School closed 1/19/24

[Anonymous]

When did the week of Jun 28 become the holiest week on the year when everyone absolutely must go on vacation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When did the week of Jun 28 become the holiest week on the year when everyone absolutely must go on vacation?

*Jun 18

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was pretty much expecting a closure tomorrow, but do get a chuckle over the admin offices giving themselves a day off for a 1-2 inch snow forecast. Watch it go bust overnight and get even less.

It's fun to be an arrogant ignorant moron when you're anonymous!

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:closed, not virtual?

No virtual. Teachers didn’t want virtual. Code red

Seriously? Why would you say that? We tried to make it work and many of us were fine with it.

This isn't on the teachers. They just didn't have a way to do virtual for elementary grades, do they would have needed a make up day anyway.

I hope people realize that! It’s so hard hearing this kind of talk. Many schools are on the cart model now so I understand how hard it could be at elementary but I swear no one at Central ever can make a decision and STICK with it.
I love my admin; he really did a great job trying to make it work and communicated so well. Now we have to sacrifice a day during crazy testing season. That’s what everyone needs to be up in arms for. SO much instructional time is wasted in S2 with mandated testing.

Maybe the problem is artificial "testing season" and not dealing with natural snow. Have some perspective.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:MCPS should correct today's decision not to go virtual by:

1) Making 1/29 an early release day for students. This counts as a full make-up day and provides 2.5 hours of grading/planning time for teachers.
2) Make an announcement that all inclement weather days going forward will be virtual in order to avoid the need to make up more snow days. Therefore, both students and teachers should be prepared by ensuring that necessary technology is taken home on a daily basis.

Remember, students who cannot log in or whose parents choose not to have them participate will have excused absences and work completed on virtual learning days will not be collected until a few days after returning to school to account for any difficulties.

Realistically, the vast majority of teachers are going to use the virtual learning option to review concepts already taught in class or to provide lessons that are both enriching and fun. Virtual learning is not meant to be the end all be all. It is simply meant to provide some continuity of learning while also avoiding the need to make up days missed due to snow. Teachers, parents, and students should simply embrace it for what it is and make it as simple as possible. If I were an elementary school teacher, I believe I would create a snow day packet of learning materials (review of key concepts) to be taken home early in the year. On virtual snow days, I would only reference that packet while meeting with them virtually. I'd go over the instructions for the day and then have them work on the paper packet. I would also give kids and parents advance warning in case they weren't able to log on. For example, kids would know that on Virtual Day 1, Lesson 1 in the packet should be completed and handed in no later than, say, one week after a return to school.

Who are you?! This is what leadership looks like.

I'm simply an MCPS teacher who believes that the Code Purple is a better option than the traditional snow day option being currently implemented.

Yes, it was obvious you're a teacher trying to get out of a day of work, rather than a parent with kids in elementary school. Your contract acknowledges there could be a need for make up days. And now we're going to use them.

What are you even going on about? You sound absolutely vile. It was a lovely compromise to keep the learning moving, especially for those who need it/want it.

Virtual doesn't keep "learning moving." And even that poster acknowledged they wouldn't attempt to teach anything new. It would be a worthless day. Sure, it might be worth it if it could be done *in addition to* an instructional day, but the nature of the contract with MCEA means we have to pick one or the other. An instructional day is better than an optional virtual review day.

If they do it during Spring Break, so many teachers will call out. Subs and/or other staff covering= not a "meaningful" day of instruction. End of year? For SURE won't be a "meaningful" day of instruction. The half day option for the 29th works. Teachers can get grades done, students will have school. Done. Yes, because you sound insufferable, you'll complain about that too, but I suspect you're the type to complain about anything and everything.

Exactly my previous point. I feel like people are making too much of this. It's winter - it snows. We won't find the "perfect fix" and really just need to choose a workable solution. Because the state requires us to make up days beyond the two built-in days (which are now used up), we must choose from the options available. Because MCPS rarely, if ever, chooses to make up missed days at a time when they are most valuable (other than in June when everyone has checked out), the virtual option seems like a decent one. No need for name calling when we're just trying to identify the best workable option.

There are some obvious implications, though. For one, if MCPS is really incapable of opening on days like Wednesday, we need to go back to having 4 built-in days. Probably more, but at least 4.

Per usual, we should do what PG does…they build in 4 and then if they aren’t used by the end of the year, they shorten the calendar by 4 days.

Zero question that MCPS DCUMers would complain about that.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:#January29

April 22 is the first make up day. January 29 is needed due to end of the term grading and S2 planning.

They've had three days to catch up on grading.

That only works if students have already submitted the work. There’s one more week left in the marking period. At minimum, two more assignments per student at my school x 160 students. How do I go back in time to grade what I haven’t yet received?

Move those assignments grades to next marking period. Problem solved.

Arithmetic and writing doesn't stop being arithmetic and writing after a magic date.

Distinguish external reality from artificial arbitrary creations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They all must resign

They all must reign.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was pretty much expecting a closure tomorrow, but do get a chuckle over the admin offices giving themselves a day off for a 1-2 inch snow forecast. Watch it go bust overnight and get even less.

It's fun to be an arrogant ignorant moron when you're anonymous!

Not to mention that friggin’ Circuit Court is closed in MoCo. Are the judges, clerks, and bailiffs lazy, too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:closed, not virtual?

No virtual. Teachers didn’t want virtual. Code red

Seriously? Why would you say that? We tried to make it work and many of us were fine with it.

This isn't on the teachers. They just didn't have a way to do virtual for elementary grades, do they would have needed a make up day anyway.

I hope people realize that! It’s so hard hearing this kind of talk. Many schools are on the cart model now so I understand how hard it could be at elementary but I swear no one at Central ever can make a decision and STICK with it.
I love my admin; he really did a great job trying to make it work and communicated so well. Now we have to sacrifice a day during crazy testing season. That’s what everyone needs to be up in arms for. SO much instructional time is wasted in S2 with mandated testing.

Maybe the problem is artificial "testing season" and not dealing with natural snow. Have some perspective.

Really. As if my magical powers as a teacher can change that. You all have big mouths. Use them.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:#January29

April 22 is the first make up day. January 29 is needed due to end of the term grading and S2 planning.

They've had three days to catch up on grading.

That only works if students have already submitted the work. There’s one more week left in the marking period. At minimum, two more assignments per student at my school x 160 students. How do I go back in time to grade what I haven’t yet received?

Exactly. We pretty much missed an entire week of school. Right before the end of a semester. I know my high schooler is worried.

0.6 of a week.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:#January29

April 22 is the first make up day. January 29 is needed due to end of the term grading and S2 planning.

They've had three days to catch up on grading.

It’s not just about end of the marking period grading. Finalizing grades through Synergy is VERY time consuming. It’s not a simple, one-step click a button and you’re done. There are many steps to go through for each class/section taught. At the high school level, there are many students who turn in late work and since all work needs to be accepted, this is yet one more thing that has to be done in the final hours.

That's a problem with Synergy and the grading process, not a problem with snow days. Point the blame where it belongs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:#January29

April 22 is the first make up day. January 29 is needed due to end of the term grading and S2 planning.

They've had three days to catch up on grading.

That only works if students have already submitted the work. There’s one more week left in the marking period. At minimum, two more assignments per student at my school x 160 students. How do I go back in time to grade what I haven’t yet received?

Exactly. We pretty much missed an entire week of school. Right before the end of a semester. I know my high schooler is worried.

0.6 of a week.

Look at the big brains on Brad.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:My Goodness. Shut the F up people.
Every F'ing school district in the DMV is closed tomorrow.
MoCo parents are so insufferable.

There was no reason to close when we could go virtual.

Everybody is closed. No one is going virtual.

Parents who are so convinced that we can easily go virtual (and should) are beyond dense. I feel bad for your children as you clearly don’t see the value of how much learning can happen during a snow day. But you’d rather stick your kids behind a tablet, screen, whatever, instead of being a parent and making memories with your child? I actually feel badly for your children and no amount of virtual learning will undo poor parenting and the complex your children will have as they get older.

Exactly! I've got a full day of cuddles, sledding, hot cocoa, and crafts planned.

In other words: you have no career obligations

Well, aren't you a bundle of joy. I'm a different poster, but I'm working from home today and managing, ironically, a remote client audit. And interspersed there will be cocoa, sledding, and, you might want to cover your ears, but there will also be.... video games with my daughter. Our crafting will most likely be straight from the 3D printer so she can complete a robotics project on her day off. Boy, it's tough being a dad these days.

So you're not going to be working. At least, not most of if the day.

OK, but that isn't reality for most others.

So, you're not leaving snarky comments, anonymously, on the internet... while you are... working?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When did the week of Jun 28 become the holiest week on the year when everyone absolutely must go on vacation?

June 17 is Eid Al-Adha. June 19 is Juneteenth. That’s two holidays in one week

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When did the week of Jun 28 become the holiest week on the year when everyone absolutely must go on vacation?

June 17 is Eid Al-Adha. June 19 is Juneteenth. That’s two holidays in one week

June 17 is the 7th of 8 possible makeup days. June 19 is not a makeup day.