2022 - 23 Observation Days - New Content?

[Anonymous]

Trying to figure out my budget for tutoring this school year and wondering what the O day new content policy will be.

I just checked the current regulations and it looks like teachers are still not allowed to teach new content on O days this school year. Is this correct? I thought that I read that teachers would be able to give new content, but it doesn't look like it actually made it into actual policy.

The O days royally messed up my child's AP course content. His teachers wanted to keep their even/odd days on the same content schedule. So, they would often treat the day before/after as an O day to keep everyone on the same pace. We ended up hiring a tutor in the Spring to ensure that he could get through everything in time for the AP test. This was not cheap and it was stressful trying ot get everything in after so many days were cut from instruction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Trying to figure out my budget for tutoring this school year and wondering what the O day new content policy will be.

I just checked the current regulations and it looks like teachers are still not allowed to teach new content on O days this school year. Is this correct? I thought that I read that teachers would be able to give new content, but it doesn't look like it actually made it into actual policy.

The O days royally messed up my child's AP course content. His teachers wanted to keep their even/odd days on the same content schedule. So, they would often treat the day before/after as an O day to keep everyone on the same pace. We ended up hiring a tutor in the Spring to ensure that he could get through everything in time for the AP test. This was not cheap and it was stressful trying ot get everything in after so many days were cut from instruction.

We are able to teach new content and test this year.

[Anonymous]

Teachers are able to teach new material within the new guidance.

This article gives the highlights: https://www.fcps.edu/news/fairfax-county-school-board-approves-calendar-based-data-and-community-input

"A change in FCPS’ approach to “O” days. Regulation 2234 will be revised to allow new instruction to take place on days denoted as religious and cultural observances. Tests, quizzes, tryouts that cannot be rescheduled, and sporting events and other school-sponsored special events and activities will still be prohibited."

See page 6 of the referenced Regulation 2234: https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/CFFLWN586131/$file/R2234.pdf

"In an effort to respect the diverse religious and cultural heritages of our students, teachers shall create lessons or activities on designated observance days that:
a. Reinforce previously acquired material or;
b. Introduce new material provided that the lesson content is made available to students using the learning management system and the teacher follows up directly with students who miss the lesson for a religious or cultural observance.
c. Engage students in meaningful learning
d. Are not the sole opportunity to engage in lessons or activities presented on that day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Trying to figure out my budget for tutoring this school year and wondering what the O day new content policy will be.

I just checked the current regulations and it looks like teachers are still not allowed to teach new content on O days this school year. Is this correct? I thought that I read that teachers would be able to give new content, but it doesn't look like it actually made it into actual policy.

The O days royally messed up my child's AP course content. His teachers wanted to keep their even/odd days on the same content schedule. So, they would often treat the day before/after as an O day to keep everyone on the same pace. We ended up hiring a tutor in the Spring to ensure that he could get through everything in time for the AP test. This was not cheap and it was stressful trying ot get everything in after so many days were cut from instruction.

We are able to teach new content and test this year.

You are NOT allowed to test on an O day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Trying to figure out my budget for tutoring this school year and wondering what the O day new content policy will be.

I just checked the current regulations and it looks like teachers are still not allowed to teach new content on O days this school year. Is this correct? I thought that I read that teachers would be able to give new content, but it doesn't look like it actually made it into actual policy.

The O days royally messed up my child's AP course content. His teachers wanted to keep their even/odd days on the same content schedule. So, they would often treat the day before/after as an O day to keep everyone on the same pace. We ended up hiring a tutor in the Spring to ensure that he could get through everything in time for the AP test. This was not cheap and it was stressful trying ot get everything in after so many days were cut from instruction.

We are able to teach new content and test this year.

You are NOT allowed to test on an O day.

There’s only 5 all year, so it’s not that big of a deal.

[Anonymous]

This is ridiculous:

and the teacher follows up directly with students who miss the lesson for a religious or cultural observance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is ridiculous:

and the teacher follows up directly with students who miss the lesson for a religious or cultural observance.

Why is this ridiculous? This sounds perfectly normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is ridiculous:

and the teacher follows up directly with students who miss the lesson for a religious or cultural observance.

Why is this ridiculous? This sounds perfectly normal.

It's the students who should follow up in middle and high school. You were absent--you follow up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is ridiculous:

and the teacher follows up directly with students who miss the lesson for a religious or cultural observance.

Why is this ridiculous? This sounds perfectly normal.

It's the students who should follow up in middle and high school. You were absent--you follow up.

+1

[Anonymous]

Maybe I’m dumb, but how is this different from a regular a absense?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I’m dumb, but how is this different from a regular a absense?

It’s not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is ridiculous:

and the teacher follows up directly with students who miss the lesson for a religious or cultural observance.

Why is this ridiculous? This sounds perfectly normal.

It's the students who should follow up in middle and high school. You were absent--you follow up.

+1

I agree with this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is ridiculous:

and the teacher follows up directly with students who miss the lesson for a religious or cultural observance.

Why is this ridiculous? This sounds perfectly normal.

It's the students who should follow up in middle and high school. You were absent--you follow up.

I’m not an FCPS teacher, I work in a different district, but couldn’t a follow up be an announcement the next class? Anyone absent last class should check Schoology for notes and assignments that were missed. That’s what I would do and as an FCPS parent I agree, my high school and middle school aged kids should be the ones following up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is ridiculous:

and the teacher follows up directly with students who miss the lesson for a religious or cultural observance.

Why is this ridiculous? This sounds perfectly normal.

It's the students who should follow up in middle and high school. You were absent--you follow up.

I’m not an FCPS teacher, I work in a different district, but couldn’t a follow up be an announcement the next class? Anyone absent last class should check Schoology for notes and assignments that were missed. That’s what I would do and as an FCPS parent I agree, my high school and middle school aged kids should be the ones following up.

That happens, even prior to COVID (HS Teacher)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is ridiculous:

and the teacher follows up directly with students who miss the lesson for a religious or cultural observance.

Why is this ridiculous? This sounds perfectly normal.

It's the students who should follow up in middle and high school. You were absent--you follow up.

I’m not an FCPS teacher, I work in a different district, but couldn’t a follow up be an announcement the next class? Anyone absent last class should check Schoology for notes and assignments that were missed. That’s what I would do and as an FCPS parent I agree, my high school and middle school aged kids should be the ones following up.

This is something that many of us (maybe functionally of us) already specify in the syllabus that parents and students are supposed to read and sign at the beginning of the year.