LCPS School closed for a week

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LCPS will be closed for a week in the first week of November because of a "sub shortage" What are your thoughts?

My only thought was the schedule for that week was completely ridiculous, so I'm not really surprised.

I did chuckle at the designation of Wednesday and Friday as "asynchronous" days, however. I suspect that means they intend to actually count them as school days or something for state purposes?

This is exactly it. They want "credit" towards the minimum number of required working hours without actually having to work. Haven't they taken enough school away from our kids at this point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is going on that week that they need so many subs?

November 1/2/4 are already holidays. Guessing staff requested off the 3/5 to make it a full week just like all the students probably did.

In every school system where I have taught, that’s not allowed. You can’t take off the day before a long weekend or other day of no school.

Exactly. This is commonsense stuff. Also, just because you ask for the day off doesn't mean you get it. Wouldn't it have made far more sense to tell the teachers they can't take leave that week rather than switching to virtual at the last minute? I have my own business now, but in my previous office we had to alternate who got those prime "day before a holiday" days off because somebody had staff the office. It didn't matter whether you technically had enough time off to request it.

[Anonymous]

There's an election. The teachers union needs to GOTV.

[Anonymous]

The sub thing is such a lame excuse. How about instead don’t make such a lame calendar in the first place? That week was even flagged by the board as problematic but the dummies approved it anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's an election. The teachers union needs to GOTV.

VA DOESNT HAVE UNIONS

[Anonymous]

The sub issue is legitmate--there are hundreds of open positions every day and we are scrambling to cover each other's classes while people are out for training or sick leave. Leave-taking near holidays drives me crazy because people are depending on us poor schmucks who show up every day to cover them while they get a nice vacay. Admin should've been firm about denying leave to staff on those days, but I suspect they were concerned about bus drivers and staff calling out last minute, which could be disastrous. It also gives us back one of the planning days we lost for the election day holiday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LCPS will be closed for a week in the first week of November because of a "sub shortage" What are your thoughts?

My only thought was the schedule for that week was completely ridiculous, so I'm not really surprised.

I did chuckle at the designation of Wednesday and Friday as "asynchronous" days, however. I suspect that means they intend to actually count them as school days or something for state purposes?

This is exactly it. They want "credit" towards the minimum number of required working hours without actually having to work. Haven't they taken enough school away from our kids at this point?

Perhaps you prefer they add on 2 days in June before starting summer then? Or maybe take 2 from winter break? They have to have seat hours. You’re free to sub if you’re having difficulty accepting the shortage. Or drive a bus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's an election. The teachers union needs to GOTV.

The “union” that doesn’t exist didn’t decide this. The superintendent did because he’s aware how dire the staffing is. They had admin office people in schools last Friday subbing, that’s how hard up we are. It’s not like he wants to do this. But the subs don’t want to sub inconvenient days and won’t pick up these jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just feel so defeated by all these days off. Dh and I don’t know how to cover two additional days off that week with such short notice. We asked this morning at my younger sons daycare but they were full and not doing a camp that week.

It’s like public schools think we’re all trust fund babies who don’t work. The 2:30 dismissal also drives me crazy too.

Your frustration is misplaced. This is a you and partly an employer problem. If I provide a service, I choose when I operate. I may lose customers that way, but my customers cannot force me to stay open. You will have to plan better and/or negotiate better with your employer. Life is full of trade offs. If you’re not getting the government child credits, you’ll (as In you and DH) need need to cut back on eating out, new cars, expensive house, yearly out of town vacations and/or long-hour career. I very much doubt you’re poor enough that I should be sending you a charity donation. You can figure it out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just feel so defeated by all these days off. Dh and I don’t know how to cover two additional days off that week with such short notice. We asked this morning at my younger sons daycare but they were full and not doing a camp that week.

It’s like public schools think we’re all trust fund babies who don’t work. The 2:30 dismissal also drives me crazy too.

Your frustration is misplaced. This is a you and partly an employer problem. If I provide a service, I choose when I operate. I may lose customers that way, but my customers cannot force me to stay open. You will have to plan better and/or negotiate better with your employer. Life is full of trade offs. If you’re not getting the government child credits, you’ll (as In you and DH) need need to cut back on eating out, new cars, expensive house, yearly out of town vacations and/or long-hour career. I very much doubt you’re poor enough that I should be sending you a charity donation. You can figure it out.

Im PP — meant to add though I am sympathetic to last minute closures, but you’ve been given a heads up. Others will be in your shoes and something will open up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My thoughts are that they need to raise the wage for subs.

+1. Subs have been underpaid in certain districts for close to a decade. The chickens are coming home to roost. Some school systems pay subs a premium to sub on the days before breaks because so many people take off. It wouldn't surprise me if the same thing happens in FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just feel so defeated by all these days off. Dh and I don’t know how to cover two additional days off that week with such short notice. We asked this morning at my younger sons daycare but they were full and not doing a camp that week.

It’s like public schools think we’re all trust fund babies who don’t work. The 2:30 dismissal also drives me crazy too.

Your frustration is misplaced. This is a you and partly an employer problem. If I provide a service, I choose when I operate. I may lose customers that way, but my customers cannot force me to stay open. You will have to plan better and/or negotiate better with your employer. Life is full of trade offs. If you’re not getting the government child credits, you’ll (as In you and DH) need need to cut back on eating out, new cars, expensive house, yearly out of town vacations and/or long-hour career. I very much doubt you’re poor enough that I should be sending you a charity donation. You can figure it out.

Im PP — meant to add though I am sympathetic to last minute closures, but you’ve been given a heads up. Others will be in your shoes and something will open up.

DP. LCPS should have seen this coming when they set up their ridiculous calendar for 10/29-11/8. You can't blame parents for being upset about this. Some employers are accommodating, but others have grown tired of it over the last 18 months.

[Anonymous]

I understand they might have booked trainers for that Friday 10/28 staff development day, but I would like to see them try to switch that to one of the asynchronous learning days instead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand they might have booked trainers for that Friday 10/28 staff development day, but I would like to see them try to switch that to one of the asynchronous learning days instead.

I was a teacher before constant training was offered/required. I don't understand the need for so much training. My opinion: it is to justify all the people who work in higher headquarters. They have to justify their existence.

Is it really worth the expense and disruption?

[Anonymous]

Vote Youngkin and/or move to a more sensible (aka rural) part of VA. The stupid covid closures opened Pandora’s box of problems.