changes to APS advisory committees

[Anonymous]

I'm curious what people's thoughts are on the proposed changes to the advisory committee structures-
https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/arlington/Board.nsf/files/DQLNGJ5FDF71/$file/B-3.6.30%20Combined.pdf

I served on the ACTL/ACI for several years. I was always conflicted on whether it was a really valuable thing or just a massive waste of time and resource suck for APS staff. There were all these subject matter subcommittees. Theoretically they were appointed by the school board, but in reality anyone who wanted to be on one could. They each had a staff member assigned, and frequently I felt like the recommendations coming out of the subcommittees were a few individuals pet projects that were sucking up resources. Some of them were just insane. (e.g. calling for an 'equity audit' across the entire curriculum.) They commonly involved adding more central office staff, and they also consumed a significant amount of central office staff time.
On the other hand, the english language advisory committee did heroic work pushing year after year for the science of reading and against lucy calkins. I'm curious about others thoughts..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious what people's thoughts are on the proposed changes to the advisory committee structures-
https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/arlington/Board.nsf/files/DQLNGJ5FDF71/$file/B-3.6.30%20Combined.pdf

I served on the ACTL/ACI for several years. I was always conflicted on whether it was a really valuable thing or just a massive waste of time and resource suck for APS staff. There were all these subject matter subcommittees. Theoretically they were appointed by the school board, but in reality anyone who wanted to be on one could. They each had a staff member assigned, and frequently I felt like the recommendations coming out of the subcommittees were a few individuals pet projects that were sucking up resources. Some of them were just insane. (e.g. calling for an 'equity audit' across the entire curriculum.) They commonly involved adding more central office staff, and they also consumed a significant amount of central office staff time.
On the other hand, the english language advisory committee did heroic work pushing year after year for the science of reading and against lucy calkins. I'm curious about others thoughts..

I think they should be done on an ad-hoc basis. Not having it would lead to total stasis or chasing fads by APS, but having it be permanent does consume a lot for little real benefit.

Better to identify an issue (science of reading, evidence-based math curriculum), agitate for a committee to form and study it, adopt the result, and dissolve the committee.

[Anonymous]

OMG as a "member of the community" I now understand better why APS sucks up so much of the County budget. All that verbiage for an advisory committee. How much is just the process of developing and changing the paperwork going to cost?

[Anonymous]

Get rid of them.

They've been infested with APEs who don't even have kids in APS and are trying to push their anti-public school agenda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of them.

They've been infested with APEs who don't even have kids in APS and are trying to push their anti-public school agenda.

LOL, the APE Derangement Syndrome strikes again. Were you in the last thread spouting anti-APE stuff?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of them.

They've been infested with APEs who don't even have kids in APS and are trying to push their anti-public school agenda.

While I seriously doubt this- you do illustrate the problem with the current system. Its super easy with anyone for an ax to grind to seize control of one of these committees, and suck up staff resources.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of them.

They've been infested with APEs who don't even have kids in APS and are trying to push their anti-public school agenda.

While I seriously doubt this- you do illustrate the problem with the current system. Its super easy with anyone for an ax to grind to seize control of one of these committees, and suck up staff resources.

At least one of the APE guys on the math committee doesn’t have kids in APS and writes MAGA propaganda about schools on a RW blog.

[Anonymous]

APEs are also on APS parent email lists, pushing propaganda there.

It’s really disgusting how much time and effort they put into trashing our public schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of them.

They've been infested with APEs who don't even have kids in APS and are trying to push their anti-public school agenda.

While I seriously doubt this- you do illustrate the problem with the current system. Its super easy with anyone for an ax to grind to seize control of one of these committees, and suck up staff resources.

At least one of the APE guys on the math committee doesn’t have kids in APS and writes MAGA propaganda about schools on a RW blog.

Can he can get us an advanced math course offering in 5th grade?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of them.

They've been infested with APEs who don't even have kids in APS and are trying to push their anti-public school agenda.

While I seriously doubt this- you do illustrate the problem with the current system. Its super easy with anyone for an ax to grind to seize control of one of these committees, and suck up staff resources.

At least one of the APE guys on the math committee doesn’t have kids in APS and writes MAGA propaganda about schools on a RW blog.

Can he can get us an advanced math course offering in 5th grade?

No. Move to FCPS if you want AAP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of them.

They've been infested with APEs who don't even have kids in APS and are trying to push their anti-public school agenda.

LOL, the APE Derangement Syndrome strikes again. Were you in the last thread spouting anti-APE stuff?

weirder how as soon as anyone mentions APE YOU show up immediately to bash them. makes me wonder what APE is hiding? oh yeah, it's funders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of them.

They've been infested with APEs who don't even have kids in APS and are trying to push their anti-public school agenda.

While I seriously doubt this- you do illustrate the problem with the current system. Its super easy with anyone for an ax to grind to seize control of one of these committees, and suck up staff resources.

At least one of the APE guys on the math committee doesn’t have kids in APS and writes MAGA propaganda about schools on a RW blog.

Can he can get us an advanced math course offering in 5th grade?

He can get you an Open Up Now sign and an in to the MAGAs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of them.

They've been infested with APEs who don't even have kids in APS and are trying to push their anti-public school agenda.

I have seen this too. It's awful. But still I'm torn because I have seen some committees do good things too. As with everything else it depends on the parents who are on them. Bad when it's a lobbying group pushing its own agenda instead of acting for the good of the schools. But sometimes really good and needed, like with ELA for literacy.

[Anonymous]

Even at a school with very active parents, it was hard to get volunteers for the advisory committees. And they usually attracted parents who I wouldn't want speaking for me as another parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of them.

They've been infested with APEs who don't even have kids in APS and are trying to push their anti-public school agenda.

While I seriously doubt this- you do illustrate the problem with the current system. Its super easy with anyone for an ax to grind to seize control of one of these committees, and suck up staff resources.

At least one of the APE guys on the math committee doesn’t have kids in APS and writes MAGA propaganda about schools on a RW blog.

Why is he on an APS committee when his kids are not in APS?