Mr. Fredericksen,
I will, unfortunately be unable to attend the meeting today regarding the snow make-up days. However I, as a parent, would like to address my concerns to you for consideration.
It has already been established that built-in make-up days through June 18 can be utilized for the absences due to the recent weather events, however as June 18 was the last day marked for make-up, I believe it is an inconvenience for families to change summer based and/or Spring vacation plans if these dates are extended.
I would like to request that you, and the Board, request amnesty days for the following dates:
Dec 21, 2009 (The Governor declared a State of Emergency for Maryland on December 19 that was not lifted until 7pm on December 21)
February 8 - 12 (The Governor declared a SoE for Maryland on February 5 that from what I can find was not lifted until February 11/12). During this time, on February 10, the Mayor of Salisbury declared a State of Emergency for the incorporated city limits requiring a cease of traffic on roadways. This local SoE was not lifted until February 11).
Thank you for consideration of my suggestion,
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
28 comments:
Personally I would like to see year round school. From the kids in Delmar that I have talked to is that they loved it.
11:11
I'm with you on that thought. There's no good reason that school shouldn't be year round, with a few decent brakes during the school year for holidays. The way we're doing things now, we've fallen to the bottom of the heap in world powers in terms of education.
Breaks, that is.
My childer go year round at Delmar, an I as a parent love it and also my children enjoy the program as well. It is nice they go 45 days and then off 15. Unfortunatley this is the last year of this program the BOE is cutting it to save money. It's ashame because I feel like my children have done much better in in the year round program.
I remember when I was in school they extended each day by an hour instead of making it up at the end of the year. I didn't like it at the time but it was worth it at the end of the year.
HATE the thought of year round school. Had the option when I lived in another state, and decided against it. What happened to actual summers for children? Stop taking that away from them!
There should be no amnesty period. The taxpayers fund the schools for the children to get an education. Their supposed to go to school a set minimum of days. Let them attend the allotted days. If someone suggested cutting the days to save money, you all would be in a uproar.
It would be hard to find childcare part time, if they went all year round
They can not do year round school until all schools have air conditioning. The board states if it is above I think it's 85 by 9 am on a school day they can not have school. We have a few schools that still have no AC--get them AC and we can have year round school.
Anon 11:46--so you want kids to go to school until July 1st? Can't be done without AC--just ask the board.
Some of the snow days were to save money--from what I understand it costs over $30000 to clear all of the schools parking lots. No school is cheaper.
Anybody who thinks children should go to school year-round obviously doesn't have children. What a ridiculous idea to take summer vacation away from them! Shame on you, you Obama lovers.
For the post that doesn't like the idea of "Year Round" school - he obviously doesn't understand the concept. A better name might be "Alternative Calendar." The students don't attend school any more days than the traditional school year. The difference is in the way the year is divided - 45 days in session 15 days off. With 4 forty-five day sessions the children still only attend school 180 days. The advantage is that there is more retention of skills and learned material and therefore, less review of old material.
it would really be great if we could send our kids off to boarding schools (free ofcourse)year round. breaks of a day or so if necessary.(snowflake would be safe there) that would take a great burden off our shoulders, and give us more free time. it was fun making them but its old now, and i got my eye on that thing down the street.
Some of the schools still do not have air conditioning. Can you imagine the temperatures in those schools in July and Aug?
Why not extend the school day for the rest of the year? Just 2 hours a day would make up the difference including the extended June 18 date.
anonymous 11:57, give me a break!
I do have a child going to Delmar Elementary who is in year round school and I'm far from bbing an Obama lover.
Besides, what the heck does Obama have to do with year round school anyway.
For many of us, our children go to school for 3 months and then enjoy about 3 weeks off. They continue their education without completely forgetting what they had been working on before their break.
I happen to think it's the very best way to educate ALL children but please don't try to speak for me and or attack someone by accusing them that they must not have any children to make such a statement.
You are completely wrong and out of line.
I believe going to school has been a thought before Obama, and I didn't vote for him either.
Converting "Professional Days" into "teach my child days" makes more sense. The mere thought of saving money or not interupting YOUR precious vacation plans by cheating MY children out of a valuable education makes me sick. It seems some have actually forgotten that school is not your day care facility. It is where children are educated and without a proper education, we have a nation of idiots. Oh, but they will have had nice vacations.
I simply do not think a "Grade A" education lives or dies over missing a week or two of school. Heck, after they take the testing at end of year the last week or so is just a waste anyway. It will be 100 degrees in some schools and a cool 70 in others but after the testing the party begins......like it or not the days we lost recently might be made up numerically, but certainly not academically. The subject is mute.
Here's my thought on this letter and the previous comments:
1. Cut out the professional days! There are professional days scheduled on March 1 and May 3. That would give the BOE 2 extra days that they wouldn't be making up during the summer! Why do they need professional days anyway?! All the teachers that I know say that they just sit around and do hardly anything the whole day anyway so why is it necessary?
2. Make the last 3 days of the school year full days instead of half days. I'm sure that there is some ridiculous reason as to why the last three days of the school year are half days, but I'm sure that it could be modified to do full days. That would give the BOE an extra 1.5 days that they wouldn't have to tack on to the end of the school year. Not to mention, there were never any lectures or instruction on these days anyway when I was in school!
3. Shorten the spring break. Close schools on from Friday through Monday in lieu of Thursday through Monday. That will give the BOE an extra day as well. And to those parents complaining about cutting into a "spring vacation," most parents don't get off on that that Thursday to begin with-most only get Good Friday off! For the few that may have trips planned then they can take their kids out of school for that one day.
4. The majority of teachers get paid a full year's salary for 10 months of work-I don't want to hear any complaining from them! In addition, they are also the only County employees that got raises so a little extra for for their pay is warranted!
As of now, the school instruction is scheduled to end on the 18th of June (16th, 17th and 18th) begin early dismisal days). With this revised schedule, 5 of the 11 snow days have been resolved. With my proposal above, 4.5 of the remaining 6 unresolved days would be accounted for.
As for those of you complaining about the suggestion of year round schooling-this would only better you childrens' education and reduce your cost of summer day care so why are you complaining? Do some research about Countries and certain districts within certain states that have year round schooling; you will find that they all have higher educational attainment and better test scores. Keep in mind that just because they are in school year round doesn't mean that they have less time off than with a school schedule similar to Wicomico County. The fact is that the students have more breaks that are shorter in duration which assists students in retaining knowledge. The students and teachers are also not faced with social distractions and anxieties that occur at the beginning of the school years as a result of being disconnected from fellow classmates for an extended period of time.
While year round schooling could cost more in school maintenance (ie. heating, cooling, ect.) it could be worth looking into.
"Some of the schools still do not have air conditioning..." Who cares?! You know that people used to live without AC right? They seemed to have survived just fine! And from what I understand, Bennett is the only school without AC so perhaps they can cope for a couple days if they do have to extend the school year.
What gets me is that all the parents complain about the quality of education, education cuts and issues with the magnet program but yet they don't want their precious children to attend school longer than they have to! Sounds very hippocritical to me...I hope the school year is extended and screws your vacation!
all of those states of emergency and still nobody bothered to clean the streets
Hey 140 teachers get paid for what they work for- 10 months. They can have their pay spread out over 12 months obviously taking home less per pay period to cover the summer months. I am the husband of a teacher so my perception of your comments run deep. I can tell you she goes far above and beyond what is expected of any teacher and wouldn't have it any different- so find a different angle. It gets frustrating seeing teachers get bashed because of some mis-perceptions.
Lengthening the school days does nothing. Changing 1/2 days to full days does nothing. The students have to be in school 180 days. If it is a half day that ends at 12:50 for middle and high school--that can be counted as a full day. If the students were to stay until 3 that still would be counted as 1 day. The last 3 days are 1/2 days only so they can say they were in school and being 1/2 days counts as a full day. No learning will be done the last 2 weeks of school anyway. Movies are watched and games played. The only way to make these days up is to get rid of professional days, shorten the spring break, and add on to the end of the year. AS much as we, as parents, don't like the longer year--that's what it will have to be.
Anon 2:02 PM,
I am also a County Employee (Not with the BOE) and I get paid to show up to work from 8:00 to 5:00 on 248 days (260 weekdays minus 12 holidays) in a year. Your wife works from August 13 to June 22 - approximately 10 months out of the year. That's 230 weekdays, but then when you take out all of the holidays off (ie. Winter Break, Spring Break, Thanksgiving Break, MLK Day, President's Day, Labor Day and Memorial Day-20 days total!) she actually only works 210 days out of the year! She also gets to dilly dally around on 5 days for "professional day" and attends a MSTA Conference for a day. Regardless of how she schedules her pay (10 months pay or annual pay) she gets the time off! According to the 2009-2010 Wicomico County Salary Schedule for Teachers, the lowest paid teachers receive $42,140 per year-I get paid a very similar amount with a bachelor's degree as well and I put in a lot more time over the course of a year.
I get weekends off as does she, but she get nearly 2 months off during the summer and the holidays that I do PLUS the extra days that the BOE gives the students off for those days. She may have to grade papers at night, but then at the same time they provide teachers with Planning Periods each day and the last time I checked, students get out of school at 3 and she should have about 2 extra hours each day to do the "extras" like grading papers. I too take home work, but that's just part of having a salaried career! This "above and beyond" BS doesn't cut it! Any good employee that is dedicated to their career, such as myself and your wife (as you tated), goes above and beyond-its what people who care do!
So let's break it down here...while our careers may not be the same we do get paid similar, we get paid by the same sources and we have a similar level of education. I work 50 more days than she does in a year and I don't get long extended breaks from work throughout the year. A lot of teachers do get a second job during their summer time off and can make $5,000 to $10,000 or more in additional income during that time. Me? I'm the one at work NON-STOP for the year! I'm the one that has to take furlough days while she and her co-workers got a raise this year. I'm the one who has to worry about having departmental budget cuts because the BOE can't curb frivolous spending during economic down times or any time for that matter! So what makes her so much more important? Oh that's right, she's a teacher-We have to do it for the teachers and the students! But when it hits the fan like it has been with snow removal from the roads (BTW I am NOT a roads employee) this week people are quick to blame the Roads Division for lack of effort! Try lack of money because the BOE porks it up each year and never performs the necessary cuts to rid the County's budget of some financial burdens!
I will bash the BOE and I will bash the teachers! Why? Because they are only looking out for #1 whenever it comes to sacrificing! Professional days? Please! How would your wife feel about having all five professional days during summer break? MSTA Convention could be held during the summer as well! If you all were really looking out for the children then you wouldn't be taking breaks from their education to do the things that could be done during the summer! Why not do professional days during the extend students holidays (like the Thursday before easter or the Wednesday before Easter) when students aren't in school but teachers would otherwise not have the day off if they were in any other career.
I don't want to hear and complaining from teachers OR their spouses-they have it easy enough as is! I say extend the school year into August if we have to-make the teachers actually work for their salaries!
406 you feel better now. Feel vindicated that your job is tougher and my wife and I have it so easy. If you don't like your job go down to the Job Market and let them know your position is available and find one that won't cause you so much stress.
Amen Anonymous 5:18 pm ....if your jealous of the teachers pay then become one yourself..Anonymous 4:06
Joe...this letter needs to be sent to Dr. Nancy Grasmick, State Superintendent of Schools. She will make the final decision about granting a waiver for any days.
Why don't you give her a ring or email. I would love to see if you get a response.
1:40 PM Bennett is not the only school that doesn't have air conditioning
I have two children in the year round program at delmar. My kids love it and I love it. They retain alot more knowledge this way, and they do not get bored. I am sad to hear that they may cancel it.
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