It seems public school schedules are so much different from back when.

[sak4kat]

Is it just me or does it seem like kids have a ton of random days off.  I don't remember having 3 day weekends... as often as they do these days.  Last year, there wasn't 1 full month of the kids attending without getting out early or having a day or two off.  Once they even closed because one of the school in the district was struck by lightening and the computers crashed throughout the entire district. 

[lvstephanie]

I noticed that when we had moved when I was growing up, although I'm not sure if it was due to moving to a different state, going into high school, or going from a private to a public school (all 3 of which I went thru when we moved). What I never really understood were the conferences that the teachers would go to, requiring that classes be canceled for that day... I was always under the impression that teachers would go to these conferences during the summer break so that they wouldn't need to take off during the school year.

Our state also had a day off during the school year to allow high school students to visit colleges (and the colleges in the region would have special activities on the day)... Again I don't really understand this concept... When I was looking around at colleges, one day wouldn't nearly be enough time to visit all of the different schools that I was interested in. Furthermore, not all students were going on for advanced education, so for them it was just a free day off. And finally, I usually went to visit the colleges with my parents meaning we'd go on the weekend when they didn't have to go to work, not during an arbitrary weekday. 

[sarabtrayior]

I think this is what they call life, if you ask your folks, they would probably say that YOU had more days off than they did...

[ljrjess69]

school has changed a lot over the years   

[vp44]

Nothing is as it seems. Working with this will be more rewarding for the children because they are what is important..

[vickysue]

Where we live the kids go to school four days a week, but they are longer days. Part of it the sports teams have to travel so far and all the games for small schools are on Fridays. But they do have more days off and the school year is longer. Oh well must go by what the state sets on it all.

[demaina]

I went to private school, so I don't really know how public school is, but I sorta agree.  There were many days where I was in school and the other schools in our district were out.  I don't know if it's normal or I was just there when it was a weird year, but it seems like they keep giving days off for odd reason.  I understand giving people a day off for doing something or cause of a snow day or whatever, but when kids are getting out an hour early for no reason or having half days for no reason, I don't really get it.  We wonder why our kids aren't as smart as other countries and yet we give them all sorts of days off.

Plus, one things these schools don't consider if the parents that can't get their kids because of work.  Obviously there's some warning ahead of time, but parents can't always get a day off to pick up their kids.

[schoolvan]

School schedules have changed since I graduated it seems like.

[Tresbn00]

I am disgusted with the direction that public schools have gone. Unless you have a truly motivated child, and even then, I would explore private schools. My daughter is three eights of a point behind the current valedictorian and taking six AP classes and one non-AP class.  My costs for her are about a thousand dollars less than what I pay for my son to go to a private school. The public school enjoyed an exodus of thirty one teachers last year and is in the throes of chaos with a principal who is there to collect his check and school administrators that feign interest. The private school calls/emails me to let me know that my son had gotten a 92/100 on his honor's geometry exam.

[msmoneybags48]

My grandson leaves for school at 10 minutes until 7 am.  He does not get home until nearly 4 pm.  When I was in school, we didn't get days off, nor did we get early dismissal.  No, it is not just you.  I see it is more of an everyday occurrence.  When they get out early, you have to cancel what your plans are to accommodate them.  Here, in West Point, MS, they let them out early, and the date of report card pickup, the kids get to be out the entire day.  The last time I remember having days out of school was in 1970.  We had a riot in West Point because my cousin was killed by a White man; he was arrested and let out of jail an hour later.  After the riot, kids were out of school for two weeks.  We returned to school and the schools were segregated.  The kids that lived in the country went to school in the morning, and the kids who lived in town went to school in the afternoon.  I can understand it if it is a holiday, but the kids are even out of school on Good Friday.  It was not a recognized holiday when I went to school.

[Nancy5]

I have to agree with the other postings.  When I went to school we didn't have a lot of days off, and unless it was a blizzard never just for snow.  Where I live the kids get many long weekends, off for holiday we never had (did they change/add holidays and I don't know?) and if it snows 2 inches, early dismissal.  That was something we never had and many snow days.  Then they cry when the school year is extended in June (must go 180 days to school a year)!

[sak4kat]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that's annoyed and inconvenienced by what public schools have become.  My kids had 2 back to back 3 day weekends.  Lucky for me I don't have a job where I need request off 2 weeks in advance to be home with my children..however I am 1/2 part of a small business and as far as I'm concerned that is no difference when it comes to needing to take time away from work to be home with the kiddo's.  Don't get me wrong.  I love my kids and had them to be a mother.  But lately I feel like I'm at the public schools beck and call.  For instance.  My daughter brought home a permission slip to attend the spirit squad try outs.  She gave me the form on Wed. night.  (She probably could have given it to me sooner but didn't) They were having 3 practices.  Thursday @ 6 a.m.  Thursday after school until 4:00 p.m. and again Friday afternoon @ 3 followed by the try out...keep in mind there was no school on Friday.  My kids ride the bus for a reason - we live about 10 miles away from the school...so I get completely miffed when for my kid to be a part of things I'm suppose to rearrange my entire schedule and budget for gas.. at the drop of a hat.  Needless to say, my kid didn't participate. 

[stretch1967]

They get way too many days off during the school year. My nephew had gotten a 4 day weekend for labor day. I heard that they were also trying to end up making them go year round. Never know with rumors.

[weased]

Is it just me or does it seem like kids have a ton of random days off.  I don't remember having 3 day weekends... as often as they do these days.  Last year, there wasn't 1 full month of the kids attending without getting out early or having a day or two off.  Once they even closed because one of the school in the district was struck by lightening and the computers crashed throughout the entire district. 

Although school days in a year seem to be shorter than when I was young, the biggest change to me is the fact that everyday these public school want our kids to come up with more money for everything! I started my school year around Labor Day, but now they start almost a month earlier

[ricdsm]

School schedules have historically been centered around agriculture and getting kids out of the classroom and into the fields.  School systems are slowly starting to recognize that very few children are needed on the family farm now days.