Beyond the Bell pilot program

[Anonymous]

I feel for folks on the waitlist but this has just been thrown together and to find out that we are a pilot school right before the year starts and then none of the meetings occurred before the new year started is stupid. I have no idea how they will fit all those kids in. A mom I know called the principal about it and he didn't know about it, I know it's not an FCPS program but it's his building and usually FCPS principals rightly or wrongly have a lot of autonomy Pre-Covid we had 5 SACC team members and now we have 4 for two rooms. They used to regularly use the gym and that hasn't happened since Covid. They used to do special things on teacher workdays and now they don't my kids used to beg to go on teacher workdays even if I was going to take the day off and now, they don't want to go at all on those days. Snacks are crappier and they no longer get water which is a bummer as they don't access the water fountain to refill bottles except the gross old sink one that is also were kids wash hands after using the bathroom.

We have a small employer subsidy but it has to be used at licensed childcare so I guess we will no longer qualify.

They also now make us come in and sign a sheet in the morning. staff used to check them in. We could drop older kids at eh door and wait in the car, just weren't supposed to pull away into they were in the door. This is creating traffic problems as there are no parking spots after 7:45ish. Also, in the afternoon there are very few parking spots near the playground so that will slow things down or they will come in earlier and have less Outside time.

This will also be really bad for kids that need to chill or are neurodiverse, so glad my child that this would have driven crazy is gone to middle school and the one I still have at SACC is an extrovert. Also 5th and 6th graders who had special areas are going to lose them.

I think things were ran better under the Division of Children and Families versus NCS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another thought: I wonder too if this is a way to get ahead of the chaos that will be created by ES boundary changes. If you’ve been in SACC at school A there might not be space at your new school B…. Unless they expand capacity. I just wish they would leave everything alone. They are going to make everything worse in the process of so many changes at once.

It's probably a way to make up for having to cover for all those extra early release Wednesdays Reid created.

[Anonymous]

Which schools are the pilot schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The way they try to sell it makes it sound horrible. We’re loosening regulations so we can have more kids than adults are typically able to supervise. And when we have a hard time retaining staff due to the increased burden we’ve imposed on them, it’ll be easier to hire unqualified and less vetted replacements.

For the same price to families!

[Anonymous]

1:22 is a CRAZY ratio for a program that takes Kindergarteners and allegedly all students with disabilities. Like completely crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel for folks on the waitlist but this has just been thrown together and to find out that we are a pilot school right before the year starts and then none of the meetings occurred before the new year started is stupid. I have no idea how they will fit all those kids in. A mom I know called the principal about it and he didn't know about it, I know it's not an FCPS program but it's his building and usually FCPS principals rightly or wrongly have a lot of autonomy Pre-Covid we had 5 SACC team members and now we have 4 for two rooms. They used to regularly use the gym and that hasn't happened since Covid. They used to do special things on teacher workdays and now they don't my kids used to beg to go on teacher workdays even if I was going to take the day off and now, they don't want to go at all on those days. Snacks are crappier and they no longer get water which is a bummer as they don't access the water fountain to refill bottles except the gross old sink one that is also were kids wash hands after using the bathroom.

We have a small employer subsidy but it has to be used at licensed childcare so I guess we will no longer qualify.

They also now make us come in and sign a sheet in the morning. staff used to check them in. We could drop older kids at eh door and wait in the car, just weren't supposed to pull away into they were in the door. This is creating traffic problems as there are no parking spots after 7:45ish. Also, in the afternoon there are very few parking spots near the playground so that will slow things down or they will come in earlier and have less Outside time.

This will also be really bad for kids that need to chill or are neurodiverse, so glad my child that this would have driven crazy is gone to middle school and the one I still have at SACC is an extrovert. Also 5th and 6th graders who had special areas are going to lose them.

I think things were ran better under the Division of Children and Families versus NCS.

The bolded (dropping your kids off and signing them in, and signing them out) is standard procedures. You are either lying or your SACC was doing things wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel for folks on the waitlist but this has just been thrown together and to find out that we are a pilot school right before the year starts and then none of the meetings occurred before the new year started is stupid. I have no idea how they will fit all those kids in. A mom I know called the principal about it and he didn't know about it, I know it's not an FCPS program but it's his building and usually FCPS principals rightly or wrongly have a lot of autonomy Pre-Covid we had 5 SACC team members and now we have 4 for two rooms. They used to regularly use the gym and that hasn't happened since Covid. They used to do special things on teacher workdays and now they don't my kids used to beg to go on teacher workdays even if I was going to take the day off and now, they don't want to go at all on those days. Snacks are crappier and they no longer get water which is a bummer as they don't access the water fountain to refill bottles except the gross old sink one that is also were kids wash hands after using the bathroom.

We have a small employer subsidy but it has to be used at licensed childcare so I guess we will no longer qualify.

They also now make us come in and sign a sheet in the morning. staff used to check them in. We could drop older kids at eh door and wait in the car, just weren't supposed to pull away into they were in the door. This is creating traffic problems as there are no parking spots after 7:45ish. Also, in the afternoon there are very few parking spots near the playground so that will slow things down or they will come in earlier and have less Outside time.

This will also be really bad for kids that need to chill or are neurodiverse, so glad my child that this would have driven crazy is gone to middle school and the one I still have at SACC is an extrovert. Also 5th and 6th graders who had special areas are going to lose them.

I think things were ran better under the Division of Children and Families versus NCS.

The bolded (dropping your kids off and signing them in, and signing them out) is standard procedures. You are either lying or your SACC was doing things wrong.

Maybe for younger kids, but I dropped my kid in the mornings all of 5th grade and didn't have to go in. I waited until they were in the school (the SACC room was right inside the door, so I could see them go in).

[Anonymous]

They also now make us come in and sign a sheet in the morning. staff used to check them in. We could drop older kids at eh door and wait in the car, just weren't supposed to pull away into they were in the door. This is creating traffic problems as there are no parking spots after 7:45ish. Also, in the afternoon there are very few parking spots near the playground so that will slow things down or they will come in earlier and have less Outside time.


The bolded (dropping your kids off and signing them in, and signing them out) is standard procedures. You are either lying or your SACC was doing things wrong.


I'm not lying. Things were done this way for years at our SACC. It was never a problem before. It seems to have to do with the Beyond the Bell coming at least that's what I was told. Just because we had something that worked well at our school and perhaps your school didn't it's unnecessary to call me a liar.

[Anonymous]

FYI _ Pilot Program list

https://publicinput.com/Customer/File/Full/bdf31206-e5b0-4fd2-be14-1f1c1cc5236a

What sites are participating in the Beyond the Bell pilot program?
The following elementary sites are participating in the Beyond the Bell pilot program:
 Annandale Terrace
 Bailey's
 Braddock
 Brookfield
 Flint Hill
 Hybla Valley
 Lake Anne
 Lorton Station
 Mosaic
 Mount Eagle
 Mount Vernon Woods
 Oak View
 Orange Hunt
 Pine Spring
 Providence
 Spring Hill
 Timber Lane
 Vienna
 Westlawn
 Wolftrap

[Anonymous]

Bumping to see if anyone has anymore information on this. I’ve heard they want to expand the program county wide next school year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bumping to see if anyone has anymore information on this. I’ve heard they want to expand the program county wide next school year.

I havent heard more, but it sounds like they are going to ruin SACC all so they can have a calendar and start time that is terrible for working parents. If my kids were younger I think I would be looking to move out of Fairfax County. Between the boundary review, crappy calendar, start time changes, SACC changes… none of it is good. I wish I could move now but my older one would probably be upset to leave friends. Get out while you can if yours are little! FCPS is being ruined by idiots in charge at the district and in the county.

[Anonymous]

All of these changes are long overdue. Getting into SACC is practically impossible, and the unnecessarily low ratios and inability to hire experienced staff at rock bottom wages are major contributing factors.

I’m not really sure what people are expecting from this program, but it is fundamentally group childcare for working parents. One teacher can safely supervise and teach more than 22 students with wildly disparate learning needs. I have a hard time understanding why a single competent adult can’t keep an eye on 22 elementary school students playing or coloring with the assistance of 4-5 other adults. It’s not like we are talking about 2 year olds that can’t wipe their own butts.

And the people talking about “quality” - what exactly are you expecting? Enrichment? Homework help? Special services? You need to pay for that, sorry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All of these changes are long overdue. Getting into SACC is practically impossible, and the unnecessarily low ratios and inability to hire experienced staff at rock bottom wages are major contributing factors.

I’m not really sure what people are expecting from this program, but it is fundamentally group childcare for working parents. One teacher can safely supervise and teach more than 22 students with wildly disparate learning needs. I have a hard time understanding why a single competent adult can’t keep an eye on 22 elementary school students playing or coloring with the assistance of 4-5 other adults. It’s not like we are talking about 2 year olds that can’t wipe their own butts.

And the people talking about “quality” - what exactly are you expecting? Enrichment? Homework help? Special services? You need to pay for that, sorry.

I don’t have a huge problem with essentially expanding SACC - as you said, getting a spot is damn near impossible at many schools. I do have a problem if the intent here is to expand the before and after program in order to greatly change ES start times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of these changes are long overdue. Getting into SACC is practically impossible, and the unnecessarily low ratios and inability to hire experienced staff at rock bottom wages are major contributing factors.

I’m not really sure what people are expecting from this program, but it is fundamentally group childcare for working parents. One teacher can safely supervise and teach more than 22 students with wildly disparate learning needs. I have a hard time understanding why a single competent adult can’t keep an eye on 22 elementary school students playing or coloring with the assistance of 4-5 other adults. It’s not like we are talking about 2 year olds that can’t wipe their own butts.

And the people talking about “quality” - what exactly are you expecting? Enrichment? Homework help? Special services? You need to pay for that, sorry.

I don’t have a huge problem with essentially expanding SACC - as you said, getting a spot is damn near impossible at many schools. I do have a problem if the intent here is to expand the before and after program in order to greatly change ES start times.

ES start times need to be moved up. This isn’t 1980 anymore - very few people around here have kids over the course of 12-15 years. Whatever rationale supported older kids watching younger kids in the past just doesn’t make sense when most people in this area aren’t starting their families until their mid-30s and are by necessity having their kids closer together.

[Anonymous]

Changing ratios, more students less staff, less qualified staff, no standards anymore but the costs remain the same