How is MCPS going to address the learning loss from teacher absences?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son did not have teachers for half of his classes today at Churchill. For math, Delta math crashed, so he couldn’t complete the day’s assignment. The substitute couldn’t answer any questions.

In an elective class, my son saw the sub bully a disabled student for not wearing the school provided KN95 mask. The boy didn’t like how it felt on his face so he wanted to wear his own mask. The sub told the boy he would catch Covid and die if he didn’t wear the KN95. The boy got really upset.

Then there’s the classes in the auditorium. Just one mass of students there who aren’t receiving any instruction. Just babysitting them for the period.

My son describes his school as online school inside the school. What’s the point? It has all the same downsides as online learning with the extra risk of Covid.

Ohs nos! They missed one period. The good news is that they were able to get instruction in the other 6.

As for sub, it’s horrible but maybe teachers shouldn’t try and recruit non-professionals to do their jobs. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These parents who knowingly send their kids to school with COVID should be held liable. Nearly impossible to prove but we have two families who admitted to it.

Teacher here. I had 3 kids in my class. 1 seemed very lethargic and was hot to the touch, the other two had headaches and were coughing non-stop. I switched to my N-95 on after they arrived in my classroom and rang the nurse. She took them. The lethargic child came back to class at 10 am and went to sleep. His mask was not on well as he was sleeping on the desk. One came back at 11 am saying she just needed water. One went home at 1:25 pm. I sent the cougher that stayed in class back to the nurse as she was crying from her head hurting. When the one who was sleeping woke up, he started crying because he did not feel well and wanted his Mom. That one stayed all day, even after I called and emailed Mom what was going on. She responded curtly at 4:35 pm that I did not keep her son from getting sick and she did not know how she was going to manage work or coverage for him! The second crying child's Mom was called but she stayed all day and went home by bus because Mom did not come and get her. All 3 tested positive that night. This happens 2-3 times a week!!!

This is disgusting behavior on the parents end. I am so sorry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These parents who knowingly send their kids to school with COVID should be held liable. Nearly impossible to prove but we have two families who admitted to it.

Teacher here. I had 3 kids in my class. 1 seemed very lethargic and was hot to the touch, the other two had headaches and were coughing non-stop. I switched to my N-95 on after they arrived in my classroom and rang the nurse. She took them. The lethargic child came back to class at 10 am and went to sleep. His mask was not on well as he was sleeping on the desk. One came back at 11 am saying she just needed water. One went home at 1:25 pm. I sent the cougher that stayed in class back to the nurse as she was crying from her head hurting. When the one who was sleeping woke up, he started crying because he did not feel well and wanted his Mom. That one stayed all day, even after I called and emailed Mom what was going on. She responded curtly at 4:35 pm that I did not keep her son from getting sick and she did not know how she was going to manage work or coverage for him! The second crying child's Mom was called but she stayed all day and went home by bus because Mom did not come and get her. All 3 tested positive that night. This happens 2-3 times a week!!!

This is disgusting behavior on the parents end. I am so sorry.

Now you finally understand what the board of education and central office is doing. I'm sorry you had to find out this way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These parents who knowingly send their kids to school with COVID should be held liable. Nearly impossible to prove but we have two families who admitted to it.

Teacher here. I had 3 kids in my class. 1 seemed very lethargic and was hot to the touch, the other two had headaches and were coughing non-stop. I switched to my N-95 on after they arrived in my classroom and rang the nurse. She took them. The lethargic child came back to class at 10 am and went to sleep. His mask was not on well as he was sleeping on the desk. One came back at 11 am saying she just needed water. One went home at 1:25 pm. I sent the cougher that stayed in class back to the nurse as she was crying from her head hurting. When the one who was sleeping woke up, he started crying because he did not feel well and wanted his Mom. That one stayed all day, even after I called and emailed Mom what was going on. She responded curtly at 4:35 pm that I did not keep her son from getting sick and she did not know how she was going to manage work or coverage for him! The second crying child's Mom was called but she stayed all day and went home by bus because Mom did not come and get her. All 3 tested positive that night. This happens 2-3 times a week!!!

2nd grade teacher in Downcounty here. I could've written this myself. I caught covid after this kid with covid threw up over and through his mask all over the place as I came down sick the right amount of days after exposure. I had anxiety but so not care anymore. I pop pills like every other teacher I know and show up to do my job and go home. I am seriously looking for a new career. This cannot be sustained long-term. Every time I think it is over, it is another strain attacking and causing chaos.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son did not have teachers for half of his classes today at Churchill. For math, Delta math crashed, so he couldn’t complete the day’s assignment. The substitute couldn’t answer any questions.

In an elective class, my son saw the sub bully a disabled student for not wearing the school provided KN95 mask. The boy didn’t like how it felt on his face so he wanted to wear his own mask. The sub told the boy he would catch Covid and die if he didn’t wear the KN95. The boy got really upset.

Then there’s the classes in the auditorium. Just one mass of students there who aren’t receiving any instruction. Just babysitting them for the period.

My son describes his school as online school inside the school. What’s the point? It has all the same downsides as online learning with the extra risk of Covid.

Ohs nos! They missed one period. The good news is that they were able to get instruction in the other 6.

As for sub, it’s horrible but maybe teachers shouldn’t try and recruit non-professionals to do their jobs. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

You sound like a genuine moron. Congrats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Given that we will be living with covid for many more years to come, it would make sense to drastically change the calendar. Make winter break longer. Summer break shorter.

This is actually a great idea for many reasons (including flu and so on, but for other reasons as well).

I'd have to work out the impact on parents and childcare, but I guess it's just shifting a couple of weeks of that from the summer to winter.

I'd be very interested in a break that extends from ~Dec 18 to Jan 15 or so. 4 weeks or longer.

Teaching is already a difficult job with fewer and fewer qualified candidates. The summer is the only thing keeping me in the field. I can’t afford to take expensive winter vacations on my salary, and our schedules have no flexibility. This change would mean I lose the opportunity to go anywhere or spend time outdoors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These parents who knowingly send their kids to school with COVID should be held liable. Nearly impossible to prove but we have two families who admitted to it.

Teacher here. I had 3 kids in my class. 1 seemed very lethargic and was hot to the touch, the other two had headaches and were coughing non-stop. I switched to my N-95 on after they arrived in my classroom and rang the nurse. She took them. The lethargic child came back to class at 10 am and went to sleep. His mask was not on well as he was sleeping on the desk. One came back at 11 am saying she just needed water. One went home at 1:25 pm. I sent the cougher that stayed in class back to the nurse as she was crying from her head hurting. When the one who was sleeping woke up, he started crying because he did not feel well and wanted his Mom. That one stayed all day, even after I called and emailed Mom what was going on. She responded curtly at 4:35 pm that I did not keep her son from getting sick and she did not know how she was going to manage work or coverage for him! The second crying child's Mom was called but she stayed all day and went home by bus because Mom did not come and get her. All 3 tested positive that night. This happens 2-3 times a week!!!

2nd grade teacher in Downcounty here. I could've written this myself. I caught covid after this kid with covid threw up over and through his mask all over the place as I came down sick the right amount of days after exposure. I had anxiety but so not care anymore. I pop pills like every other teacher I know and show up to do my job and go home. I am seriously looking for a new career. This cannot be sustained long-term. Every time I think it is over, it is another strain attacking and causing chaos.

Three kids came in sick to my class last week and all tested positive. The parents knew they were sick and chose to send them in anyway. Four adults in my classroom are now positive so the few students who didn’t get sick have had a revolving cast of substitutes. This is the parents’ fault. Some of them don’t even work, but felt they were entitled to a break from their child even though they were coughing. During a pandemic. I’m absolutely done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son did not have teachers for half of his classes today at Churchill. For math, Delta math crashed, so he couldn’t complete the day’s assignment. The substitute couldn’t answer any questions.

In an elective class, my son saw the sub bully a disabled student for not wearing the school provided KN95 mask. The boy didn’t like how it felt on his face so he wanted to wear his own mask. The sub told the boy he would catch Covid and die if he didn’t wear the KN95. The boy got really upset.

Then there’s the classes in the auditorium. Just one mass of students there who aren’t receiving any instruction. Just babysitting them for the period.

My son describes his school as online school inside the school. What’s the point? It has all the same downsides as online learning with the extra risk of Covid.

Ohs nos! They missed one period. The good news is that they were able to get instruction in the other 6.

As for sub, it’s horrible but maybe teachers shouldn’t try and recruit non-professionals to do their jobs. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

You sound like a genuine moron. Congrats.

+1 Multiple classes in the auditorium and multiple classes with subs. Only 1 teacher present for every day since New Year and he has been coughing. Don’t know if school has tested him.

[Anonymous]

“As for sub, it’s horrible but maybe teachers shouldn’t try and recruit non-professionals to do their jobs. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.”

-You can’t reason with stupid.

[Anonymous]

A winter surge was predictable - especially with more people traveling and socializing with people outside their immediate households. The Board of Education should never have given school administrators extra vacation during winter break. They should have been tracking the reports of COVID from students and staff and coming up with a plan. MCPS should hire more staff and do what it takes to make the hire - add benefits and increase salaries. The school system is in crisis because of a lack of leadership and planning. Everyone on the Board of Education should be publicly reprimanding Dr. McKnight and looking at other candidates for the permanent Superintendent position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“As for sub, it’s horrible but maybe teachers shouldn’t try and recruit non-professionals to do their jobs. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.”

-You can’t reason with stupid.

?? Last I checked,checked, do not recruit subs. They put their absence in a system and a sub is selected, if there are any, to fill in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A winter surge was predictable - especially with more people traveling and socializing with people outside their immediate households. The Board of Education should never have given school administrators extra vacation during winter break. They should have been tracking the reports of COVID from students and staff and coming up with a plan. MCPS should hire more staff and do what it takes to make the hire - add benefits and increase salaries. The school system is in crisis because of a lack of leadership and planning. Everyone on the Board of Education should be publicly reprimanding Dr. McKnight and looking at other candidates for the permanent Superintendent position.

News flash - if they cared they would have done something by now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Given that we will be living with covid for many more years to come, it would make sense to drastically change the calendar. Make winter break longer. Summer break shorter.

This is actually a great idea for many reasons (including flu and so on, but for other reasons as well).

I'd have to work out the impact on parents and childcare, but I guess it's just shifting a couple of weeks of that from the summer to winter.

I'd be very interested in a break that extends from ~Dec 18 to Jan 15 or so. 4 weeks or longer.

Teaching is already a difficult job with fewer and fewer qualified candidates. The summer is the only thing keeping me in the field. I can’t afford to take expensive winter vacations on my salary, and our schedules have no flexibility. This change would mean I lose the opportunity to go anywhere or spend time outdoors.

I get what you are saying, but it would mean a 6-7 week summer rather than 8-9 week summer. This schedule also mirrors more closely what schools outside the US do, and also some colleges.
This would reduce risk of illness from covid, flu, URIs in general and have a positive impact on students and teachers alike. It would also perhaps coincide with potential snow days (days you may not have to make up now). I'd do literally Dec 24-Jan 20.