Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get down to specifics. Review the holiday list here. Which dates would you get rid of and why?

https://www.fcps.edu/calendars/standard-school-year-calendar

Get rid of:
- 26 Sep (Rosh Hashanah) -- not needed as holiday
- 5 Oct (Yom Kippur) -- not needed as holiday
- 10 Oct (Indigenous Peoples') -- not needed as holiday
- 24 Oct (Diwali) -- not needed as holiday
- 31 Oct (Halloween) -- not needed as holiday
- 11 Nov (Veterans) -- not needed as holiday
- 3 Mar -- not needed as holiday
- 14 Apr (Orthodox Good Friday) -- not needed as holiday (they should time spring break to be at the end of the quarter and include a teacher workday on the Friday before or Monday after)
- 21 Apr (Eid) -- not needed as holiday


Add in:
- Week long "fall break" at the middle or end of Oct (best to be timed at the end of the quarter)


Keep:
- 4-day Labor Day break
- Election Day
- The 2 week winter break
- The 3-day Thanksgiving break
- The holiday for MLK
- The 4-day holiday at the semester's end in January
- The holiday for President's Day
- Spring break (best to be timed at the end of the quarter and move the end-of-quarter teacher workday to the Friday before Spring Break or the Monday after)
- Memorial Day

I would be very happy with that. Now we are going to see a ton of posts on why we are culturally insensitive and why every group needs it's special day off.

I don't want a two week winter break. I want breaks that align to the end of the quarter. The only reason that break is when it is is because of YOUR RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY THAT I DON'T CELEBRATE AND DON'T PLAN MY LIFE AROUND. Life is not about Christianity. GET OVER IT YOU PSYCHOS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get down to specifics. Review the holiday list here. Which dates would you get rid of and why?

https://www.fcps.edu/calendars/standard-school-year-calendar

Get rid of:
- 26 Sep (Rosh Hashanah) -- not needed as holiday
- 5 Oct (Yom Kippur) -- not needed as holiday
- 10 Oct (Indigenous Peoples') -- not needed as holiday
- 24 Oct (Diwali) -- not needed as holiday
- 31 Oct (Halloween) -- not needed as holiday
- 11 Nov (Veterans) -- not needed as holiday
- 3 Mar -- not needed as holiday
- 14 Apr (Orthodox Good Friday) -- not needed as holiday (they should time spring break to be at the end of the quarter and include a teacher workday on the Friday before or Monday after)
- 21 Apr (Eid) -- not needed as holiday


Add in:
- Week long "fall break" at the middle or end of Oct (best to be timed at the end of the quarter)


Keep:
- 4-day Labor Day break
- Election Day
- The 2 week winter break
- The 3-day Thanksgiving break
- The holiday for MLK
- The 4-day holiday at the semester's end in January
- The holiday for President's Day
- Spring break (best to be timed at the end of the quarter and move the end-of-quarter teacher workday to the Friday before Spring Break or the Monday after)
- Memorial Day

I would be very happy with that. Now we are going to see a ton of posts on why we are culturally insensitive and why every group needs it's special day off.

I don't want a two week winter break. I want breaks that align to the end of the quarter. The only reason that break is when it is is because of YOUR RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY THAT I DON'T CELEBRATE AND DON'T PLAN MY LIFE AROUND. Life is not about Christianity. GET OVER IT YOU PSYCHOS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids love these days off..they break up the monotony of a long school year. Teachers generally don't mind them because days off here and there really aren't that disruptive to learning. The only ones who really care are...parents.

Not sure why we want kids to experience the same 9-5, 5 day a week grind of so many of their parents.

Because many of us parents have to work and we need our kids in school while we work!

No matter how much you want it to be true, school is not daycare. Teachers are not daycare providers. You chose to have kids. You choose to work. It is 100% on you to figure this out.

Aaaaaand that’s why I send my kids to private school. Teachers like this.

I’m not a teacher. I’m a parent who accepts responsibility for my kids. I’ve never considered the school a daycare center.

Fine, if you say so. I used to teach in a public school. Watching teachers spin this kind of garbage is why my kids will never see the inside of a public school.

I’m sure the schools are happy that you and your kids are gone. You sound like an entitled jerk.

I do feel entitled to a functional school schedule, yes. And of COURSE it's child care. The people who deny it are making asses of themselves.

You’re getting the state required instructional days/hours. That is all you are entitled to.

Actually, we're not getting the required hours of INSTRUCTION b/c FCPS is fudging the numbers by counting 100 mins of "walk to the bus" and "walk to the classroom from the bus"-time as "instructional time" --- when we all know that it is NOT instructional time. You might think that is no big deal, but that 100 min of lost instructional time per week adds up to another week and a half of school lost b/c FCPS is being dishonest. Lunch and recess don't count as "instructional" time. Walking to the classroom from the bus or walking to the bus from the classroom are not legitimate instructional time.

Your math makes no sense at all. If my daughter is in school from 9:20 to 4:20, that is 7 hours. If I remove an hour for lunch and recess that is 6 hours. 6 hours x 180 days is 1080 hours, more than the requirement. No one is counting “walking to the bus” time. That happens prior to 9:20 and after 4:20. Please stop buying into every rumor you hear.

^^ Sorry, just double checked the times. They go until 4:05pm. So 5 hours and 45 minutes x 180 = 1035. Still more than 990.

Minor point: you didn't count the 5 early release days as "half days" (which gets you to the 990).

More important point: FCPS gives us "just enough" scheduled time to meet the requirements.... but have you ever considered what happens when there are snow days (i.e. no school), early release for weather, or 2 hr delays for weather --- WHEN THERE ARE NO MAKE UP DAYS?

If you only have 990 hours scheduled, and you tell people that they never have to make up snow days because the snow days are "built in" -- something is fishy! If there are NO snow days/late arrivals/early releases (for weather), THEN your kid gets the required minimum. If there are ANY snow days, delays, early releases throughout the year, your kid is simply getting gipped out of their required educational time. Welcome to FCPS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids love these days off..they break up the monotony of a long school year. Teachers generally don't mind them because days off here and there really aren't that disruptive to learning. The only ones who really care are...parents.

Not sure why we want kids to experience the same 9-5, 5 day a week grind of so many of their parents.

Because many of us parents have to work and we need our kids in school while we work!

No matter how much you want it to be true, school is not daycare. Teachers are not daycare providers. You chose to have kids. You choose to work. It is 100% on you to figure this out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids love these days off..they break up the monotony of a long school year. Teachers generally don't mind them because days off here and there really aren't that disruptive to learning. The only ones who really care are...parents.

Not sure why we want kids to experience the same 9-5, 5 day a week grind of so many of their parents.

Because many of us parents have to work and we need our kids in school while we work!

No matter how much you want it to be true, school is not daycare. Teachers are not daycare providers. You chose to have kids. You choose to work. It is 100% on you to figure this out.

Aaaaaand that’s why I send my kids to private school. Teachers like this.

I’m not a teacher. I’m a parent who accepts responsibility for my kids. I’ve never considered the school a daycare center.

Fine, if you say so. I used to teach in a public school. Watching teachers spin this kind of garbage is why my kids will never see the inside of a public school.

I’m sure the schools are happy that you and your kids are gone. You sound like an entitled jerk.

I do feel entitled to a functional school schedule, yes. And of COURSE it's child care. The people who deny it are making asses of themselves.

You’re getting the state required instructional days/hours. That is all you are entitled to.

Actually, we're not getting the required hours of INSTRUCTION b/c FCPS is fudging the numbers by counting 100 mins of "walk to the bus" and "walk to the classroom from the bus"-time as "instructional time" --- when we all know that it is NOT instructional time. You might think that is no big deal, but that 100 min of lost instructional time per week adds up to another week and a half of school lost b/c FCPS is being dishonest. Lunch and recess don't count as "instructional" time. Walking to the classroom from the bus or walking to the bus from the classroom are not legitimate instructional time.

Your math makes no sense at all. If my daughter is in school from 9:20 to 4:20, that is 7 hours. If I remove an hour for lunch and recess that is 6 hours. 6 hours x 180 days is 1080 hours, more than the requirement. No one is counting “walking to the bus” time. That happens prior to 9:20 and after 4:20. Please stop buying into every rumor you hear.

^^ Sorry, just double checked the times. They go until 4:05pm. So 5 hours and 45 minutes x 180 = 1035. Still more than 990.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids love these days off..they break up the monotony of a long school year. Teachers generally don't mind them because days off here and there really aren't that disruptive to learning. The only ones who really care are...parents.

Not sure why we want kids to experience the same 9-5, 5 day a week grind of so many of their parents.

Because many of us parents have to work and we need our kids in school while we work!

No matter how much you want it to be true, school is not daycare. Teachers are not daycare providers. You chose to have kids. You choose to work. It is 100% on you to figure this out.

Aaaaaand that’s why I send my kids to private school. Teachers like this.

I’m not a teacher. I’m a parent who accepts responsibility for my kids. I’ve never considered the school a daycare center.

Fine, if you say so. I used to teach in a public school. Watching teachers spin this kind of garbage is why my kids will never see the inside of a public school.

I’m sure the schools are happy that you and your kids are gone. You sound like an entitled jerk.

I do feel entitled to a functional school schedule, yes. And of COURSE it's child care. The people who deny it are making asses of themselves.

You’re getting the state required instructional days/hours. That is all you are entitled to.

Actually, we're not getting the required hours of INSTRUCTION b/c FCPS is fudging the numbers by counting 100 mins of "walk to the bus" and "walk to the classroom from the bus"-time as "instructional time" --- when we all know that it is NOT instructional time. You might think that is no big deal, but that 100 min of lost instructional time per week adds up to another week and a half of school lost b/c FCPS is being dishonest. Lunch and recess don't count as "instructional" time. Walking to the classroom from the bus or walking to the bus from the classroom are not legitimate instructional time.

Your math makes no sense at all. If my daughter is in school from 9:20 to 4:20, that is 7 hours. If I remove an hour for lunch and recess that is 6 hours. 6 hours x 180 days is 1080 hours, more than the requirement. No one is counting “walking to the bus” time. That happens prior to 9:20 and after 4:20. Please stop buying into every rumor you hear.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get down to specifics. Review the holiday list here. Which dates would you get rid of and why?

https://www.fcps.edu/calendars/standard-school-year-calendar

Get rid of:
- 26 Sep (Rosh Hashanah) -- not needed as holiday
- 5 Oct (Yom Kippur) -- not needed as holiday
- 10 Oct (Indigenous Peoples') -- not needed as holiday
- 24 Oct (Diwali) -- not needed as holiday
- 31 Oct (Halloween) -- not needed as holiday
- 11 Nov (Veterans) -- not needed as holiday
- 3 Mar -- not needed as holiday
- 14 Apr (Orthodox Good Friday) -- not needed as holiday (they should time spring break to be at the end of the quarter and include a teacher workday on the Friday before or Monday after)
- 21 Apr (Eid) -- not needed as holiday


Add in:
- Week long "fall break" at the middle or end of Oct (best to be timed at the end of the quarter)


Keep:
- 4-day Labor Day break
- Election Day
- The 2 week winter break
- The 3-day Thanksgiving break
- The holiday for MLK
- The 4-day holiday at the semester's end in January
- The holiday for President's Day
- Spring break (best to be timed at the end of the quarter and move the end-of-quarter teacher workday to the Friday before Spring Break or the Monday after)
- Memorial Day

I would be very happy with that. Now we are going to see a ton of posts on why we are culturally insensitive and why every group needs it's special day off.

Anonymous wrote:Let's get down to specifics. Review the holiday list here. Which dates would you get rid of and why?

https://www.fcps.edu/calendars/standard-school-year-calendar

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just up the student holidays. Ridiculous! Sorry, but we don’t need off for every religious holiday. Give them a fall break, winter break, February break and spring break, like other secular countries. And, let them out two weeks earlier in June. It has to be impossible to teach with all the sporadic days off.

ITA and also, let's make it easier on teachers and students and make sure the breaks are aligned to the end of the quarter like they are in more secular countries - e.g., winter break comes at the end of January, not December, and spring break comes at the end of Q3, rather than being tied to Easter. This year, high school students are going to have exams either the week before spring break in which case they come back after spring break and do nothing for a week, OR they're going to go on spring break and have to come back to exams. Either one is a ridiculous scenario.

I’ve taught high school for over 20 years and read your post multiple times. I don’t understand your reasoning at all. Why are they doing nothing? If there is an exam, they start new material after. It doesn’t matter if that falls the week before or after a break. No one says there is one week until break so let’s sit here and do nothing.

That’s just the story all these parents tell them selves to justify harassing and demeaning teachers

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just up the student holidays. Ridiculous! Sorry, but we don’t need off for every religious holiday. Give them a fall break, winter break, February break and spring break, like other secular countries. And, let them out two weeks earlier in June. It has to be impossible to teach with all the sporadic days off.

ITA and also, let's make it easier on teachers and students and make sure the breaks are aligned to the end of the quarter like they are in more secular countries - e.g., winter break comes at the end of January, not December, and spring break comes at the end of Q3, rather than being tied to Easter. This year, high school students are going to have exams either the week before spring break in which case they come back after spring break and do nothing for a week, OR they're going to go on spring break and have to come back to exams. Either one is a ridiculous scenario.

Hello? What do you think students do between exams? We hit the ground running with new material the moment they're back from break. We have a set curriculum to teach and never enough time to teach it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get down to specifics. Review the holiday list here. Which dates would you get rid of and why?

https://www.fcps.edu/calendars/standard-school-year-calendar

Get rid of:
- 26 Sep (Rosh Hashanah) -- not needed as holiday
- 5 Oct (Yom Kippur) -- not needed as holiday
- 10 Oct (Indigenous Peoples') -- not needed as holiday
- 24 Oct (Diwali) -- not needed as holiday
- 31 Oct (Halloween) -- not needed as holiday
- 11 Nov (Veterans) -- not needed as holiday
- 3 Mar -- not needed as holiday
- 14 Apr (Orthodox Good Friday) -- not needed as holiday (they should time spring break to be at the end of the quarter and include a teacher workday on the Friday before or Monday after)
- 21 Apr (Eid) -- not needed as holiday


Add in:
- Week long "fall break" at the middle or end of Oct (best to be timed at the end of the quarter)


Keep:
- 4-day Labor Day break
- Election Day
- The 2 week winter break
- The 3-day Thanksgiving break
- The holiday for MLK
- The 4-day holiday at the semester's end in January
- The holiday for President's Day
- Spring break (best to be timed at the end of the quarter and move the end-of-quarter teacher workday to the Friday before Spring Break or the Monday after)
- Memorial Day

Can you come up with a catchy-marketing phrase to represent your plan? That's what the SANE crowd needs to get behind something like this and promote it to the voting public.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids love these days off..they break up the monotony of a long school year. Teachers generally don't mind them because days off here and there really aren't that disruptive to learning. The only ones who really care are...parents.

Not sure why we want kids to experience the same 9-5, 5 day a week grind of so many of their parents.

Because many of us parents have to work and we need our kids in school while we work!

No matter how much you want it to be true, school is not daycare. Teachers are not daycare providers. You chose to have kids. You choose to work. It is 100% on you to figure this out.

Aaaaaand that’s why I send my kids to private school. Teachers like this.

I’m not a teacher. I’m a parent who accepts responsibility for my kids. I’ve never considered the school a daycare center.

Fine, if you say so. I used to teach in a public school. Watching teachers spin this kind of garbage is why my kids will never see the inside of a public school.

I’m sure the schools are happy that you and your kids are gone. You sound like an entitled jerk.

I do feel entitled to a functional school schedule, yes. And of COURSE it's child care. The people who deny it are making asses of themselves.

You’re getting the state required instructional days/hours. That is all you are entitled to.

Actually, we're not getting the required hours of INSTRUCTION b/c FCPS is fudging the numbers by counting 100 mins of "walk to the bus" and "walk to the classroom from the bus"-time as "instructional time" --- when we all know that it is NOT instructional time. You might think that is no big deal, but that 100 min of lost instructional time per week adds up to another week and a half of school lost b/c FCPS is being dishonest. Lunch and recess don't count as "instructional" time. Walking to the classroom from the bus or walking to the bus from the classroom are not legitimate instructional time.

Your math makes no sense at all. If my daughter is in school from 9:20 to 4:20, that is 7 hours. If I remove an hour for lunch and recess that is 6 hours. 6 hours x 180 days is 1080 hours, more than the requirement. No one is counting “walking to the bus” time. That happens prior to 9:20 and after 4:20. Please stop buying into every rumor you hear.