Anonymous
01/28/2026 21:27
Subject: Why doesn't MCPS include more than 1 snow day in the calendar?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:MCPS parents want
1. Schools to start as late as possible in august
2. Religious holidays (jewish, diwali, Eid , passover)
3. End school year by mid June.
How on earth are they able to do all that given all these conditions?
Fairfax county starts 2 weeks before labor day. They don’t get religious holidays and have 2 weeks off in winter, they still end mid june.
Why can’t mcps do this? Just start 2 weeks before labor day?
I have never heard anyone complain about the prospect of an earlier start. If anything, the reason folks travel/vacation in the week before school is because camp options bottom out and its hard to find coverage.
You obviously only know people with younger kids who need camps and coverage. Older kids start sports several weeks before school, teachers have preservice, plenty of people want to vacation in August and definitely don’t want an earlier start. They have repeatedly surveyed people and this is what the majority prefers.
Parents of older kids are among the biggest advocates of starting the school year earlier. Some schools start in late July or early August and their high school students are far more prepared for AP exams with a month of extra instruction than our MCPS kids.
I don’t know any older students who have sports weeks before school start that would take up the full day with practice such that they couldn’t attend HS.
Fall sports start in early August and students are forced to practice pretty much from sun up to sun down in order for every team to get field time. There would be no possible way to handle summer conditioning with everyone having to be in class until 2:30 PM. And if you think those 2-3 weeks of conditioning aren't important then you have never played sports. You acclimate in early August to avoid serious issues later on.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 21:22
Subject: Why doesn't MCPS include more than 1 snow day in the calendar?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:MCPS parents want
1. Schools to start as late as possible in august
2. Religious holidays (jewish, diwali, Eid , passover)
3. End school year by mid June.
How on earth are they able to do all that given all these conditions?
Fairfax county starts 2 weeks before labor day. They don’t get religious holidays and have 2 weeks off in winter, they still end mid june.
Why can’t mcps do this? Just start 2 weeks before labor day?
I have never heard anyone complain about the prospect of an earlier start. If anything, the reason folks travel/vacation in the week before school is because camp options bottom out and its hard to find coverage.
You obviously only know people with younger kids who need camps and coverage. Older kids start sports several weeks before school, teachers have preservice, plenty of people want to vacation in August and definitely don’t want an earlier start. They have repeatedly surveyed people and this is what the majority prefers.
Parents of older kids are among the biggest advocates of starting the school year earlier. Some schools start in late July or early August and their high school students are far more prepared for AP exams with a month of extra instruction than our MCPS kids.
I don’t know any older students who have sports weeks before school start that would take up the full day with practice such that they couldn’t attend HS.
Starting school in July is absurd. Have your AP kid get a head start on the reading in July if he wants to get a 5 so badly.
MCPS could start school a week or two earlier in August and actually have some snow days built into the calendar so every snow event doesn’t result in a chaos of disorganized rescheduling. That would be nice.
It would also help MCPS comply with requirements because kids are supposed to attend school for 180 days a year, and for the last few years MCPS has shortchanged them with half days tacked in end June rather than planning for snow days
But why is it necessary to start 1-2 weeks earlier August? Baltimore city’s 25-26 school year is Aug 25 - June 11.
https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/3843/BCPS/5855516/One_Page_Calendar_2025_final_v3_2.pdf
Fairfax public schools start a week before MCPS and programs in snow days properly rather than having just 1 snow day like MCPS.
Baltimore includes 3 snow days in its calendar so it is also doing a better job on inclement weather planning than MCPS.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 21:13
Subject: Why doesn't MCPS include more than 1 snow day in the calendar?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:MCPS parents want
1. Schools to start as late as possible in august
2. Religious holidays (jewish, diwali, Eid , passover)
3. End school year by mid June.
How on earth are they able to do all that given all these conditions?
Fairfax county starts 2 weeks before labor day. They don’t get religious holidays and have 2 weeks off in winter, they still end mid june.
Why can’t mcps do this? Just start 2 weeks before labor day?
I have never heard anyone complain about the prospect of an earlier start. If anything, the reason folks travel/vacation in the week before school is because camp options bottom out and its hard to find coverage.
You obviously only know people with younger kids who need camps and coverage. Older kids start sports several weeks before school, teachers have preservice, plenty of people want to vacation in August and definitely don’t want an earlier start. They have repeatedly surveyed people and this is what the majority prefers.
Parents of older kids are among the biggest advocates of starting the school year earlier. Some schools start in late July or early August and their high school students are far more prepared for AP exams with a month of extra instruction than our MCPS kids.
I don’t know any older students who have sports weeks before school start that would take up the full day with practice such that they couldn’t attend HS.
Starting school in July is absurd. Have your AP kid get a head start on the reading in July if he wants to get a 5 so badly.
MCPS could start school a week or two earlier in August and actually have some snow days built into the calendar so every snow event doesn’t result in a chaos of disorganized rescheduling. That would be nice.
It would also help MCPS comply with requirements because kids are supposed to attend school for 180 days a year, and for the last few years MCPS has shortchanged them with half days tacked in end June rather than planning for snow days
But why is it necessary to start 1-2 weeks earlier August? Baltimore city’s 25-26 school year is Aug 25 - June 11.
https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/3843/BCPS/5855516/One_Page_Calendar_2025_final_v3_2.pdf
Anonymous
01/28/2026 21:01
Subject: Why doesn't MCPS include more than 1 snow day in the calendar?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:MCPS parents want
1. Schools to start as late as possible in august
2. Religious holidays (jewish, diwali, Eid , passover)
3. End school year by mid June.
How on earth are they able to do all that given all these conditions?
Fairfax county starts 2 weeks before labor day. They don’t get religious holidays and have 2 weeks off in winter, they still end mid june.
Why can’t mcps do this? Just start 2 weeks before labor day?
I have never heard anyone complain about the prospect of an earlier start. If anything, the reason folks travel/vacation in the week before school is because camp options bottom out and its hard to find coverage.
You obviously only know people with younger kids who need camps and coverage. Older kids start sports several weeks before school, teachers have preservice, plenty of people want to vacation in August and definitely don’t want an earlier start. They have repeatedly surveyed people and this is what the majority prefers.
Parents of older kids are among the biggest advocates of starting the school year earlier. Some schools start in late July or early August and their high school students are far more prepared for AP exams with a month of extra instruction than our MCPS kids.
I don’t know any older students who have sports weeks before school start that would take up the full day with practice such that they couldn’t attend HS.
Starting school in July is absurd. Have your AP kid get a head start on the reading in July if he wants to get a 5 so badly.
MCPS could start school a week or two earlier in August and actually have some snow days built into the calendar so every snow event doesn’t result in a chaos of disorganized rescheduling. That would be nice.
It would also help MCPS comply with requirements because kids are supposed to attend school for 180 days a year, and for the last few years MCPS has shortchanged them with half days tacked in end June rather than planning for snow days
Anonymous
01/28/2026 20:53
Subject: Why doesn't MCPS include more than 1 snow day in the calendar?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:MCPS parents want
1. Schools to start as late as possible in august
2. Religious holidays (jewish, diwali, Eid , passover)
3. End school year by mid June.
How on earth are they able to do all that given all these conditions?
Fairfax county starts 2 weeks before labor day. They don’t get religious holidays and have 2 weeks off in winter, they still end mid june.
Why can’t mcps do this? Just start 2 weeks before labor day?
I have never heard anyone complain about the prospect of an earlier start. If anything, the reason folks travel/vacation in the week before school is because camp options bottom out and its hard to find coverage.
You obviously only know people with younger kids who need camps and coverage. Older kids start sports several weeks before school, teachers have preservice, plenty of people want to vacation in August and definitely don’t want an earlier start. They have repeatedly surveyed people and this is what the majority prefers.
Parents of older kids are among the biggest advocates of starting the school year earlier. Some schools start in late July or early August and their high school students are far more prepared for AP exams with a month of extra instruction than our MCPS kids.
I don’t know any older students who have sports weeks before school start that would take up the full day with practice such that they couldn’t attend HS.
Starting school in July is absurd. Have your AP kid get a head start on the reading in July if he wants to get a 5 so badly.
MCPS could start school a week or two earlier in August and actually have some snow days built into the calendar so every snow event doesn’t result in a chaos of disorganized rescheduling. That would be nice.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 20:50
Subject: Why doesn't MCPS include more than 1 snow day in the calendar?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:MCPS parents want
1. Schools to start as late as possible in august
2. Religious holidays (jewish, diwali, Eid , passover)
3. End school year by mid June.
How on earth are they able to do all that given all these conditions?
Fairfax county starts 2 weeks before labor day. They don’t get religious holidays and have 2 weeks off in winter, they still end mid june.
Why can’t mcps do this? Just start 2 weeks before labor day?
I have never heard anyone complain about the prospect of an earlier start. If anything, the reason folks travel/vacation in the week before school is because camp options bottom out and its hard to find coverage.
You obviously only know people with younger kids who need camps and coverage. Older kids start sports several weeks before school, teachers have preservice, plenty of people want to vacation in August and definitely don’t want an earlier start. They have repeatedly surveyed people and this is what the majority prefers.
Parents of older kids are among the biggest advocates of starting the school year earlier. Some schools start in late July or early August and their high school students are far more prepared for AP exams with a month of extra instruction than our MCPS kids.
I don’t know any older students who have sports weeks before school start that would take up the full day with practice such that they couldn’t attend HS.
Starting school in July is absurd. Have your AP kid get a head start on the reading in July if he wants to get a 5 so badly.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 20:46
Subject: Why doesn't MCPS include more than 1 snow day in the calendar?
Fairfax county was also scheduled to end on the same day as Montgomery county public schools, June 18th.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 20:45
Subject: Why doesn't MCPS include more than 1 snow day in the calendar?
Anonymous wrote:MCPS parents want
1. Schools to start as late as possible in august
2. Religious holidays (jewish, diwali, Eid , passover)
3. End school year by mid June.
How on earth are they able to do all that given all these conditions?
Fairfax county starts 2 weeks before labor day. They don’t get religious holidays and have 2 weeks off in winter, they still end mid june.
Why can’t mcps do this? Just start 2 weeks before labor day?
Fairfax gives off for Jewish high holidays, Diwali Lunar New Year and Eid.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 20:18
Subject: Why doesn't MCPS include more than 1 snow day in the calendar?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:MCPS parents want
1. Schools to start as late as possible in august
2. Religious holidays (jewish, diwali, Eid , passover)
3. End school year by mid June.
How on earth are they able to do all that given all these conditions?
Fairfax county starts 2 weeks before labor day. They don’t get religious holidays and have 2 weeks off in winter, they still end mid june.
Why can’t mcps do this? Just start 2 weeks before labor day?
I have never heard anyone complain about the prospect of an earlier start. If anything, the reason folks travel/vacation in the week before school is because camp options bottom out and its hard to find coverage.
You obviously only know people with younger kids who need camps and coverage. Older kids start sports several weeks before school, teachers have preservice, plenty of people want to vacation in August and definitely don’t want an earlier start. They have repeatedly surveyed people and this is what the majority prefers.
Parents of older kids are among the biggest advocates of starting the school year earlier. Some schools start in late July or early August and their high school students are far more prepared for AP exams with a month of extra instruction than our MCPS kids.
I don’t know any older students who have sports weeks before school start that would take up the full day with practice such that they couldn’t attend HS.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 11:48
Subject: Why doesn't MCPS include more than 1 snow day in the calendar?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:MCPS parents want
1. Schools to start as late as possible in august
2. Religious holidays (jewish, diwali, Eid , passover)
3. End school year by mid June.
How on earth are they able to do all that given all these conditions?
Fairfax county starts 2 weeks before labor day. They don’t get religious holidays and have 2 weeks off in winter, they still end mid june.
Why can’t mcps do this? Just start 2 weeks before labor day?
I have never heard anyone complain about the prospect of an earlier start. If anything, the reason folks travel/vacation in the week before school is because camp options bottom out and its hard to find coverage.
You obviously only know people with younger kids who need camps and coverage. Older kids start sports several weeks before school, teachers have preservice, plenty of people want to vacation in August and definitely don’t want an earlier start. They have repeatedly surveyed people and this is what the majority prefers.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 11:41
Subject: Why doesn't MCPS include more than 1 snow day in the calendar?
I for one don’t want school to start earlier than August 20. It’s not hard to start 1 week before Labor Day and be done before Juneteenth, and also have 3 snow days.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 11:38
Subject: Why doesn't MCPS include more than 1 snow day in the calendar?
Anonymous wrote:MCPS parents want
1. Schools to start as late as possible in august
2. Religious holidays (jewish, diwali, Eid , passover)
3. End school year by mid June.
How on earth are they able to do all that given all these conditions?
Fairfax county starts 2 weeks before labor day. They don’t get religious holidays and have 2 weeks off in winter, they still end mid june.
Why can’t mcps do this? Just start 2 weeks before labor day?
I have never heard anyone complain about the prospect of an earlier start. If anything, the reason folks travel/vacation in the week before school is because camp options bottom out and its hard to find coverage.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 11:21
Subject: Why doesn't MCPS include more than 1 snow day in the calendar?
Anonymous wrote:MCPS parents want
1. Schools to start as late as possible in august
2. Religious holidays (jewish, diwali, Eid , passover)
3. End school year by mid June.
How on earth are they able to do all that given all these conditions?
Fairfax county starts 2 weeks before labor day. They don’t get religious holidays and have 2 weeks off in winter, they still end mid june.
Why can’t mcps do this? Just start 2 weeks before labor day?
Next year MCPS is starting 2 weeks before Labor Day. But that's because Labor Day is very late.
Anonymous
01/28/2026 11:06
Subject: Why doesn't MCPS include more than 1 snow day in the calendar?
Anonymous wrote:MCPS parents want
1. Schools to start as late as possible in august
2. Religious holidays (jewish, diwali, Eid , passover)
3. End school year by mid June.
How on earth are they able to do all that given all these conditions?
Fairfax county starts 2 weeks before labor day. They don’t get religious holidays and have 2 weeks off in winter, they still end mid june.
Why can’t mcps do this? Just start 2 weeks before labor day?
My old district where I worked in Jefferson County, WV they started On August 18th, had a full week off for Thanksgiving, full winter and spring breaks, and still have their last day of school in May
Anonymous
01/28/2026 11:02
Subject: Why doesn't MCPS include more than 1 snow day in the calendar?
MCPS parents want
1. Schools to start as late as possible in august
2. Religious holidays (jewish, diwali, Eid , passover)
3. End school year by mid June.
How on earth are they able to do all that given all these conditions?
Fairfax county starts 2 weeks before labor day. They don’t get religious holidays and have 2 weeks off in winter, they still end mid june.
Why can’t mcps do this? Just start 2 weeks before labor day?
1. Schools to start as late as possible in august
2. Religious holidays (jewish, diwali, Eid , passover)
3. End school year by mid June.
How on earth are they able to do all that given all these conditions?
Fairfax county starts 2 weeks before labor day. They don’t get religious holidays and have 2 weeks off in winter, they still end mid june.
Why can’t mcps do this? Just start 2 weeks before labor day?