Seriously FFX? why can't school start on Monday?

[Anonymous]

"CAMP. For the whole week. They don't have a Monday only option."

From a budget point of view, my guess is you should have burned a vacation day rather than pay 2 weeks of camp.

At our elementary school, the before/after care would be open on this type of teacher work day.

[Anonymous]

DC started today (Monday)
Prince William starts 8/27 (Monday)

But not Fairfax. Let's start on a Tuesday to be a huge pain in the ass.

This is why I did not vote for the tax increase.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC started today (Monday)
Prince William starts 8/27 (Monday)

But not Fairfax. Let's start on a Tuesday to be a huge pain in the ass.

This is why I did not vote for the tax increase.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
why is there a teacher workday on Monday? School starts on Tuesday? Why can't they just be normal and even considerate to all the working parents and start school on a Monday??

Teachers want to be ready for your child.

Consider as well that teachers are often working parents just like you.

They are back this week. They can be ready for next Monday. In previous years they managed to be ready on the day after Labor Day without Labor Day being a teacher workday. We've gotten numerous emails from the PTA for donations to the new teacher lunch and the back to school breakfast for teachers. The school has combined back to school night and the open house into one completely useless format because the teachers like it better as they don't have to be available twice. Parents voiced that the combine format last year wasn't helpful, but were told by the principal that the teachers like it. Of course the combined format is what we have again this year. The teachers' wants seem to take priority over what makes sense overall. That's fine. Just don't expect additional "appreciation" throughout the year when parents' concerns are ignored.

You do understand that the teachers don't make these decisions, right? If you don't want to appreciate them, don't, but understand who makes these decisions...they are made way above the teachers' pay grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:why is there a teacher workday on Monday? School starts on Tuesday? Why can't they just be normal and even considerate to all the working parents and start school on a Monday??

Teachers want to be ready for your child.

Consider as well that teachers are often working parents just like you.

They are back this week. They can be ready for next Monday. In previous years they managed to be ready on the day after Labor Day without Labor Day being a teacher workday. We've gotten numerous emails from the PTA for donations to the new teacher lunch and the back to school breakfast for teachers. The school has combined back to school night and the open house into one completely useless format because the teachers like it better as they don't have to be available twice. Parents voiced that the combine format last year wasn't helpful, but were told by the principal that the teachers like it. Of course the combined format is what we have again this year. The teachers' wants seem to take priority over what makes sense overall. That's fine. Just don't expect additional "appreciation" throughout the year when parents' concerns are ignored.

Here's your explanation right here. They agreed to start a week earlier, but they wanted the old 4-day starting week. Followed by a second 4-day week.

[Anonymous]

Many teachers are working parents, too. So unless their kids are already in school, they’ll also need to figure out childcare. It’s not like their lives are easier than ours or like teaching is a cushy gig. It’s not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:why is there a teacher workday on Monday? School starts on Tuesday? Why can't they just be normal and even considerate to all the working parents and start school on a Monday??

Teachers want to be ready for your child.

Consider as well that teachers are often working parents just like you.

They are back this week. They can be ready for next Monday. In previous years they managed to be ready on the day after Labor Day without Labor Day being a teacher workday. We've gotten numerous emails from the PTA for donations to the new teacher lunch and the back to school breakfast for teachers. The school has combined back to school night and the open house into one completely useless format because the teachers like it better as they don't have to be available twice. Parents voiced that the combine format last year wasn't helpful, but were told by the principal that the teachers like it. Of course the combined format is what we have again this year. The teachers' wants seem to take priority over what makes sense overall. That's fine. Just don't expect additional "appreciation" throughout the year when parents' concerns are ignored.

Parents like you are the reason I left public school. Get your head out of your butt and imagine for just half a moment that teachers actually do this job because they care about kids and want to help them.

The principal saying "the teachers wanted it" is 1000% a cop-out, he has all of the power and authority to do it himself and had he wanted to he could have changed it. He is just passing the blame, his staff probably gets blamed for a lot that is all his and his leadership's decision making (and that of those above, like school board/superintendent).

And you just deciding that that is the reason - Goodness you infuriate me. Your post starts with a whining woe-is-me about working parents - wouldn't you be upset if your job had mandatory evenings that you had to get childcare for, that were NOT in your contract? And you were NOT PAID FOR? And if offered, wouldn't you say- yes please, combine those meetings into one unpaid evening that I have to get childcare for, rather than 2?

Yes- teachers are paid 40 hours a week. That does not ever include the mandatory back to school nights/ open houses / conferences / etc. I have worked in TN, MD (2 different districts) and private- and none paid us but BTS/OH nights were 'mandatory'.

Many professionals have mandatory work functions in the evenings that aren't paid hours. You admitted that the teachers would rather one day instead of one, so why does it infuriate you that I believe that's the reason? You seem to believe it's the reason, even if you want to suggest the principal was being disingenuous. And no, I don't get upset when I have mandatory evening events that I have to get childcare for. Those events aren't in my contract, but as a professional, I know there will invariably be things I have to do that aren't explicitly stated in my contract.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
why is there a teacher workday on Monday? School starts on Tuesday? Why can't they just be normal and even considerate to all the working parents and start school on a Monday??

Teachers want to be ready for your child.

Consider as well that teachers are often working parents just like you.

They are back this week. They can be ready for next Monday. In previous years they managed to be ready on the day after Labor Day without Labor Day being a teacher workday. We've gotten numerous emails from the PTA for donations to the new teacher lunch and the back to school breakfast for teachers. The school has combined back to school night and the open house into one completely useless format because the teachers like it better as they don't have to be available twice. Parents voiced that the combine format last year wasn't helpful, but were told by the principal that the teachers like it. Of course the combined format is what we have again this year. The teachers' wants seem to take priority over what makes sense overall. That's fine. Just don't expect additional "appreciation" throughout the year when parents' concerns are ignored.

You do understand that the teachers don't make these decisions, right? If you don't want to appreciate them, don't, but understand who makes these decisions...they are made way above the teachers' pay grade.

With teacher input.

[Anonymous]

Teachers asked for this and I'm fine with it. The calendar is the least of my concerns with FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:why is there a teacher workday on Monday? School starts on Tuesday? Why can't they just be normal and even considerate to all the working parents and start school on a Monday??

Teachers want to be ready for your child.

Consider as well that teachers are often working parents just like you.

They are back this week. They can be ready for next Monday. In previous years they managed to be ready on the day after Labor Day without Labor Day being a teacher workday. We've gotten numerous emails from the PTA for donations to the new teacher lunch and the back to school breakfast for teachers. The school has combined back to school night and the open house into one completely useless format because the teachers like it better as they don't have to be available twice. Parents voiced that the combine format last year wasn't helpful, but were told by the principal that the teachers like it. Of course the combined format is what we have again this year. The teachers' wants seem to take priority over what makes sense overall. That's fine. Just don't expect additional "appreciation" throughout the year when parents' concerns are ignored.

Parents like you are the reason I left public school. Get your head out of your butt and imagine for just half a moment that teachers actually do this job because they care about kids and want to help them.

The principal saying "the teachers wanted it" is 1000% a cop-out, he has all of the power and authority to do it himself and had he wanted to he could have changed it. He is just passing the blame, his staff probably gets blamed for a lot that is all his and his leadership's decision making (and that of those above, like school board/superintendent).

And you just deciding that that is the reason - Goodness you infuriate me. Your post starts with a whining woe-is-me about working parents - wouldn't you be upset if your job had mandatory evenings that you had to get childcare for, that were NOT in your contract? And you were NOT PAID FOR? And if offered, wouldn't you say- yes please, combine those meetings into one unpaid evening that I have to get childcare for, rather than 2?

Yes- teachers are paid 40 hours a week. That does not ever include the mandatory back to school nights/ open houses / conferences / etc. I have worked in TN, MD (2 different districts) and private- and none paid us but BTS/OH nights were 'mandatory'.

Many professionals have mandatory work functions in the evenings that aren't paid hours. You admitted that the teachers would rather one day instead of one, so why does it infuriate you that I believe that's the reason? You seem to believe it's the reason, even if you want to suggest the principal was being disingenuous. And no, I don't get upset when I have mandatory evening events that I have to get childcare for. Those events aren't in my contract, but as a professional, I know there will invariably be things I have to do that aren't explicitly stated in my contract.

Hey, newsflash, there is a LOT of stuff I do for work that I don't get paid for. Leaving for business travel on a Sunday, dinners, returning from business travel late in the evening, early morning conferences, weekend work, checking email late at night, doing performance reviews in the evening because I had no other time, etc.... Guess what- it happens to all of us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"CAMP. For the whole week. They don't have a Monday only option."

From a budget point of view, my guess is you should have burned a vacation day rather than pay 2 weeks of camp.

At our elementary school, the before/after care would be open on this type of teacher work day.

Huh? I work all year so camp is essential for every week in the summer.

And yes, I am burning yet another vacation day on Monday since FFX sucks.

[Anonymous]

I mean, you could be in Loudoun where school starts on a GD Thursday!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:why is there a teacher workday on Monday? School starts on Tuesday? Why can't they just be normal and even considerate to all the working parents and start school on a Monday??

Teachers want to be ready for your child.

Consider as well that teachers are often working parents just like you.

They are back this week. They can be ready for next Monday. In previous years they managed to be ready on the day after Labor Day without Labor Day being a teacher workday. We've gotten numerous emails from the PTA for donations to the new teacher lunch and the back to school breakfast for teachers. The school has combined back to school night and the open house into one completely useless format because the teachers like it better as they don't have to be available twice. Parents voiced that the combine format last year wasn't helpful, but were told by the principal that the teachers like it. Of course the combined format is what we have again this year. The teachers' wants seem to take priority over what makes sense overall. That's fine. Just don't expect additional "appreciation" throughout the year when parents' concerns are ignored.

Just shut up. Seriously. You are so obviously one of those people who is miserable no matter what. Stop trying to pull everyone else into your stew of unhappiness. The rest of us are focused on starting the new year positively.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:why is there a teacher workday on Monday? School starts on Tuesday? Why can't they just be normal and even considerate to all the working parents and start school on a Monday??

Teachers want to be ready for your child.

School ended in June. So they had 50 work days since then that they could have used to be "ready". But for some reason they had to use August 27 instead of (say) one of the days the previous week. Whatever...

And you had the entire year to plan for the start of school. Perhaps having kids wasn't a great choice for you? You seem very unorganized.

[Anonymous]

You are being absurd. Classes are still being sorted and assigned to teachers this week. Teachers need to set up their rooms, deal with the supplies arriving on Thursday during open house, etc. None of that could be done in June to coincide with your kids' camp.

This. Kids are still registering and the principal is likely still juggling the numbers for grade levels. Principal may still be lobbying to get one more hire to bring in. Or fighting to keep one in danger of being reassigned to another school.