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Reason #1,486,987 why I homeschool...


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Schools Delay Summer Break by 34 Days

 

Here in Stafford County, the kids had to go to school 2-half days this week (where nothing productive happened), to get in their requisite "180 Day" requirement.

 

Content of the days is irrelevant... it's about rears in the seat. :glare:

 

Personally, I like the 9-weeks on, 3 weeks off model (year round) (although it doesn't work that way here at home).

 

Seriously, though. I can't imagine having a full-summer of activity planned and then having the rug pulled out from underneath at the last minute. Sheesh!

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Wow! I would be on of the parents not sending my child. I would also want to know why it took until May to discover the problem. My next question would be why a few measly minutes translates into an entire month of extra days! Sheesh! 34 days were 5 minutes short! Are you kidding! I would tell them they can pack the seats with administration, my kids are out playing!

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Oh, after Tuesday, Stafford was out... we just had those 2 extra "half days" Monday and Tuesday due to snow.

 

Nothing was being done in the classrooms (at least school wise). From what I heard, everything was pretty much cleaned out and ready on Friday. Class Party on Monday, and show up to get your report cards on Tuesday...

 

Just seemed like a silly waste to me.

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Wow! I would be on of the parents not sending my child. I would also want to know why it took until May to discover the problem. My next question would be why a few measly minutes translates into an entire month of extra days! Sheesh! 34 days were 5 minutes short! Are you kidding! I would tell them they can pack the seats with administration, my kids are out playing!

 

That's my question, too. It looks like a couple of days would fix the time requirement. Why do I suspect a funding need or issue?

 

I also wondered why it took until MAY to figure this out. Someone is asleep at the wheel.

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So why are the officials acting like the laws are written in stone? This is a dumb analogy, but I'm thinking of all the fairy tales where the law is that the princess must marry someone royal--why doesn't the king just make a new law? Why aren't people just going to the Governor or Legislature or School Board or whoever and just point out the error, get it straightened out, and fix it? Geesh. I wouldn't put up with it for one blasted minute!

 

You can bet, tho, there are some parents who are doing one of two things--either they are being Sheeple (following the "law" without thinking they can have an effect on changing it) or they are glad they will have 34 extra days of free childcare.

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I think, "If I were a teacher with two days to fill and no lessons left to do, what would I do?" And the answer is that I would think of something really, really cool.

 

I would read to the kids for 1 1/2 hours, broken up into 1/2 hour increments, and stopping at the most exciting times.

 

I might do a Junior Great Books story with related discussion prompts.

 

I would pop in a great introduction to some artist, with life and times information, paintings or sculptures to study, and an opportunity to try one of his most characteristic techniques.

 

I would have a writer's workship, where all the kids would freewrite a character study, after doing an exercise to remind them of the three most memorable experiences of each year of their lives, and then choosing one as the jumping off point for the character study. Or maybe I would lead them in designing their ideal two room apartment. Or in generating a list of what 25 items they would most want if they were marooned on a deserted but appealing though uninhabited island.

 

I might try to teach them some macrame or knitting or color theory or paper mat weaving. Or make paper bag baskets--cheap and easy!

 

I think that I would just get so excited about all this. I wouldn't just mark time. I would be thrilled to have two whole days where I could really cut loose from the core stuff and be a creative teacher and have fun, leaving the kids with something memorable and enriching.

 

And, now, I ask myself, why have I not done all this great stuff with my DD during the last few years? Why do I grind, grind, grind? I'm a really good teacher, and I have lots of creative things to do with kids. So why don't I???

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GS9 had to make up 3 days of school. They had a sports field day on one and various academic games the rest of the time. They played math & geography baseball among other games. I picked him up early the last day to take him to 4-H camp, the teacher knew ahead of time and happily sent him off. hmmm...maybe too happily!

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Here's the idiotic part...

 

from the article:

An internal audit in early May discovered that 34 minimum days had been 175 minutes at Dickson and 170 at Rolling Ridge, said district spokeswoman Julie Gobin. That adds up to a shortage of 170 and 340 minutes, respectively, which could be made up in one or two school days. But under state law, these too-short days do not count at all, meaning that all 34 must be made up to avoid a state penalty of more than $7 million.
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This is stupid stupid stupid!! What do they mean they're "taking responsibility"? Why can't they fix a clerical error some other way? They're NOT 34 days short! Someone screwed up a spreadsheet, and that's is all it takes to impact this many kids??

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When I read this in the paper today, I was dumbfounded. But when they quoted the state super or secretary of ed or whatever her title was, she said, "we are going to take a hard line on this so that schools are not shaving minutes" or so something just as dumb. SO . . . punish thousands of kids, hundreds of teachers (whose union, you can bet, is not taking this sitting down and saying, "sure, we'll come in and work 34 more days for free")

I'm guessing she has a political beef with someone and is using her position to stroke her own ego. My children would NOT be going to ONE day. The positive spin they are trying to put on it is they will get enriching experiences and get a head start for next year. I am not familiar with the area at all, but with what I have heard about CA school systems, I agree with the poster who said - More free daycare.

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