School Holidays Suck
Dec 15th 2005, 2:46 am
#16
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Re: School Holidays Suck
Originally Posted by robskatie
I have just recently pulled my eldest daughter from the school here, after the principal told me he could not guarantee her safety in school, I never would have thought that I would homeschool but when it comes down to safety I had no choice. We will be looking into private school next year if she decides to stay in the US and not move back to the UK to be with her Dad.
On the plus side I am really enjoying spending time with her and she is flourishing, homeschooling is bloody expensive though.
On the plus side I am really enjoying spending time with her and she is flourishing, homeschooling is bloody expensive though.
And yes, it is bloody expensive, especially if you want to give them a brilliant education with good extracurriculur activities. (Try multiplying it by 3)
Dec 15th 2005, 2:46 am
#17
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Re: School Holidays Suck
Originally Posted by Englishmum
I don't know why they don't have at least one Christmas carol, one Hannukah/dreidel song, a Kwanzaa song etc. so that the kids get exposed to another culture rather than pretending they don't exist. Bah humbug! 
Dec 15th 2005, 2:50 am
#18
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Re: School Holidays Suck
Oh great idea Englishmum!!
I think I'll do the same. Hot Milo coming up!
I think I'll do the same. Hot Milo coming up!
Dec 15th 2005, 2:52 am
#19
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Re: School Holidays Suck
Originally Posted by lionheart
You could help them do their English homework in the evnings 
Dec 15th 2005, 2:55 am
#20
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Re: School Holidays Suck
Originally Posted by Celtic_Angel
how's this for English ....piss off
Dec 15th 2005, 3:21 am
#21
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Re: School Holidays Suck
I also live in Texas and feel that the holidays out here are very restricted. My daughter breaks up on the 21st December and is due back on 4th January. I'm having to get special permission as she'll be flying back the day she is due to return, as we'll be going to my nephew's christening. The other thing I find odd though is that she is bringing back even more homework than usual in preparation for end-of-term exams which she takes just before she breaks up next week. Is this usual out here? When I was at school I'm sure we were winding down with Christmas parties, plays and concerts at this time of the year, and then we broke up on about the 16th or 17th. It seems to be all work out here, although she did take part in a concert which was really nice.
Dec 15th 2005, 3:30 am
#22
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Re: School Holidays Suck
Originally Posted by lionheart
Should be a capital P when starting a new sentence
Dec 15th 2005, 4:10 am
#23
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Re: School Holidays Suck
Originally Posted by lionheart
Should be a capital P when starting a new sentence
NC Penguin
Dec 15th 2005, 5:07 am
#24
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Re: School Holidays Suck
Originally Posted by NC Penguin
P for pedant?
NC Penguin
NC Penguin
Dec 15th 2005, 11:35 am
#25
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Re: School Holidays Suck
Living in NJ my children get more or less the same holidays as Englishmum's son.
They finish for Christmas on 23rd December and return on 3rd January. However my son is on the High School swim team and he has to go to swim practice every morning apart from Christmas Day and New Years Day which are Sundays. He has a swim meet on 29th December which is OK as my parents will be here and they can't wait to see him swim.
I was told one of the reasons for the long summer break is that the schools would be unbearably hot in July and August. Some of the newer schools have A/C but it is too expensive to run through the summer.
They finish for Christmas on 23rd December and return on 3rd January. However my son is on the High School swim team and he has to go to swim practice every morning apart from Christmas Day and New Years Day which are Sundays. He has a swim meet on 29th December which is OK as my parents will be here and they can't wait to see him swim.
I was told one of the reasons for the long summer break is that the schools would be unbearably hot in July and August. Some of the newer schools have A/C but it is too expensive to run through the summer.
Dec 15th 2005, 12:05 pm
#26
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Re: School Holidays Suck
I think the long summer holiday used to be so the kids could help on the farm. Now it has more to do with the teachers being able to get summer jobs to supplement their income. In order to get the long summer holiday and still meet the minimum academic days/year set by the State, all the other holidays have to be cut short plus no half term holidays.
Sucks for the kids (mine are knackered), sucks for the parents, but the teachers can get their summer jobs so the schools can get away with paying them less.
God forbid they should put the kids first...
Sucks for the kids (mine are knackered), sucks for the parents, but the teachers can get their summer jobs so the schools can get away with paying them less.
God forbid they should put the kids first...
Dec 15th 2005, 1:11 pm
#27
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Re: School Holidays Suck
Yep totally agree the amount and spacing of the school holidays suck. My daughter finishes up on the 23rd Dec and goes back on 2nd Jan (was supposed to be 3rd but had a snow day last week), from then on they have a few days here and there off before summer vacation. That's crap. It is especially tiring for the younger kids, come june they must be knackered, they would benefit from having half-terms.
I don't think the teachers have much say in when the holidays are scheduled, but like Sarah I think they are trying to get kids used to working their butts of to prepare them fro the workforce, also the schools seem to be set up as babysitting service for parents that both work.
Annette
I don't think the teachers have much say in when the holidays are scheduled, but like Sarah I think they are trying to get kids used to working their butts of to prepare them fro the workforce, also the schools seem to be set up as babysitting service for parents that both work.
Annette
Last edited by nethead; Dec 15th 2005 at 1:18 pm.
Dec 15th 2005, 2:03 pm
#28
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Re: School Holidays Suck
Originally Posted by Englishmum
Beats me... 
He's at a public school. He's had a number of odd days off since the start of this academic year for Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanna, NJ State Teacher Conference etc.
Come to think of it, they don't even call it the Christmas holiday here.....it's called "Winter Break".
You wouldn't believe the fuss in the schools in our district over which songs and music can be performed in the school concerts....has to be totally 'secular' with no reference to any religion so 'Jingle Bells' is OK but not "I Saw Three Ships" as it has the word 'Christmas' in it. I don't know why they don't have at least one Christmas carol, one Hannukah/dreidel song, a Kwanzaa song etc. so that the kids get exposed to another culture rather than pretending they don't exist. Bah humbug!
I think I'll have to get out my DVD of "Love Actually" to remind me of the English school nativity concerts......
He's at a public school. He's had a number of odd days off since the start of this academic year for Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanna, NJ State Teacher Conference etc.
Come to think of it, they don't even call it the Christmas holiday here.....it's called "Winter Break".
You wouldn't believe the fuss in the schools in our district over which songs and music can be performed in the school concerts....has to be totally 'secular' with no reference to any religion so 'Jingle Bells' is OK but not "I Saw Three Ships" as it has the word 'Christmas' in it. I don't know why they don't have at least one Christmas carol, one Hannukah/dreidel song, a Kwanzaa song etc. so that the kids get exposed to another culture rather than pretending they don't exist. Bah humbug!
I think I'll have to get out my DVD of "Love Actually" to remind me of the English school nativity concerts......
I was quite amazed at how much public schools have become pc since I've been back here. Pretty ridiculous. We constantly wonder about keeping our four year old in a private school, but for the time being I'm sure we will. At least she's getting exposed to different religious traditions and tonite is their Christmas program.
Dec 15th 2005, 2:05 pm
#29
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Re: School Holidays Suck
Originally Posted by nethead
also the schools seem to be set up as babysitting service for parents that both work.
Annette
Annette
Dec 15th 2005, 2:42 pm
#30
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Re: School Holidays Suck
Originally Posted by Englishmum
You wouldn't believe the fuss in the schools in our district over which songs and music can be performed in the school concerts....has to be totally 'secular' with no reference to any religion so 'Jingle Bells' is OK but not "I Saw Three Ships" as it has the word 'Christmas' in it. I don't know why they don't have at least one Christmas carol, one Hannukah/dreidel song, a Kwanzaa song etc. so that the kids get exposed to another culture rather than pretending they don't exist. Bah humbug!
I think I'll have to get out my DVD of "Love Actually" to remind me of the English school nativity concerts......
I think I'll have to get out my DVD of "Love Actually" to remind me of the English school nativity concerts......
Happy Holidays!