Guys and Gals, Still haven't heard anything from JCS chief as to why the snow makeup day will be conducted on April 13th. If they're gonna take 1 day, why not Friday the 6th, and give families an uninterrupted break? H6
Some places take Easter Monday instead of Good Friday. I don't think either one is a national holiday, but it is a good time to take a break.
Thats what I've heard from teachers. Either way you're gonna have people that will complain about it messing up their plans. I guess I don't see what the big deal is (unless you're a school employee, then you have to be there). If I had vacation plans (which I don't :neutral: ) I'd either get the day excused or come back early....they're not going to do anything significant (school work) on that day anyway. It's in the school policy that spring break days are where they take the snow/makeup days from. Its happened before, one year they lost like 3 days....now that would be upsetting!
it becomes difficult to do anything significant (school work) when this is the prevailing attitude of parents
And that's why typically, nothing significant is done on those kind of makeup days. Up until this year, when we started homeschooling, I've had a child (or 2) in JCS for 11 years. My experience has always been that in those years when makeup days fell within the spring break vacation, attendance was WAY down, and the teachers really didn't do much of any consequence. I will say that this decision should not come as a surprise. When the school board publishes calendars, they include a list of make ups that will be used in order as needed (usually 5-6 days). If the date of a makeup day has already passed then of course you have to skip ahead. The time to complain about the choice of make up days is when the calendars are created. With the way the state legislature screwed over the public school by bowing to the tourism industry, there are very few options for makeup days. That has been discussed here before, so I won't go into the gory details.
rr.. I object to the categorization of the legislature bowing to the tourism industry, as if there was no consequence on the rest of us. Quite simply, those of us who grew up on the coast (I would imagine it is the same for any seasonal tourist area), know that unless enough economic activity occurs between Memorial Day through Labor Day, that families are adversely affected, such that more than a few qualify for food stamps, public assistance, etc. And that, my friend, is where it comes to hit the wallets of the rest of us who have the luxury of having a fairly stable economy in the capital area which is less dependent on seasons. RTP cranks out all year around. Most people vacation at the beach in fair weather months, and except for die hard fisherpersons, the coast is usually not overpopulated with tourists. Being a native of Morehead City, and having grown up under the economic awareness of the multiplicative effects of money within our own economy, I have a deep seated feeling that people from NC who go to Myrtle Beach are disloyal to the state. I'll admit that this is not a rational way to view it, nor is it objective. However, when your family is is forced to accept food stamps (and the shame of having had to do so) it leaves a taste in one's mouth that simply won't wash away. Not sure if there is stigma associated with being on public assistance like there was when I was younger, but it was a palpable feeling then. That said, I'll climb off my soapbox, and agree that drastic changes must be made, and that all ideas must be considered. I agree that doing more of the same is no solution. Wasn't one of the folksy definitions of insanity as doing something the same way every time, but expecting a different result? I appreciate your interest.
Not the first Only wish that was the only industry the state legislature bowed too. Growing up Down East, I too resent your implications that it was the tourism industry alone that caused this. People need the money and the summer is when people go. Once upon a time kids had summers off and also worked on the farm. The way the schools were scheduling the month of July was the only month off. Not all education is learned in a classroom.
Wow, I just had to jump in with an 'amen' to your sentiments (keep the tourism dollars in the state, and be aware that the economy east of I-95 is vastly different from this area) and also I wanted to let you know that I thoroughly enjoyed your post...VERY articulate...(I'm stealing the 'multiplicative effects' phrase)...makes me miss my dad...I think I'll give him a call...sigh! (as far as school calendars, though, gotta say I'm a big fan of traditional calendars... kids don't get to be kids very long...unscheduled summers where they get to run around barefoot, hang out at a pool or beach until they're crispy, lay in the grass and see shapes in clouds...that's a blessed time and I don't want to rush them through it...they'll have to do an 8am-6pm, 5 days a week life for decades...don't rush them into it...) (I have a hard time seeing year round school as anything more than state-run day care...and I am SO tired of the 'but you can go to Disney in the off-season' argument... ugh...I'd rather scoop my eyes out of my head than go to Disney in any season...)
and because a lot of johnston county high schools have prom on the 5th and i know i wouldn't goto school the next day.
While the legislature may not have had only the interests of the tourism industry in mind when pushing through this calendar change, I don't really feel they had the school system in mind at all. There was strong objection from local school systems, and I have to believe this was widespread across the entire state. The perception I (and many others with whom I discussed this) had was that the schools were very low in the list of priorities. I'll leave it at that and return this thread back to the original topic. I will reiterate that your best hope of a better solution to make up days is to be involved with the creation of the calendar. You would probably be best served by establishing direct contact with one or more school board members.
My son is coming to visit and is going to be his sisters prom date out here on the 14th so i guess we'll have to get make up work. I am glad to see this posted thanks!
I heard a rumor that JCPS is considering keeping the 13th as a break day (no school) and instead have the kids make up the snow day on May 28th (Memorial day). Apparently Memorial day is listed on the calendar as a teacher work-day and not a holiday. Anyone else hear this? Shouldn't a decision or announcement be made fairly soon?
I work at the schools as a sub, and have heard no such thing. They said Parker is sticking with the original date.
If it is a school day, I will conduct class as usual. I will probably have a lot of students who will have to make up work, but a school day is a school day. The ones who attend shouldn't be compromised for those who don't.
I was wondering when the schools were going to send something home letting us all know of this change. Until 2 nights ago, we had not been informed. We got one of the recorded messages from the elementary school about other things, and the make up day was included. I wonder why they always wait until the last minute to let us know these things, 'officially'? I don't mind that there is a make-up day of course, I understand that, it's just that it would be nice to know as soon as the school makes that decision.
Heard through the grapevine the matter would be up for discussion at today's school board meeting, so I went. Sadly, the matter still had not been addressed when I left after 2.5 hours (although it was on the agenda).
