Teachers Resigning Like Crazy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bumping this as a reminder :if you're spending your weekend emailing paragraphs to your child's teacher after the first week of school, it won't take Nostradamus to predict your next post here is my child's teacher quit in November. If anyone is wondering why that your child has 30 kids in the class, please go through the last 30 pages of this as a reminder.

The state has these limits. Stop putting this issue on parents. Parents were the ones who tried to fix it and were successful. FCPS actually got better with class size till before the pandemic. You can pull up posts from 10 years ago where there were 38 kids in an elementary math class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For teachers looking for something a bit outside of the box, see if your district has positions for hospital or homebound teachers. My county does and it is full time. I’m in a large district (not in VA) and there are about 20 of us.

I see my students either virtually or in their homes. Wide range of grades. I make my own schedule, get paid for mileage.

Also, virtual charter schools.

Thank you for this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For teachers looking for something a bit outside of the box, see if your district has positions for hospital or homebound teachers. My county does and it is full time. I’m in a large district (not in VA) and there are about 20 of us.

I see my students either virtually or in their homes. Wide range of grades. I make my own schedule, get paid for mileage.

Also, virtual charter schools.

FCPS does have homebound teachers. You make around $50/hour but it does not qualify for years of service, pension contributions, etc. you’re essentially a contractor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious: parents will kids in public and private, are private school teachers leaving mid year?

We are an independent school that also serves the local district (not in DC, it’s a New England thing) but the answer is yes. We have never had such a hard time retaining or hiring. We are a pretty good employer but the cost of living here has skyrocketed due to Air BNB and remote work. I have a Master’s plus 30, this is my 16th year and I make 58k. The pay scale tops out mid-60’s. That’s the norm in this state and many other New England states. In a dual income household just a decade ago that was a decent living for this area—but not anymore. Science teachers can go into industry and they do. More and more teachers find they can do just about anything else, make similar money, and not deal with the increasing stress. I love teaching and I love our school but I think about leaving all the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious: parents will kids in public and private, are private school teachers leaving mid year?

We are an independent school that also serves the local district (not in DC, it’s a New England thing) but the answer is yes. We have never had such a hard time retaining or hiring. We are a pretty good employer but the cost of living here has skyrocketed due to Air BNB and remote work. I have a Master’s plus 30, this is my 16th year and I make 58k. The pay scale tops out mid-60’s. That’s the norm in this state and many other New England states. In a dual income household just a decade ago that was a decent living for this area—but not anymore. Science teachers can go into industry and they do. More and more teachers find they can do just about anything else, make similar money, and not deal with the increasing stress. I love teaching and I love our school but I think about leaving all the time.

+1, from a former private school teacher who now teaches in public school.

[Anonymous]

I'm a former public school teacher who left my district mid year. I'm now in a high paying private school. I've asked around and the only people to leave this school mid year are those going on maternity leave. Of course, no place is perfect. My years no longer count toward my pension which means my pension will be significantly less than if I'd stayed in public. I get less prep time and less lunch time.

But the students display normal behaviors. No one is throwing things, causing the room to be evacuated. No one is threatening me, hitting me, kicking me. I'm not filling out copious amounts of documentation to prove a child might need an evaluation. The amount of testing and data entry has been reduced by 90%. I have so much help and support in the classroom. Class sizes are small. I'm trusted. The meetings I have to go to have purpose and meaning.

I can sleep on Sunday evenings, I'm no longer filled with anxiety so bad I need medication. Even with less prep time, I'm only working about 45-48 hours a week instead of 60-65. I am encouraged to take kids outside for a significant amount of planned and unplanned recess time. Teachers are generally happy in the building, which quite honestly is something I haven't seen in the last 10 years. I plan to stay until I'm at least 60.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a former public school teacher who left my district mid year. I'm now in a high paying private school. I've asked around and the only people to leave this school mid year are those going on maternity leave. Of course, no place is perfect. My years no longer count toward my pension which means my pension will be significantly less than if I'd stayed in public. I get less prep time and less lunch time.

But the students display normal behaviors. No one is throwing things, causing the room to be evacuated. No one is threatening me, hitting me, kicking me. I'm not filling out copious amounts of documentation to prove a child might need an evaluation. The amount of testing and data entry has been reduced by 90%. I have so much help and support in the classroom. Class sizes are small. I'm trusted. The meetings I have to go to have purpose and meaning.

I can sleep on Sunday evenings, I'm no longer filled with anxiety so bad I need medication. Even with less prep time, I'm only working about 45-48 hours a week instead of 60-65. I am encouraged to take kids outside for a significant amount of planned and unplanned recess time. Teachers are generally happy in the building, which quite honestly is something I haven't seen in the last 10 years. I plan to stay until I'm at least 60.

There are no private schools in the area that pay more than public schools.I suspect this is a made-up post and I am on the side of teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a former public school teacher who left my district mid year. I'm now in a high paying private school. I've asked around and the only people to leave this school mid year are those going on maternity leave. Of course, no place is perfect. My years no longer count toward my pension which means my pension will be significantly less than if I'd stayed in public. I get less prep time and less lunch time.

But the students display normal behaviors. No one is throwing things, causing the room to be evacuated. No one is threatening me, hitting me, kicking me. I'm not filling out copious amounts of documentation to prove a child might need an evaluation. The amount of testing and data entry has been reduced by 90%. I have so much help and support in the classroom. Class sizes are small. I'm trusted. The meetings I have to go to have purpose and meaning.

I can sleep on Sunday evenings, I'm no longer filled with anxiety so bad I need medication. Even with less prep time, I'm only working about 45-48 hours a week instead of 60-65. I am encouraged to take kids outside for a significant amount of planned and unplanned recess time. Teachers are generally happy in the building, which quite honestly is something I haven't seen in the last 10 years. I plan to stay until I'm at least 60.

There are no private schools in the area that pay more than public schools.I suspect this is a made-up post and I am on the side of teachers.

I’m a different poster. I left public after 14 years, and my current private school matched my public school salary.

I doubt the PP is lying. 2/3rds of my department used to teach in public schools. We are very content in our current setting and I’m confident saying that none of us will be going back to public. We have similar pay and we are treated much better.

I used to feel bad about switching to private teaching, but not anymore. Teachers SHOULD leave, because public schools won’t improve until teachers are treated better. This exodus just might be enough to lead to some positive change.

[Anonymous]

Hahaha, my kid's ES has not one but TWO teachers who fled BASIS McLean for FCPS last year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hahaha, my kid's ES has not one but TWO teachers who fled BASIS McLean for FCPS last year.

Okay? That doesn’t change the fact that tons of teachers are leaving, and that some of them are happily landing in private schools.

- PP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a former public school teacher who left my district mid year. I'm now in a high paying private school. I've asked around and the only people to leave this school mid year are those going on maternity leave. Of course, no place is perfect. My years no longer count toward my pension which means my pension will be significantly less than if I'd stayed in public. I get less prep time and less lunch time.

But the students display normal behaviors. No one is throwing things, causing the room to be evacuated. No one is threatening me, hitting me, kicking me. I'm not filling out copious amounts of documentation to prove a child might need an evaluation. The amount of testing and data entry has been reduced by 90%. I have so much help and support in the classroom. Class sizes are small. I'm trusted. The meetings I have to go to have purpose and meaning.

I can sleep on Sunday evenings, I'm no longer filled with anxiety so bad I need medication. Even with less prep time, I'm only working about 45-48 hours a week instead of 60-65. I am encouraged to take kids outside for a significant amount of planned and unplanned recess time. Teachers are generally happy in the building, which quite honestly is something I haven't seen in the last 10 years. I plan to stay until I'm at least 60.

There are no private schools in the area that pay more than public schools.I suspect this is a made-up post and I am on the side of teachers.

I’m a different poster. I left public after 14 years, and my current private school matched my public school salary.

I doubt the PP is lying. 2/3rds of my department used to teach in public schools. We are very content in our current setting and I’m confident saying that none of us will be going back to public. We have similar pay and we are treated much better.

I used to feel bad about switching to private teaching, but not anymore. Teachers SHOULD leave, because public schools won’t improve until teachers are treated better. This exodus just might be enough to lead to some positive change.

If a public school teacher currently makes $114k and has about 8 more years before retiring, do you think the private would match the salary? How close would the benefits be?

Asking for a friend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hahaha, my kid's ES has not one but TWO teachers who fled BASIS McLean for FCPS last year.

That school is known for having issues, so I’m not surprised teachers fled. There are excellent independent schools in the DMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a former public school teacher who left my district mid year. I'm now in a high paying private school. I've asked around and the only people to leave this school mid year are those going on maternity leave. Of course, no place is perfect. My years no longer count toward my pension which means my pension will be significantly less than if I'd stayed in public. I get less prep time and less lunch time.

But the students display normal behaviors. No one is throwing things, causing the room to be evacuated. No one is threatening me, hitting me, kicking me. I'm not filling out copious amounts of documentation to prove a child might need an evaluation. The amount of testing and data entry has been reduced by 90%. I have so much help and support in the classroom. Class sizes are small. I'm trusted. The meetings I have to go to have purpose and meaning.

I can sleep on Sunday evenings, I'm no longer filled with anxiety so bad I need medication. Even with less prep time, I'm only working about 45-48 hours a week instead of 60-65. I am encouraged to take kids outside for a significant amount of planned and unplanned recess time. Teachers are generally happy in the building, which quite honestly is something I haven't seen in the last 10 years. I plan to stay until I'm at least 60.

There are no private schools in the area that pay more than public schools.I suspect this is a made-up post and I am on the side of teachers.

PP could be correct. FCPS caps the maximum entry step for teachers new to the system at year 13. You could definitely get a higher salary than that at a local private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a former public school teacher who left my district mid year. I'm now in a high paying private school. I've asked around and the only people to leave this school mid year are those going on maternity leave. Of course, no place is perfect. My years no longer count toward my pension which means my pension will be significantly less than if I'd stayed in public. I get less prep time and less lunch time.

But the students display normal behaviors. No one is throwing things, causing the room to be evacuated. No one is threatening me, hitting me, kicking me. I'm not filling out copious amounts of documentation to prove a child might need an evaluation. The amount of testing and data entry has been reduced by 90%. I have so much help and support in the classroom. Class sizes are small. I'm trusted. The meetings I have to go to have purpose and meaning.

I can sleep on Sunday evenings, I'm no longer filled with anxiety so bad I need medication. Even with less prep time, I'm only working about 45-48 hours a week instead of 60-65. I am encouraged to take kids outside for a significant amount of planned and unplanned recess time. Teachers are generally happy in the building, which quite honestly is something I haven't seen in the last 10 years. I plan to stay until I'm at least 60.

There are no private schools in the area that pay more than public schools.I suspect this is a made-up post and I am on the side of teachers.

PP could be correct. FCPS caps the maximum entry step for teachers new to the system at year 13. You could definitely get a higher salary than that at a local private school.

FCPS removed the maximum entry step. There is no cap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a former public school teacher who left my district mid year. I'm now in a high paying private school. I've asked around and the only people to leave this school mid year are those going on maternity leave. Of course, no place is perfect. My years no longer count toward my pension which means my pension will be significantly less than if I'd stayed in public. I get less prep time and less lunch time.

But the students display normal behaviors. No one is throwing things, causing the room to be evacuated. No one is threatening me, hitting me, kicking me. I'm not filling out copious amounts of documentation to prove a child might need an evaluation. The amount of testing and data entry has been reduced by 90%. I have so much help and support in the classroom. Class sizes are small. I'm trusted. The meetings I have to go to have purpose and meaning.

I can sleep on Sunday evenings, I'm no longer filled with anxiety so bad I need medication. Even with less prep time, I'm only working about 45-48 hours a week instead of 60-65. I am encouraged to take kids outside for a significant amount of planned and unplanned recess time. Teachers are generally happy in the building, which quite honestly is something I haven't seen in the last 10 years. I plan to stay until I'm at least 60.

There are no private schools in the area that pay more than public schools.I suspect this is a made-up post and I am on the side of teachers.

PP could be correct. FCPS caps the maximum entry step for teachers new to the system at year 13. You could definitely get a higher salary than that at a local private school.

A friend left the public schools and now teaches at a private. Her children now attend the school at a discounted rate. I don’t know how the pay compares, but I know she’s happier.