chelleandlou: many jobs give you sick days, personal days and/or vaction days. This 10 day absent rule is the same. Kids have 10 parent excused days a year for anything: sickness, vacation, funerals, or just a plain mental health day to name a few.

I for one will tell the truth when I call my daughter in as absent due to prior commitments, why lie about it? In fact I have already talked with her teacher about it, and she is understanding of our personal situation, and is willing to work with us about homework make up (if any) and anything else, God bless her.

I hope other teachers are just as helpfull to those of us who are trying to do our best for our kids in a bad situation.

MOC0428 and chelleandlou- you hit it right on the mark. If only I could write down all the irresponsible things that unfortunately many parents do these days and are indirectly teaching their children (I teach 1st grade). Numerous "we overslept" excuses. They will also admit to me that they weren't even sick..."my mom let me stay home." Better yet, "my mom was still sleeping when I got ready so that's why I'm late (yes, 1st grade). Yes, just wait till these children hit the work force. I pray everyday that they learn to work themselves out of a paper bag on their own someday.
Mrs. Joe...be a responsible adult and get out of bed and take care of your kids...last I checked it's part of being a parent. Do the job that some people would love to do and would do it very well- they would find it a blessing, not a disruption in their life.

Wow. I can't wait for this generation to step into positions that matter, afer all that you parents will be teaching them. You all need to understand a few things, this issue is bigger than you think. It is a state law that requires that 180 days be met. If they are not met certain funding could get cut. If funds get cut your taxes go up! Thd JSD is not doing this to make parents unhappy. They are doing it because it is a law. Honor student or not they should attend the make up days. You are right that these 2 days probably won't change how smart your child is but it will teach them responsibility. Some of you comlaining must not have made your snow days up! Lead your children by example and quit complaining about 2 days.

Does someone want to volunteer to take my kids to Saturday school? I'll be too busy sleeping late. My sleep time is precious to me.

I am a parent and if my child's make up day is on a Saturday she WILL be going. And I never heard of the 10 days excused rule..I find that funny...again...you won't get that once you're out of school and in the workforce. Kids have it easy...some of them will have a huge wake up call when they go to college and a bigger one when they actually get a job that will require them to go to work no matter what.

I think the "family time" debate is a moot point. As parents, we had two extra days of family time when our kids were home from school on snow days. Gotta be honest with you, when my kids got the snow days off, I spent it with them, and had some of the most fun in the snow I can remember since I was a kid. Now its time to pay back the days we took off. Is it inconvenient, YES! But is it the law, YES! My only complaint is that it is taking so long to make the dates firm, so I can plan accordingly. And bravo to all the school teachers in the Janesville district! Keep up the great work!

Doog!

MY CHILD IS AN HONOR STUDENT, AND IS VERY INDEPENDENT AND RESPONSIBLE. I REALLY DOUBT THAT THIS WILL BE A LIFE ALTERING EVENT FOR THEM IN THE FUTURE. IF THEY HAVE SCHOOL, MY CHILD WILL BE THERE. I THINK THEY COULD FIND A BETTER SOLUTION THOUGH AND NOT GO AGAINST A UNION CONTRACT. I SURE HOPE THEY PREPARE BETTER FOR NEXT WINTER AND FIGURE A FEW SNOW DAYS INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR. WE HAVE BEEN SPOILED BY MILD WINTERS FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS, SO THEY WEREN'T PREPARED FOR THIS TO HAPPEN AT ALL. I HAVE VOICED MY OPINION, AND AM NOW DONE WASTING MY TIME HERE.

vlh6996: Like Katy said, if your child has not used the 10 days then call them in absent, I'm sure you can come up with a good lie for the district. It is only your guilt at that point in time. If you want to teach your child that it is ok to not be responsible that is your choice.

Well said Katy and wiheat. It seems most of the people on here complaining never read the full article that explained the difference between days and minutes!

vlh6996 & life is short: I have a wife that is a teacher and a child in school. You are right, family time is precious, but is it really that bad to send your child to school for 2 days? I don't even think they are full day's are they? You say that they need to find better days. What days would you suggest? Don't travel back in time and tell us what they should have done, tell us what they should do with the time we have left. Maybe they could pick two different Saturday's that have less going on, but those are the only days they have left. I suppose they could have them come in on spring break but then there will be another parent screaming as loudly as you are about that. You see, it will not make everyone happy but it is a requirement. If you want to do the irresponsibly parent thing and not send your children then you have that right. As far as is effecting your children for the rest of their life, you are also correct, missing a few days won't do that. What you are teaching them is that it is OK to not be held responible and that will effect them for their entire life!

WHATEVER!

State law also requires schools to excuse each child for 10 days per year for any reason given by the parents(family trips, educational opportunities, etc.), sort of like personal days at work. This is in addition to sick days and doctor/dentist appointments. Unless you've already used up these 10 days, there is no issue. If you HAVE used up the 10 days already, then your child needs to be at school when it's in session.

That being said, I do agree that this is a golden opportunity to teach students the value of responsibility and commitment. The way any given family responds to the challenge of making up these snow days, which is not up for discussion, is a direct measure of how much their child will value education. If the parents come together and show a united front with the districts on the solutions, children will see that their parents value education and will follow in their commitment. If the parents fight and say how stupid it all is, so goes the child.

vlh,
It's been said time and again, adding time to the day isn't an option with JSD. According to the law it's the DAYS that will be short in this case, NOT the hours (as is the case with some districts).
IF Saturday is the makeup day it is again the LAW that say's students must attend, absent a LEGITIMATE excuse.

I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU "LIFE IS SHORT." I AM SURE SOME OF THE PERSONS COMMENTING ON THIS, THAT ARE IN FAVOR OF THE SATURDAY'S, DON'T HAVE KIDS. IF YOU DON'T, MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS. YOU HAVE NO SAY IN THIS AT ALL!! THIS ISSUE SHOULD ONLY CONCERN THOSE AFFECTED BY IT!!! NO MATTER WHAT IS DONE, IT WILL ALL WORK OUT IN THE END. ALTHOUGH, I DON'T THINK SATURDAYS ARE A GOOD IDEA. MADISON SCHOOLS FOR EXAMPLE ARE ADDING TIME ONTO THEIR DAYS NOW OR SHORTENING LUNCHES. I THINK THAT MIGHT BE MORE APPEALING AND EASIER TO DEAL WITH FOR ALOT OF FAMILIES.

Whatever happened to the value of family time? Our weekends are short enough as it is - why take that away from families? My second grader is not suffering any permanent loss because of a few days of school missed due to the weather. In the big picture, it does not make a difference in her overall education. I don't believe any of us would look back and say "dang, I really wish they wouldn't have missed those three days of school that year; it sure would have made a difference." For anyone to say that education is not important to me because I don't wish to send my child to school on a Saturday, when it's not necessary, is ridiculous!

Think about this: I'll bet there are some out there with younger children who would be all for Saturday make up days simply because it's free child care for a couple Saturdays. Hmmmmm......

Don't tell me education isn't important to me!

It is very obviously revealed by these comments who the parents are that value education and who the parents are that do not.

Stands and applauds browneyes.

weather? what does weather have to do with it. I think you meant WHETHER.

Well said browneyes. Some parents will always reject the opportunity to teach their kids some responsibility And they'll probably be the same ones complaining about something else that interrupts their kids schedule in college or beyond.

I never thought I would comment on these sites, but the things I've read have prompted me to do so. As a teacher (NOT from Janesville Schools by the way), I can hopefully say that the majority of my colleagues have enough ethics and respect for the profession they chose, to do what is right and go to work on Saturday and make the time up that they must do, because the time to make up is required by the State whether we like it or not. I'm sure they will also make the proper arrangements if they can't because of prior engagements, the same way you parents will, just as if that prior engagement happened during a regular school week (appointments, and yes some go on vacations and miss school) And yes, there might be a few videos shown, while others might have something fun planned. Have you ever tried to teach to a roomful of kids that could care less about what you were saying and don't want to be there? It's not very easy. Some kids would probably be sitting watching TV or playing video games at home anyway, some might even have a better situation at school than at home so might even enjoy getting away from it! Choosing any Saturday to make them up will not satisfy everyone...guess what, not everything will go your way! Making up on spring break...then you have people complain that they have vacations planned. Some schools are currently making up lost time by lessening the recess time...something students need and it's not their fault it was taken away. The students may have adjusted well so far, but it will get nice out. So, which would you find better, skip recess that many kids need, or just sacrifice a couple Saturday mornings? Both situations teach children how to make do with what you get since you can't have everything go the way you want. What a life skill to be learned. And by the way, I'm sure prom hair appointments were the least of the superintendent's worry and I would also hope State Solo Ensemble participants would have some exception like being in State Championship sports tournaments?????

frankly the school doesn't really run the dance. me and my fellow committee member and our adviser really run the dance. sure the school officials will be there, but they are just there really for formalities. they aren't going to stop you at the door for anything.

I know that students get dismissed early for athletic events. Dismissal for the solo and ensemble shouldn’t be an issue either. I don’t get how you could skip classes and then attend a dance. My daughter is caught in this mess too. Family events in Green Bay have been scheduled.

Hold it when you want my kids will not be there! I hope the Teachers say no to Dr. Evert since they won't work on a fair contract don't help them out either

and to 'saywhat' that answer is no. yes, prom is a school function, but it is not held by those rules on weather you attend school that day or any before it.

it can be on neither of those days for the fact of Craig & Parker ACT Test days on April 12. Also not on April 26 for the fact of the following reason's ..

-State Solo & Ensemble
-Parker Prom '09
-Parker Sports (Tennis & Softball)

The Craig events/sports are unknown to myself; however, i am sure that there are conflicts though.

Don't kids have to attend classes to attend a school function? How can you skip school to get ready for the prom?

I personally don't think that April 26 will be a very good day to make-up a snow day because that is the day of Parkers Prom, and do you really think students are going to show up.