Movies at school. All day.

[Anonymous]

A livable wage? Really? You live off of that money comfortably? With student loans and other bills? In a major Metro city? I find that hard to believe.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:However, you didn't take in account what the pay scale was before that. I know that each and every penny earned is well deserved and no one else seems to have an issue with it. Have you donated towards the cost of setting up and maintaining a classroom? That money is often reinvested back into the classroom - after taxes. So yeah, the formula is a bit more complicated that it seems. But thanks for the concern about the contract negations. Perhaps reaching out to WTU for the real issues will help.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you accept a 1% pay increase? Have you noticed that the COL in the Washington DC Metro area has increased substantially in 5 years or are you a transplant? The old contract is severely flawed and was created by Michelle Rhee to "clean house." She did that and moved on. The last of the "bag eggs" are being forced into retirement or IMPACTed out which is why you are seeing such a high turnover of the leadership. There were people hired simply to be agents of change and then they were used up and sent packing. DCPS is not interested in the best interest of children, teachers, or families. The people at the top are interested in keep ing money their pockets. Why can't Kaya Henderson take a pay cut? What does she do other than make public appearances and come with new initiatives that don't work half of the time?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First of all if the teachers were "ineffective" they wouldn't be in the classroom. Bottom line. There are check and balances that ensure that your child has competent teacher at the helm. The same checks and balances that you complain take up so much of the teacher's time. Yes the elephant in the room is the lack of a workable contract and the confines of IMPACT. Part of the EOY paperwork teachers have to present is a snapshot of the successes they have had throughout the year. Presentation of data, student work, and more justifying why they should keep their job the next year. So an ineffective teacher would be gone. So you really think that your offspring would do as well without having their so-called ineffective teacher at the helm? I highly doubt it. You might do a lot at home but they are still learning at school. Teachers in DC are smart, creative, and resourceful. They face a lot of challenges but they overcome for the sake of all of the children, not just yours. Instead of turning against them why don't you support them?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So why not go to other school systems that have better outcomes and teachers????

Sitting around complaining about the very school system you put your children in --and the people you entrust them to--doesn't make you look terribly smart, educated, or even a good parent. As disinterested and disenfranchised and many DCPS families are, at least they believe in the school system they send their children to every day.

It's because we are smart and good parents that our children will do great in a substandard system. We're not worried for ourselves. We share a city with children that do not have the same support at home but experience the same uneven education at school. Also, I think this thread hits a nerve with some parents because it's not just the last two weeks of the school year. It's a reminder of all of the times throughout the school year that instructional time was lost and indicative of a larger problem.
If you think that concerned parents should self-deport so ineffective teachers can keep their jobs, I disagree. What will happen when all of the children scoring 5 and most of the children scoring 4 on the PARCC leave for the suburbs on your advice? How will that improve the situation in DCPS?

Smart and good parents don't put their children in a substandard school system, leave them there, brag about doing so and bitterly complain about the system.

Smart, good parents don't put their children in a substandard school system. Period.

Smart, good parents don't entrust their children to ineffective teachers day after day.

And does showing movies at the end of the year really make a teacher ineffective?

The bottom line is that you are and can remain bitter that DCPS isn't falling over backwards to please you and your 4 and 5-scoring children. No one cares if you head for the burbs with them. But if you were such a smart, good parent, you would.

I'm curious, beyond the lack of the pay increase, what are the other major issues keeping the negotiations from moving forward? The only one I have heard is the objection from my kids teachers is to a 1% pay raise and a 7 year old contract. I thought the new salary scales boosted all teachers up substantially so I'm wondering why 1% is such a problem if, say 5 years ago a base salary was increased 20%.

http://dcps.dc.gov/page/compensation-lift-and-impactplus

If I had received a raise within the last 5 years that amounted to 20% of my base salary I might be a bit introspective about it. Or at least realistic about the lack of pay increases people received across all types of work. But thank you for confirming the issue with the contract is the 1%. The DC Chancellor, Kaya or anyone else would be a FOOL to remain in that job for less than $300K.

I'm fully aware what the pay scale was before the increases, and I'm fully aware that a teacher with a BA starts at a salary of $51K for a 10 month contract, if annualized would be over $61K. That's a better starting salary, combined with exceptional benefits and step increases that many other college graduates. Teachers, at least in DC, are finally being compensated at levels they deserve but the union turns to outdated tactics to rally the troops that don't make sense anymore. It's no wonder DCPS won't negotiate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And some people wonder why parents reject their local DCPS.

Dear PP,

Bye.

Signed,

DCPS

Funny in a sad way. As if everyone at LAMB and YY doesn't already know our expectations are too high for you.

It's a bit like Chris Rock said. In this case, you boycotting us and our high expectations is irrelevant. You were never invited.

Let's hope those expectations continue when your kid has access to a tablet all day.

Online access is a fact of life. Disinterested and unengaged teachers don't have to be.

And neither do hysterical childbearing people who don't actually want to be PARENTS.

For one, if you count on anyone else-school, teacher or otherwise-to be your child's sole educator, you're doing parenting all wrong.

Two, if you're so appalled by the lack of instruction happening the last week or two, supplement at home. Problem solved.

If you don't like the education, take it into your own hands. True for the law as well?

Are we talking about education or law here? Educating your child is very much a part of parenting.

But um yeah. If you don't like the laws, do your part to have them changed. Go to the poll and vote. Part of being a citizen.

Personally, I take my children's education seriously. I "take it into my own hands." I can, and I'm better educated than the vast majority of employees of the system, even at the highest levels. C'est la vie. It's why I constantly question the value of DCPS even in so-called "good" schools. I'm sure that's true for a small, vocal minority of families. it is working for us, but it's rather unfair for the children of less educated parents that they are forced to rely on this sort of laziness.

At the end of the day, it comes down to my standards are higher than yours. My children will get more than yours do. Mine will be more educated than yours are. I'm fine with that, but since these are tax-payer dollars, it's too bad that other people don't what they think (what we all think) they are paying for.

x1000

This is why the achievement gap exists.

This is why school systems like DCPS can not slow or change the gap.

Basically DCPS would have to step up and "that parent" in order to start closing the gap. Until school systems think more like highly educated parents and approach education in their schools the same, the achievement gap never closes and money is poured into schools and students with very little hope of getting better.

[Anonymous]

BS.

If your standards were so high, you wouldn't send your child to a DCPS. I didn't. For that reason: I'm highly educated and my standards are just too high.

All it takes to close the achievement gap is to cater to educated parents??? Forget the poverty and traumas many of the kids come from. They're of no consequence. Just cater to us. Ain't gonna happen cap'n.

Face it: DCPS has zero plan to cater to and beg the 'more educated' parents to come, stay and play. They're too busy with the anger, dysfunction and triage of the masses.

And is this really all because Larla's teacher showed Frozen last week?

[Anonymous]

Right! Because poverty and societal ills from past injustices have NOTHING to do with the achievement gap. Spot on! It is because a teacher put a movie on while he or she closed out for the year. Gotcha!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And some people wonder why parents reject their local DCPS.

Dear PP,

Bye.

Signed,

DCPS

Funny in a sad way. As if everyone at LAMB and YY doesn't already know our expectations are too high for you.

It's a bit like Chris Rock said. In this case, you boycotting us and our high expectations is irrelevant. You were never invited.

Let's hope those expectations continue when your kid has access to a tablet all day.

Online access is a fact of life. Disinterested and unengaged teachers don't have to be.

And neither do hysterical childbearing people who don't actually want to be PARENTS.

For one, if you count on anyone else-school, teacher or otherwise-to be your child's sole educator, you're doing parenting all wrong.

Two, if you're so appalled by the lack of instruction happening the last week or two, supplement at home. Problem solved.

If you don't like the education, take it into your own hands. True for the law as well?

Are we talking about education or law here? Educating your child is very much a part of parenting.

But um yeah. If you don't like the laws, do your part to have them changed. Go to the poll and vote. Part of being a citizen.

Personally, I take my children's education seriously. I "take it into my own hands." I can, and I'm better educated than the vast majority of employees of the system, even at the highest levels. C'est la vie. It's why I constantly question the value of DCPS even in so-called "good" schools. I'm sure that's true for a small, vocal minority of families. it is working for us, but it's rather unfair for the children of less educated parents that they are forced to rely on this sort of laziness.

At the end of the day, it comes down to my standards are higher than yours. My children will get more than yours do. Mine will be more educated than yours are. I'm fine with that, but since these are tax-payer dollars, it's too bad that other people don't what they think (what we all think) they are paying for.

x1000

This is why the achievement gap exists.

This is why school systems like DCPS can not slow or change the gap.

Basically DCPS would have to step up and "that parent" in order to start closing the gap. Until school systems think more like highly educated parents and approach education in their schools the same, the achievement gap never closes and money is poured into schools and students with very little hope of getting better.

[Anonymous]

+1 yes! I just responded the same thing!

Anonymous wrote:BS.

If your standards were so high, you wouldn't send your child to a DCPS. I didn't. For that reason: I'm highly educated and my standards are just too high.

All it takes to close the achievement gap is to cater to educated parents??? Forget the poverty and traumas many of the kids come from. They're of no consequence. Just cater to us. Ain't gonna happen cap'n.

Face it: DCPS has zero plan to cater to and beg the 'more educated' parents to come, stay and play. They're too busy with the anger, dysfunction and triage of the masses.

And is this really all because Larla's teacher showed Frozen last week?

[Anonymous]

Driving home the point about student loan payments (and for the record all teachers do not qualify for loan forgiveness) repayment terms are based on an interest rate of 6%,the average Direct Loan interest rate for undergraduate and graduate borrowers. The figures also assume a family size of 1, that you live in the continental U.S., and that your income increases 5% each year. So a 1% raise is laughable considering the contract expired YEARS ago.

Anonymous wrote:A livable wage? Really? You live off of that money comfortably? With student loans and other bills? In a major Metro city? I find that hard to believe.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:However, you didn't take in account what the pay scale was before that. I know that each and every penny earned is well deserved and no one else seems to have an issue with it. Have you donated towards the cost of setting up and maintaining a classroom? That money is often reinvested back into the classroom - after taxes. So yeah, the formula is a bit more complicated that it seems. But thanks for the concern about the contract negations. Perhaps reaching out to WTU for the real issues will help.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you accept a 1% pay increase? Have you noticed that the COL in the Washington DC Metro area has increased substantially in 5 years or are you a transplant? The old contract is severely flawed and was created by Michelle Rhee to "clean house." She did that and moved on. The last of the "bag eggs" are being forced into retirement or IMPACTed out which is why you are seeing such a high turnover of the leadership. There were people hired simply to be agents of change and then they were used up and sent packing. DCPS is not interested in the best interest of children, teachers, or families. The people at the top are interested in keep ing money their pockets. Why can't Kaya Henderson take a pay cut? What does she do other than make public appearances and come with new initiatives that don't work half of the time?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First of all if the teachers were "ineffective" they wouldn't be in the classroom. Bottom line. There are check and balances that ensure that your child has competent teacher at the helm. The same checks and balances that you complain take up so much of the teacher's time. Yes the elephant in the room is the lack of a workable contract and the confines of IMPACT. Part of the EOY paperwork teachers have to present is a snapshot of the successes they have had throughout the year. Presentation of data, student work, and more justifying why they should keep their job the next year. So an ineffective teacher would be gone. So you really think that your offspring would do as well without having their so-called ineffective teacher at the helm? I highly doubt it. You might do a lot at home but they are still learning at school. Teachers in DC are smart, creative, and resourceful. They face a lot of challenges but they overcome for the sake of all of the children, not just yours. Instead of turning against them why don't you support them?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So why not go to other school systems that have better outcomes and teachers????

Sitting around complaining about the very school system you put your children in --and the people you entrust them to--doesn't make you look terribly smart, educated, or even a good parent. As disinterested and disenfranchised and many DCPS families are, at least they believe in the school system they send their children to every day.

It's because we are smart and good parents that our children will do great in a substandard system. We're not worried for ourselves. We share a city with children that do not have the same support at home but experience the same uneven education at school. Also, I think this thread hits a nerve with some parents because it's not just the last two weeks of the school year. It's a reminder of all of the times throughout the school year that instructional time was lost and indicative of a larger problem.
If you think that concerned parents should self-deport so ineffective teachers can keep their jobs, I disagree. What will happen when all of the children scoring 5 and most of the children scoring 4 on the PARCC leave for the suburbs on your advice? How will that improve the situation in DCPS?

Smart and good parents don't put their children in a substandard school system, leave them there, brag about doing so and bitterly complain about the system.

Smart, good parents don't put their children in a substandard school system. Period.

Smart, good parents don't entrust their children to ineffective teachers day after day.

And does showing movies at the end of the year really make a teacher ineffective?

The bottom line is that you are and can remain bitter that DCPS isn't falling over backwards to please you and your 4 and 5-scoring children. No one cares if you head for the burbs with them. But if you were such a smart, good parent, you would.

I'm curious, beyond the lack of the pay increase, what are the other major issues keeping the negotiations from moving forward? The only one I have heard is the objection from my kids teachers is to a 1% pay raise and a 7 year old contract. I thought the new salary scales boosted all teachers up substantially so I'm wondering why 1% is such a problem if, say 5 years ago a base salary was increased 20%.

http://dcps.dc.gov/page/compensation-lift-and-impactplus

If I had received a raise within the last 5 years that amounted to 20% of my base salary I might be a bit introspective about it. Or at least realistic about the lack of pay increases people received across all types of work. But thank you for confirming the issue with the contract is the 1%. The DC Chancellor, Kaya or anyone else would be a FOOL to remain in that job for less than $300K.

I'm fully aware what the pay scale was before the increases, and I'm fully aware that a teacher with a BA starts at a salary of $51K for a 10 month contract, if annualized would be over $61K. That's a better starting salary, combined with exceptional benefits and step increases that many other college graduates. Teachers, at least in DC, are finally being compensated at levels they deserve but the union turns to outdated tactics to rally the troops that don't make sense anymore. It's no wonder DCPS won't negotiate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Driving home the point about student loan payments (and for the record all teachers do not qualify for loan forgiveness) repayment terms are based on an interest rate of 6%,the average Direct Loan interest rate for undergraduate and graduate borrowers. The figures also assume a family size of 1, that you live in the continental U.S., and that your income increases 5% each year. So a 1% raise is laughable considering the contract expired YEARS ago.

Anonymous wrote:A livable wage? Really? You live off of that money comfortably? With student loans and other bills? In a major Metro city? I find that hard to believe.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:However, you didn't take in account what the pay scale was before that. I know that each and every penny earned is well deserved and no one else seems to have an issue with it. Have you donated towards the cost of setting up and maintaining a classroom? That money is often reinvested back into the classroom - after taxes. So yeah, the formula is a bit more complicated that it seems. But thanks for the concern about the contract negations. Perhaps reaching out to WTU for the real issues will help.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you accept a 1% pay increase? Have you noticed that the COL in the Washington DC Metro area has increased substantially in 5 years or are you a transplant? The old contract is severely flawed and was created by Michelle Rhee to "clean house." She did that and moved on. The last of the "bag eggs" are being forced into retirement or IMPACTed out which is why you are seeing such a high turnover of the leadership. There were people hired simply to be agents of change and then they were used up and sent packing. DCPS is not interested in the best interest of children, teachers, or families. The people at the top are interested in keep ing money their pockets. Why can't Kaya Henderson take a pay cut? What does she do other than make public appearances and come with new initiatives that don't work half of the time?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First of all if the teachers were "ineffective" they wouldn't be in the classroom. Bottom line. There are check and balances that ensure that your child has competent teacher at the helm. The same checks and balances that you complain take up so much of the teacher's time. Yes the elephant in the room is the lack of a workable contract and the confines of IMPACT. Part of the EOY paperwork teachers have to present is a snapshot of the successes they have had throughout the year. Presentation of data, student work, and more justifying why they should keep their job the next year. So an ineffective teacher would be gone. So you really think that your offspring would do as well without having their so-called ineffective teacher at the helm? I highly doubt it. You might do a lot at home but they are still learning at school. Teachers in DC are smart, creative, and resourceful. They face a lot of challenges but they overcome for the sake of all of the children, not just yours. Instead of turning against them why don't you support them?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So why not go to other school systems that have better outcomes and teachers????

Sitting around complaining about the very school system you put your children in --and the people you entrust them to--doesn't make you look terribly smart, educated, or even a good parent. As disinterested and disenfranchised and many DCPS families are, at least they believe in the school system they send their children to every day.

It's because we are smart and good parents that our children will do great in a substandard system. We're not worried for ourselves. We share a city with children that do not have the same support at home but experience the same uneven education at school. Also, I think this thread hits a nerve with some parents because it's not just the last two weeks of the school year. It's a reminder of all of the times throughout the school year that instructional time was lost and indicative of a larger problem.
If you think that concerned parents should self-deport so ineffective teachers can keep their jobs, I disagree. What will happen when all of the children scoring 5 and most of the children scoring 4 on the PARCC leave for the suburbs on your advice? How will that improve the situation in DCPS?

Smart and good parents don't put their children in a substandard school system, leave them there, brag about doing so and bitterly complain about the system.

Smart, good parents don't put their children in a substandard school system. Period.

Smart, good parents don't entrust their children to ineffective teachers day after day.

And does showing movies at the end of the year really make a teacher ineffective?

The bottom line is that you are and can remain bitter that DCPS isn't falling over backwards to please you and your 4 and 5-scoring children. No one cares if you head for the burbs with them. But if you were such a smart, good parent, you would.

I'm curious, beyond the lack of the pay increase, what are the other major issues keeping the negotiations from moving forward? The only one I have heard is the objection from my kids teachers is to a 1% pay raise and a 7 year old contract. I thought the new salary scales boosted all teachers up substantially so I'm wondering why 1% is such a problem if, say 5 years ago a base salary was increased 20%.

http://dcps.dc.gov/page/compensation-lift-and-impactplus

If I had received a raise within the last 5 years that amounted to 20% of my base salary I might be a bit introspective about it. Or at least realistic about the lack of pay increases people received across all types of work. But thank you for confirming the issue with the contract is the 1%. The DC Chancellor, Kaya or anyone else would be a FOOL to remain in that job for less than $300K.

I'm fully aware what the pay scale was before the increases, and I'm fully aware that a teacher with a BA starts at a salary of $51K for a 10 month contract, if annualized would be over $61K. That's a better starting salary, combined with exceptional benefits and step increases that many other college graduates. Teachers, at least in DC, are finally being compensated at levels they deserve but the union turns to outdated tactics to rally the troops that don't make sense anymore. It's no wonder DCPS won't negotiate.

Driving home what point? People graduate with debt all the time, is there an obvious reason teachers should be treated differently? Debt sucks and many college graduates do not start their careers earning a livable wage.

And just so there is clarity, the WTU wants the 1% retroactively so it would be in addition to the new salary schedule going back 4 years. The request is not for 1% starting when the contract is signed. And no, I don't work for DCPS but the real story is interesting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:+1 yes! I just responded the same thing!

Anonymous wrote:BS.

If your standards were so high, you wouldn't send your child to a DCPS. I didn't. For that reason: I'm highly educated and my standards are just too high.

All it takes to close the achievement gap is to cater to educated parents??? Forget the poverty and traumas many of the kids come from. They're of no consequence. Just cater to us. Ain't gonna happen cap'n.

Face it: DCPS has zero plan to cater to and beg the 'more educated' parents to come, stay and play. They're too busy with the anger, dysfunction and triage of the masses.

And is this really all because Larla's teacher showed Frozen last week?

As ridiculous as I find PP's attempt at condenscension to be (How awesome can you really be if you send your children to school system you admit is "substandard" with "ineffective" teachers?) I do agree with her that DCPS needs to become much more serious about educating kids instead of serving as local teen hangout spots/babysitting services and manipulating data to make those in leadership look good. HOWEVER, she (and those like her) need to realize that's not going to happen--anytime soon, anyway.

You see, DCPS prides itself on being an urban school system. Becoming that system that pleases and caters to 'highly educated' parents of high SES would make DCPS what???? A suburban school system! If you want suburban schools, head for the hills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So why not go to other school systems that have better outcomes and teachers????

Sitting around complaining about the very school system you put your children in --and the people you entrust them to--doesn't make you look terribly smart, educated, or even a good parent. As disinterested and disenfranchised and many DCPS families are, at least they believe in the school system they send their children to every day.

Some of us do chose better outcomes and teachers. Obviously. That's why charters and privates are thriving in DC, and public systems in MoCo and FFX and Loudon thrive in the suburbs.

So many people have higher expectations than DCPS central does, and their poor attitude rolls downhill into the schools. It's a system of lazy and overpaid employees who are in it for the paycheck, not because they believe in education to any great degree. The whole idea of "needing to wind down" is specious on its face. Utterly laughable. Other top systems don't "need to wind down" once the month of June arrives. Students in South Korea and Finland and Germany and Japan are all still learning. There's nothing about the child's brain that requires shutting down because the sun is higher in the sky. For that matter, there's nothing about the adult's brain which requires it either. Imagine if the hospitals decided to "wind down" for the summer. Or the fire department. Or the airlines. Or the credible legal firms. Or NASA. The list goes on and on.

For some reason though, in one of the lowest-performing school districts in the US - despite being the one with the highest expenditures - there's an expectation of needing to start slacking off as early as possible. Even if everyone had been working diligently up until now (and that's obviously not the case) it still wouldn't make sense. Someone here is just trying to justify the attitude of the loser.

It's a system of the disinterested, by the entitled, and for the disenfranchised, and it shall never perish from DC - at least as long as it is a machine-run town.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So why not go to other school systems that have better outcomes and teachers????

Sitting around complaining about the very school system you put your children in --and the people you entrust them to--doesn't make you look terribly smart, educated, or even a good parent. As disinterested and disenfranchised and many DCPS families are, at least they believe in the school system they send their children to every day.

Some of us do chose better outcomes and teachers. Obviously. That's why charters and privates are thriving in DC, and public systems in MoCo and FFX and Loudon thrive in the suburbs.

So many people have higher expectations than DCPS central does, and their poor attitude rolls downhill into the schools. It's a system of lazy and overpaid employees who are in it for the paycheck, not because they believe in education to any great degree. The whole idea of "needing to wind down" is specious on its face. Utterly laughable. Other top systems don't "need to wind down" once the month of June arrives. Students in South Korea and Finland and Germany and Japan are all still learning. There's nothing about the child's brain that requires shutting down because the sun is higher in the sky. For that matter, there's nothing about the adult's brain which requires it either. Imagine if the hospitals decided to "wind down" for the summer. Or the fire department. Or the airlines. Or the credible legal firms. Or NASA. The list goes on and on.

For some reason though, in one of the lowest-performing school districts in the US - despite being the one with the highest expenditures - there's an expectation of needing to start slacking off as early as possible. Even if everyone had been working diligently up until now (and that's obviously not the case) it still wouldn't make sense. Someone here is just trying to justify the attitude of the loser.

It's a system of the disinterested, by the entitled, and for the disenfranchised, and it shall never perish from DC - at least as long as it is a machine-run town.

1. I agree with all of the bolded. Choose better for your children and be happy. I did. That's why you'd never catch me complaining about DC schools and what they're doing. I was too engaged with my own DC's school system.

2. If hospitals, airports, etc closed for the summer, I'd understand the 'wind down' leading up to the big break. It's kinda like when businesses start kicking people out 15 minutes before closing-and breaking things down/cleaning up even earlier than that. I find it a bit annoying but I understand it.

3. How do you know what schools in South Korea, Germany, etc do? If you're so enthralled with their system of education...you know what to do...

4. Yup! Yup! Yup! to your last statement. So what are you crying for? Accept the reality and do better for your kids. Until DCPS comes around, I wouldn't give a care what they did. My concern would be my kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So why not go to other school systems that have better outcomes and teachers????

Sitting around complaining about the very school system you put your children in --and the people you entrust them to--doesn't make you look terribly smart, educated, or even a good parent. As disinterested and disenfranchised and many DCPS families are, at least they believe in the school system they send their children to every day.

Some of us do chose better outcomes and teachers. Obviously. That's why charters and privates are thriving in DC, and public systems in MoCo and FFX and Loudon thrive in the suburbs.

So many people have higher expectations than DCPS central does, and their poor attitude rolls downhill into the schools. It's a system of lazy and overpaid employees who are in it for the paycheck, not because they believe in education to any great degree. The whole idea of "needing to wind down" is specious on its face. Utterly laughable. Other top systems don't "need to wind down" once the month of June arrives. Students in South Korea and Finland and Germany and Japan are all still learning. There's nothing about the child's brain that requires shutting down because the sun is higher in the sky. For that matter, there's nothing about the adult's brain which requires it either. Imagine if the hospitals decided to "wind down" for the summer. Or the fire department. Or the airlines. Or the credible legal firms. Or NASA. The list goes on and on.

For some reason though, in one of the lowest-performing school districts in the US - despite being the one with the highest expenditures - there's an expectation of needing to start slacking off as early as possible. Even if everyone had been working diligently up until now (and that's obviously not the case) it still wouldn't make sense. Someone here is just trying to justify the attitude of the loser.

It's a system of the disinterested, by the entitled, and for the disenfranchised, and it shall never perish from DC - at least as long as it is a machine-run town.

PS: What's with the talk of children and adult brains, the sun being higher in the sky etc? It's been said that the reason for the winding down has nothing to do with intellect or brain function. It's practical. Teachers need to pack and clean their rooms.

Friday was a 1/2 day for kids. Wanna know when teachers had to turn in their keys, end of year forms, have classrooms cleaned out, exams graded, grades submitted, etc??? FRIDAY!!!! Yes, the VERY last day for students in the building was also to be the last day for teachers as well. When and how would teachers have the time to do all they needed to and turn their keys in by 3:30???

[Anonymous]

When I was a kid, summer was two weeks longer. I don't remember teachers packing up towards the end of the school year, and I would have to believe that maybe they let school out early & then paid the teachers to stay over and clean out their classrooms and submit their grades. Now, in their wisdom, DCPS has decided that the school year needs to be 14 days longer, but they don't extend the teachers' admin time. So the last two weeks of school becomes admin time. No the teachers can't take our kids out all day. They need to stay in and pack. Newsflash: extending the school year didn't improve test scores. It just makes the kids unteachable.

so, write off the last two weeks of school. It's not like it used to exist anyway. Hey, it's cheaper than summer camp

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I was a kid, summer was two weeks longer. I don't remember teachers packing up towards the end of the school year, and I would have to believe that maybe they let school out early & then paid the teachers to stay over and clean out their classrooms and submit their grades. Now, in their wisdom, DCPS has decided that the school year needs to be 14 days longer, but they don't extend the teachers' admin time. So the last two weeks of school becomes admin time. No the teachers can't take our kids out all day. They need to stay in and pack. Newsflash: extending the school year didn't improve test scores. It just makes the kids unteachable.

so, write off the last two weeks of school. It's not like it used to exist anyway. Hey, it's cheaper than summer camp

This thread makes me hate DC parents even more than I did before I read it. (And, no, not a dcps employee.)

[Anonymous]

You, my dear, are small minded and disillusioned. Move out of D.C. and live your life of grandeur that you have obviously imagined for yourself. As others have pointed out, someone who is in a position to do so would have planned ahead for the education of their children and not entrusted a "troubled, urban school district" to drop off their children daily from 8-6. Pay out of the pocket and get your money's worth or accept what get for your free tax dollars.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So why not go to other school systems that have better outcomes and teachers????

Sitting around complaining about the very school system you put your children in --and the people you entrust them to--doesn't make you look terribly smart, educated, or even a good parent. As disinterested and disenfranchised and many DCPS families are, at least they believe in the school system they send their children to every day.

Some of us do chose better outcomes and teachers. Obviously. That's why charters and privates are thriving in DC, and public systems in MoCo and FFX and Loudon thrive in the suburbs.

So many people have higher expectations than DCPS central does, and their poor attitude rolls downhill into the schools. It's a system of lazy and overpaid employees who are in it for the paycheck, not because they believe in education to any great degree. The whole idea of "needing to wind down" is specious on its face. Utterly laughable. Other top systems don't "need to wind down" once the month of June arrives. Students in South Korea and Finland and Germany and Japan are all still learning. There's nothing about the child's brain that requires shutting down because the sun is higher in the sky. For that matter, there's nothing about the adult's brain which requires it either. Imagine if the hospitals decided to "wind down" for the summer. Or the fire department. Or the airlines. Or the credible legal firms. Or NASA. The list goes on and on.

For some reason though, in one of the lowest-performing school districts in the US - despite being the one with the highest expenditures - there's an expectation of needing to start slacking off as early as possible. Even if everyone had been working diligently up until now (and that's obviously not the case) it still wouldn't make sense. Someone here is just trying to justify the attitude of the loser.

It's a system of the disinterested, by the entitled, and for the disenfranchised, and it shall never perish from DC - at least as long as it is a machine-run town.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I was a kid, summer was two weeks longer. I don't remember teachers packing up towards the end of the school year, and I would have to believe that maybe they let school out early & then paid the teachers to stay over and clean out their classrooms and submit their grades. Now, in their wisdom, DCPS has decided that the school year needs to be 14 days longer, but they don't extend the teachers' admin time. So the last two weeks of school becomes admin time. No the teachers can't take our kids out all day. They need to stay in and pack. Newsflash: extending the school year didn't improve test scores. It just makes the kids unteachable.

so, write off the last two weeks of school. It's not like it used to exist anyway. Hey, it's cheaper than summer camp

This thread makes me hate DC parents even more than I did before I read it. (And, no, not a dcps employee.)

Why? I'm just saying don't blame the teachers. Blame the system that took away their freetime to finish their reporting and pack their classrooms and forced them to babysit our kids instead. I am not on my high horse demanding that my teacher teach kids that don't wanna be in school any longer. I'd love to have the school year shortened by two weeks. Absent that, I'm gonna keep my expectations low and just be glad that my kids are doing whatever in a safe environment for two weeks.