Every week has a half day??? (Boston, Newton: home, school district, prices)

[CaseyB]

It must be a Massachusetts thing, because we did not have this growing up in LA, TX, and CA.[/quote]

Could be. Growing up in Wellesley, we had a half day every Wednesday when I was in elementary school.

The secondary schools I think were different.

[sparklingforest]

When I lived in California our local public schools had early dismissal (12:30) every Wednesday. It was part of the contract with the teachers union. It may have been negotiated prep time.

[Dm84]

Originally Posted by chicagoliz

I do have to say that I freaking LOVE LOVE LOVE the fact that most of the schools look like they give that week in February AND in April. I am ecstatic about that fact. It's something that actually makes me excited to move! It's my fantasy school schedule, because it allows for a vacation during the winter during a time where the prices aren't sky high due to everyone in the entire country having off for Easter week. I suggested it would be a great schedule once in my local area and I was literally laughed at. Parents down here want to start as late as possible and get out as early as possible, regardless of what that does to the year as a whole.

Don't get too excited. All the airlines are aware of the local school vacation calendar and jack their airfares from Boston accordingly.

[chicagoliz]

Originally Posted by Dm84

Don't get too excited. All the airlines are aware of the local school vacation calendar and jack their airfares from Boston accordingly.

That doesn't surprise me. But at least the fares for cruises and resorts are more reasonable than they are during Easter week, which is when most of the country lets out for Spring Break. If it made any difference, I'd be happy to drive to Providence (although I realize it very well may not, as the whole area may have off.) I'm mostly excited to have the opportunity to go someplace warm in February. That will definitely help me last until May when it might start to get warm.

[masshawk]

I don't remember having anything like weekly short days in Belmont, at least in the upper grades of elementary school. That sounds like a such a random and screwy thing to do -- am I missing an obvious reason why they would do this? We did have half days ("early release") every once in a while for parent-teacher conferences, etc.

[00na]

The Acton-Boxborough elementary schools have half days the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month. It's a logistical nightmare for us.

[Parsec]

Our elementary school in Sudbury does this too. It's every other Wednesday, not every week. Kids get off at 12:45 instead of 3:25. The time is used for staff meetings. For us it's not an inconvenience because we just send them to after school care on those days. The only difference is pickup at school instead of from the bus stop.

[Beantown_mama]

Originally Posted by chicagoliz

That doesn't surprise me. But at least the fares for cruises and resorts are more reasonable than they are during Easter week, which is when most of the country lets out for Spring Break. If it made any difference, I'd be happy to drive to Providence (although I realize it very well may not, as the whole area may have off.) I'm mostly excited to have the opportunity to go someplace warm in February. That will definitely help me last until May when it might start to get warm.

February break is always the week that includes President's Day week so if you are planning to go anywhere warm that week, the prices are still pretty high!

[00na]

For us, it's complicated because we have 2 children within the same school district following different schedules. Who gets on the bus on which day and at what time? Is today the first or third Thursday? And if you are unfortunate enough to lose the kindergarten lottery and have a kid in PM 1/2 day kindergarten, forget it. They basically never go to school.

[chicagoliz]

Wow, this half day thing sounds like a real pain in the tuchus. Right now I'm not working, and if I don't find a job, even though it will still be kind of a pain to remember everything, it won't really be a big deal. But if I do get a job, ugh. I'll have to hope there is good aftercare!

I'm amazed that there is no accommodation for kids who get PM K for this schedule -- although really, I don't think there should be AM and PM K, it should be full day everywhere. (I thought my current district was the only anachronistic one, with half day K, which is almost worthless. Especially if the kid has been in full day daycare/preschool.)