We certainly had a better education system when we only recognized Christian holidays. Even the reprobates at NYSE and CME take off Good Friday.

Lots of Muslim countries if you prefer that vibe.

Anonymous wrote:Having kids home so much and having disjointed weeks cannot be good for kids brains. FCPS has to recognize that a majority of the families in this county have 2 working parents, and although we shell out $ for one day camps sometimes that is not really realistic much of the time. Why we have off today (I am Catholic) and Friday is beyond me...our children are running around like crazy because this is the 6th day off...for no reason. And I would like to understand what a "student holiday" is for...PP noted this was "like college" no one I know has a "work holiday" or a "college day" off...so what the heck is it for?

Huh. Mine is working on a science project and studying for an AP exam. We are happy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope FCPS can make this fix. All of the random days off are disruptive to learning and hard on working parents. I'm totally supportive of a 4 day weekend in October and/or February to break up the longer stretches, but we need more consistency and 5 day weeks.

-Arlington parent, with a school board that feels compelled to follow the FCPS schedule

Just stop making the 4 day weekend in October around 10/31. I'd love to visit family or go on a fall trip, but my kids absolutely want to celebrate Halloween at home. Also, my kids like being in school on Halloween! It was a fun day of school, but recently it's been a holiday.

No learning took place and it was a distraction. Same with Veterans Day. It’s better if they just have that off. Putting him in school on those two holidays serves no one but the working parents.

No one will ever convince me these choppy weeks are good for any kids-not even HS kids.
It is a ridiculous schedule and this week is just the cherry on the cake of total stupidity.

Having kids home so much and having disjointed weeks cannot be good for kids brains. FCPS has to recognize that a majority of the families in this county have 2 working parents, and although we shell out $ for one day camps sometimes that is not really realistic much of the time. Why we have off today (I am Catholic) and Friday is beyond me...our children are running around like crazy because this is the 6th day off...for no reason. And I would like to understand what a "student holiday" is for...PP noted this was "like college" no one I know has a "work holiday" or a "college day" off...so what the heck is it for?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think having every religious holiday under the sun is absolutely absurd but maybe I’m in the minority.

Monday and Friday off this week after spring break? Absolutely asinine.

Yes, you're in the minority. And you're an -ist of some sort.

Why is it absurd? Explain it to me like I'm five.

The students had 5 1/ days off for spring break. This week, following spring break, they have off Monday and Friday. That is not smart planning.

Anonymous wrote:I hope FCPS can make this fix. All of the random days off are disruptive to learning and hard on working parents. I'm totally supportive of a 4 day weekend in October and/or February to break up the longer stretches, but we need more consistency and 5 day weeks.

-Arlington parent, with a school board that feels compelled to follow the FCPS schedule

Just stop making the 4 day weekend in October around 10/31. I'd love to visit family or go on a fall trip, but my kids absolutely want to celebrate Halloween at home. Also, my kids like being in school on Halloween! It was a fun day of school, but recently it's been a holiday.

Nearly all these holidays start after sundown, so I'm not sure why there can't be school on the holiday? Christmas and Easter seem to be the only morning holidays, but Christmas is a federal holiday and Easter is conveniently on a Sunday. I do not want spring break to coincide with Easter.

Anonymous wrote:I think having every religious holiday under the sun is absolutely absurd but maybe I’m in the minority.

Monday and Friday off this week after spring break? Absolutely asinine.

Ok, you go first.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No way, I love the days off and what they represent. Most secondary parents like them, whether they care about the holidays off or not.

Good to know you don't value education. Most. parents and teacher do.

You’re an idiot. It’s the same number of hours/days regardless of how you arrange them. While 5 day weeks may be better for elementary students, days off throughout the year can benefit middle and high schoolers.

Parents who don’t mind the current calendar value education as much as you do.

Don't know if I agree about high school kids.

Most of them have completely checked out after all of these 3/4 day weeks.

There's a huge issue with chronic absenteeism and it's likely related to the choppy schedule. If those in charge won't prioritize holding class, why should parents and students prioritize going to class?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No way, I love the days off and what they represent. Most secondary parents like them, whether they care about the holidays off or not.

Good to know you don't value education. Most. parents and teacher do.

If FCPS would actually start educating again then I'd value time at school.....but let's be honest FCPS is broken.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No way, I love the days off and what they represent. Most secondary parents like them, whether they care about the holidays off or not.

Good to know you don't value education. Most. parents and teacher do.

You’re an idiot. It’s the same number of hours/days regardless of how you arrange them. While 5 day weeks may be better for elementary students, days off throughout the year can benefit middle and high schoolers.

Parents who don’t mind the current calendar value education as much as you do.

Don't know if I agree about high school kids.

Most of them have completely checked out after all of these 3/4 day weeks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think having every religious holiday under the sun is absolutely absurd but maybe I’m in the minority.

Monday and Friday off this week after spring break? Absolutely asinine.

Yes it is absolutely absurd that spring break and winter break revolve around Christian holidays.

Ina country founded by various Christian groups? Happens.

First of all, Santa Claus is not Christian.

Christmas was created to coincide with pagan holidays.

Also, the United States was not founded on Christianity. It was founded on freedom of religion any religion.

Also, the Easter bunny is not Christian. This was found to be true by the Supreme Court.

Also, the calendar does not revolve around religious holidays revolves around days that teachers will be at work and you cannot deny a teacher a day off to honor a religious day.

You seem to have gone on vacation during history and constitutional law classes.

Let's see:

- Santa Claus is the Dutch name for St. Nicholas, a 4th century Greek Bishop. So he is Christian, but I understand the Coca-Cola inspired version is not.
- While there have been some scholars who argue Christmas was created to replace pagan holidays, there are many more who sharply disagree. For example take a look at Tim Larsen's Oxford Handbook of Christmas for an example
- While the Constitution enshrined freedom of any religion, I do think most of our Deist and Christian-adjacent (few were actually Christian) founders would be surprised where the first ammendment has taken us. But hopefully not in a bad way. At the time all they were trying to do was prevent the US from becoming 17th century Europe with the never ending inter-denominational warfare.
- Sure, we can all agree the Easter bunny is not Christian

That said, I personally have always been a fan of the idea that the school calendar around here should follow federal holidays and limited teacher workdays and that's about it. My kids left FCPS for a Christian private and our current school does not tie spring break to Easter.

Anonymous wrote:I think having every religious holiday under the sun is absolutely absurd but maybe I’m in the minority.

Monday and Friday off this week after spring break? Absolutely asinine.

Yes, you're in the minority. And you're an -ist of some sort.

Why is it absurd? Explain it to me like I'm five.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope FCPS can make this fix. All of the random days off are disruptive to learning and hard on working parents. I'm totally supportive of a 4 day weekend in October and/or February to break up the longer stretches, but we need more consistency and 5 day weeks.

-Arlington parent, with a school board that feels compelled to follow the FCPS schedule

That’s a you problem, not an FCPS problem.

Uh, most kids have two working parents. It's not 1950 any more.