FCCPTA Calendar Questionnaire--2004

October 7, 2004

2nd

3rd

Best

Idea

Yes

Idea

Points

1a. Would you prefer that the school year start about one

1,194

756

61%

566

301

200

2,500

week before Labor Day and end one week earlier in June?

1b. Would you prefer that the school year start about two

518

1,423

27%

183

210

1,056

weeks before Labor Day, have an extra one week winter

vacation break and end one week earlier in June?

1c. Would you prefer a shorter spring break and thus end

329

1,611

17%

106

434

the school year several days earlier in June?

1d. Would you prefer a year round school year with, for

773

1,174

40%

409

132

114

1,605

example, children attending four 9 week (45 day) semesters

with 3 weeks off between each semester except for the

summer when there would be 6 or 7 weeks off?

1e. Would you prefer building in more snow days, and to

1,294

640

67%

158

446

302

1,668

the extent extra days are not used, the kids would be let out

earlier at the end of the school year?

2. Compared with the current school day, would you prefer

1,298

642

67%

275

337

250

1,749

increasing the school day by about 5 minutes and, if the

extra time is not needed for snow days, letting the kids out

two days earlier at the end of the school year?

Total number of responses

1,985

Note: The points in the last column are 3 for best idea, 2 for 2nd best idea and 1 for 3rd best idea.

Comments

The comments received from those answering the questionnaire are in the following pages. The comments are categorized under

the related questions. Comments received that did not relate to any of the questions in the questionnaire are in the last section

called "Other."

If a person's comments related to more than one question, we subjectively put it under only one of the questions. Thus, for example,

if a person's comments related to "Spring Break" (question 1c) and also "Snow Days" (question 1e), we put the entire comment

under either "Spring Break" or "Snow Days", but not under both sections.

The comments are not edited by us, other than running them through spell check, and we did not try to verify any of the facts

mentioned in the responses.

Starting date of the school year (questions 1a and 1b)

1. It is time for FCPS to update the school calendar and end the influence of 'King's Dominion" Law dictating the current

out-of-sync calendar. I recently contacted my State Senator, Jay O'Brien, about this issue and he listed several reasons for

keeping the calendar as is. Among the reasons: hot August weather (last time I checked it is still quite hot in September),

student summer jobs (which could easily be rescheduled to fit a new calendar), and family summer vacations (also subject

to rescheduling). No mention of academics. I think the calendar needs changing, because as it now stands, after May SOL,

IB and AP testing, school is basically out, despite the best on intentions

2. The school system should set an end date of Memorial Day or the Friday after Memorial Day as the end of the school year.

The Start date should then be adjusted according to this end day. The students are ready to go back to school in the fall. However,

once the pools open they tend to shut down. Establish the best end date for education and start school based on this date.

3. I do not like at all the idea to start the school year before Labor Day. What about having a winter break as suggested in 1B

without changing the beginning of the school year but instead increasing the length of each school day, and changing

the end of the school year to make it one week earlier. The short days are a nightmare for working parents.

4. Start at least one week after Labor Day.

5. I am okay with school starting after Labor Day, but this year's planned calendar pushes everything back way too late, and

I especially do not like the 4 day weekend in June. The students just want to be finished at that point. I think Fairfax should

make an exception this year and start school a week early.

6. I think the entire year should be shortened. I would like school to end at the end of May and start again the week after Labor

Day. The first week or so and the last week are pretty much a wash anyway with little academics. I also think that the idea of

one short school day a week is pointless and causes unnecessary child care issue. I would be happy to expand upon these

points and the reasons if there is any interest.

7. It is best to continue starting school year immediately after Labor Day, as at present. However, plan on closing the school

year one week later, say last week of June. If we have a good year and do not lose any days due to bad weather etc., just close

the school year earlier and everyone will be happy. Everyone may make holiday plans in July and August with no fear of forced

changes. It is not a good idea to cut the spring break as many families make plans and when they can not change plans, kids

miss classes. Break between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day is always good, if that involves mid-week reopening, it is OK.

8. Since my daughter goes to Stuart, we already have in place the earlier start. Very good...it has worked well for us.

9. I would prefer to start before Labor Day only in years when Labor Day is very late, such as next year.

10. Love the idea of starting one week early. The kids are ready to go back to school by then!

11. School during summer, whether late into June or before Labor Day, is very unproductive and is more like glorified babysitting

because the children are just not in the frame of mind to learn. Longer school days rather than school years would be more

productive in terms of actual instruction time.

12. Do not start school before Labor Day. Limit the number of holidays off in Jan - way too many with teacher workdays, and we

almost always have snow days then, too. Kids hardly get a full week of school any week in Jan. Keep spring break a full week off.

13. Actually, the plan should combine both 1A and 1E with no extra "holidays." All schools should start at least a week before Labor

Day - the summer break is too long and kids are far more anxious to be in school in the fall than in the spring - Let's fix this!

14. Why don't the kids start the day after Labor Day and finish on Memorial weekend?? Or finish the first week of June? Do full days

on Monday instead of the half day. Then we will actually have a summer break with our children. And that 1/2 day Monday seems like

such a waste for all involved. Other schools manage to do 5 full days.

15. I support any approach that gets our students out earlier in June and allows them to go back to school before Labor Day.

In addition, I want to preserve the Spring Break week. Thanks for allowing this opportunity to voice my opinion. I hope the school

board makes some changes!

16. Any time you can gain in August is so much more productive than any remainder tacked on the end of the year. After APs,

SOLs etc. there isn't enough to keep the students occupied and engaged in learning.

17. We have four children in Fairfax County Public Schools and I like the school calendar the way it is. I'm not willing to give up part

of the month of August to send my kids to school early. I enjoy our summer life the way it's been since our first child started

kindergarten in the Fall of 1994. My youngest is now in first grade and I would like for him to enjoy summer life the way my older kids

have. (August is the best month to be off in this part of the country.) Last summer for example all four kids were on the local swim

team for the month of July and for the month of August we traveled out west and took them to over 10 National Parks. Previous

summers the kids spent the month of August with their grandparents. Keep the school calendar the way it has been! There are

plenty of academic programs during the summer that parents can sign their children up for if they would like them to keep up with

their studies during the summer.

18. It is ridiculous to send these kids to school so late into the summer. By the time the testing is over, neither the teachers nor the

students are interested in either teaching or learning. You might as well end school after testing.

19.The time after Memorial Day is of limited value since students feel that school is over once the pools are open. The Library and

specialists also end their programs early in June and the classroom teacher is left to "teach or entertain" students until school is

out. Grades are not a big factor since they are due way before the actual end of school. Adding days to the beginning of

school would make much more sense.

20. If nothing else is changed, we at least need to begin the school year earlier and, thus, be released earlier in June.

21. I have 3 children in the school system, both in elementary and secondary. I understand that something needs to be done about

the snow day situation. I don't think it is fair for the teachers to have needed work days taken away at the last minute, and I don't

think it is fair to take away from spring or winter break, since people usually have made travel plans well in advance that can't be

changed. So, I have to go with plan 1A as long as the kid's get out earlier in June if we do not use the snow days. Please do not

extend the school year further into June! I see June as a beautiful time of year to enjoy the outdoors. As far as I see, after

Memorial Day, the kid's brains have turned off. SOL tests are over for most students. It seems all I hear about from my kids is that

they are watching movies and playing games. Now high school is a different story, even though I think their brains are mush by

this point too. Since August is soooo hot, and June is soooo nice, I fe!

22. School starting the last week of August would be great. Now, I hope I am understanding this to mean the school days would be

from the last week of August to earlier in June. Not that the school year would be lengthened. I will not send my children to school

until June 24th, just to "serve time" for snow days. Teachers do not need to be babysitting my kid's, which is what they are doing

at that point. Children grow up fast, now is the time to spend as much time with them as possible! Thank you for allowing me to

get this off my chest. Heidi

23. I have a senior son and once AP exams are finished - it seems a waste for the rest of the year. Would it be possible to have

a senior exam week immediately following Aps, a week for graduation activities and then graduate. I don't see it serving much

purpose once exams are finished to have them attend everyday - and most don't attend anyway.

24. Having to begin after Labor Day really puts the kids taking APs at a disadvantage in learning the material. After those exams, I

think the teachers find it difficult to keep them engaged for the remaining month or so.

25. It would be nice to structure the calendar so that the school year ends earlier in 2005. A June 25 ending compromises work and

camp or academic programs for our students.

26. I would prefer to extend the day by as much as one-half hour and dismiss school earlier in June. I prefer to begin school after

Labor Day as currently the policy.

27. Please start before Labor Day. Our kids are not prepared for the AP tests like other schools are because of less instructional

time. Think about starting the high schools later.

28. The Kings Dominion Law needs to be repealed.

29. How about a combination of the above...such as starting school year earlier, a shorter spring break, & having school day

extended 5 minutes (kids wouldn't even notice!)

30. Rather kids get out later in June that start before Labor Day. Plan for extra days/time and then let them out early if they are not

used. Do not want to lose summer vacation time!

31. I teach at JEB Stuart High School and we have a modified calendar, starting 2 weeks before Labor Day. This calendar is great.

By mid-May, the level of the student's motivation and attention declines significantly. With this schedule, once the SOLs are

finished, the year is just about over. I would love this schedule for my children, as well.

32. Do not start Sports programs practices or band practices any earlier than present. August 16th I think, which is two weeks

before classes begin in September. Can first semester end before Christmas Break? Delete all or part of Fall break if you have to.

33. Please use uniforms. Beginning mid august will be a good idea, by this time kids are tired of summer break, and ready to start

school. They will enjoy finishing the year mid to late may and having an early start to the summer break.

34. I'd like the kids to start school before Labor Day and end one week earlier in June. Our kids get out so late compared to their

friends in other districts and states. Plus they are in back-to-school mode by the end of August. Thanks for paying attention to our

feedback!

35. Somewhere between 1A and 1B: start 2 weeks before Labor Day, extend winter break by 2-3 days and get out 1 week plus 2-3

days earlier in June. This would allow even more preparation for Aps and SOLs. Even more ideal would be to start 2 weeks before

Labor Day and get out 2 weeks earlier in June as many states do.

36. I would prefer that school start a few days after Labor Day, instead of the day after labor day. Families cannot go away for the

holiday if the children have to start school the day after labor day.

37. I think the school year goes into June far to long. Any change would be for the best.

38. I absolutely do not support starting school before Labor Day. I feel building days into the calendar such as has been done for

2004-5 is the most prudent course to take

39. 1. You've got to give kids more class time before standardized testing (SAT, AP, SOL). Time afterwards is very frequently

wasted. Starting them earlier or going year round helps the kids succeed.

2. You've got to make it easier for families with working parents to plan their schedules. Letting kids out early, unexpectedly, is

difficult for parents of young children.

3. What about an option to add a 1/2 hour to the day for a study hall - similar to Loudoun county? Teachers can use the time

for planning or meetings.

40. I would like to start two weeks earlier and get out two weeks earlier. I think that FCPS students are short-changed in their

preparation for AP exams because we start so late. As a former teacher I am also aware that many people, both students and

teachers, tend to mentally check out after Memorial Day, and lots of busy work or movies are used to fill time in FCPS. I've lived in

districts where school ends at the end of May, and the teachers and students seem to stay more focused closer to the conclusion

of the year, especially with the important testing that goes on.

41. I am all for year round school, but that will never happen. I don't think adding another week during winter break will help, better to

shorten the school year! In NC they get out the end of May and go back Aug 10th. Sounds perfect!

42. Do not start school until after Labor Day. This allows families to plan and know when their summer vacations end. Increase the

school day by 10 minutes or 15 minutes to enable capture of a few days. Start elementary school earlier and high school later in the

day. Studies show that younger children learn better earlier in the morning whereas teens do better in late morning.

43. Make Sol's closer to the exam schedule at schools so there isn't dead time between them and high school exams. Once testing

has begun, IB, AP, SOLs, Finals should all go one right after the other.

44. Start school two weeks earlier and get out 2 week