Anonymous
Post 10/22/2020 15:49     Subject: APS 2021-2022 CALENDAR CHANGES
Anonymous wrote:I kind of feel like either we need to start earlier so teachers can have plenty of time to establish routines or we could consider moving to a year round schedule....I know that might not be the most popular idea but it would allow for some more flexible scheduling with religious holidays and would also allow us to have some time off during non peak times.

I'm not in love with how few full weeks of school there are at the elementary level.


I agree. I like year-round schedules; but Arlington is finally eliminating the one modified calendar in the one elementary school that had it. It absolutely would provide more flexibility to accommodate the growing # of holidays that must be recognized by having school off. People could stop griping about teachers having cushy jobs with their summers off, though nobody seems to have a problem with students having summers off. Rotating calendar starts can also be implemented to address capacity shortages. Younger students get back into the routine of school faster after shorter breaks. There are lots of reasons to consider yaer-round school. Achievement gap isn't the only reason.
Anonymous
Post 10/22/2020 13:32     Subject: Re:APS 2021-2022 CALENDAR CHANGES
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This is complete B.S. There should not be any religious holidays on the calendar, period, except for Christmas which is a federal holiday, major secular holiday AND happens to land during the semester break. I do not care one iota whether or not Spring break is tied to Easter. August 23 is the height of summer and ridiculously early for those of us who support a post-Labor Day start.


Christmas is a major secular holiday? Um, no it is not. It is a major Christian holiday. And the height of summer is July, not the end of August.


Christmas = Santa = commercial = secular
Birth of Christ = religious

The ultra religious people we know don’t actually celebrate commercial Xmas


Ok, so Christians can celebrate Christmas in a non-religious way. It is still a religious holiday, it is not a secular holiday like Thanksgiving or Fourth of July.



We aren't Christian and we "celebrate" Christmas. Gifts, Elf on the Shelf, trees, cookies, etc. Not a speck of religion involved.

Anonymous
Post 10/22/2020 11:04     Subject: Re:APS 2021-2022 CALENDAR CHANGES
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This is complete B.S. There should not be any religious holidays on the calendar, period, except for Christmas which is a federal holiday, major secular holiday AND happens to land during the semester break. I do not care one iota whether or not Spring break is tied to Easter. August 23 is the height of summer and ridiculously early for those of us who support a post-Labor Day start.


Christmas is a major secular holiday? Um, no it is not. It is a major Christian holiday. And the height of summer is July, not the end of August.


Christmas = Santa = commercial = secular
Birth of Christ = religious

The ultra religious people we know don’t actually celebrate commercial Xmas


Ok, so Christians can celebrate Christmas in a non-religious way. It is still a religious holiday, it is not a secular holiday like Thanksgiving or Fourth of July.
Anonymous
Post 10/22/2020 11:04     Subject: APS 2021-2022 CALENDAR CHANGES
I kind of feel like either we need to start earlier so teachers can have plenty of time to establish routines or we could consider moving to a year round schedule....I know that might not be the most popular idea but it would allow for some more flexible scheduling with religious holidays and would also allow us to have some time off during non peak times.

I'm not in love with how few full weeks of school there are at the elementary level.
Anonymous
Post 10/22/2020 08:50     Subject: APS 2021-2022 CALENDAR CHANGES
Maybe they are adding more instruction time next year to help address gaps formed by DL/hybrid learning for 1.5 years.
Anonymous
Post 10/22/2020 08:47     Subject: Re:APS 2021-2022 CALENDAR CHANGES
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This is complete B.S. There should not be any religious holidays on the calendar, period, except for Christmas which is a federal holiday, major secular holiday AND happens to land during the semester break. I do not care one iota whether or not Spring break is tied to Easter. August 23 is the height of summer and ridiculously early for those of us who support a post-Labor Day start.


Christmas is a major secular holiday? Um, no it is not. It is a major Christian holiday. And the height of summer is July, not the end of August.


Christmas = Santa = commercial = secular
Birth of Christ = religious

The ultra religious people we know don’t actually celebrate commercial Xmas


Well, the timing of both (late December) simply reflects early Christianity’s co-opting/hijacking of pagan Europe’s Solstice celebrations (and Easter the same; the spring equinox). Let’s just be honest and have seasonal holidays and breaks and everyone can call them whatever they want.


Yes, we can do that in early January.
Anonymous
Post 10/22/2020 08:34     Subject: APS 2021-2022 CALENDAR CHANGES
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Love the calendar. But, still looking forward to the parade of families complaining about their summer beach house reservations and the School Board’s bizarre toleration of it like last year. So self absorbed.


Oh I’m not complaining. I’m simply going to do what’s best for my family, including prioritizing extended family vacations. I doubt the school will give me a hard time about it.


Oh Betsy, you’re so cool.


You never really left high school, did you?
Anonymous
Post 10/22/2020 08:32     Subject: APS 2021-2022 CALENDAR CHANGES
The seat hours are too high.
Anonymous
Post 10/22/2020 08:22     Subject: APS 2021-2022 CALENDAR CHANGES
Anonymous wrote:Look, the proposed school year is too damn long. If they start 2 weeks earlier, they should end 2 weeks earlier.


This!! If we are starting early, like many other states, there is NO REASON we need to still be in school as late. Our kids really don't learn anything in June.
Anonymous
Post 10/22/2020 08:20     Subject: Re:APS 2021-2022 CALENDAR CHANGES
I'll take whatever calendar they want as long as kids are back FULL TIME. Cannot believe the whining on this thread.
Anonymous
Post 10/22/2020 08:05     Subject: Re:APS 2021-2022 CALENDAR CHANGES
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This is complete B.S. There should not be any religious holidays on the calendar, period, except for Christmas which is a federal holiday, major secular holiday AND happens to land during the semester break. I do not care one iota whether or not Spring break is tied to Easter. August 23 is the height of summer and ridiculously early for those of us who support a post-Labor Day start. And last year's survey shows that that includes a majority of Arlington parents, even when Labor Day falls as late as possible. I voted for adding back Columbus Day, Veteran's Day, MLK Day and a couple days around Xmas. But I think it is total BS to not offer the option of eliminating these new holidays. As long as students can take excused absences on those days, this is not something the schools should be doing. Good grief. August 23 through June 17? Appalling.



You DO understand that what you support isn't relevant, right?

You're only a parent. You aren't an important stakeholder in this. Take a seat.

I would think if any year it would be a good one to start as soon as possible to make up for lost time in the classroom. I have family that starts first week of August. Let’s try that and get out mid-May!
Anonymous
Post 10/22/2020 08:00     Subject: APS 2021-2022 CALENDAR CHANGES
Look, the proposed school year is too damn long. If they start 2 weeks earlier, they should end 2 weeks earlier. Whenever possible, make days off be a Fri or Mon, or cluster teacher work days with holidays to create long weekends. A bunch of random days off midweek is what we currently have. If you want to add more religious holidays, send the kids on Columbus & Veterans Day. Though one could argue for ha cub for time off on a religious holiday based on the percentage of students who celebrate it & whether it’s a federal holiday. Christmas is probably the only religious holiday we need to accommodate. Yea, it’s Christian but also celebrated by most atheists. I would imagine that well over 50% of APS students celebrate it, and it’s a federal holidays
Anonymous
Post 10/22/2020 07:58     Subject: APS 2021-2022 CALENDAR CHANGES
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Love the calendar. But, still looking forward to the parade of families complaining about their summer beach house reservations and the School Board’s bizarre toleration of it like last year. So self absorbed.


Oh I’m not complaining. I’m simply going to do what’s best for my family, including prioritizing extended family vacations. I doubt the school will give me a hard time about it.


Oh Betsy, you’re so cool.
Anonymous
Post 10/22/2020 07:56     Subject: Re:APS 2021-2022 CALENDAR CHANGES
Anonymous wrote:This is complete B.S. There should not be any religious holidays on the calendar, period, except for Christmas which is a federal holiday, major secular holiday AND happens to land during the semester break. I do not care one iota whether or not Spring break is tied to Easter. August 23 is the height of summer and ridiculously early for those of us who support a post-Labor Day start. And last year's survey shows that that includes a majority of Arlington parents, even when Labor Day falls as late as possible. I voted for adding back Columbus Day, Veteran's Day, MLK Day and a couple days around Xmas. But I think it is total BS to not offer the option of eliminating these new holidays. As long as students can take excused absences on those days, this is not something the schools should be doing. Good grief. August 23 through June 17? Appalling.



You DO understand that what you support isn't relevant, right?

You're only a parent. You aren't an important stakeholder in this. Take a seat.
Anonymous
Post 10/22/2020 07:50     Subject: Re:APS 2021-2022 CALENDAR CHANGES
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This is complete B.S. There should not be any religious holidays on the calendar, period, except for Christmas which is a federal holiday, major secular holiday AND happens to land during the semester break. I do not care one iota whether or not Spring break is tied to Easter. August 23 is the height of summer and ridiculously early for those of us who support a post-Labor Day start.


Christmas is a major secular holiday? Um, no it is not. It is a major Christian holiday. And the height of summer is July, not the end of August.


Christmas = Santa = commercial = secular
Birth of Christ = religious

The ultra religious people we know don’t actually celebrate commercial Xmas


Well, the timing of both (late December) simply reflects early Christianity’s co-opting/hijacking of pagan Europe’s Solstice celebrations (and Easter the same; the spring equinox). Let’s just be honest and have seasonal holidays and breaks and everyone can call them whatever they want.