Question for Teachers/APS vs. FCPS

[Anonymous]

I'm confused. How is it more transient, but still more stifling in terms of opportunities available?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm confused. How is it more transient, but still more stifling in terms of opportunities available?

I'm guessing more teacher turnover while they find something closer to their home and maybe less professional development

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When there are openings at TJHSST, do teachers already at other FCPS schools have an advantage in applying for those positions?

Yes. The county has an internal transfer fair in April for all known vacancies for fall. Current full time employees have first "dibs" before external applicants. (Not just a TJ thing, but for any school in FCPS)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
My spouse taught in FX for ten years and has been in APS for ten years.

Basically, prefers the smaller bureaucracy, but I don't think day to day experience is much different. Spouse likes APS less since it acquired a former FX admin as superintendent.

Nobody likes the former Fairfax Co Administrator. Teachers and many Principals loathe him.

APS is great for smaller class sizes and much smaller bureaucracy--agree with this poster!

APS does close a lot less frequently for weather-related events.

Apparently the APS School Board likes Murphy, since they extended his contract for four more years last summer, after he'd already been the APS Superintendent five years. I gather they think performance has improved under his watch, but that some teachers and principals don't like being held more accountable.

If you consider additional standardized testing--three times a year for Math and Reading in addition to the SOLs--an example of being held more accountable, okay. But most APS teachers feel it isn't good for the students to test them so often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
My spouse taught in FX for ten years and has been in APS for ten years.

Basically, prefers the smaller bureaucracy, but I don't think day to day experience is much different. Spouse likes APS less since it acquired a former FX admin as superintendent.

Nobody likes the former Fairfax Co Administrator. Teachers and many Principals loathe him.

APS is great for smaller class sizes and much smaller bureaucracy--agree with this poster!

APS does close a lot less frequently for weather-related events.

Apparently the APS School Board likes Murphy, since they extended his contract for four more years last summer, after he'd already been the APS Superintendent five years. I gather they think performance has improved under his watch, but that some teachers and principals don't like being held more accountable.


If you consider additional standardized testing--three times a year for Math and Reading in addition to the SOLs--an example of being held more accountable, okay.

But most APS teachers feel it isn't good for the students to test them so often.

I often wonder if APS parents realize just how much of this kind of testing is going on....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My spouse taught in FX for ten years and has been in APS for ten years.

Basically, prefers the smaller bureaucracy, but I don't think day to day experience is much different. Spouse likes APS less since it acquired a former FX admin as superintendent.

Nobody likes the former Fairfax Co Administrator. Teachers and many Principals loathe him.

APS is great for smaller class sizes and much smaller bureaucracy--agree with this poster!

APS does close a lot less frequently for weather-related events.

Apparently the APS School Board likes Murphy, since they extended his contract for four more years last summer, after he'd already been the APS Superintendent five years. I gather they think performance has improved under his watch, but that some teachers and principals don't like being held more accountable.

Plenty of parents dislike Murphy.

--APS parent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
My spouse taught in FX for ten years and has been in APS for ten years.

Basically, prefers the smaller bureaucracy, but I don't think day to day experience is much different. Spouse likes APS less since it acquired a former FX admin as superintendent.

Nobody likes the former Fairfax Co Administrator. Teachers and many Principals loathe him.

APS is great for smaller class sizes and much smaller bureaucracy--agree with this poster!

APS does close a lot less frequently for weather-related events.

Apparently the APS School Board likes Murphy, since they extended his contract for four more years last summer, after he'd already been the APS Superintendent five years. I gather they think performance has improved under his watch, but that some teachers and principals don't like being held more accountable.


If you consider additional standardized testing--three times a year for Math and Reading in addition to the SOLs--an example of being held more accountable, okay.

But most APS teachers feel it isn't good for the students to test them so often.

I often wonder if APS parents realize just how much of this kind of testing is going on....

I'm an APS parent until June. I say that because we're pulling our kids out because of all the testing that goes on. I'm very aware, but it's only because I asked. Smaller class sizes? If 26-27 is small then maybe. That's the other reason.

[Anonymous]

I loved teaching in APS. Love the community, love the district. I find it very positive for teachers and I had a lot of autonomy. My 8 years there were pre-NCLB though.

FCPS is way way more bureaucratic, way more regimented. Teachers are treated like robots who are expected to stick to a strict week by week pacing guide dictated by the county. It is a huge mammoth of a system, layers upon layers of mid-level administrators justifying their existence. And the focus on trading and data is out of control. My life is spreadsheets more than kids. Maybe that's NCLB. But I hate it.

[Anonymous]

I loved teaching in APS. Love the community, love the district. I find it very positive for teachers and I had a lot of autonomy. My 8 years there were pre-NCLB though.

FCPS is way way more bureaucratic, way more regimented. Teachers are treated like robots who are expected to stick to a strict week by week pacing guide dictated by the county. It is a huge mammoth of a system, layers upon layers of mid-level administrators justifying their existence. And the focus on trading and data is out of control. My life is spreadsheets more than kids. Maybe that's NCLB. But I hate it.

I think you would find it much changed. The autonomy is gone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I loved teaching in APS. Love the community, love the district. I find it very positive for teachers and I had a lot of autonomy. My 8 years there were pre-NCLB though.

FCPS is way way more bureaucratic, way more regimented. Teachers are treated like robots who are expected to stick to a strict week by week pacing guide dictated by the county. It is a huge mammoth of a system, layers upon layers of mid-level administrators justifying their existence. And the focus on trading and data is out of control. My life is spreadsheets more than kids. Maybe that's NCLB. But I hate it.

I am in FCPS and I have a lot of autonomy. I don't teach an SOL class though. I think things changed everywhere with SOLs and NCLB. We are very data driven now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I loved teaching in APS. Love the community, love the district. I find it very positive for teachers and I had a lot of autonomy. My 8 years there were pre-NCLB though.

FCPS is way way more bureaucratic, way more regimented. Teachers are treated like robots who are expected to stick to a strict week by week pacing guide dictated by the county. It is a huge mammoth of a system, layers upon layers of mid-level administrators justifying their existence. And the focus on trading and data is out of control. My life is spreadsheets more than kids. Maybe that's NCLB. But I hate it.

What is trading?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Apparently the APS School Board likes Murphy, since they extended his contract for four more years last summer, after he'd already been the APS Superintendent five years. I gather they think performance has improved under his watch, but that some teachers and principals don't like being held more accountable.

Plenty of parents dislike Murphy.

--APS parent

I'm an APS parent and I loathe Murphy and resent the school board for stealthily renewing his contract, then claiming that it was all open and aboveboard.

I don't see how someone with no classroom experience can claim to know the first thing about accountability. He knows test scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
My spouse taught in FX for ten years and has been in APS for ten years.

Basically, prefers the smaller bureaucracy, but I don't think day to day experience is much different. Spouse likes APS less since it acquired a former FX admin as superintendent.

Nobody likes the former Fairfax Co Administrator. Teachers and many Principals loathe him.

APS is great for smaller class sizes and much smaller bureaucracy--agree with this poster!

APS does close a lot less frequently for weather-related events.

Apparently the APS School Board likes Murphy, since they extended his contract for four more years last summer, after he'd already been the APS Superintendent five years. I gather they think performance has improved under his watch, but that some teachers and principals don't like being held more accountable.




If you consider additional standardized testing--three times a year for Math and Reading in addition to the SOLs--an example of being held more accountable, okay.

But most APS teachers feel it isn't good for the students to test them so often.

I often wonder if APS parents realize just how much of this kind of testing is going on....

I'm an APS parent until June. I say that because we're pulling our kids out because of all the testing that goes on. I'm very aware, but it's only because I asked. Smaller class sizes? If 26-27 is small then maybe. That's the other reason.

PP, are you willing to share what grades and where your kids are headed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
My spouse taught in FX for ten years and has been in APS for ten years.

Basically, prefers the smaller bureaucracy, but I don't think day to day experience is much different. Spouse likes APS less since it acquired a former FX admin as superintendent.

Nobody likes the former Fairfax Co Administrator. Teachers and many Principals loathe him.

APS is great for smaller class sizes and much smaller bureaucracy--agree with this poster!

APS does close a lot less frequently for weather-related events.

Apparently the APS School Board likes Murphy, since they extended his contract for four more years last summer, after he'd already been the APS Superintendent five years. I gather they think performance has improved under his watch, but that some teachers and principals don't like being held more accountable.




If you consider additional standardized testing--three times a year for Math and Reading in addition to the SOLs--an example of being held more accountable, okay.

But most APS teachers feel it isn't good for the students to test them so often.

I often wonder if APS parents realize just how much of this kind of testing is going on....

I'm an APS parent until June. I say that because we're pulling our kids out because of all the testing that goes on. I'm very aware, but it's only because I asked. Smaller class sizes? If 26-27 is small then maybe. That's the other reason.

PP, are you willing to share what grades and where your kids are headed?

Upper elementary. A progressive independent school.