Inspired is keeping indoor masks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ITDS is following people's feelings, not public health guidance and officials, which I noted when I took the survey. I appreciate that they are concerned about parents and teachers feelings, but I kindly also suggested to them to first prioritize public health guidance over parents' gut feelings and sentiment. I don't understand why school leaders are cowering here. At least give us parents the option. We can choose to follow the science or we can choose to follow our emotions.

Also, the argument that there are no indications suggesting poor social and behavioral development outcomes under the age 5 cohort- and beyond- is because those studies have just simply not ever been conducted. If I am wrong here, please share the link!

+1

ITDS family here. This is the root of our frustration. It is a very administration focused school, and there seems to be little concern about how their policies are impacting students or families. In this calendar year (2022) my kids have had just 2 full weeks of school. Most weeks have a Friday or Monday off, or a Wednesday 1/2 day. There was no conversation with families about how the kids or parents are doing. The school talks AT families instead of with families. We've had some really great teachers and some really awful ones. ITDS feels very much a like an internal lottery where your kids experience is dependent on them rolling the dice and getting a good teacher. We can't deal with that unpredictability year after year, particularly with all the socio-emotional challenges from COVID.

Totally. The administration does a poll when they want to, and then announces policies. There's no venue for back and forth dialogue whatsoever. The parents association is weak and never pushes for any change unless things get really really awful. It's take it or leave it, and they'll tell you that explicitly.

And +1 to the some good teachers some meh to. I have seen people be thrilled w ITS until they got someone less good and their eyes were opened.

One more thing, in March 2021 after a majority of the teachers had been vaccinated, the school was still refusing to open. Some of the parents with extensive public health, epidemiology and pediatric expertise spoke in favor of reopening (backed by science!) and the administration didn't listen at all.

I get that they are worried about teachers leaving. It's a real concern, but I don't get the impression that they care about kids falling behind. Maybe they do care, but as a parent I can say that I have not seen it. The communication is sparse and is a very "take it or leave it" kind of mentality. The damage being done to these kids (not from masks, but from everything these past 2 years) is real, and it feels like ITDS administrators are like "meh, what do you want us to do about it?" It's so disheartening and sad.

I hope things will be a tad better going forward with the new HOS. The old one was just so clearly overwhelmed and struggling to cope at all. Not sad to see her go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ITDS is following people's feelings, not public health guidance and officials, which I noted when I took the survey. I appreciate that they are concerned about parents and teachers feelings, but I kindly also suggested to them to first prioritize public health guidance over parents' gut feelings and sentiment. I don't understand why school leaders are cowering here. At least give us parents the option. We can choose to follow the science or we can choose to follow our emotions.

Also, the argument that there are no indications suggesting poor social and behavioral development outcomes under the age 5 cohort- and beyond- is because those studies have just simply not ever been conducted. If I am wrong here, please share the link!

+1

ITDS family here. This is the root of our frustration. It is a very administration focused school, and there seems to be little concern about how their policies are impacting students or families. In this calendar year (2022) my kids have had just 2 full weeks of school. Most weeks have a Friday or Monday off, or a Wednesday 1/2 day. There was no conversation with families about how the kids or parents are doing. The school talks AT families instead of with families. We've had some really great teachers and some really awful ones. ITDS feels very much a like an internal lottery where your kids experience is dependent on them rolling the dice and getting a good teacher. We can't deal with that unpredictability year after year, particularly with all the socio-emotional challenges from COVID.

Well yeah, there have been a few Monday holidays and the occasional Friday is for grading and reporting. Half days are for the training and PD that is required per the job. I'm not sure when the teachers are supposed to do the admin portions of their job otherwise. They're already understaffed and given very little prep time. The school (and every school) SHOULD be concerned with keeping its teachers happy, because it's harder to replace them than the students. ITDS drags its feet and makes dumb, wishy-washy decisions because it tries to make everyone happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ITDS is following people's feelings, not public health guidance and officials, which I noted when I took the survey. I appreciate that they are concerned about parents and teachers feelings, but I kindly also suggested to them to first prioritize public health guidance over parents' gut feelings and sentiment. I don't understand why school leaders are cowering here. At least give us parents the option. We can choose to follow the science or we can choose to follow our emotions.

Also, the argument that there are no indications suggesting poor social and behavioral development outcomes under the age 5 cohort- and beyond- is because those studies have just simply not ever been conducted. If I am wrong here, please share the link!

+1

ITDS family here. This is the root of our frustration. It is a very administration focused school, and there seems to be little concern about how their policies are impacting students or families. In this calendar year (2022) my kids have had just 2 full weeks of school. Most weeks have a Friday or Monday off, or a Wednesday 1/2 day. There was no conversation with families about how the kids or parents are doing. The school talks AT families instead of with families. We've had some really great teachers and some really awful ones. ITDS feels very much a like an internal lottery where your kids experience is dependent on them rolling the dice and getting a good teacher. We can't deal with that unpredictability year after year, particularly with all the socio-emotional challenges from COVID.

Well yeah, there have been a few Monday holidays and the occasional Friday is for grading and reporting. Half days are for the training and PD that is required per the job. I'm not sure when the teachers are supposed to do the admin portions of their job otherwise. They're already understaffed and given very little prep time. The school (and every school) SHOULD be concerned with keeping its teachers happy, because it's harder to replace them than the students. ITDS drags its feet and makes dumb, wishy-washy decisions because it tries to make everyone happy.

What about all the Wednesday half days, and the three half days for ECE to start every year? It's basically a half day every other Wednesday at this point.

Please tell me, exactly why are they understaffed? In DCPS, upper elementary teachers would not have an aide at all, and could have 25 or more kids in their class. You really have to stop believing everything the school tells you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ITDS is following people's feelings, not public health guidance and officials, which I noted when I took the survey. I appreciate that they are concerned about parents and teachers feelings, but I kindly also suggested to them to first prioritize public health guidance over parents' gut feelings and sentiment. I don't understand why school leaders are cowering here. At least give us parents the option. We can choose to follow the science or we can choose to follow our emotions.

Also, the argument that there are no indications suggesting poor social and behavioral development outcomes under the age 5 cohort- and beyond- is because those studies have just simply not ever been conducted. If I am wrong here, please share the link!

+1

ITDS family here. This is the root of our frustration. It is a very administration focused school, and there seems to be little concern about how their policies are impacting students or families. In this calendar year (2022) my kids have had just 2 full weeks of school. Most weeks have a Friday or Monday off, or a Wednesday 1/2 day. There was no conversation with families about how the kids or parents are doing. The school talks AT families instead of with families. We've had some really great teachers and some really awful ones. ITDS feels very much a like an internal lottery where your kids experience is dependent on them rolling the dice and getting a good teacher. We can't deal with that unpredictability year after year, particularly with all the socio-emotional challenges from COVID.

Well yeah, there have been a few Monday holidays and the occasional Friday is for grading and reporting. Half days are for the training and PD that is required per the job. I'm not sure when the teachers are supposed to do the admin portions of their job otherwise. They're already understaffed and given very little prep time. The school (and every school) SHOULD be concerned with keeping its teachers happy, because it's harder to replace them than the students. ITDS drags its feet and makes dumb, wishy-washy decisions because it tries to make everyone happy.

What about all the Wednesday half days, and the three half days for ECE to start every year? It's basically a half day every other Wednesday at this point.

Please tell me, exactly why are they understaffed? In DCPS, upper elementary teachers would not have an aide at all, and could have 25 or more kids in their class. You really have to stop believing everything the school tells you.

They added the Wednesday halfdays to address teacher burnout. I understand that, but I wish they paid as much concern to our children. I'm not saying they shouldn't care about teachers, what I'm saying is that I haven't seen any similar level of concern for kids. That is hard to watch. Teachers can advocate for themselves and their needs. Kids don't know how to articulate their needs in the middle of a global pandemic. Educators (and parents) are supposed to be supporting these kids. It just feels like ITDS doesn't give a damn.

[Anonymous]

This WaPo article from today is so spot-on. There is another crisis, a mental health crisis that is happening. ITDS has been so focused on teachers that they sacrificed kids.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/03/31/student-mental-health-decline-cdc/

"But the survey also offers hope, finding that teens who feel connected at school report much lower rates of poor health. The finding calls attention to the critical role schools can play in a student’s mental health."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ITDS is following people's feelings, not public health guidance and officials, which I noted when I took the survey. I appreciate that they are concerned about parents and teachers feelings, but I kindly also suggested to them to first prioritize public health guidance over parents' gut feelings and sentiment. I don't understand why school leaders are cowering here. At least give us parents the option. We can choose to follow the science or we can choose to follow our emotions.

Also, the argument that there are no indications suggesting poor social and behavioral development outcomes under the age 5 cohort- and beyond- is because those studies have just simply not ever been conducted. If I am wrong here, please share the link!

+1

ITDS family here. This is the root of our frustration. It is a very administration focused school, and there seems to be little concern about how their policies are impacting students or families. In this calendar year (2022) my kids have had just 2 full weeks of school. Most weeks have a Friday or Monday off, or a Wednesday 1/2 day. There was no conversation with families about how the kids or parents are doing. The school talks AT families instead of with families. We've had some really great teachers and some really awful ones. ITDS feels very much a like an internal lottery where your kids experience is dependent on them rolling the dice and getting a good teacher. We can't deal with that unpredictability year after year, particularly with all the socio-emotional challenges from COVID.

Totally. The administration does a poll when they want to, and then announces policies. There's no venue for back and forth dialogue whatsoever. The parents association is weak and never pushes for any change unless things get really really awful. It's take it or leave it, and they'll tell you that explicitly.

And +1 to the some good teachers some meh to. I have seen people be thrilled w ITS until they got someone less good and their eyes were opened.

I have to laugh at the complaints about the parent association being weak. Do you know how few people get involved in any meaningful way with the family association? But everyone loves to critique!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ITDS is following people's feelings, not public health guidance and officials, which I noted when I took the survey. I appreciate that they are concerned about parents and teachers feelings, but I kindly also suggested to them to first prioritize public health guidance over parents' gut feelings and sentiment. I don't understand why school leaders are cowering here. At least give us parents the option. We can choose to follow the science or we can choose to follow our emotions.

Also, the argument that there are no indications suggesting poor social and behavioral development outcomes under the age 5 cohort- and beyond- is because those studies have just simply not ever been conducted. If I am wrong here, please share the link!

+1

ITDS family here. This is the root of our frustration. It is a very administration focused school, and there seems to be little concern about how their policies are impacting students or families. In this calendar year (2022) my kids have had just 2 full weeks of school. Most weeks have a Friday or Monday off, or a Wednesday 1/2 day. There was no conversation with families about how the kids or parents are doing. The school talks AT families instead of with families. We've had some really great teachers and some really awful ones. ITDS feels very much a like an internal lottery where your kids experience is dependent on them rolling the dice and getting a good teacher. We can't deal with that unpredictability year after year, particularly with all the socio-emotional challenges from COVID.

Totally. The administration does a poll when they want to, and then announces policies. There's no venue for back and forth dialogue whatsoever. The parents association is weak and never pushes for any change unless things get really really awful. It's take it or leave it, and they'll tell you that explicitly.

And +1 to the some good teachers some meh to. I have seen people be thrilled w ITS until they got someone less good and their eyes were opened.

I have to laugh at the complaints about the parent association being weak. Do you know how few people get involved in any meaningful way with the family association? But everyone loves to critique!

Maybe if the leadership tried to actually engage on any important topics people would be more interested. Anyone who doesn't back up the school's party line is frozen out. But they sure do want our money!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This WaPo article from today is so spot-on. There is another crisis, a mental health crisis that is happening. ITDS has been so focused on teachers that they sacrificed kids.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/03/31/student-mental-health-decline-cdc/

"But the survey also offers hope, finding that teens who feel connected at school report much lower rates of poor health. The finding calls attention to the critical role schools can play in a student’s mental health."

This idea that schools care only about teachers is so weak. Do you not understand how much teacher mental health/well-being/satisfaction has an impact on kids? These are not separate variables.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ITDS is following people's feelings, not public health guidance and officials, which I noted when I took the survey. I appreciate that they are concerned about parents and teachers feelings, but I kindly also suggested to them to first prioritize public health guidance over parents' gut feelings and sentiment. I don't understand why school leaders are cowering here. At least give us parents the option. We can choose to follow the science or we can choose to follow our emotions.

Also, the argument that there are no indications suggesting poor social and behavioral development outcomes under the age 5 cohort- and beyond- is because those studies have just simply not ever been conducted. If I am wrong here, please share the link!

+1

ITDS family here. This is the root of our frustration. It is a very administration focused school, and there seems to be little concern about how their policies are impacting students or families. In this calendar year (2022) my kids have had just 2 full weeks of school. Most weeks have a Friday or Monday off, or a Wednesday 1/2 day. There was no conversation with families about how the kids or parents are doing. The school talks AT families instead of with families. We've had some really great teachers and some really awful ones. ITDS feels very much a like an internal lottery where your kids experience is dependent on them rolling the dice and getting a good teacher. We can't deal with that unpredictability year after year, particularly with all the socio-emotional challenges from COVID.

Well yeah, there have been a few Monday holidays and the occasional Friday is for grading and reporting. Half days are for the training and PD that is required per the job. I'm not sure when the teachers are supposed to do the admin portions of their job otherwise. They're already understaffed and given very little prep time. The school (and every school) SHOULD be concerned with keeping its teachers happy, because it's harder to replace them than the students. ITDS drags its feet and makes dumb, wishy-washy decisions because it tries to make everyone happy.

What about all the Wednesday half days, and the three half days for ECE to start every year? It's basically a half day every other Wednesday at this point.

Please tell me, exactly why are they understaffed? In DCPS, upper elementary teachers would not have an aide at all, and could have 25 or more kids in their class. You really have to stop believing everything the school tells you.

They added the Wednesday halfdays to address teacher burnout. I understand that, but I wish they paid as much concern to our children. I'm not saying they shouldn't care about teachers, what I'm saying is that I haven't seen any similar level of concern for kids. That is hard to watch. Teachers can advocate for themselves and their needs. Kids don't know how to articulate their needs in the middle of a global pandemic. Educators (and parents) are supposed to be supporting these kids. It just feels like ITDS doesn't give a damn.

Honestly, if the teachers are really that burnt out even though they have max 24 kids (no mid-year entries), a full-time aide or student teacher, and way fewer at-risk kids than nearby DCPS has, then they probably can't hack it in DCPS or be a teacher long-term anyway. This is a seriously cushy teaching job and if the salary is a little below what you'd get in DCPS that seems entirely appropriate. The school is always pointing out how under-paid the teachers are, well if you didn't have so many aides you could save several hundred thousand dollars and give the teachers all a raise. They've finally cut back on the huge number of "principals" so that's nice-- I knew their org chart would not survive an encounter with a leader who comes from DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ITDS is following people's feelings, not public health guidance and officials, which I noted when I took the survey. I appreciate that they are concerned about parents and teachers feelings, but I kindly also suggested to them to first prioritize public health guidance over parents' gut feelings and sentiment. I don't understand why school leaders are cowering here. At least give us parents the option. We can choose to follow the science or we can choose to follow our emotions.

Also, the argument that there are no indications suggesting poor social and behavioral development outcomes under the age 5 cohort- and beyond- is because those studies have just simply not ever been conducted. If I am wrong here, please share the link!

+1

ITDS family here. This is the root of our frustration. It is a very administration focused school, and there seems to be little concern about how their policies are impacting students or families. In this calendar year (2022) my kids have had just 2 full weeks of school. Most weeks have a Friday or Monday off, or a Wednesday 1/2 day. There was no conversation with families about how the kids or parents are doing. The school talks AT families instead of with families. We've had some really great teachers and some really awful ones. ITDS feels very much a like an internal lottery where your kids experience is dependent on them rolling the dice and getting a good teacher. We can't deal with that unpredictability year after year, particularly with all the socio-emotional challenges from COVID.

Totally. The administration does a poll when they want to, and then announces policies. There's no venue for back and forth dialogue whatsoever. The parents association is weak and never pushes for any change unless things get really really awful. It's take it or leave it, and they'll tell you that explicitly.

And +1 to the some good teachers some meh to. I have seen people be thrilled w ITS until they got someone less good and their eyes were opened.

I have to laugh at the complaints about the parent association being weak. Do you know how few people get involved in any meaningful way with the family association? But everyone loves to critique!

It's weak because its leadership refuses to tolerate even a conversation that deviates from the school's policy. Saying anything even slightly critical gets you a condescending lecture. No matter how many people participate, that's weakness. Enjoy your chili.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd be nervous about their science curriculum.

Yeah, but their compassion and virtue signaling are off the charts.

Lol

[Anonymous]

Curious from a previous comment - which teachers at inspired are considered weak? Asking because we’re at the school and I’m curious…

[Anonymous]

Weak parents, weak community, weak school, all to the detriment of their now weak children. Emblematic of DC as a whole. Kids from this area are going to be in for a rude awakening when they step out into the world and find out nobody cares about their pronouns or "immunodeficient".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious from a previous comment - which teachers at inspired are considered weak? Asking because we’re at the school and I’m curious…

Nobody's gonna tell you names here, but if you ask older kid parents they might tell you. I do notice that the less talented teachers often leave.

[Anonymous]

This whole thread is a garbage heap, largely propelled forward by a few hostile disgruntled people. Please know that our experience at Inspired has been nothing like this, nor do I ever hear people talk like this out in the real world.