Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just saw a model that shows possible snow thursday

YES!

I HOPE so!

These poor kids need a break. The teachers too I'm sure.

They just had a break.....a week and a half break. Don't you remember?

AND in Fairfax Co. there are teacher's work DAYS next week (1/30, 1/31). WHY schedule teacher workdays during winter months when there is good possibility of snow days and tons of missed school. And aren't 1/2 day Mondays all year long not enough that they need to add in extra teacher workdays? What the hec?? I thought FCPS was suppose to be one of the best?

They say so and never stop saying it. Does not make it true.

You think the Capital Weather Gang actually checked into the small road conditions in Fairfax? I think not. I think school should be open BUT Fairfax road conditions and bus stop logistics are not in the CWG's expertise.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So maybe we should complain to VDOT (or whoever plows roads) to do a better job of clearing the side roads....this really isn't FCPS' job to plow the roads in front of schools or your neighborhood bus route.

Look, it is what it is. Why expend the energy. Schools in this area have been closing like this forever. No amount of complaining has changed that.

What do you possibly think could be said in 2014 that hasn't been said in past years??

Some of the roads are BAD! They can clean the roads right now and ice can form again overnight (which is what I suspect has been happening. I don't think they've been sitting back doing nothing all this time).

All you'll do is make yourself look like a horrible parent who would rather risk their child's safety to be rid of the burden then to miss a few days of school that can and will be made up.

Hmmm, looks like even the Capital Weather Gang agrees that FCPS is ridiculous:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2014/01/23/time-for-fairfax-county-to-toughen-up/?hpid=z2

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a single mom and have two kids in a school that follows FCPS. I have to work as well...or I can't pay for the things they need.

While I have childcare covered (I have a live-in au pair), my beef is that they are losing precious learning days. My kids' private school doesn't 'make up' snow days...so I am assuming they have to squeeze in the material in the days they have left.

I like the PP's comment about what they are doing about the roads. I have not seen any action on my neighborhood street past the first 'pass'.

I'm SURE that there will not be school tomorrow. Why would there be?

So infuriating.

Herein lies the problem: Some roads have still not been properly treated. So why open schools when only PART of the county is 'free and clear' to attend?

And what's stopping you or your au pair from reading to/with the kids, assigning math/science problems, having them play educational games online, etc.

In the end, PARENTS are 100% responsible for every aspect of their children's lives. NO WAY would I put my child's education 100% in the hands of the state. Are you crazy?!

They're going to teach them what they want. The school curriculum needs to be supplemented at home. That's something I'd do whether there were snow days or not.

I recognize you, crazy sancti-mommy. Shouldn't you be busy with your precious children that you are oh-so-100% responsible for and not posting on a message board? Do you care more about DCUM than your children who you gave birth to and must sacrifice everything for???

You sound so bitter.

Anonymous wrote:So maybe we should complain to VDOT (or whoever plows roads) to do a better job of clearing the side roads....this really isn't FCPS' job to plow the roads in front of schools or your neighborhood bus route.

Look, it is what it is. Why expend the energy. Schools in this area have been closing like this forever. No amount of complaining has changed that.

What do you possibly think could be said in 2014 that hasn't been said in past years??

Some of the roads are BAD! They can clean the roads right now and ice can form again overnight (which is what I suspect has been happening. I don't think they've been sitting back doing nothing all this time).

All you'll do is make yourself look like a horrible parent who would rather risk their child's safety to be rid of the burden then to miss a few days of school that can and will be made up.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a single mom and have two kids in a school that follows FCPS. I have to work as well...or I can't pay for the things they need.

While I have childcare covered (I have a live-in au pair), my beef is that they are losing precious learning days. My kids' private school doesn't 'make up' snow days...so I am assuming they have to squeeze in the material in the days they have left.

I like the PP's comment about what they are doing about the roads. I have not seen any action on my neighborhood street past the first 'pass'.

I'm SURE that there will not be school tomorrow. Why would there be?

So infuriating.

Herein lies the problem: Some roads have still not been properly treated. So why open schools when only PART of the county is 'free and clear' to attend?

And what's stopping you or your au pair from reading to/with the kids, assigning math/science problems, having them play educational games online, etc.

In the end, PARENTS are 100% responsible for every aspect of their children's lives. NO WAY would I put my child's education 100% in the hands of the state. Are you crazy?!

They're going to teach them what they want. The school curriculum needs to be supplemented at home. That's something I'd do whether there were snow days or not.

I recognize you, crazy sancti-mommy. Shouldn't you be busy with your precious children that you are oh-so-100% responsible for and not posting on a message board? Do you care more about DCUM than your children who you gave birth to and must sacrifice everything for???

Anonymous wrote:I am a single mom and have two kids in a school that follows FCPS. I have to work as well...or I can't pay for the things they need.

While I have childcare covered (I have a live-in au pair), my beef is that they are losing precious learning days. My kids' private school doesn't 'make up' snow days...so I am assuming they have to squeeze in the material in the days they have left.

I like the PP's comment about what they are doing about the roads. I have not seen any action on my neighborhood street past the first 'pass'.

I'm SURE that there will not be school tomorrow. Why would there be?

So infuriating.

Herein lies the problem: Some roads have still not been properly treated. So why open schools when only PART of the county is 'free and clear' to attend?

And what's stopping you or your au pair from reading to/with the kids, assigning math/science problems, having them play educational games online, etc.

In the end, PARENTS are 100% responsible for every aspect of their children's lives. NO WAY would I put my child's education 100% in the hands of the state. Are you crazy?!

They're going to teach them what they want. The school curriculum needs to be supplemented at home. That's something I'd do whether there were snow days or not.

So maybe we should complain to VDOT (or whoever plows roads) to do a better job of clearing the side roads....this really isn't FCPS' job to plow the roads in front of schools or your neighborhood bus route.

Anonymous wrote:"

I totally agree - FCPS is the laziest school system known to mankind. What other county gives 1/2 day Mondays? It is absurd, and puts an unreasonable burden on all those kids and their parents to give the teachers a yummy 1/2 day off every Monday. Like the holidays, teacher off days, snow days, winter break, spring break, and entire summer off aren't enough."

BUT tHe regular Tues-Friday are actually extended in time to make up for the early release Monday. Its still the same amount of time/per week as any other system. So many people are not aware of this! Or that Arlington Falls Church city and DC(as well as most other counties) have an EARLY release day as well! SO sick of all the crabbing.

Yes, it is unreasonable to burden kids with an extra couple of hours to play and be kids. Or go to the doctor or dentist or go to a Scout troop meeting or religious education class or just have a little extra time to do homework. A completely unreasonable burden, especially when their teachers are spending that time planning and preparing for the next week of school.

Anonymous wrote:10:58, how do you control how your teens spend snow days? Haven't you been back to work in your office since yesterday like the rest of us?

No. I haven't been back since yesterday but will likely peek in sometime today to see what's going on, piddle around a bit then leave. I save up my time like a hoarder for things like snow days and unexpected illnesses. Everyone already knows that on snow days Anonymous will not likely be in.

Of course, my DD could babysit the smaller ones but I know school can easily close for a full week, and if she's not burdened with that...good for us all.

How do I control how she spends her days? I tell her she can do whatever she wants after she's read/studied. So far she's chosen to go into work and spend the rest of her time with friends--here or at their homes.

On the days I've gone to work on snow days (just a dusting of snow on the grass--no worries about the roads) she had to write some sort of response to her reading (so I'd know it was done) or complete math problems. Whatever she did with her time after that was up to her. I just needed to see the few assignments were done. (B/c she was babysitting she couldn't leave the house but could have friends over. When I came in from work she could go hang out with friends--provided the work was done.)

It's really not hard to "control" teenagers when they realize YOU are the parent, you care about their education, and the 'work load' you're giving them is much lighter than a full day of school.

I am a single mom and have two kids in a school that follows FCPS. I have to work as well...or I can't pay for the things they need.

While I have childcare covered (I have a live-in au pair), my beef is that they are losing precious learning days. My kids' private school doesn't 'make up' snow days...so I am assuming they have to squeeze in the material in the days they have left.

I like the PP's comment about what they are doing about the roads. I have not seen any action on my neighborhood street past the first 'pass'.

I'm SURE that there will not be school tomorrow. Why would there be?

So infuriating.

Anonymous wrote:

...many of the parents complaining about the snow days, like myself, have older kids who will be falling behind with work and would be much better off in school than playing video games, hanging out at the mall or going skiing or sledding with friends. To the anticipated responses of "just keep your teens home," I'd challenge you to keep your kids at their desks for three days when all their peers are playing and enjoying one long -- and largely unsupervised party.

My high school child has been getting assignments throughout this snow break and has been doing them every day. The teachers are really using the internet so that the classes are not much behind, if at all, when they go back. Same thing happened during Snowmagedden when my child was in middle school. Aren't most of the teachers sending out assignments during this time?

Meant to also say that my child has been getting regular updates from school on how the midterm schedule will be modified to deal with the time off.

"

I totally agree - FCPS is the laziest school system known to mankind. What other county gives 1/2 day Mondays? It is absurd, and puts an unreasonable burden on all those kids and their parents to give the teachers a yummy 1/2 day off every Monday. Like the holidays, teacher off days, snow days, winter break, spring break, and entire summer off aren't enough."

BUT tHe regular Tues-Friday are actually extended in time to make up for the early release Monday. Its still the same amount of time/per week as any other system. So many people are not aware of this! Or that Arlington Falls Church city and DC(as well as most other counties) have an EARLY release day as well! SO sick of all the crabbing.

I sent assignments last night, and I am kicking myself for not sending them sooner. I really thought we'd be back by now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:................Bitching and moaning won't keep the schools open.

Actually it might. These are elected officials on the school board and they need to hear from their citizens. Send them a letter though, rants on a board don't carry much weight.

Furthermore, I find your attitude DISGUSTING! It's been explained the SAFETY for ALL students in ALL parts of the county drives these decisions. But who cares about that? You just want things done YOUR way because YOU are being inconvenienced.

BELIEEEEEVVEEEE me when I tell you: Fairfax parents are easily dismissed as a bunch of whiny complainers in situations like these. That's why it's easy to ignore those "letters" and CONTINUE to close schools.

You don't think parents thought putting on the pressure would work in the past??? It's been tried, Buttercup.

Here's my problem: are they actually plowing, sanding, etc. and doing something, ANYTHING, today, the second day after the snow has STOPPED, to get ready to go back to school, or are they just waiting for everything to melt? If I saw activity, and hadn't seen a whole lotta nothing on Weds, I'd be more sympathetic. In this respect, the school system should be run like a business.

They've been removing snow for days now. That's why in some counties teachers and leaders are in the buildings. HOWEVER, they're concerned about the ice that's likely to form. The roads that their maintenance men are not required to take care of, etc.

FCPS is not responsible for county snow removal. However, maintenance does take care of the school parking lots, sidewalks, etc.