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Community Weighs In On Closing Public Schools Early

We asked readers earlier this month if MCPS should consider ending the school year earlier because it did not use the built-in snow days.

 

School-time or play-time?

That is the question for many Patch readers, weighing in on whether Montgomery County Public Schools should close early this year due to the lack of snow days.

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While students in Baltimore, Prince George’s, Anne Arundel, Howard and Carroll counties are likely to start their summer breaks a week early because of a mild winter that produced no snow days, MCPS has before its scheduled last day of June 12.

We asked Patch readers to write in with their thoughts about if MCPS should consider ending the school year earlier because schools did not use the built-in snow days. Some agreed with the administration’s decision to continue with the set calendar:

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 “I believe MCPS should ‘set’ the standard, not follow the standard (by closing simply because neighboring districts are). I fully support the students remaining in school the FULL year. A few extra days of instructional time (used wisely) can only benefit our student population,”

noted that the extra days off may be difficult for working parents, in addition to losing the school time.

“Working parents could find themselves without care for their kids if school lets out a few days early; camps don't begin until the week after,” she said.

But some students and teachers say they are ready for the school year to end:

“As an MCPS teacher, by the end of the school year all curriculum has been met and standardized tests have been completed. Those four days cost extra money for the county,” wrote.

“One of my teachers told me we will have 3-5 days to just sit and talk. What is the point of that if we could just be enjoying ourselves and living our lives. What people tend to forget is that kids need social time too and that we want to relax after a long year of work. So we get out a few days early, everyone relaxes, teachers still get their paychecks and the school system saves some money,” said.

Have you weighed in? Should MCPS consider closing early?


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