DC Public Schools began classes on Monday, August 24, 2015 this academic year. Montgomery County Public Schools began classes on Monday, August 31, 2015 this academic year. Loudoun County Public Schools began classes on Tuesday, September 1, 2015 this academic year. St Albans School, a DC Independent, began registration on Monday, August 31, 2015 this academic year, and classes on Tuesday, September 1, 2015.

In spite of those examples of pre-Labor Day school starts, and numerous others around the country, Fairfax County Public Schools did not begin classes until Tuesday, September 8, 2015 this year. There has been some discussion within these threads that suggest that might finally change, and that Fairfax County Public Schools may seek to obtain a waiver from the State in order to begin classes the Monday before Labor Day for the upcoming 2016-2017 Academic Year. I encourage you to let FCPS Administrators and your State Legislators know what your position is on this debated issue.

This DC metropolitan region, like places all over the World, is subject the very real effects of climate change. Storms of the Decade, or Storms of the Century, instead now occur with more regularity:
"[R]ecent research has shown that increasing surface temperatures and reductions in Arctic sea ice may produce atmospheric circulation patterns that are favorable for winter storm development in the eastern United States" (https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/news/climate-change-and-extreme-snow-us).

Climate changes are causing people everywhere to revisit the way they have traditionally planned, acted, built, and indeed lived. Take areas from southern Florida to New England, where coastal communities are now considering whether it is any longer feasible to build, or rebuild after storm surges, in areas that have been populated for centuries. Or look at this week's example of the effects of El Niño on the longtime residents of clifftop houses and buildings in Pacifica, CA, who are being forced to evacuate and move for good.

Increasingly snowy winters in this area mean that we can no longer avoid one or two weeks off of school for snow days in January and February, and in fact, we can anticipate that they will happen increasingly and more regularly. In a perfect world our local governments would take care of us; planning for these changes and investing in the resources, the equipment, and the manpower to effectively deal with these changed circumstances, as they have done for decades in New England or the Midwest. But in a real world full of other legislative funding priorities, and the glacial pace of political change, we know that is not going to happen.

Yes, we absolutely love and enjoy our traditional late August Beach or European vacations, when the earlier school starts elsewhere make everything less crowded and less expensive. But things change, and we must change with them. Californians love their backyard pools, and year-round, water-intensive grass and vibrant flowers. But they are nevertheless having to limit their water consumption, fill in some of those backyard pools, and switch to drought-resistant plantings. Residents of Miami are having to consider the viability of historic, ocean side neighborhoods like Coral Gables or Coconut Grove, among others.

This year we have been very lucky in that our big snowstorm has been followed by a cooperative week of relatively mild temperatures that have assisted greatly in a quick meltoff. But what if this weekend's 24" had been followed by more common arctic temperatures? Or by even more snow? In that case, we may not have had our students back in school until late next week, or the following. The future will bring more of disruptive winters, and perhaps other (Remember the Derecho? Or Hurricane Isabel?) weather events, with the power to cancel schools for long periods of time. It is therefore time that we weigh, consider, and probably implement an earlier start to the academic calendar during the driveable weeks of mid- or late-August. It is the right thing to do.

I remember the last day of school being June 6 when I was a kid. Now it's around June 18.

I thought that this was a result of a "Kings Dominion" law, which pushed schools to open after Labor Day so that the park could make more money off its 15-year-old employees.

Correct. The Kings Dominion law. Downstate politicians are who are holding us hostage, not FCPS. However, I think this year we actually may be able to qualify due to our snow days.

Dude, we start school practically a whole YEAR before Labor Day.

Let me lay down some truth:

1. Yes, the King's Dominion law is the reason a waiver is required to start before Labor Day. FCPS will now qualify for next year. I believe Prince William and Loudoun did this year.
2. School doesn't get out until the end of June because entitled parents DEMAND two weeks off for Christmas and a whole week off in the spring so they can take their spoiled brats skiing, or the beach, or to a foreign country.

parent 2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> DC Public Schools began classes on Monday, August
> 24, 2015 this academic year. Montgomery County
> Public Schools began classes on Monday, August 31,
> 2015 this academic year. Loudoun County Public
> Schools began classes on Tuesday, September 1,
> 2015 this academic year. St Albans School, a DC
> Independent, began registration on Monday, August
> 31, 2015 this academic year, and classes on
> Tuesday, September 1, 2015.
>
> In spite of those examples of pre-Labor Day school
> starts, and numerous others around the country,
> Fairfax County Public Schools did not begin
> classes until Tuesday, September 8, 2015 this
> year. There has been some discussion within these
> threads that suggest that might finally change,
> and that Fairfax County Public Schools may seek to
> obtain a waiver from the State in order to begin
> classes the Monday before Labor Day for the
> upcoming 2016-2017 Academic Year. I encourage you
> to let FCPS Administrators and your State
> Legislators know what your position is on this
> debated issue.
>
> This DC metropolitan region, like places all over
> the World, is subject the very real effects of
> climate change. Storms of the Decade, or Storms of
> the Century, instead now occur with more
> regularity:
> "[R]ecent research has shown that increasing
> surface temperatures and reductions in Arctic sea
> ice may produce atmospheric circulation patterns
> that are favorable for winter storm development in
> the eastern United States"
> (https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/news/climate-change-and
> -extreme-snow-us).
>
> Climate changes are causing people everywhere to
> revisit the way they have traditionally planned,
> acted, built, and indeed lived. Take areas from
> southern Florida to New England, where coastal
> communities are now considering whether it is any
> longer feasible to build, or rebuild after storm
> surges, in areas that have been populated for
> centuries. Or look at this week's example of the
> effects of El Niño on the longtime residents of
> clifftop houses and buildings in Pacifica, CA, who
> are being forced to evacuate and move for good.
>
> Increasingly snowy winters in this area mean that
> we can no longer avoid one or two weeks off of
> school for snow days in January and February, and
> in fact, we can anticipate that they will happen
> increasingly and more regularly. In a perfect
> world our local governments would take care of us;
> planning for these changes and investing in the
> resources, the equipment, and the manpower to
> effectively deal with these changed circumstances,
> as they have done for decades in New England or
> the Midwest. But in a real world full of other
> legislative funding priorities, and the glacial
> pace of political change, we know that is not
> going to happen.
>
> Yes, we absolutely love and enjoy our traditional
> late August Beach or European vacations, when the
> earlier school starts elsewhere make everything
> less crowded and less expensive. But things
> change, and we must change with them. Californians
> love their backyard pools, and year-round,
> water-intensive grass and vibrant flowers. But
> they are nevertheless having to limit their water
> consumption, fill in some of those backyard pools,
> and switch to drought-resistant plantings.
> Residents of Miami are having to consider the
> viability of historic, ocean side neighborhoods
> like Coral Gables or Coconut Grove, among others.
>
>
> This year we have been very lucky in that our big
> snowstorm has been followed by a cooperative week
> of relatively mild temperatures that have assisted
> greatly in a quick meltoff. But what if this
> weekend's 24" had been followed by more common
> arctic temperatures? Or by even more snow? In that
> case, we may not have had our students back in
> school until late next week, or the following. The
> future will bring more of disruptive winters, and
> perhaps other (Remember the Derecho? Or Hurricane
> Isabel?) weather events, with the power to cancel
> schools for long periods of time. It is therefore
> time that we weigh, consider, and probably
> implement an earlier start to the academic
> calendar during the driveable weeks of mid- or
> late-August. It is the right thing to do.


OMG this is retarded. OP are you really this dumb or just trolling us?