Fairfax County General :
Fairfax Underground
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
FCPS War on Fairfax County: Will Starting Before Labor Day Cost or Save Money?
Posted by:
Study it or just do it?
()
Date: February 09, 2016 02:04PM
The Fairfax County School Board will consider starting school before Labor Day for the 2017-18 school year, now that Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) qualifies for a waiver from the post-Labor Day requirement. The 2016-17 school year calendar, adopted in December, remains in effect and designates Tuesday, September 6, as the first day of school.
According to the Code of Virginia (22.1-79.1), the Board of Education may waive the state requirement to begin schools after Labor Day if a district is closed an average of 8 days per year during 5 of the past 10 years due to weather conditions, energy shortages, power failures, or other emergencies.
FCPS qualifies for the waiver because, during five of the past 10 years, the district has averaged 8.4 days missed due to weather conditions and other events. Based upon this current average of missed days, the waiver option will continue at least through the 2019-20 school year.
The School Board will discuss the issue at a future work session and, prior to taking a vote, will gather feedback from parents, teachers, and community members.
According to the Code of Virginia (22.1-79.1), the Board of Education may waive the state requirement to begin schools after Labor Day if a district is closed an average of 8 days per year during 5 of the past 10 years due to weather conditions, energy shortages, power failures, or other emergencies.
FCPS qualifies for the waiver because, during five of the past 10 years, the district has averaged 8.4 days missed due to weather conditions and other events. Based upon this current average of missed days, the waiver option will continue at least through the 2019-20 school year.
The School Board will discuss the issue at a future work session and, prior to taking a vote, will gather feedback from parents, teachers, and community members.
Re: FCPS War on Fairfax County: Will Starting Before Labor Day Cost or Save Money?
Posted by:
Kings Dominion Law
()
Date: February 09, 2016 02:07PM
It will save parents money because that's an end-of-summer week we won't pay to go to Kings Dominion.
It will cost Kings Dominion money because the high school employees will all quit earlier and fewer people will go to the park that week.
It will cost Kings Dominion money because the high school employees will all quit earlier and fewer people will go to the park that week.
Re: FCPS War on Fairfax County: Will Starting Before Labor Day Cost or Save Money?
Posted by:
At this point, does it matter?
()
Date: February 09, 2016 02:08PM
How about doing what's best for the children, instead of always looking at costs?
Re: FCPS War on Fairfax County: Will Starting Before Labor Day Cost or Save Money?
Posted by:
Physics
()
Date: February 09, 2016 10:41PM
I am ok with this as long as our Physics class gets to go to Kings Dominion. To study Physics, of course.
Re: FCPS War on Fairfax County: Will Starting Before Labor Day Cost or Save Money?
Posted by:
Burke Brat
()
Date: February 10, 2016 12:11AM
I hate to admit that turning 50 I learn more in a week watching the Science Channel or History channel than I did in the last 4 years of High School (Fairfax County school at that!!)
Re: FCPS War on Fairfax County: Will Starting Before Labor Day Cost or Save Money?
Posted by:
hYFc6
()
Date: February 10, 2016 05:59AM
In case nobody heard, FCPS voted NOT to start before Labor Day 2016.
They wimped out, too worried that people may have vacation plans.
FCPS high school kids that take AP courses get hosed with starting in September.
AP Exam dates are set by the College Board and they are typically in early May.
Between FCPS starting after Labor day and the typical snow days each year, FCPS kids are at least 1 month behind most of the country. Then once the kids take the AP exams or the AP exam dates come and go, FPCS AP student do NOTHING in their class with regard to instructional purposes until school lets out for the rest of the year. They watch movies and are just being in institutional child care.
So Garza and the School Board were all talk and NO action on starting school before Labor day when they had the option to say screw you to the State of VA.
They wimped out, too worried that people may have vacation plans.
FCPS high school kids that take AP courses get hosed with starting in September.
AP Exam dates are set by the College Board and they are typically in early May.
Between FCPS starting after Labor day and the typical snow days each year, FCPS kids are at least 1 month behind most of the country. Then once the kids take the AP exams or the AP exam dates come and go, FPCS AP student do NOTHING in their class with regard to instructional purposes until school lets out for the rest of the year. They watch movies and are just being in institutional child care.
So Garza and the School Board were all talk and NO action on starting school before Labor day when they had the option to say screw you to the State of VA.
Re: FCPS War on Fairfax County: Will Starting Before Labor Day Cost or Save Money?
Posted by:
Broadway on the Beach
()
Date: February 10, 2016 08:05AM
Best time to take vacation. My kids wont be playing on any sports teams so we dont need to be in town till 1st day of school. We always go to N. Myrtle the last week of Aug. and its about 1/4 the summer crowd down there. We get all the beach and Broadway on the Beach stuff to ourselves. No crowds no waiting. Dont move the start date earlier.
Re: FCPS War on Fairfax County: Will Starting Before Labor Day Cost or Save Money?
Posted by:
33xFJ
()
Date: February 10, 2016 11:03AM
Broadway on the Beach Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Best time to take vacation. My kids wont be
> playing on any sports teams so we dont need to be
> in town till 1st day of school. We always go to N.
> Myrtle the last week of Aug. and its about 1/4 the
> summer crowd down there. We get all the beach and
> Broadway on the Beach stuff to ourselves. No
> crowds no waiting. Dont move the start date
> earlier.
I somewhat agree, but you obviously do not have kids that play Fall sports OR take any AP classes.
But again, it is the FFX was, it is all about ME!
-------------------------------------------------------
> Best time to take vacation. My kids wont be
> playing on any sports teams so we dont need to be
> in town till 1st day of school. We always go to N.
> Myrtle the last week of Aug. and its about 1/4 the
> summer crowd down there. We get all the beach and
> Broadway on the Beach stuff to ourselves. No
> crowds no waiting. Dont move the start date
> earlier.
I somewhat agree, but you obviously do not have kids that play Fall sports OR take any AP classes.
But again, it is the FFX was, it is all about ME!
Re: FCPS War on Fairfax County: Will Starting Before Labor Day Cost or Save Money?
Posted by:
WbvuN
()
Date: February 10, 2016 11:04AM
I have been to Myrtle Beach once, NEVER again!!
Re: FCPS War on Fairfax County: Will Starting Before Labor Day Cost or Save Money?
Posted by:
BrianSchoeneman
()
Date: February 10, 2016 11:23AM
It's time to stop studying this and just do it. None of our neighboring jurisdictions in Maryland and DC start this late, nor do most of the private schools in Virginia.
There's just little reason, any more, to postpone to the start of school. Frankly, I would rather they start looking at round the year school options - if you want to help parents out that would be the biggest way to do it.
There's just little reason, any more, to postpone to the start of school. Frankly, I would rather they start looking at round the year school options - if you want to help parents out that would be the biggest way to do it.
Re: FCPS War on Fairfax County: Will Starting Before Labor Day Cost or Save Money?
Posted by:
FCPS = Not That Bright
()
Date: February 10, 2016 11:36AM
BoS controls the money, what does FCPS have, except for a bunch of bureaucrats?
Karen Garza may be looking for another job soon…
Attachments:
Karen Garza may be looking for another job soon…
Attachments:
Re: FCPS War on Fairfax County: Will Starting Before Labor Day Cost or Save Money?
Posted by:
Been There Before
()
Date: February 10, 2016 12:31PM
BrianSchoeneman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's time to stop studying this and just do it.
> None of our neighboring jurisdictions in Maryland
> and DC start this late, nor do most of the private
> schools in Virginia.
>
> There's just little reason, any more, to postpone
> to the start of school. Frankly, I would rather
> they start looking at round the year school
> options - if you want to help parents out that
> would be the biggest way to do it.
We came from a school district that implemented year-round school, though it was done in a way that you could choose when to take your vacations, all implemented to address overcrowding.
Overwhelming response: Parents, teachers, and students LOVED it. We vacationed to Disney in October when there were no crowds, and visited colleges in April and received one-on-one tours.
Intersession breaks (that's what they called them) were full of alternate activities, both academic and recreational. My favorite was a two-week robot building activity. The min-courses allowed students to try out new interests with no risk or commitment.
FCPS should definitely do full-year school. Everyone will be better for it.
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's time to stop studying this and just do it.
> None of our neighboring jurisdictions in Maryland
> and DC start this late, nor do most of the private
> schools in Virginia.
>
> There's just little reason, any more, to postpone
> to the start of school. Frankly, I would rather
> they start looking at round the year school
> options - if you want to help parents out that
> would be the biggest way to do it.
We came from a school district that implemented year-round school, though it was done in a way that you could choose when to take your vacations, all implemented to address overcrowding.
Overwhelming response: Parents, teachers, and students LOVED it. We vacationed to Disney in October when there were no crowds, and visited colleges in April and received one-on-one tours.
Intersession breaks (that's what they called them) were full of alternate activities, both academic and recreational. My favorite was a two-week robot building activity. The min-courses allowed students to try out new interests with no risk or commitment.
FCPS should definitely do full-year school. Everyone will be better for it.