Three weeks between camp and school??

amother

Burlywood

Wed, Aug 09 2023, 2:54 pm

amother Narcissus wrote:

Both the day camps and schools keep chipping away more and more, while simultaneously raising prices more and more, and don't understand why parents feel frustrated and taken advantage of

This, 100%! I keep saying this. Camp prices are eye watering this year, but the weeks of camp are less and the teenage counselors still get paid pennies, which makes them not interested in actually doing a good job. They keep adding on extra fees. The scam gets better every year. Camp directors (and school administrators) have a great racket going on.

amother

Poinsettia

Wed, Aug 09 2023, 4:02 pm

Years ago I was in a government office as I was waiting my turn, the two workers behind the desk were talking.

One of them was complaining that instead of getting a raise she was getting off on Black Friday. The other one said well that's what they are doing now instead of giving raises we are just getting more time off. She continued if they give me more time off I think I am going to get a second job.

I think this is how it is working for schools at least girls schools instead of giving raises they are just giving more paid time off.

amother

Red

Thu, Aug 17 2023, 11:36 pm

3.5 weeks here. At their previous school, they had 1.5 weeks off at the beginning of summer and 1.5 at the end, so it was much more manageable. Now, they're in a school where they have 3.5 weeks off before the year starts. My 5-year old is sad, he keeps saying he's never going back to school. My husband and I both work remotely, but we aren't making deadlines and getting flack from bosses. It's so hard on everyone.

And the thing that truly drives me nuts is we have less school than the public schools (I compared the calendars). If you are a Jewish school, then be off for Jewish reasons. But how can you justify all yontif days, all Pesach, early release on Fridays, random Rosh Chodesh (why?) AND fall break, Thanksgiving break, Xmas break, mid-winter break, all the federal holidays. How are these schools even accredited?

amother

Narcissus

Thu, Aug 17 2023, 11:39 pm

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

It's not true.
Schools are not closed more than they used to be.
We just feel it more as adults than kids I guess 😜

That is not true across the board.

I actually send my dd to the same school I went to. There are definitely more days off than what I had as a kid. Also they cut down the hours and made the day shorter.

amother

SandyBrown

Thu, Aug 17 2023, 11:47 pm

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

It's not true.
Schools are not closed more than they used to be.
We just feel it more as adults than kids I guess 😜

It's not so much the schools that's the issue here, it's the camp. It used to be a solid 2 month, or a minimum of 8 weeks. They give us now a mere 7 weeks (plus 1 day), which includes off on Tisha B'av and Asura B'Tamuz.

Oh, and of course the price has doubled and tripled. If the camps would give us a full 8 weeks, and schedule it so that the off days are split equally before and after camps, it would be much more manageable.

But who cares about the parents? They know were desperate, so they get away with doing whatever they want.

amother

Narcissus

Thu, Aug 17 2023, 11:47 pm

amother Red wrote:

I agree. It is so wrong to "double dip" and give off for both Jewish holidays and non Jewish ones. The only time its understandable is if there are secular teachers who won't work on the non-Jewish holidays.

My son goes to a yeshivish school where there are no secular teachers until grade 7 (he is in grade 2). Between the Jewish and non-Jewish holidays, they have a day off practically every 3 weeks.

In a nutshell:

Day after labor day is first full day of school (up till then is half days)
off erev Rosh Hashanah and Rosh Hashanah
Half day tzom gedaliah
Off erev yom Kippur and Yom kippur, possibly late start the day after
Sukkos break
Off on election day
Half day Thanksgiving
Chanukah vacation
Half day asara beteves
Mid winter vacation
Half day president's day
Half day taanis Esther
Off Purim and Shushan Purim
Pesach vacation
Half day lag baomer
Half day memorial day
Shavuos break

It's insane

I think the schools meet the legal requirement for the number of days of school, but all the half days count. And every Friday is a half day!!

amother

Red

Thu, Aug 17 2023, 11:51 pm

amother Narcissus wrote:

Yes, this!! It's so frustrating. The half days kills me. Our camp only runs 6 weeks.

amother

SandyBrown

Thu, Aug 17 2023, 11:52 pm

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

It's not true.
Schools are not closed more than they used to be.
We just feel it more as adults than kids I guess 😜

Not true.

- We didn't have mid-winter vacation. Chanukah & Purim was our midwinter break.
- The Pesach break for the younger kids was just ~3 days. Nowadays elementary gets a full week.
- Isru Chag wasn't a vacation day. We always started 1-2 hours later
- Erev Erev YT wasn't an off day. Nowadays it is.
- Lag Ba'Omer wasn't an off day. Nowadays it is.
- We had half days on Taanis Esther & other fast days. Nowadays it's a full day off.

The schools continue to ask concessions from the parents to accommodate their challenges, but give the middle finger to the parents when they ask for anything.

amother

Lemon

Fri, Aug 18 2023, 4:32 am

amother SandyBrown wrote:

Yes!! Since when did taanis Esther and Lag Baomer become off days?? But erev YT we always had off.

amother

Nemesia

Fri, Aug 18 2023, 6:22 am

amother SandyBrown wrote:

Not sure what school or how long ago you mean, but we always had winter break. Chanuka we had a day or two.
We always had the entire pesach off. How not? The schools dong clean for pesach.
We always had off erev chag.
Im wondering when and where you are referring to.

Hashem_Yaazor

Fri, Aug 18 2023, 8:44 am

amother SandyBrown wrote:

Oh wow, ok my kids' schools are nothing like this.