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Sunday, January 26, 2014

Here We Go Again Delmar

Remember the other day I talked about all of the days the kids have been off over the past few weeks, including Monday. Well I just found out our Grandson has off AGAIN on Friday for another "Professional Day". 

Factor in the possibility of yet another day off Wednesday if we get a ton of snow and let me tell you, these kids are on a roll! (UPDATE: As we all know they have already closed school today). I feel for all you Parents who have to take off work in the Delmar district and if you didn't know about Friday, it's NOT on their regular scheduled day off. They realized they didn't put in for enough professional days and added it to this Friday.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm with you regarding this issue Joe. These so-called Professional days are BOGUS and UNprofessional in my opinion and need to be eliminated. School teachers and administrators love these PAID days off of course because they can stay home with their kids or don't have to pay extra $$$ for a daycare to watch their kids.

JoeAlbero said...

anonymous 9:59, My Grandson told me the Teachers have to go to work that day. So what's the point? Why is this day necessary, especially if it wasn't on the schedule and they've had so many recent days off, including today.

Anonymous said...

Don't have kids if you don't want them around.

JoeAlbero said...

anonymous 10:06, And Liberals like this run our Country. We're in deep ship.

Anonymous said...

"You are going to catch a cold from the ice inside your soul."

Anonymous said...

Still no snow as of 10:24

Anonymous said...

10:06 your ignorant comment is not relevant to the subject. This is about school policies, not about whether people want to have children or not. Stick to the point of the topic you fool.

Anonymous said...

The first priority is the safety of the kids. We must protect them from drivers that don't know how to drive in the rain and snow.

JoeAlbero said...

I had to use Rt. 54 yesterday to go to Pittsville. I drove through Delmar and thought, why is the black top so wet? Now I realize that DelDot coated the surface and was obviously a lot more proactive then Maryland.

Anonymous said...

The school schedule for 2013/2014 was introduced in 2012. At that time you were asked for your input. After the input period and changes the schedule was passed Due to mandates and regulations required at the state and national levels there are x number of days kids are required to be in school. There are x number of Professional Days required. Many teachers are parents and are in the same predicament as other parents where Profession days are concerned.

I do not believe there is a County Superintendent or Board Member on the shore who sits in the BOE office thinking up ways to upset the children or parents. How many of you had input in the school year schedule.

Anonymous said...


I don't know the specifics of Delmar's calendar but obviously they do some long and short range planning with Wicomico. Wicomico's calendar is normally finalized and published in the late Spring.

Wicomico students will have Friday off; teachers will be working. Mid term exams were held last week and the professional day provides an uninterrupted opportunity to enter grades. A number of classes are one semester and so a new group of students will be beginning; there is work associated with that as well. Have some teacher friends.

My kids were in elementary school in the 80s so this end of term practice extends back at least that far. Shouldn't be a surprise to any parent beyond kindergarteners.

Falling at the bookend of the MLK holiday may vary by the year, just as the Christmas break varies.

Don't know if Ma Nature consults the school calendar before visiting us. Kinda figure the closures today were proactive so as not to have to send kids home in poor weather; if amounts and temps match forecast could see same thing happening tomorrow.

Normally I'm in your corner; on this one think you've missed the bullseye.

JoeAlbero said...

anonymous 11:32, could you just imagine if I was ALWAYS right, lol.

The POINT to my Post was that I feel for the any parents who can't AFFORD to stay home with their kids, that's all.

JoeAlbero said...

I should add. MANY parents are unaware of school being closed on Friday because it is NOT on their calendar that they sent home with the kids.

Anonymous said...

Friday, 1/24 IS on the Wicomico County Public Schools calendar as closed for students, professional day for staff.

Anonymous said...


11:32 in reply, with a chuckle regarding your batting average!

1) It can be a challenge if both parents work, or there is just one. The YMCA would have available programs back then, which we used. Have the sense that normal after school caregivers provide flex on both scheduled and unscheduled days.

2) If someone dropped the ball in not providing an accurate take home calendar that wouldn't help.

Anonymous said...

Phone calls were made by the Delmar School District regarding the calendar change (last week, I believe).

This change was made due to a State shut down on Friday 1/3/14. A prescheduled government-mandated Professional Day for the staff was scheduled for that day with plenty of advance notice. The government keeps on mandating PD days & these days need to be a part of the schedule. 1/3/14 did not impact parents because it was over Winter break. With the snowfall & state shut down, this day had to be made up. So, the Middle/High school decided to match the already scheduled professional day on the Maryland side. They were trying to keep people with students in both schools from needing to take 2 days off of work, so they matched the date on short notice.

JoeAlbero said...

anonymous 4:28, Let me just say this.

I'm confident MANY will agree with my opinion when I say that MANY of us who are the unfortunate recipients of the multiple and even overwhelming amount of calls we get from the BOE on an almost daily basis, many of which have NOTHING to do with our child, IGNORE the phone calls and in some cases do not call in to get the message because we're tired of them. So the odds are high many parents/guardians never heard the message about Friday, hence my announcement today.

The BOE is welcome to give SBYNews a heads up and we'd gladly publish it to make sure the masses get the message, especially one that is finally important and effects ALL students and parents.

Some of these calls come in when parents are at work and cannot answer their cell phones.

Using the phone line is not the answer. It's good, (for many) but it doesn't mean it reaches everyone.