My California schools actually had 3 week winter breaks when I was a kid. They always went through at least January 6 to accommodate all the kids going to Mexico for family celebrations.

They’ve since dropped it back down to 2 weeks, but I’ve never heard of less than 2 before I moved to Maryland. The 2 weeks here in Fairfax feels normal.

Anonymous wrote:also from the Midwest and calling BS. No 2 week winter breaks there or in California or in neighboring DMV jurisdictions.

Most parents didn't fill out that survey, but teachers sure did..

You couldn't be more wrong not only does every major mid-west city except Milwaukee have a 2 week break but so does nearly all of California.
In fact look at LA, they have 3 weeks off and the entire week of Thanksgiving and their school year is only a little longer than Fairfax for students and it's actually shorter for teachers since they have 1 day before and after the school year. While it is a long school year it's because they have FIVE full weeks off (Thanksgiving, 3 in winter, 1 in spring) to 3 in Virginia (2 in winter, 1 in spring). Fairfax has a zillion teacher only days and single day holidays.

Anonymous wrote:

DP
I was curious and looked up the Ohio district I attended. They have 178 student days. Their winter break started on Friday Dec 22 and went through Tuesday January. 8 school days off. The first day of school was Wednesday, September 6 and their last day is Thursday, June 6.

I wonder how this is possible since Fairfax had their 11th day on their 1st day and there are still 4 days of school after their last day. Winter break there was 3 days shorter and their school year 2 days shorter so how are the other 9 days made up? Do they not have a spring break?

Based on how Christmas and January 1 fall the next few years it looks like they'll have 2 weeks the next 2 or 3 years as next year they would only have a 1 day week if they went back January 3 and the year after December 22 is a Monday.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school yr is long for staff because they demanded a two wk winter break, unlike all our neighboring jurisdictions. We can all finish earlier or start later without that nonsense.

Most places have 2 weeks off for winter break outside the Northeast and Maryland. It's extreme SD/TW days and some religious closures that wouldn't have a mass absence problem. Extending spring break is fine but some other off days should be removed.

That’s not true at all. I’m from the Midwest and my family lives all over the Midwest. Everyone was shocked about how long our winter break was this year. They typically get the week between Christmas and new years and maybe one day on each side or travel.

I see Milwaukee only had 1.5 weeks but who else didn't have 2 weeks off in the Mid-West?
Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas City and St. Louis all had 2 weeks off.
St. Louis was split between Wednesday, December 20-Tuesday, January 2 the rest all had 3 weekends.

DP
I was curious and looked up the Ohio district I attended. They have 178 student days. Their winter break started on Friday Dec 22 and went through Tuesday January. 8 school days off. The first day of school was Wednesday, September 6 and their last day is Thursday, June 6.

This is a reasonable school calendar. The FCPS School Board would never adopt it.

Luckily, we get 180 school days in FCPS. In my old Houston TX suburbs, they have 165 days of school -- with a fall break, a week at Thanksgiving, 1.5 week winter break, spring break, other random days off, and a really long summer.

Personally, I like the long winter break and voted for it in the survey. Majority wins!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school yr is long for staff because they demanded a two wk winter break, unlike all our neighboring jurisdictions. We can all finish earlier or start later without that nonsense.

Most places have 2 weeks off for winter break outside the Northeast and Maryland. It's extreme SD/TW days and some religious closures that wouldn't have a mass absence problem. Extending spring break is fine but some other off days should be removed.

That’s not true at all. I’m from the Midwest and my family lives all over the Midwest. Everyone was shocked about how long our winter break was this year. They typically get the week between Christmas and new years and maybe one day on each side or travel.

I see Milwaukee only had 1.5 weeks but who else didn't have 2 weeks off in the Mid-West?
Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas City and St. Louis all had 2 weeks off.
St. Louis was split between Wednesday, December 20-Tuesday, January 2 the rest all had 3 weekends.

DP
I was curious and looked up the Ohio district I attended. They have 178 student days. Their winter break started on Friday Dec 22 and went through Tuesday January. 8 school days off. The first day of school was Wednesday, September 6 and their last day is Thursday, June 6.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They decoupled spring break from Easter a couple of years ago and the teachers complained so much that they had to go back to tying it to Easter.

The issue was that so many teachers live outside of Fairfax County and did not have childcare. Their own kids had spring break around Easter. If FCPS coordinated with Loudoun and Prince William to all have their spring breaks at the same time, there would not be a problem decoupling it from Easter.

This.

Anonymous wrote:They decoupled spring break from Easter a couple of years ago and the teachers complained so much that they had to go back to tying it to Easter.

The issue was that so many teachers live outside of Fairfax County and did not have childcare. Their own kids had spring break around Easter. If FCPS coordinated with Loudoun and Prince William to all have their spring breaks at the same time, there would not be a problem decoupling it from Easter.

They decoupled spring break from Easter a couple of years ago and the teachers complained so much that they had to go back to tying it to Easter.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The winter and spring breaks are way too long. One week at Christmas is plenty. A 12 day spring break is absurd.

People often travel to see relatives out of state or overseas during winter break. It’s a very multicultural area, and not everyone has their family living in the same town. I do think the 12 day spring break is too long, but that’s just because we didn’t travel this year.

Honestly, who cares.
160,000 families plus staff means you can't make everyone happy. There should be no surveys. Professional staff should plan the calendar based on what is best *academically* for students. Leave out the obscure religious holidays. Stop having the SB vote on it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school yr is long for staff because they demanded a two wk winter break, unlike all our neighboring jurisdictions. We can all finish earlier or start later without that nonsense.

You know that the majority of the parents in the survey asked for two week winter break as well, right?

And that is also why we have other holidays off so don’t complain about Diwali, Eid, etc because people filled out that survey too.

Did you do the survey? I did.

We got to vote on length of winter break. We did NOT get to vote on the various religious holidays.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school yr is long for staff because they demanded a two wk winter break, unlike all our neighboring jurisdictions. We can all finish earlier or start later without that nonsense.

Most places have 2 weeks off for winter break outside the Northeast and Maryland. It's extreme SD/TW days and some religious closures that wouldn't have a mass absence problem. Extending spring break is fine but some other off days should be removed.

That’s not true at all. I’m from the Midwest and my family lives all over the Midwest. Everyone was shocked about how long our winter break was this year. They typically get the week between Christmas and new years and maybe one day on each side or travel.

I see Milwaukee only had 1.5 weeks but who else didn't have 2 weeks off in the Mid-West?
Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas City and St. Louis all had 2 weeks off.
St. Louis was split between Wednesday, December 20-Tuesday, January 2 the rest all had 3 weekends.

also from the Midwest and calling BS. No 2 week winter breaks there or in California or in neighboring DMV jurisdictions.

Most parents didn't fill out that survey, but teachers sure did..

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school yr is long for staff because they demanded a two wk winter break, unlike all our neighboring jurisdictions. We can all finish earlier or start later without that nonsense.

You know that the majority of the parents in the survey asked for two week winter break as well, right?

And that is also why we have other holidays off so don’t complain about Diwali, Eid, etc because people filled out that survey too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school yr is long for staff because they demanded a two wk winter break, unlike all our neighboring jurisdictions. We can all finish earlier or start later without that nonsense.

Most places have 2 weeks off for winter break outside the Northeast and Maryland. It's extreme SD/TW days and some religious closures that wouldn't have a mass absence problem. Extending spring break is fine but some other off days should be removed.

That’s not true at all. I’m from the Midwest and my family lives all over the Midwest. Everyone was shocked about how long our winter break was this year. They typically get the week between Christmas and new years and maybe one day on each side or travel.