So frustrated right now - school start date change

[rotlex]

I'm confused, but maybe I read your initial post wrong. Did the district publish next year's calendar and then make a change, or did you assume that it would be the same as this year?

We assumed it would be the same as this past year. Post Labor Day start. The same as it has been for decades other than one year, two years ago, that they tried a pre-labor day start date that drew heavy complaints from both parents and teachers.

The bottom line is, there is NO reason that school start dates, which have been the same, post labor day, for 50+ years in our area, can't be published farther out than 5 months. To make a change to what has been the standard in this area for a very long time, and only give 5 months notice is just wrong.

 

[kaytieeldr]

There probably are reasons. This appears to be a combination of outrage over the earlier change combined with a later than normal Labor Day, and probably throw in anticipated snow days and teacher contract limitations.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I just checked our district's calendar, and the calendar for 2015-16 will NOT be available until early April, as it is every year. Obviously, we know when this year ends, but we don't know for sure when next year begins....by law, schools generally start after labor day, but a district can apply for an exception to that based on a number of factors. We planned our summer vacation for a time we KNOW we will be off. I've left "free" the last full week in August precisely because it is possible, if not probable given how "late" Labor Day is this year, that we would start early. Better safe than sorry. I NEVER plan for spring break until the calendar is out. That is way too risky, IMO.

I would NOT want my kids to miss the first days of school after elementary school. Heck, my DD (9th grader) is loathe to miss a class even for a doctor's appointment. Too much happens in class to miss more than you absolutely have to. For me, a vacation is NOT that reason once they reach the age of middle/high school level course work.

Bolded likely being why school year calendars are delayed.

I can't speak for the OP. But the reason I picked that week's vacation is school has never started before Labor Day here in the 50 years I've been alive. We always go on vacation the week before Labor Day. It never crossed my mind that school would be starting the week before Labor Day. Labor Day was also on 9/7 in 2009 and we started school on Tuesday 9/8.

Possibly - especially if the calendar came out in the last few weeks - it allows for snow days while still not risking school after June 30.

My kids quite often missed the first few days of school for Disney. They have the entire year to catch up. One is graduating college this spring and the other is finishing his second year of university. Disney is such a great place to make memories and bond as a family

Great for your kids, but not every student has the apparent drive and capability. WDW is open 365-366 days a year barring emergency situations.

 

[msjprincess]

Bolded likely being why school year calendars are delayed.


Possibly - especially if the calendar came out in the last few weeks - it allows for snow days while still not risking school after June 30.


Great for your kids, but not every student has the apparent drive and capability. WDW is open 365-366 days a year barring emergency situations.

We have the same snow days built in as usual. The Thursday, Friday and Tuesday around Memorial day. If we use more than the allotted days they take them from Spring Break. We don't ever have days added to the end of the year. Next year school ends on 6/24. So even if they did decide to add days at the end that gives us a total of 7 days with the 3 days built in. We normally have 2-4 snow days a year.

 

[jrmasm]

I just checked and our calendar for next school year was approved at the end of last November.