MCPS Community Update

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually thought this was one of the more useful messages we have gotten. The bar is low, though.

They said very little and I anticipate broken promises particularly with ZOOM for virtual.

ES doesn't get zoom. MS and HS are already using it.

m
I asked my son who is a HS student and he said none are using it to allow quarantine kids to hear/stream class material.

We (MCPS staff, at least at my school), were just told earlier this week that this was something we could do. So you will probably see it increasing in the days ahead.

It seems really principal dependent.
A few schools started using it right away and many teachers are participating. At other schools it's not really supported very well so teachers are not using it.
Speaking of equity, the wealthy schools seem to be streaming more. How is that equitable?

[Anonymous]

What does all of this mean? When will we know?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually thought this was one of the more useful messages we have gotten. The bar is low, though.

They said very little and I anticipate broken promises particularly with ZOOM for virtual.

ES doesn't get zoom. MS and HS are already using it.

m
I asked my son who is a HS student and he said none are using it to allow quarantine kids to hear/stream class material.

We (MCPS staff, at least at my school), were just told earlier this week that this was something we could do. So you will probably see it increasing in the days ahead.

It seems really principal-dependent.
A few schools started using it right away and many teachers are participating. At other schools it's not really supported very well so teachers are not using it.
Speaking of equity, the wealthy schools seem to be streaming more. How is that equitable?

My first-grader who is currently on quarantine since this Monday is getting 2 live interactive zoom classes a day with 5 other first graders in his school taught by a first-grade teacher at the school. They are teaching the exact same curriculum as the in-person students. The first-grade teachers have been taking turns teaching the virtual reading and math class each day. This sucks that he won't get this next week because he was actively engaged with the teacher today since it is only 6 students in his zoom class today. Since he is not allowed to return until next Friday it sounds like he will have to do the prerecorded videos next week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP They have no plan for moving to virtual. I mean if 100 school ms had over a 5 percent threshold and not a single one went virtual, why do you think any would? The whole meet with DHHS is just a cover so it looks like they have a plan.

The only good thing I saw was families can opt out of school attendance through Jan 31st.

My understanding after reading the update is that if you are keeping your child out of school AND they are approved to participate in the virtual instruction being offered, they will be considered excused.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually thought this was one of the more useful messages we have gotten. The bar is low, though.

They said very little and I anticipate broken promises particularly with ZOOM for virtual.

ES doesn't get zoom. MS and HS are already using it.

m
I asked my son who is a HS student and he said none are using it to allow quarantine kids to hear/stream class material.

We (MCPS staff, at least at my school), were just told earlier this week that this was something we could do. So you will probably see it increasing in the days ahead.

It seems really principal-dependent.
A few schools started using it right away and many teachers are participating. At other schools it's not really supported very well so teachers are not using it.
Speaking of equity, the wealthy schools seem to be streaming more. How is that equitable?

My first-grader who is currently on quarantine since this Monday is getting 2 live interactive zoom classes a day with 5 other first graders in his school taught by a first-grade teacher at the school. They are teaching the exact same curriculum as the in-person students. The first-grade teachers have been taking turns teaching the virtual reading and math class each day. This sucks that he won't get this next week because he was actively engaged with the teacher today since it is only 6 students in his zoom class today. Since he is not allowed to return until next Friday it sounds like he will have to do the prerecorded videos next week.

This sounds like more than other students are getting (i.e. those participating in the regional model).

There’s only so much we can expect teachers to do. Sure MCPS saying the livestream/zoom would just be for students to watch, not to interact with the teacher, but do you guys think parents will be satisfied with that? They’ll just keep pushing for more like they always do. I respect the principals who are holding the line and trying to protect their teachers from burnout.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP They have no plan for moving to virtual. I mean if 100 school ms had over a 5 percent threshold and not a single one went virtual, why do you think any would? The whole meet with DHHS is just a cover so it looks like they have a plan.

The only good thing I saw was families can opt out of school attendance through Jan 31st.

My understanding after reading the update is that if you are keeping your child out of school AND they are approved to participate in the virtual instruction being offered, they will be considered excused.

+1 if you don’t want to send your child to in person school between now and January 31st, you must contact your local school and ask to be included in expanded virtual instruction.

People should report back if they are successful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP They have no plan for moving to virtual. I mean if 100 school ms had over a 5 percent threshold and not a single one went virtual, why do you think any would? The whole meet with DHHS is just a cover so it looks like they have a plan.

The only good thing I saw was families can opt out of school attendance through Jan 31st.

My understanding after reading the update is that if you are keeping your child out of school AND they are approved to participate in the virtual instruction being offered, they will be considered excused.

+1 if you don’t want to send your child to in person school between now and January 31st, you must contact your local school and ask to be included in expanded virtual instruction.

People should report back if they are successful.

I have sent my child in MS principal an email last night when we received the Community Update asking to be included in the expanded virtual instruction AND requesting that his absences since Jan 5 to be considered excused. Waiting to hear back. Will report back when/if I hear back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP They have no plan for moving to virtual. I mean if 100 school ms had over a 5 percent threshold and not a single one went virtual, why do you think any would? The whole meet with DHHS is just a cover so it looks like they have a plan.

The only good thing I saw was families can opt out of school attendance through Jan 31st.

My understanding after reading the update is that if you are keeping your child out of school AND they are approved to participate in the virtual instruction being offered, they will be considered excused.

If you are keeping your kid out of school, they are considered excused under the state of emergency per MCPS Regulation JEA-RA as long as you write a note. They language of the regulation is mandatory not discretionary, i.e. the principal must excuse the absence. Since it is an excused absence, the teachers must allow students to get classwork and makeup any work or tests.

Being allowed to participate in virtual quarantine instruction is a separate issue. The principals have discretion whether to allow access to that for students who are not COVID positive or quarantining. Of course, I think principals should allow it, but whether they do or don’t has no bearing on whether the student absence is excused.

[Anonymous]

Basically, if all schools have equally bad metrics, they won’t do anything