I think AACPS should waive these days. 10 days were waived for other schools during the midwestern Ice Storm last year, and they were just fine. But, if not, then I think the Monday through Thursday of Spring Break should be school days and then Friday and the next Monday we could still have off for religious purposes. Then, we can add two days to the end of the school year, releasing us on the 16th not the 14th. But if they had any heart they would just waive them. The seniors don't have to make it up anyways so it's not like 6 days will kill us all.

Hey! what about keeping schools open half an hour longer?

(then I'd have a planning period! omg!)

This 180 day joke needs to go!! Its quality and not quanitity. In most cases, little or no real instruction takes place after memorial day. Schools hold "field days", class picnics, ...etc. Kids are burnt out and so are the teachers. Not to mention the 10 days lost during MSA when NO instruction takes place. It teachers do teach, its all about practicing rote skills so kids do better on the test - no real instruction takes place. Days before and after holidays are often a wash. Many kids dont attend school in the fall until labor day passes because they spend the summer with separated parents who may live out of state. These kids do just fine and learn plenty of required content. The 180 day mandate sounds legit - however, folks need to get a grip on reality and let it go.

Our kids attend school for fewer days than all European nations and Canada. They perform poorly on tests, compared to students in other developed, western nations. Moreover, our kids lose what they do learn over long summer breaks. For these reasons, I believe the school board should lengthen the school year by one week, and also that the MSA testing set for March should be pushed back two weeks, to allow our children the time that they need to prepare for these tests. Maryland places great emphasis on MSA scores, in evaluating future placement for our children. Our children should be given every opportunity to do as well as they can on these tests.

They should get a waiver for as many days as possible. Any that need to be made up should be added at the end of the school year as the rules say. Too many people have plans to travel over spring break. People who don't have plans might not even think of that. I've made non-refundable plans since I expected the county to FOLLOW THE RULES and add at the end of the year.

Just make Good Friday up to Easter Monday as the spring break for the children. That's a good plan right there.

@ realteacher

I don't quite understand your point. Could you clarify? Are you saying we should go to school more days or fewer? I understand that you're saying that some days are less academically rigorous than others, but are you saying that that happens by necessity? Teacher laziness? Central Office policy? You also seem to be strongly against using time to prepare for the MSA. Is that because you think teachers should focus on content rather than test-taking strategies? Or should we abandon standardized testing altogether? Your post clearly shows you're unhappy about something, but I can't tell what, nor can I tell what alternative plan you are suggesting. Thanks for your comments!

I think the children need the instructional time.

Do we want to add educational value or just make up time.I would add 30 min to all core subjects such as; Mathematic: English: Reading, Social Science. Adding 30 min to the end of the day does not accomplish much other than making up time.

Another suggestion - one day of Saturday school a month for three months and three days added at the end of the year.

The system should waive 5 days like everyone else in the state did. In case you didn't notice, 90% of workers didn't go to work. This was a historic storm. The entire state was shut down ! These 5 days in the entire picture of a child's education won't even make a dimple !

Just heard that Dr Grasmick is doing the right thing and asking the board for a 5 day waiver. OMG - a glimmer of hope after all!! Ask ANY teacher - no instruction occurs after Memorial Day - they could go to school until August and it wouldn't make a bit of difference. Maybe its time to think out of the box and go with year round schooling. Many systems around the country and world use this model and it has proven to be effective. Students go for about 13-14 weeks with a 3 week break. Just break it gently to the folks in OC who depend on those tourist $$.

@Pat
You have got to be kidding. Saturday is our day of sanity. Even if it's just one day a month it's still a chunk of time we're missing. We could be writing up college applications or going on college visits or doing other useful things with our time. Just add days on to the end of the year- it's not like we'll be doing anything then anyway.

Some of you are nuts! is the goverment going to make up the days they missed or if you didnt go to work are you going to make those days up? do u really think students would come on Saturdays? I dont. And as for Stefanie, you are just nuts!!!!

@Simon
Sorry for my rant - here is the bottom line: kids missed about two weeks of school. Let it go - no gov't edict such as the mandatory 180 day school year is going to fix it. I get miffed when folks who haven't set foot in a public school classroom since they were students seem to think that its simply a question of days. I have no problem with standardized tests that measure the mastery of skills and content. I have a HUGE problem with the amount of time spent in schools specifically preparing for the nuances of the MSA and the two weeks of instructional time lost during its administration.
People who are worried about kids not being prepared because of snow days need to remember that students have been preparing for this year's MSA since last April - after the last MSA was given. If these two weeks make a difference, then we have a MAJOR curriculum and instruction problem. I was in a BCPS elementary school yesterday and watched kids spending 3 hours doing a "practice" test. I'd rather keep my kid home and let him read a good book then sit in a room for 3 hours practicing so his school makes AYP. My point - if any of you are truly concerned about instructional time, visit a school tomorrow and see what's going on! Last week I saw a very engaging lesson on filling in circles neatly and erasing completely...sad but true

@brent -
Not sure where you work but I certainly have to make up any time I missed due to snow. I've go two choices if I want to get a full paycheck (pretty crucial with the whole bills/mortgage issue) - work extra time the week that I missed time in or take vacation days.

Do you have a job where you get paid whether or not you show up for work? Must be nice.

@realteacher

Thanks for the clarification! To sort of co-opt a parent's point below yours, do you think teachers and other 10-month employees should still be paid for that time? If everyone's contract says work is 180 days, should the system just let that slide? What about the fact that the state pays the city based on how many students are showing up, and to forgo those missed days means missing out on a large chunk of state money? Also, like you say, if students begin working on next year's test starting this year, wouldn't not making up those days take away from that time? I'm not trying to say you're wrong about your assertions, I'm just trying to present some more factors.

I think that certainly there has to be a balance between general instruction and test-prep, although I don't think that knowing how to take a standardized test is a bad thing; students will face the SAT and/or ACT, the GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, Praxis, Series 7 and a host of other possible standardized tests and knowing the keys to taking them can have a big impact. Doing a 3-hour practice test in and of itself may not be helpful, but if the teachers use the data from that test to inform instruction, make grouping choices, shift resources, and focus on students' strengths and weaknesses, it can actually be very helpful.

I just say forget about making up these days.... parents already have their children's vacations, both spring and summer, planned out by this point...... they cannot make up these days and if they try, the students just won't be in school anyway.