Sandy Prompts New York City’s Schools to Cancel 3 Days Off in Feb.

[Shortline Bus]

 

 

 

 

 

 

"New York City’s Education Department and union leaders have agreed on the cancellation of three vacation days from the weeklong February break to make up for days lost to damage and delays from Hurricane Sandy.

 

Besides the cancellation of the three vacation days, Feb. 20, 21 and 22, the city and unions have also agreed to convert a half-day in June into a full day.

“Teachers, principals and the school community made an extraordinary effort to get our schools back online after the storm, and by working together, we were able to open most schools with minimal disruption,” the department said Monday in what it characterized as a joint statement with the principals’ and teachers’ unions. “It is just as important that we recover the time lost, and this agreement will provide students with additional class instruction.”

The storm threw the city’s public school calendar into disarray. New York State requires districts to be in session for 180 days. Most districts plan for more than that, in an attempt to account for potential snow days. But before the worst of winter has even started, all of New York City’s 1.1 million students have already lost five days, and thus the city would fall below the 180-day minimum by a few days. Others have been absent for two weeks or more because of severe damage to school buildings and problems getting transportation to their temporary school locations.

Merryl H. Tisch, the chancellor of the State Board of Regents, strongly advocated more days in the classroom. She said she was sympathetic to the facts that many teachers had been displaced and that everyone was fatigued. “They have been to hell and back, but these kids need instruction,” she said.

Some parents expressed frustration on Monday, saying that how the city would make up for lost days had been a topic of conversation at children’s birthday parties, in school lobbies and during recent PTA meetings across the city."

 

 

http://www.nytimes.c...hools.html?_r=0

[NYCtrainfan01]

Kids are going to be pissed at this lol...

[Shortline Bus]

Kids are going to be pissed at this lol...

 

Yup. Especially those kids and their parents who normally use President's Week Holiday for vactions to places such as Fla.

Hopefully for them it wont be like the winter 2010-'11 or even the 1993-'94 season with record snowfall to rub it in.

[realizm]

I was about to say the same thing. Alot of parents who have mid-winter out of state or out of the country travels lined up and financed may have to change plans so their kids can be in school.

[Metro CSW]

Wow, talk about your "win-lose" situation........

[mfs NJT459]

New Jersey Education Association already cancelled Teacher convention in Atlantic City, and most NJ school districts made up those 2 days (Nov. 8, 9)

 

Since im from Camden County and I go to community college, only 2 days were cancelled... Wednesday after the storm, NJT resumed the 400 series bus routes, which made me go back to school that day

 

My old high school was a different story, Cherry Hill cancelled 3 days.... but on Thursday my high school remained closed due to power outages... resumed Friday.... they are making that day up on MLK Day

[User]

Kids are going to be pissed at this lol...

 

The teachers at my school were too because it means more staff development.

[checkmatechamp13]

Kids are going to be pissed at this lol...

 

 

Damn right we are. Those motherf****rs can kiss my ass. Yeah, we "need" instruction. We just got through a natural disaster and all they're worried about is having 180 school days.

 

I doubt we're even under the 180 days (though I don't feel like counting). Most of the time, we have something like 185 days, because these past few years, we've had some snow days and never had to make them up.

 

The bullshit just keeps getting worse and worse. They want 5.5 hours of instruction even when it's unnecessary, they want you to have 180 school days at any cost, and they wonder why they have no money.

[Shortline Bus]

I do remember couple of years ago, after the brutal winter of 2010, the Governors and State legislatures of Maryland and Virgina waiving the required number of days in a school year because of the record breaking snowstorms. If the waiver did not take place, it would have meant kids ending the school year in early July.

 

Just throwing it out there.

[Joe]

Damn right we are. Those motherf****rs can kiss my ass. Yeah, we "need" instruction. We just got through a natural disaster and all they're worried about is having 180 school days.

 

I doubt we're even under the 180 days (though I don't feel like counting). Most of the time, we have something like 185 days, because these past few years, we've had some snow days and never had to make them up.

 

The bullshit just keeps getting worse and worse. They want 5.5 hours of instruction even when it's unnecessary, they want you to have 180 school days at any cost, and they wonder why they have no money.

 

 

You're right, school is useless.

 

Drop out.

[checkmatechamp13]

I do remember couple of years ago, after the brutal winter of 2010, the Governors and State legislatures of Maryland and Virgina waiving the required number of days in a school year because of the record breaking snowstorms. If the waiver did not take place, it would have meant kids ending the school year in early July.

 

Just throwing it out there.

 

 

That's a good idea .... which is why they'll never implement it here in NYC.

 

You're right, school is useless.

 

Drop out.

 

 

The point of school is to have a certain amount of knowledge when you come out. I already have that required knowledge. I shouldn't have to drop out (and lose the diploma) to finish school early. Back in the day, they were very liberal about letting kids out early when they knew the material, which is as it should be. They save money and the student gets out early. It's a win-win.

 

Bunch of morons running this system nowadays, and you're probably one of them.

[Grand Concourse]

I'm surprised they'd reschedule the lost days in Feb. If anything the winter break would be the best time to make them up. But eh, I figured those days were gonna be pushed back. 1 week is too many days to miss all at once, and some even longer.

[B3 Via Av U]

Damn right we are. Those motherf****rs can kiss my ass. Yeah, we "need" instruction. We just got through a natural disaster and all they're worried about is having 180 school days.

 

I doubt we're even under the 180 days (though I don't feel like counting). Most of the time, we have something like 185 days, because these past few years, we've had some snow days and never had to make them up.

 

The bullshit just keeps getting worse and worse. They want 5.5 hours of instruction even when it's unnecessary, they want you to have 180 school days at any cost, and they wonder why they have no money.

 

Same here. Ah shit, I was really looking forward to that. Oh well. Accept life as it goes on.

[Turbo19]

The point of school is to have a certain amount of knowledge when you come out. I already have that required knowledge. I shouldn't have to drop out (and lose the diploma) to finish school early. Back in the day, they were very liberal about letting kids out early when they knew the material, which is as it should be. They save money and the student gets out early. It's a win-win.

 

Bunch of morons running this system nowadays, and you're probably one of them.

 

Agreed. I've lost many oppurtunities due to the ridiculous non-sensical B.S. perpetuated by the public school system, that has no correlation to the real world.

 

Think of it like this. Due to a natural disaster, I missed "X" amount of days of work. Is my employer going to reimburse my pay for those days taken off, most likely not. Now take that situation and say you have to show up to work without pay for those days off. Why should it be any different here?

[CenSin]

The point of school is to have a certain amount of knowledge when you come out. I already have that required knowledge. I shouldn't have to drop out (and lose the diploma) to finish school early. Back in the day, they were very liberal about letting kids out early when they knew the material, which is as it should be. They save money and the student gets out early. It's a win-win.

 

Bunch of morons running this system nowadays, and you're probably one of them.

This is a fine example of quantity being favored over quality. In this day and age, people try to quantify things too much. They don't adhere to common sense. Money is being thrown away for an unsatisfactory end result.

[VWM]

meh. I've already got a vacation to florida planned even if my school cancels it. My mom teaches earth science so the only class i have to worry about is math...

[realizm]

You're right, school is useless.

 

Drop out.

 

 

That's what I'm saying. People need to see that killing the exams in school will give them the edge in the job market. As they advance towards grabbibg up the bachelor's degrees they will need to secure on careers. So what if 3 days was taken away? What do I care? I have to go to work so I can paid regardless of how the situation could have turned out.

[Phantom909]

By law schools need to be in session a minimum of 180 days

 

https://stateaid.nysed.gov/attendance/attendance_memo.htm

 

joe

[YankeesPwnMets]

I do think that kids need to make those days up, but to those who believe that our public school system is flawed, I definitely see where you're coming from. This kid puts in perfectly:

 

“The education system is so geared toward fact drilling and rote memorization that students often exit with a head full of dates and formulas, but without the ability to constructively think. Now, if we readjusted the testing and educational system to focus on critical reasoning rather than memorization, then even if we knew fewer facts off the top of our heads — we would be smarter overall. We would take a step toward doubt – and a step toward thinking for ourselves.”

 

-Julian Adler, Bronx High School of Science Class of 2014

http://www.humansofn...red-toward-fact

 

Schools today should definitely be more focused on constructive and critical thinking. I simply don't think that kids can critically think today. Its quite amazing if you ask me. For ex:

 

Math class: The prefix "di-" means two and the prefix "mon-" means one

Chemistry class: What is a common name for the compound Dihydrogen Monoxide?

 

Well, they know what di is and they know what mon is but for some crazy reason, they can't put two and two together and come to the simple conclusion that Dihydrogen Monoxide = Water! The lack of critical thinking taught in our school system produce kids that can't do simple things like that. It has to be laid on a silver platter for them to be able to learn it. If you don't teach them something directly and they never get it. Its so bizarre!

 

The way our educational system defines "smart" is by being able to memorize a bunch of crap that teachers throw at you, and I simply don't think that is the way to do it. You can't measure how much you learn in a numerical value; you can learn a lot and still have very low grades. I admit not always having the best grades in school, but I learned more in high school than I did anywhere else. Unfortunately, too much of your future relies on some numbers don't say a thing about how much you've learned, the type of person you are, your leadership skills, all the intangibles. Grades just show me that you were able to memorize a lot of things the teacher told you. If you can't use all that information you learned, so what? Its too unfortunate in my opinion

[CenSin]

By law schools need to be in session a minimum of 180 days

 

https://stateaid.nys...ndance_memo.htm

 

Thanks for repeating what we already read in the first/original post.

[Phantom909]

Thanks for repeating what we already read in the first/original post.

 

 

i, unlike you, dont totally believe everything that newspapers, or scientists, or politicians print or say these days without double checking. so for other people who mightve had reservations about what is said in that only useful for the bottom of the birdcage rag, i wanted to educate others by providing the link. so sue me

 

joe

[Trainmaster5]

I do think that kids need to make those days up, but to those who believe that our public school system is flawed, I definitely see where you're coming from. This kid puts in perfectly:

 

 

-Julian Adler, Bronx High School of Science Class of 2014

http://www.humansofn...red-toward-fact

 

Schools today should definitely be more focused on constructive and critical thinking. I simply don't think that kids can critically think today. Its quite amazing if you ask me. For ex:

 

Math class: The prefix "di-" means two and the prefix "mon-" means one

Chemistry class: What is a common name for the compound Dihydrogen Monoxide?

 

Well, they know what di is and they know what mon is but for some crazy reason, they can't put two and two together and come to the simple conclusion that Dihydrogen Monoxide = Water! The lack of critical thinking in our children produce kids that can't do simple things like that. It has to be laid on a silver platter for them to be able to learn it. Don't teach them something directly and they never get it. Its so bizarre!

 

The way our educational system defines "smart" is by being able to memorize a bunch of crap that teachers throw at you, and I simply don't think that is the way to do it. You can't measure how much you learn in a numerical value; you can learn a lot and still have very low grades. I admit not always having the best grades in school, but I learned more in high school than I did anywhere else. Unfortunately, too much of your future relies on some numbers don't say a thing about how much you've learned, the type of person you are, your leadership skills, all the intangibles. Grades just show me that you were able to memorize a lot of things the teacher told you. If you can't use all that information you learned, so what? Its too unfortunate in my opinion

 

I think you summed it up pretty well. I believe it's called "teaching to the test" these days. To me it's rote memorization and nothing more. When I was younger ( P.S. to H.S.) teachers often thought I had a photographic memory because I would read every textbook or reading assignment at the beginning of the term and would rarely open those books during that term except to refresh something during the year. Because I was younger than most of my classmates, having skipped a few grades, my high school teachers called my parents in to find out what was causing my apparent "dis-interest" in school even though I was in all honor classes at the time. Mind you, this was in the mid -sixties so they were doing it even back then. I can remember taking the trigonometry regents (got a 93%) and my mom had to go up to school because I didn't turn in a worksheet along with my test. Lucky for me my guidance counselor sat in on the meeting with my mother and they both pointed out to those scoring the test that the questions and answers were lifted almost verbatim from the textbook and with my memory there was no need for me to cheat. Heck, I took the history regents in pen. I was so bored that when I entered college at 17 and my English professor said we would be reading and discussing the social implications of" Huckleberry Finn" that semester I busted out laughing and told him that I had read the book twice, in public school and high school, and once again my parents had to intercede on my behalf. I don't mean to denigrate schoolwork or the teachers but "teaching to the test" isn't the best or only way to acquire knowledge. I've had two teachers, 4th and 6th grade, as well as my family whom I credit with actually teaching me about the value of knowledge and how to acquire and use it productively later on in life. I must caution those who say school and schoolwork itself are a waste of time. When you enter the workforce for the first time after high school or college some of the non- book knowledge, interaction with others in a work environment, social skills, that you should have also learned in school may become more apparent and are just as important if one is to succeed in the real world. Now that I've retired my nephew wants me to help build a model railroad with him. N scale. Guess that means back to trig 101. Carry on..

[Novabus 5000]

you know, the plans I had for that weekend

[Interested Rider]

Let me take a different position on this subject;

 

Do you know who is happy about the three additional days? One group of individuals that benefit from the three additional days are the riders that take buses where the scheduled runs are integrated with school runs. When I was working, I dreaded the days that there was no school as the B/44 schedule became meaningless even as early as 5 AM in the morning. On those cold days in February with its unpredictable weather, the buses did not come as often and I and many others missed our connecting buses to get to work.

 

By adding the three additional days in February, it helps the MTA as it has to put out its full complement of buses with bus drivers on its routes. Has anyone forgotten the times that the media would scream and holler about bus drivers not working as there was no school and were just getting paid? This deprives those wonderful people in the media that always look to pillory the MTA of a yearly story that seems to be recycled every year.

 

The shop owners who depend on the school crowd for additional business are also happy as there is now three additional days of school. I am referring to the pizza shops, Chinese take outs and the grocery stores that are located near many of these bastions of learning and dependent on their business.

 

The ones that are unhappy are the students and those of us who live near these temples of learning as when the students are not there, the neighborhood takes on a different form that is much quieter and more serene. The loud voices and honking horns seem to wait until the businesses begin to open and even then the day seems to be much more quiet as compared with school days.

 

My employer would have made some accomodations during this storm and I know that I would have to take personal and/or annual leave for the days that I did not work. This is the purpose of this type of leave and why it was always best not to use it up when you received it.

 

What made this storm unique was that we seldom get weather like this in October that results in a total closure of all services. We are accustomed to snow storms in the winter and days off but my recollection is that nothing of this size and scope has occurred this early in the season during my time.

[Joe]

Bunch of morons running this system nowadays, and you're probably one of them.

 

 

Man, if you're gonna insult me, you really have to do better than that.