WHAT?! APS now closed 1/6??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know why they can’t just tell the truth. People have CoVID. That, combined with the other closures, created the “perfect storm”, so to speak, of not being able to staff the schools. APS has opened plenty of times when FCPS did not. Plenty. The airlines can’t staff all of their flights. My mail just came for the first time in days. I’m still waiting on a dishwasher I ordered two months ago. People need to accept this s—t as kind of our way of life for a little bit, and get over it.

absolutely this. I'm an APS teacher and in pre-covid times we absolutely could have opened. covid + counties around us cancelling + sub shortage + a required DOJ training for some teachers meant that in my 19 person department, 8 called out (and only 2 of those were for childcare). in normal times those 2 would have been covered or we would have been able to cover for them, but there aren't enough people in my department to cover all of that. admin can't help out because every other department in the building is like that. I was all for going in today, I really was, and am REALLY hoping that tomorrow is a non-weather event and we can get back. the majority of teachers in APS drive me bonkers and last year was embarrassing, but this one really wasn't a childcare issue

I think you’re my APS teacher soulmate! I am frustrated that they haven’t just told it like it is- yes, child care was a factor- but only because it put them over the edge. A lot of staff have CoVID. It was bound to happen, and this, too, shall pass. This snow storm was the biggest we’ve had in 5 years? Six? It doesn’t happen all the time. This is a one-off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids' private school is open tomorrow and was open yesterday. Guess this is only a problem for public school teachers, not private school ones.

Another APS equityfail

I’m sure the school is much smaller so staffing issues are a much smaller scale.

What % of the teachers are out with covid?
What % have young children?

[Anonymous]

It certainly seems APS administration is just too scared of omicron to open since they've also closed administrative offices. They don't want to be open.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know why they can’t just tell the truth. People have CoVID. That, combined with the other closures, created the “perfect storm”, so to speak, of not being able to staff the schools. APS has opened plenty of times when FCPS did not. Plenty. The airlines can’t staff all of their flights. My mail just came for the first time in days. I’m still waiting on a dishwasher I ordered two months ago. People need to accept this s—t as kind of our way of life for a little bit, and get over it.

absolutely this. I'm an APS teacher and in pre-covid times we absolutely could have opened. covid + counties around us cancelling + sub shortage + a required DOJ training for some teachers meant that in my 19 person department, 8 called out (and only 2 of those were for childcare). in normal times those 2 would have been covered or we would have been able to cover for them, but there aren't enough people in my department to cover all of that. admin can't help out because every other department in the building is like that. I was all for going in today, I really was, and am REALLY hoping that tomorrow is a non-weather event and we can get back. the majority of teachers in APS drive me bonkers and last year was embarrassing, but this one really wasn't a childcare issue

I think you’re my APS teacher soulmate! I am frustrated that they haven’t just told it like it is- yes, child care was a factor- but only because it put them over the edge. A lot of staff have CoVID. It was bound to happen, and this, too, shall pass. This snow storm was the biggest we’ve had in 5 years? Six? It doesn’t happen all the time. This is a one-off.

There’s 3 of us! A normal, planned day off in FCPS that we work is no big deal, even the occasional snow day but COVID pushed us over the edge. I respect APS for trying to open. I wouldn’t be surprised if FCPS said they were opening and changed their mind, they pulled that crap with the calendar last year, messing it up for other districts. FWIW most teachers I know at my school live in Arlington. My entire team did last year. The ones I know who live out of out of county don’t have kids.

[Anonymous]

Just want to say my kids' $30K+ per year private school (which I only put them in because I had 0 trust in APS this year) is open today. They're on their way to school now. They were open yesterday too.

And the admins are all subbing too.

[Anonymous]

Just want to say my kids' $30K+ per year private school (which I only put them in because I had 0 trust in APS this year) is open today. They're on their way to school now. They were open yesterday too.

And the admins are all subbing too.

Had to come here and crow about it, didn't you?
I should hope that for what you're paying (and not socking away into the college fund) that they're open. This should go without saying, but there is a big difference between opening one small private school and a large school district.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Guess I’m in the minority. But I love snow days!! Love having the kids at home, them playing outside, eating lunch together. Admittedly easier for a SAHM with a nanny and DH working from home. So I do empathize with others who have different setups. But it’s important that all voices be heard.

The last sentence makes me think (hope) you are a troll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just want to say my kids' $30K+ per year private school (which I only put them in because I had 0 trust in APS this year) is open today. They're on their way to school now. They were open yesterday too.

And the admins are all subbing too.

$30K ain’t worth a couple of snow days to me. But you do you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just want to say my kids' $30K+ per year private school (which I only put them in because I had 0 trust in APS this year) is open today. They're on their way to school now. They were open yesterday too.

And the admins are all subbing too.

Guess your fellow APEs shouldn’t have cheaped out and gone to St. Ann’s. Even pre-snow storm, SA closed all week due to COVID concerns. How’d that petition to open it up this week work out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just want to say my kids' $30K+ per year private school (which I only put them in because I had 0 trust in APS this year) is open today. They're on their way to school now. They were open yesterday too.

And the admins are all subbing too.

How big is the school?
What % of the teachers are out with covid?
What % of the teachers have young children?

[Anonymous]

I am feeling so depressed and hopeless today. We had covid in Nov, then Christmas break and now this. My kid has barely been in school since October.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am feeling so depressed and hopeless today. We had covid in Nov, then Christmas break and now this. My kid has barely been in school since October.

Pretty flattened here too. Tired. My resilience is toast. All of my back up care is unavailable, I work in person. Have lost this week, and had already called out for winter break leave without pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just want to say my kids' $30K+ per year private school (which I only put them in because I had 0 trust in APS this year) is open today. They're on their way to school now. They were open yesterday too.

And the admins are all subbing too.

I wonder how the cost of these past two days of admins babysitting your kids compares with the cost of back up childcare. I'd doubt they're getting a quality education with staff stretched, and I doubt the public school kids are suffering massive learning loss these past few days. Its the daily scramble and uncertainty that is breaking parents who have already been broken many times the past two years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just want to say my kids' $30K+ per year private school (which I only put them in because I had 0 trust in APS this year) is open today. They're on their way to school now. They were open yesterday too.

And the admins are all subbing too.

How big is the school?
What % of the teachers are out with covid?
What % of the teachers have young children?

NP here, with a kid in APS and one in a private K-8. At the private, they tested everyone at the school on Sunday and about 5% were positive (not broken down by teachers/students). They are open today and will have mandatory weekly testing for everyone going forward, also everyone has to have a N95/KN95 or double mask. I feel much better about these safety measures than for my APS kid, though I do think we will all end up getting covid eventually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just want to say my kids' $30K+ per year private school (which I only put them in because I had 0 trust in APS this year) is open today. They're on their way to school now. They were open yesterday too.

And the admins are all subbing too.

I wonder how the cost of these past two days of admins babysitting your kids compares with the cost of back up childcare. I'd doubt they're getting a quality education with staff stretched, and I doubt the public school kids are suffering massive learning loss these past few days. Its the daily scramble and uncertainty that is breaking parents who have already been broken many times the past two years.

On second thought I just did the math. $30K/180 school days = $167 per day. Divide that by 7 hours of school and you're paying $24 and hour. That seems like a steal for back up childcare. Too bad school teachers aren't paid enough to afford that. We might not need as many subs to cover when they have to take care of their own kids when they're sick or a close contact.