The Deuce

The Deuce
[ The Deuce ]

Today is the first day of school in the Atlanta area for public schools. Crazy.

Posted by ATL User icon on August 3, 2026, 06:02:08

Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

“We are old and tired and just want to be taken care of.” - Republican voter, Dec. 2024.

I grew up starting after Labor Day and going until late June

Posted by snipes824 User icon on August 3, 2026, 14:30:16, in reply to "Today is the first day of school in the Atlanta area for public schools. Crazy. "

I think I prefer that, but it appears to be the outlier.

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

Still mostly the norm in the PNW. The year we moved there after our kids were out of school, the

Posted by DocWalk20 User icon on August 3, 2026, 14:47:15, in reply to "I grew up starting after Labor Day and going until late June"

local kids were still in school for several more weeks and then our kids had the longest summer ever not starting school until around Labor Day.

Makes sense up there where summer weather often doesn’t start until 4th of July and the end July into August and at least the first half of September are the best weather months of the year to do stuff outside.

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I think I prefer that, but it appears to be the outlier.

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

Plus, everyone knows that September is the best weather month in Seattle

Posted by Sounder User icon on August 3, 2026, 15:20:12, in reply to "Still mostly the norm in the PNW. The year we moved there after our kids were out of school, the"

and June is crap.

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local kids were still in school for several more weeks and then our kids had the longest summer ever not starting school until around Labor Day.

Makes sense up there where summer weather often doesn’t start until 4th of July and July and August are the best weather months of the year to do stuff outside.

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I think I prefer that, but it appears to be the outlier.

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

And as Corona said, teh weather in Atlanta pretty much sucks from mid-July until mid-September

Posted by ATL User icon on August 3, 2026, 14:48:39, in reply to "Still mostly the norm in the PNW. The year we moved there after our kids were out of school, the"

so no reason to have the kids home and outside. Better that they get late may and all of june off.

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local kids were still in school for several more weeks and then our kids had the longest summer ever not starting school until around Labor Day.

Makes sense up there where summer weather often doesn’t start until 4th of July and July and August are the best weather months of the year to do stuff outside.

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I think I prefer that, but it appears to be the outlier.

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

“We are old and tired and just want to be taken care of.” - Republican voter, Dec. 2024.

I have been told that people in Phoenix get seasonal affectiveness disorder

Posted by Sounder User icon on August 3, 2026, 15:23:26, in reply to "And as Corona said, teh weather in Atlanta pretty much sucks from mid-July until mid-September"

in the summertime, because they can never go outside.

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so no reason to have the kids home and outside. Better that they get late may and all of june off.

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local kids were still in school for several more weeks and then our kids had the longest summer ever not starting school until around Labor Day.

Makes sense up there where summer weather often doesn’t start until 4th of July and July and August are the best weather months of the year to do stuff outside.

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I think I prefer that, but it appears to be the outlier.

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

Yeah. I visited Atlanta in July once. Once.*

Posted by DocWalk20 User icon on August 3, 2026, 15:09:59, in reply to "And as Corona said, teh weather in Atlanta pretty much sucks from mid-July until mid-September"

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so no reason to have the kids home and outside. Better that they get late may and all of june off.

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local kids were still in school for several more weeks and then our kids had the longest summer ever not starting school until around Labor Day.

Makes sense up there where summer weather often doesn’t start until 4th of July and July and August are the best weather months of the year to do stuff outside.

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I think I prefer that, but it appears to be the outlier.

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

my kids' school year finished two weeks ago *

Posted by londoner User icon on August 3, 2026, 13:10:27, in reply to "Today is the first day of school in the Atlanta area for public schools. Crazy. "

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

and when does it pick back up?*

Posted by Sounder User icon on August 3, 2026, 13:13:46, in reply to "my kids' school year finished two weeks ago *"

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

Sept 1st for two of them and sept 5th for the other*

Posted by londoner User icon on August 3, 2026, 13:55:50, in reply to "and when does it pick back up?*"

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

That is a pretty short break*

Posted by Sounder User icon on August 3, 2026, 13:58:48, in reply to "Sept 1st for two of them and sept 5th for the other*"

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

Yup. Trying to plan family holidays around their school year is always fun*

Posted by londoner User icon on August 3, 2026, 14:00:31, in reply to "That is a pretty short break*"

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

You could always do what many American parents do… not care about the school calendar and schedule

Posted by DocWalk20 User icon on August 3, 2026, 14:44:17, in reply to "Yup. Trying to plan family holidays around their school year is always fun*"

family trips without caring what the school calendar says.

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

you can legitimately get in legal trouble here for doing this

Posted by londoner User icon on August 4, 2026, 00:55:14, in reply to "You could always do what many American parents do… not care about the school calendar and schedule"

and at the very minimum you'll be politely asked to find a different school.

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family trips without caring what the school calendar says.

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

Not too different here (other than the different school part) but you have to abuse it

Posted by ATL User icon on August 4, 2026, 01:48:22, in reply to "you can legitimately get in legal trouble here for doing this "

If your kid is well adjusted and academically on track, nobody’s going to worry about it if you only do it once a year. Hell, I used to go to India for 6 weeks at a time (including a 2-3 week winter school break) every 2-3 years.

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and at the very minimum you'll be politely asked to find a different school.

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family trips without caring what the school calendar says.

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

“We are old and tired and just want to be taken care of.” - Republican voter, Dec. 2024.

sidejack: if you're a teacher, do you pretty much just take PTO in the summer?*

Posted by Sounder User icon on August 3, 2026, 15:24:05, in reply to "You could always do what many American parents do… not care about the school calendar and schedule"

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family trips without caring what the school calendar says.

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

All I know is that if you work in a seasonal industry, you should file for unemployment during the

Posted by ATL User icon on August 3, 2026, 16:13:46, in reply to "sidejack: if you're a teacher, do you pretty much just take PTO in the summer?*"

time you are seasonally out of work

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family trips without caring what the school calendar says.

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

“We are old and tired and just want to be taken care of.” - Republican voter, Dec. 2024.

We defidoy did that before jr high school*

Posted by ATL User icon on August 3, 2026, 14:46:57, in reply to "You could always do what many American parents do… not care about the school calendar and schedule"

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family trips without caring what the school calendar says.

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

“We are old and tired and just want to be taken care of.” - Republican voter, Dec. 2024.

Always amazed me the number of my kids’ classmates who would miss school for family trips

Posted by DocWalk20 User icon on August 3, 2026, 14:48:27, in reply to "We defidoy did that before jr high school*"

into Jr High and even high school. #priorities

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family trips without caring what the school calendar says.

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

Do the kids get less time off than in the States

Posted by Sounder User icon on August 3, 2026, 14:34:01, in reply to "Yup. Trying to plan family holidays around their school year is always fun*"

or is it spread out throughout the year?

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

it's very school dependent. My kids go to three different schools and have three different calendars

Posted by londoner User icon on August 4, 2026, 00:52:40, in reply to "Do the kids get less time off than in the States"

Oldest son is in Jewish state secondary school and gets the least time off (and it's very dependent on Jewish holiday calendar)

Middle daughter is in non-denominational private secondary school and probably has the most time off that

Youngest daughter is in Jewish state primary school and gets slightly more time off than my oldest

The academic year here is three terms with a break of 2.5-4 weeks between terms and a week long half-term break in a middle of each. But summers are short for everyone compared to the US, the longest summer break is 8 weeks

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or is it spread out throughout the year?

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

I'm guessing after the Sept. bank holiday*

Posted by ATL User icon on August 3, 2026, 13:18:22, in reply to "and when does it pick back up?*"

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

“We are old and tired and just want to be taken care of.” - Republican voter, Dec. 2024.

the middle school is an active construction zone and apparently will be

Posted by Gene Parmesan User icon on August 3, 2026, 11:09:36, in reply to "Today is the first day of school in the Atlanta area for public schools. Crazy. "

at least through the first couple of weeks of school.

There have been rumors of starting with elearning. Hopefully they're just rumors. I want these kids out of the house.

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

Our elementary is undergoing a 2 year total reconstruction.

Posted by tvillini User icon on August 3, 2026, 12:01:13, in reply to "the middle school is an active construction zone and apparently will be "

They've set up temporary classrooms in a temporary building where one of the playgrounds used to be. I think 5th grade is moving in there for this year. That said, it's not like your normal trailers. It really is a single building, with like 3 or 4 classrooms, their own bathrooms, etc. The only major issue is when they go to the office, or gym or any of the other "specials" they'll have to go outside to get to the main building.

I love the schedule. Give me extra time off in May vs figuring out what to get the kids to do when

Posted by CoronaTheirAss User icon on August 3, 2026, 09:08:51, in reply to "Today is the first day of school in the Atlanta area for public schools. Crazy. "

it is hot as balls

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

I live very close to a neighborhood elementary schools and it put a smile on my face to

Posted by ATL User icon on August 3, 2026, 09:16:15, in reply to "I love the schedule. Give me extra time off in May vs figuring out what to get the kids to do when"

see all the tiny ones being walked to school by their parents and often even tinier toddler/preschooler siblings.

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it is hot as balls

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

“We are old and tired and just want to be taken care of.” - Republican voter, Dec. 2024.

We live literally across the street from my son's school

Posted by ISeeDeadHawkeyes User icon on August 3, 2026, 09:35:05, in reply to "I live very close to a neighborhood elementary schools and it put a smile on my face to "

Sadly, this is the last year he'll be there.

7th and 8th grade will seem so far away - the school is 0.8 miles from our house.

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see all the tiny ones being walked to school by their parents and often even tinier toddler/preschooler siblings.

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it is hot as balls

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

First time in ~26 years no kids in school for me (college excepted). Empty nester as of the 27th.*

Posted by Tuscy User icon on August 3, 2026, 08:58:35, in reply to "Today is the first day of school in the Atlanta area for public schools. Crazy. "

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

"I wouldn't mind the DP here." - jumpingdan

Teachers 8/10, students 8/13*

Posted by OWWDig User icon on August 3, 2026, 08:57:30, in reply to "Today is the first day of school in the Atlanta area for public schools. Crazy. "

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

Gotta start warming up the teacher voice. :-) Hope you have a good year!*

Posted by JFG User icon on August 3, 2026, 11:01:30, in reply to "Teachers 8/10, students 8/13*"

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

wife goes back the 11th. my kids go back the 18th. i will have one in hs for the next 12 years*

Posted by lcubed User icon on August 3, 2026, 08:06:10, in reply to "Today is the first day of school in the Atlanta area for public schools. Crazy. "

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

Chula Vista CA started July 22

Posted by jfinsocal User icon on August 3, 2026, 08:03:50, in reply to "Today is the first day of school in the Atlanta area for public schools. Crazy. "

I have friends there and they've always started really early. Semi-full year schedule.

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

We started last Tuesday. Chandler a week before that… bonkers. *

Posted by uofi1998 User icon on August 3, 2026, 07:57:24, in reply to "Today is the first day of school in the Atlanta area for public schools. Crazy. "

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

Are you going to bark all day, little doggie? Or are you going to bite?

Nobody wants time off here in the Summer. Also, nobody complains about Fall Break as a tradeoff*

Posted by Desert User icon on August 3, 2026, 16:11:31, in reply to "We started last Tuesday. Chandler a week before that… bonkers. *"

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

Just maddening to me. If I was a kid growing up now I would be devestated.

Posted by illinilosch User icon on August 3, 2026, 07:47:58, in reply to "Today is the first day of school in the Atlanta area for public schools. Crazy. "

I remember growing up as a kid hating the date that my birthday fell on (8-29) because it always fell on the first day of school. As as any normal boy growing up, I hated going back to school.

I just can't imagine having to go back this early. Poor kids.

I bet the parents are loving this however!

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Also the first first day of school for 13 years that I haven’t had a child in school. Also crazy.

Our kids start next week. The district my wife was in the previous 4 years were back last week Weds.

Posted by tvillini User icon on August 3, 2026, 07:43:16, in reply to "Today is the first day of school in the Atlanta area for public schools. Crazy. "

They do a modified balanced calendar. So they start in late July, but take 2 weeks off between quarters. So a 2 week fall break, Christmas Break, and then 2 week spring break. And they're (usually) out by Memorial Day.

APS has two weeks of per semester (fall, Thanksgiving, winter, spring breaks) plus three weeks for

Posted by ATL User icon on August 3, 2026, 07:51:56, in reply to "Our kids start next week. The district my wife was in the previous 4 years were back last week Weds."

Christmas. But only two months for summer. Which is fine but was tough when we were in Pittsburgh and coordinating summer beach trips with our ATL friends.

Overall though I really like this calendar because it allows us to take various trips at different times of the year. Plus for kids in poorer neighborhoods who may not have consistent air conditioning, it’s better.

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“We are old and tired and just want to be taken care of.” - Republican voter, Dec. 2024.

I think there have been 2 fundamental changes since we went to school wrt the schedule.

Posted by tvillini User icon on August 3, 2026, 09:47:31, in reply to "APS has two weeks of per semester (fall, Thanksgiving, winter, spring breaks) plus three weeks for"

I know how much people love change as it relates to education, but I think both changes we've experienced are grounded in solid data:
1) Balanced Calendar - Shorter summer, longer breaks between quarters
2) Start Times - Elementary starts earlier, HS starts later.

My understanding is that the longer summer is not really great for learning. And in most cases, the summer went from 10 weeks to 8, so not like they halved it or anything. But having that two week break in October and a two week break in March (or I think I've seen a week in February and a week in April) is supposed to give enough breathing room for the students between logical sections of their year. Now the district my wife works for (and my kids go to) still do a week in October and a week in April, so not as extreme as what my wife's last district was. Part of that we'll miss, part of it we won't.

I never knew a world with our kids where the HS started first, and the elementary started last. Our district put that into effect the year our oldest started Kindergarten. But having our kids on the bus at 7:15a has been so nice.

Locals here finally moved start date into August because of days off

Posted by Potomac User icon on August 3, 2026, 06:10:36, in reply to "Today is the first day of school in the Atlanta area for public schools. Crazy. "

They kept adding more days off for this and that, and couldn't finish until mid-June. Maryland passed a regulation that schools had to finish by June 18 so that they didn't have to fit in Juneteenth when nothing else was going on anyway.

My niece teaches in Memphis and it's opening day there, too. It is uncommon when they have a full five-day week of full days.

uncommon as in less than half?*

Posted by torinese User icon on August 3, 2026, 06:50:09, in reply to "Locals here finally moved start date into August because of days off"

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My local district runs 42 weeks w/ 21 complete weeks, plus potential snow closures*

Posted by Potomac User icon on August 3, 2026, 07:01:19, in reply to "uncommon as in less than half?*"

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Why shouldn’t they be any different from Catholic schools?*

Posted by ATL User icon on August 3, 2026, 06:26:34, in reply to "Locals here finally moved start date into August because of days off"

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“We are old and tired and just want to be taken care of.” - Republican voter, Dec. 2024.

there was a lot of pressure to start after Labor Day for late vacations*

Posted by Potomac User icon on August 3, 2026, 07:02:31, in reply to "Why shouldn’t they be any different from Catholic schools?*"

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Went from CPS to suburban schools over the summer: wait, school starts in AUGUST???

Posted by osklister User icon on August 3, 2026, 13:12:04, in reply to "there was a lot of pressure to start after Labor Day for late vacations*"

We (AA County) always started the Tuesday after Labor Day and ended about 2 weeks into June.

Posted by ATL User icon on August 3, 2026, 07:29:21, in reply to "there was a lot of pressure to start after Labor Day for late vacations*"

Ending on the 18th is a bit late but not crazy late in comparison. We probably ended on the 10-15th depending on the year.

But we also did not get a week off for Spring Break or any Fall Break. Atlanta and Pittsburgh both got those and Atlanta actually got a week off for Winter Break. Though Pittsburgh would seemingly give 2-3 random 3 or 4 day weekends per semester too, which might add up to the week of Winter Break Atlanta has.

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“We are old and tired and just want to be taken care of.” - Republican voter, Dec. 2024.

A family story about Baltimore schools

Posted by Potomac User icon on August 3, 2026, 09:11:09, in reply to "We (AA County) always started the Tuesday after Labor Day and ended about 2 weeks into June."

My granddaughters attend a public school in Baltimore that seems pretty decent, at least at lower grades. They have had good teachers so far. What we have seen is that many families eventually depart at some point in elementary or middle school, which means leaving the city, as Baltimore has a poor private school mix.

Some good friends of the family and their kids moved this summer, as the latest example.

I don't know what will happen with the girls for HS if the family sticks around. Most Baltimore city HS have terrible reps.

for HS they should look into applying to Poly and City, both good public options

Posted by memyselfandillini User icon on August 3, 2026, 13:06:55, in reply to "A family story about Baltimore schools"

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AFAICT, most cities like Baltimore have one or two good public schools. Sometimes magnets, sometimes

Posted by ATL User icon on August 3, 2026, 13:12:54, in reply to "for HS they should look into applying to Poly and City, both good public options "

they're neighborhood schools. Pittsburgh had one, Taylor Allerdice. The rest were not good. Atlanta has two and a half. There are two established ones and one that is up and coming due to various forces - primarily gentrification but also the adoption of IB at that school.

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“We are old and tired and just want to be taken care of.” - Republican voter, Dec. 2024.

We started after Labor Day because many buildings didn't have AC?

Posted by jfinsocal User icon on August 3, 2026, 07:55:37, in reply to "We (AA County) always started the Tuesday after Labor Day and ended about 2 weeks into June."

Which isn't an issue anymore.

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I know in many northern states (Michigan, for example) it's also to provide labor for the tourism

Posted by ATL User icon on August 3, 2026, 09:04:18, in reply to "We started after Labor Day because many buildings didn't have AC?"

industry.

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Which isn't an issue anymore.

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“We are old and tired and just want to be taken care of.” - Republican voter, Dec. 2024.

Anne Arundel is a whore.*

Posted by complainant User icon on August 3, 2026, 07:31:57, in reply to "We (AA County) always started the Tuesday after Labor Day and ended about 2 weeks into June."

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That's definitely what Elizabeth I would have said*

Posted by ATL User icon on August 3, 2026, 07:33:41, in reply to "Anne Arundel is a whore.*"

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“We are old and tired and just want to be taken care of.” - Republican voter, Dec. 2024.

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