Who doesn't need a day off?

My kids, that's who.

Strangely, I am always caught off-guard when they have ANOTHER day off.  We have been at this school for 7 years now, and I still get surprised.  This last week was no exception.

They started school September 1.  Labor Day on the 6th was a holiday... as it was for most people.  No surprise.  And the rest of the month was solid with school every weekday.  Okay.  Then came October.  SIX days off... and an early dismissal!  There was a Faculty In-Service Day one Monday that coincided with "Indigenous Peoples/Columbus Day", I think.   There was the early dismissal one Friday for a teachers' meeting (which, apparently, will be happening once a month every month).  And there was this special thing our school has... Fall Break.

Fall Break lasts for a week.  It happens every year during the week leading up to Halloween, which means the kids have their Halloween festivities a week early (meaning costumes need to ready a week early).  After being at the school for 7 years, this oddly-timed week off is no surprise.  And last year I finally found out why we have it!  The school is an "international" school and teaches a bilingual curriculum.  They are accredited by both the state and the foreign country's Ministry of Education.  The foreign Ministry has in their requirements that the children have a week off after every 6-8 weeks of instruction.  (At least this is what I've now been told).  After looking at the calendar, I see it.  It's hard if both parents are working.  And it's hard as a parent who is not... but at least I've got the whole childcare thing handled ;-)

So this brings us to last week.  For some reason (probably they didn't want a bunch of sugar-hungover kids at school) the 1st of November was designated as part of the Fall Break.  That was Monday.  Alright.  Kind of nice to not have to think at all about getting the kids to bed at a normal time on Halloween night... a little relaxed on a fun, crazy night can be a good thing.  Then two days later on Wednesday, I was having a conversation with another parent.  At some point, she tossed in, "So crazy to have such a short week... especially right after Fall Break, eh?"  I was puzzled.  A day off doesn't make for "such a short week" in my book.  But she is new to the school, so I just shrugged it off.

The day before, I had made my appointments for Parent/Teacher Conferences to be held on November 5th.  I was stoked because I got them all lined up... all three ... bam, bam, bam... no muss, no fuss, no return trips, no excessive waiting between meetings.  STOKED, that was me.

As I was lying in bed Wednesday night...

It

Hit

Me

November 5th would be Friday.  Parent/Teacher Conferences are usually held on a day when there is to be no school.  And it is "so crazy to have such a short week."  Leading up to...

Another day off.

Can you believe it?