
Subject: School calendar sucks
This thread is the perfect example of why they can’t win. People are adamant about their position and can’t imagine there are people who want the exact opposite.
Anonymous
12/11/2024 07:50
Subject: School calendar sucks
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We could solve a lot of problems by having a shorter winter break. It's so unnecessary.
What problem are you trying to solve? Do you want a longer summer? Many of us are pushing for a shorter summer.
Most people want a normal 3 month summer.
Speak for yourself…..my family LOVES a long summer
A 13-week summer? That sounds absolutely terrible, and I strongly doubt your claim that "most" people want it.
Bring on the 9 weeks on, 3 weeks off schedule with a 5-week summer. Ahhh... that would be wonderful.
Anonymous
12/11/2024 07:36
Subject: School calendar sucks
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We could solve a lot of problems by having a shorter winter break. It's so unnecessary.
What problem are you trying to solve? Do you want a longer summer? Many of us are pushing for a shorter summer.
Most people want a normal 3 month summer.
A 13-week summer? That sounds absolutely terrible, and I strongly doubt your claim that "most" people want it.
Bring on the 9 weeks on, 3 weeks off schedule with a 5-week summer. Ahhh... that would be wonderful.
Anonymous
12/10/2024 23:07
Subject: School calendar sucks
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We could solve a lot of problems by having a shorter winter break. It's so unnecessary.
What problem are you trying to solve? Do you want a longer summer? Many of us are pushing for a shorter summer.
If they want a shorter summer they need to commit to it. Summer break, 5 weeks from roughly July 4th through sometime in early to mid August. And give us actual LONGER vacations throughout the year instead of this “3 day weekend here, Wednesday off there” nonsense. At least then we could do some travel in the off seasons.
Find a private school if you want year long school.
No one wants what you are suggesting.
Anonymous
12/10/2024 23:06
Subject: School calendar sucks
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We could solve a lot of problems by having a shorter winter break. It's so unnecessary.
What problem are you trying to solve? Do you want a longer summer? Many of us are pushing for a shorter summer.
Most people want a normal 3 month summer.