1/2 day Wed for 2025-25 school year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought it was only due to Benchmark/VA Literacy Act alao, but if you look at the link below it's more vague and there's language than implies this was always in the works:

"At the end of the 2024-25 school year, we will evaluate the plan’s effectiveness. This includes researching whether staff had enough time to understand their training and whether student learning increased.

The Steering Committee will make their recommendation by June 1, 2025, if not earlier, to determine whether limited early release Mondays should continue."

https://www.fcps.edu/family-resources/safety-and-transportation/limited-early-release-mondays#reasons-for-early-release-mondays

It's amazing how this iteration of Gatehouse can't be direct on their plans. If this was always in the works say so and let parents mentally prep.

In my young days as a teacher, my school system provided training in the summer with a stipend and graduate credit. It may have been a grant from Title I as I was a Title I teacher.

Implementing a reading program should not require this much training and disruption.

Possible suggestions:

Cut Gatehouse and give teachers two extra days in August for training.
Provide Zoom training in summer for some type of recertification credit or a stipend of some type.

I am not familiar with Benchmark, but most programs come with instruction and manuals. If the teachers cannot understand it, that is a much bigger problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought it was only due to Benchmark/VA Literacy Act alao, but if you look at the link below it's more vague and there's language than implies this was always in the works:

"At the end of the 2024-25 school year, we will evaluate the plan’s effectiveness. This includes researching whether staff had enough time to understand their training and whether student learning increased.

The Steering Committee will make their recommendation by June 1, 2025, if not earlier, to determine whether limited early release Mondays should continue."

https://www.fcps.edu/family-resources/safety-and-transportation/limited-early-release-mondays#reasons-for-early-release-mondays

It's amazing how this iteration of Gatehouse can't be direct on their plans. If this was always in the works say so and let parents mentally prep.

In my young days as a teacher, my school system provided training in the summer with a stipend and graduate credit. It may have been a grant from Title I as I was a Title I teacher.

Implementing a reading program should not require this much training and disruption.

Possible suggestions:

Cut Gatehouse and give teachers two extra days in August for training.
Provide Zoom training in summer for some type of recertification credit or a stipend of some type.

I am not familiar with Benchmark, but most programs come with instruction and manuals. If the teachers cannot understand it, that is a much bigger problem.

This is no longer about Benchmark. It's about equity in planning time between elementary teachers and MS/HS teachers. The issue was introduced way back when Garza was superintendent. If they meant to bring back half days for ES teacher planning, though, they should have said so upfront instead of pretending it was just for the training mandated under the VA Literacy Act.

[Anonymous]

This is no longer about Benchmark. It's about equity in planning time between elementary teachers and MS/HS teachers. The issue was introduced way back when Garza was superintendent. If they meant to bring back half days for ES teacher planning, though, they should have said so upfront instead of pretending it was just for the training mandated under the VA Literacy Act.

The teachers' unions used to claim they were about helping the students. This is not helpful at all.

[Anonymous]

Is it going to be 7 random days or every Wednesday? Will they be the same days across the county or different by pyramid like they were this year? The current system is very confusing.

[Anonymous]

I guess my rising 5th grader will get to hang out for 3 hours in the gym/cafeteria next year if they still provide that option.

Whatever they decide, I’m sure they’ll send an email out after June 11th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought it was only due to Benchmark/VA Literacy Act alao, but if you look at the link below it's more vague and there's language than implies this was always in the works:

"At the end of the 2024-25 school year, we will evaluate the plan’s effectiveness. This includes researching whether staff had enough time to understand their training and whether student learning increased.

The Steering Committee will make their recommendation by June 1, 2025, if not earlier, to determine whether limited early release Mondays should continue."

https://www.fcps.edu/family-resources/safety-and-transportation/limited-early-release-mondays#reasons-for-early-release-mondays

It's amazing how this iteration of Gatehouse can't be direct on their plans. If this was always in the works say so and let parents mentally prep.

In my young days as a teacher, my school system provided training in the summer with a stipend and graduate credit. It may have been a grant from Title I as I was a Title I teacher.

Implementing a reading program should not require this much training and disruption.

Possible suggestions:

Cut Gatehouse and give teachers two extra days in August for training.
Provide Zoom training in summer for some type of recertification credit or a stipend of some type.

I am not familiar with Benchmark, but most programs come with instruction and manuals. If the teachers cannot understand it, that is a much bigger problem.

This is no longer about Benchmark. It's about equity in planning time between elementary teachers and MS/HS teachers. The issue was introduced way back when Garza was superintendent. If they meant to bring back half days for ES teacher planning, though, they should have said so upfront instead of pretending it was just for the training mandated under the VA Literacy Act.

Benchmark was always a cover. The fact that so many people fell for it is why they did it. A lot of people have zero critical thinking skills and believe whatever they’re told.

Anyone who goes back to the old threads about the half day Mondays this year will see a ton of people parroting FCPS’ reasonings.

If people start to look around at other neighboring counties they will find out that some other districts (also required to follow the new VA laws) didn’t need an extra 7 half days of extra training. That should get you suspicious as to why FCPS is doing it under the guise that the laws forced them to do it. How come the laws didn’t force Prince William Public Schools to take an extra 7 half days?

They don’t have to hide behind the law anymore, because they can’t. It’s too obvious that it’s a lie.

But they will now say “the schedule is given ahead of time so people need to deal with it.” It’s not like anyone can stop them from doing whatever they want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it going to be 7 random days or every Wednesday? Will they be the same days across the county or different by pyramid like they were this year? The current system is very confusing.

Do you seriously think it’s only 7 days? Do you not see where this is going? What it looks like to me is that they’re going to do it every week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it going to be 7 random days or every Wednesday? Will they be the same days across the county or different by pyramid like they were this year? The current system is very confusing.

Do you seriously think it’s only 7 days? Do you not see where this is going? What it looks like to me is that they’re going to do it every week.

THATS WHY I AM ASKING!! It’s not clear! We should be able to believe what senior elected and appointed officials tell us!!!!

[Anonymous]

We need to demand that FCPS be transparent about these exact plans and reasons with parents!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it going to be 7 random days or every Wednesday? Will they be the same days across the county or different by pyramid like they were this year? The current system is very confusing.

Do you seriously think it’s only 7 days? Do you not see where this is going? What it looks like to me is that they’re going to do it every week.

THATS WHY I AM ASKING!! It’s not clear! We should be able to believe what senior elected and appointed officials tell us!!!!

I mean given that we can't, we do have a solution. A few, actually, but recalls are unlikely to work right now. Pressuring the SB to fire Reid and voting for a new SB in 2027 are on the table though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We need to demand that FCPS be transparent about these exact plans and reasons with parents!!

Since when have they ever listened to demands for transparency?

At least Garza was upfront about most things. Since Brabrand not so much.

[Anonymous]

With the massive increase in RTO this is nuts especially on a Wednesday. That is a day many folks are required to be in the office. I hope SACC had some sort of heads up on this so that they can hopefully staff for this.

[Anonymous]

If this was always in the works say so

Information is power
They do not share information/power, not without being forced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

If this was always in the works say so

Information is power
They do not share information/power, not without being forced.

Yeah, it's not that we fell for it, it's that they are never forthcoming. I recently emailed her office about why they weren't going to do something they'd previously stated, which I quoted from another email. The response said they checked and they would be doing it. Not but a few weeks went by and the opposite was announced. It's not even what they did or didn't do, because I can live with not getting my preference. It's the communication and expectation setting. Don't say one thing and do another, then act like you didn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought it was only due to Benchmark/VA Literacy Act alao, but if you look at the link below it's more vague and there's language than implies this was always in the works:

"At the end of the 2024-25 school year, we will evaluate the plan’s effectiveness. This includes researching whether staff had enough time to understand their training and whether student learning increased.

The Steering Committee will make their recommendation by June 1, 2025, if not earlier, to determine whether limited early release Mondays should continue."

https://www.fcps.edu/family-resources/safety-and-transportation/limited-early-release-mondays#reasons-for-early-release-mondays

It's amazing how this iteration of Gatehouse can't be direct on their plans. If this was always in the works say so and let parents mentally prep.

In my young days as a teacher, my school system provided training in the summer with a stipend and graduate credit. It may have been a grant from Title I as I was a Title I teacher.

Implementing a reading program should not require this much training and disruption.

Possible suggestions:

Cut Gatehouse and give teachers two extra days in August for training.
Provide Zoom training in summer for some type of recertification credit or a stipend of some type.

I am not familiar with Benchmark, but most programs come with instruction and manuals. If the teachers cannot understand it, that is a much bigger problem.

This is no longer about Benchmark. It's about equity in planning time between elementary teachers and MS/HS teachers. The issue was introduced way back when Garza was superintendent. If they meant to bring back half days for ES teacher planning, though, they should have said so upfront instead of pretending it was just for the training mandated under the VA Literacy Act.

Benchmark was always a cover. The fact that so many people fell for it is why they did it. A lot of people have zero critical thinking skills and believe whatever they’re told.

Anyone who goes back to the old threads about the half day Mondays this year will see a ton of people parroting FCPS’ reasonings.

If people start to look around at other neighboring counties they will find out that some other districts (also required to follow the new VA laws) didn’t need an extra 7 half days of extra training. That should get you suspicious as to why FCPS is doing it under the guise that the laws forced them to do it. How come the laws didn’t force Prince William Public Schools to take an extra 7 half days?

They don’t have to hide behind the law anymore, because they can’t. It’s too obvious that it’s a lie.

But they will now say “the schedule is given ahead of time so people need to deal with it.” It’s not like anyone can stop them from doing whatever they want.

What are you talking about? No one asked parents if the Benchmark half day Mondays were okay. It was just foisted upon us after school let out last year. We weren't given a choice.