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DKMplwd
Citizen
Username: Dank3265
Post Number: 19
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 5:24 pm: | 
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I would like to know who on the Board came up with the absolutely stupid idea of splitting the Mid-Winter vacation and then making Memorial Day a four-day vacation. This is the first time anything like this has ever been done in at least my 13 years of having children in school, and I see that this same stupid idea is planned for next year. Even if they insist on a 4 day vacation, why can't it be on consecutive days. This current plan makes absolutely no sense to me, but maybe someone can explain the logic. |
Fruitcake
Citizen
Username: Fruitcake
Post Number: 199
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 6:12 pm: |
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The BOE has always been calendar challenged. But it appears to be getting worse.
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sac
Supporter
Username: Sac
Post Number: 1936
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 6:43 pm: |
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How are they not consecutive? (or are you referring to the fact that the weekend splits it up?)
There are arguments pro and con, but the stated reason for doing this was so that the Friday of the 4-day Memorial Day weekend could be the first vacation day taken back, if necessary due to excess snow days, rather than the Friday of Spring Break. It doesn't look like it will be an issue this year, but attendance was abysmal on that Friday last year and, at some point, if it is bad enough, I believe that it doesn't "count".
I am not taking a position for or against the change, just explaining what I understand to have been the rationale, so please don't flame me for this. |
gretchen
Citizen
Username: Gretchen
Post Number: 162
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 7:30 pm: |
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I've been ranting and raving about this as well. I don't know which is worse--the February break being split over a weekend (thus shortening the time a family could go away from 9 days to 6 and only using 1 less vacation day)or school starting on the FRIDAY before Labor Day weekend.
Next year April vacation will also be the week before Easter, which makes that tricky as a travel week too. (Blackout dates, expensive lodgings, etc.)
We don't have the budget to travel right now, but I hope someday we will and I really hope the calendar is straightened out before that day comes!
When vacation issues have come up on MOL before I feel like many people would like to do away with vacations altogether. I love them. My kids need a break and go back refreshed.
I also think our kids could really use some quality time apart in February to break the sickness cycle. And I know quite a few people who pulled their kids out of school for a day or two around the February "break" -- I'd be curious to see what attendance was like compared to last February.
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C Bataille
Citizen
Username: Nakaille
Post Number: 1904
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2005 - 8:41 am: |
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There is no "right" to have extended vacations to accomodate blackout periods, etc. The one "right" we parents all have is to have a "free and appropriate" education for our children. The breaks are nice. And, as a school employee in another district I can certainly see how they are necessary and beneficial to kids and staff alike. But I'm always amazed at the quibbling that goes on about the calendar here. I think the BOE and the superintendant have the responsibility to see that our kids get the education they need and are entitled to. Beyond that I think we're getting into middle class entitlement issues. And frankly, we have more to be concerned about and put our energy into in this district than the timing of winter/spring vacations. And if, as parents, we vocalize our petty discontents in front of our kids then we contribute again to undermining the authority of the schools. And when our kids don't think the rules are important or that they have a right to challenge everything a teacher or administrator tells them then we really have ourselves to blame.
Cathy |
susan1014
Supporter
Username: Susan1014
Post Number: 460
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2005 - 9:49 am: |
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Cathy, your point is a good one. However, practically speaking, with the February vacation we have created a situation where we have one or two weeks of lowered attendance.
I'll admit it, February vacation is a key vacation time for us, but we did a second choice vacation so that our daughter wouldn't miss any school, and then watched how many of her friends missed school to allow family vacations to go on as desired. It is just a bad scene.
I'd say lets have a full week in February for our winter escapes, and then have less in April or May. Setting up a situation that guarantees attendance problems in Feb. to avoid one that might cause attendance problems in April seems questionable to me.
(but I'm with you about not griping about it to our children...don't assume we are doing so! My elementary school child doesn't read MOL.)
And by the way, I do have a few middle class entitlement issues. I'm a taxpayer, and a voter, and am allowed an opinion. Especially on an issue that doesn't even require higher taxes. |
mjh
Citizen
Username: Mjh
Post Number: 59
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2005 - 1:20 pm: |
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Cathy, You do raise valid points but I'm not in complete agreement. Even if you are not able to afford a vacation, it's also can be a little difficult to split vacation time at work to jive with this type of scheduling.
I didn't complain to anyone about it, and I'm not really complaining now, as I will offer those in charge the benefit of the doubt in terms of the district having a valid reason for the split. (I realize many folks will say the benefit of the doubt is undeserved, but I don't think so).
My son missed 3 days of school, based on a pre-paid vacation we were loathe to give up. Although my son's teacher very kindly gave us assignments/worksheets etc.in advance to "make up" for the missed days, I really don't think in most circumstances it's fair at all to ask teachers to assist you in this way for vacations that conflict with school schedules. I didn't ask his teacher for his help, merely informed him of the plans and apologized.
I hope the distric can avoid this in the future if possible. If the vacation time is going to be given, it's just vastly easier for the majority (IMHO) if it's not split.
Perhaps I'm wrong and many people don't care one way or another. Cathy is probably correct in thinking it matters the most to those who can afford to go skiing or find the warm sun somewhere. I won't apologize for being middle class and able to afford a vacation, but I will agree that it's not my god-given right to have the school schedule made to my convenience. |
Hoops
Citizen
Username: Hoops
Post Number: 103
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2005 - 2:38 pm: |
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It is an issue. An issue of judgement and communication. Why would the schedule be changed after so many years doing it one way without notice or explanation?
Hey look, I can do totally without the winter vacation, but the point is if you are going to schedule something then at least make it people friendly. I can tell you if the reason was because too many students were absent in prior years on the good friday week then the stats better be looked at for the 2 week period around the winter vacation because I can tell you now, judging from the automobile traffic around SOMS there was a far reduced attendence for BOTH weeks this winter.
The issue is that there are arbitrary, experimentary and knee jerk decisions being made without discussion or communications to the people who make up the school system. - parents and students -
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sac
Supporter
Username: Sac
Post Number: 1937
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2005 - 2:38 pm: |
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mjh,
The reason that it WAS appropriate (although not mandatory) for your child's teacher to give those assignments was the fact that the BOE originally published the calendar with the "old style" week-long winter break almost two years ago and then changed it last Spring. That happened after many people had already made vacation plans.
In the future, whether or not parents agree with the calendar, I don't think that they would have as good a "reason" for taking their kids out, assuming the BOE doesn't again make the mistake of changing a previously published schedule.
I really think that they need to reconsider the idea of having just one week-long break and then one or two long weekends, rather than the two long breaks, and perhaps that is where we are headed. I hope that, if that is the case, the one week-long break WILL NOT end up adjacent to Easter, for exactly the reasons someone mentioned related to peak season rates and crowds for travel. And that is also a problem with Winter Break being adjacent to President's Day. Personally, I'd like to see a single week in March.
But, whatever they do, I hope that it will be decided and published two years ahead and then NOT CHANGED. |
susan1014
Supporter
Username: Susan1014
Post Number: 461
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2005 - 5:23 pm: |
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I'm all for one week in Feb or March, a long weekend later (that can be cannibalized if we have too many snow days), and not starting before Labor Day! I'm not sure that we need two full week breaks in the Winter/Spring.
(Of course, to be honest, I'm not attached to the April break because we generally cannot use it for a trip, due to Passover and/or work deadlines) |
cody
Citizen
Username: Cody
Post Number: 690
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2005 - 6:36 pm: |
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That April break comes in very handy for high school juniors who want to make some college visits to schools that aren't close by. In most cases, the colleges are in session during that time, so students can get a feel for the campus, talk to current college students and not have to deal with snowstorms and other bad weather. When my kids were in elementary school, I don't think I realized this.
For myself, not being a skier or winter vacation person, I don't mind the shortened February break, but I would miss the April week.
Guess you can't please everyone. But I think most of us do agree that we would much prefer not to start before Labor Day, unless Labor Day is very late in any given year. |
sac
Supporter
Username: Sac
Post Number: 1939
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2005 - 9:33 pm: |
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One problem with April break, from what I hear from high school parents, is that most Spring Sports do not take a break from practices, so the kids who play those sports are penalized if they go away. I truly believe that if the schools are going to be closed for a break, then there should be NO school sponsored activities during that time. And, if that is not possible, then the break needs to be scheduled differently, to make it possible. |
ffof
Citizen
Username: Ffof
Post Number: 3465
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 6:40 am: |
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It should be scheduled in early March between winter sports and spring sports. Add a long weekend in April if the teachers need it. |
ffof
Citizen
Username: Ffof
Post Number: 3468
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 7:43 am: |
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and that would get us out earlier in June. |
mim
Citizen
Username: Mim
Post Number: 422
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 9:12 am: |
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I totally agree with you, sac -- no activities during school breaks. It's absurd to have a school 'vacation' if many families cannot take advantage of it.
That said, I am slightly amused by this thread. In the past, we complained bitterly about the previous vacation schedule, especially that full week in February which few of us could use. Now that it's gone, we love it! Obviously no plan is going to suit us all. |
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