Calendar survey

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get that teachers need more time, but why does that mean a school holiday for kids. If you are salary that often means you will work extended hours on occasion as required. If I am in meetings for 8 hours (happens often) and I have to meet a deadline, that means I am working late that day. An occasional TWD quarterly is fine but we shouldn't get jerking around with lesson plans requiring a day off.

If teachers need training, that should happen during the summer.

I would love for FCPS to pay us for summer training. The 8 hours for training we got in August was easily 12 hours in reality. Then they added another 6 hours after that - no day was given for that - all completed in our “off time”.

Yes you should absolutely get paid to do the training.

But at the same time, lots of occupations do training on their own time. I am trying to understand the complaint here.

Why do you want to perpetuate that culture? I'm all for people having work/life balance. (Not a teacher, btw)

This doesn't even make sense.

Not the PP, but what part don’t you understand?

How do you propose changing the entire business model for every single career to be more balanced? How about for doctors, trash collectors, emergency providers like fire and EMT, lawyers, students, office workers? You will be hard pressed to find a career that cares more about your work life balance than them getting their business needs met. WHy would teachers get better work life balance than the average person?

No one is saying that teachers should get a better work-life balance than the average person. Our entire system is broken. Very few countries outside the US have this ridiculous "work until you drop" mentality the way we do. Instead of bragging about honoring the importance of a work-life balance, we brag about working unhealthy amounts of time-- 60, 70, 80, or more hours per week.

This needs to end. In all industries and professions.

Agree. That sort of mentality is not a virtue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Abolish the random days off
Shorten winter break dramatically
Don’t make school after the SOLs count because we all know nothing happens then but glorified babysitting.
Get to teaching!!! We have a lot of ground to catch up on. Stop whining about how your kids need breaks.

Clearly, you don't have a kid in HS classes.

I do. And I agree with this statement.

[Anonymous]

The best we can hope for is that Arlington and Loudoun (especially Loudoun) set their calendars before FCPS (like Prince William has already done).

Teacher in FCPS often live in Prince William or Loudoun... so if those counties go first, our dynamic school board will end up following suit!

It's sad when you prefer that your district FOLLOWS other districts rather than leads. But, that's our best bet with this group. Be followers!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get that teachers need more time, but why does that mean a school holiday for kids. If you are salary that often means you will work extended hours on occasion as required. If I am in meetings for 8 hours (happens often) and I have to meet a deadline, that means I am working late that day. An occasional TWD quarterly is fine but we shouldn't get jerking around with lesson plans requiring a day off.

If teachers need training, that should happen during the summer.

“Extended hours on occasion” is everyday from Aug to June for teachers

This. I find parents so far removed on how many extra hours teachers work daily/weekly. Now if the county took things off teacher’s plates, that would help immensely. But we do more than just plan, teach and grade.

Then use the union to get those things off a teachers plate.

Virginia is a right-to-work state. Unions have virtually zero power in our DC (Dear Commonwealth)

Thank God. Look at the crap they tried to pull during Covid.

Yes, how dare they think of their own safety and the safety of their families. Do you realize how big of an entitled a--hole you sound like?

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get that teachers need more time, but why does that mean a school holiday for kids. If you are salary that often means you will work extended hours on occasion as required. If I am in meetings for 8 hours (happens often) and I have to meet a deadline, that means I am working late that day. An occasional TWD quarterly is fine but we shouldn't get jerking around with lesson plans requiring a day off.

If teachers need training, that should happen during the summer.

I would love for FCPS to pay us for summer training. The 8 hours for training we got in August was easily 12 hours in reality. Then they added another 6 hours after that - no day was given for that - all completed in our “off time”.

Yes you should absolutely get paid to do the training.

But at the same time, lots of occupations do training on their own time. I am trying to understand the complaint here.

Why do you want to perpetuate that culture? I'm all for people having work/life balance. (Not a teacher, btw)

American teachers spend much more time in front of their students than other countries. Good teaching requires time away from kids to look at assessments, plan instruction, and receive professional development. Right now it feels like we’re continuously building the airplane as we’re flying it.

This doesn't even make sense.

Not the PP, but what part don’t you understand?

How do you propose changing the entire business model for every single career to be more balanced? How about for doctors, trash collectors, emergency providers like fire and EMT, lawyers, students, office workers? You will be hard pressed to find a career that cares more about your work life balance than them getting their business needs met. WHy would teachers get better work life balance than the average person?

[Anonymous]

American teachers spend much more time in front of their students than other countries. Good teaching requires time away from kids to look at assessments, plan instruction, and receive professional development. Right now it feels like we’re continuously building the airplane as we’re flying it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The best we can hope for is that Arlington and Loudoun (especially Loudoun) set their calendars before FCPS (like Prince William has already done).

Teacher in FCPS often live in Prince William or Loudoun... so if those counties go first, our dynamic school board will end up following suit!

It's sad when you prefer that your district FOLLOWS other districts rather than leads. But, that's our best bet with this group. Be followers!

Well they will all align spring break to Easter and FCPS won’t so they will be pissing many people off again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best we can hope for is that Arlington and Loudoun (especially Loudoun) set their calendars before FCPS (like Prince William has already done).

Teacher in FCPS often live in Prince William or Loudoun... so if those counties go first, our dynamic school board will end up following suit!

It's sad when you prefer that your district FOLLOWS other districts rather than leads. But, that's our best bet with this group. Be followers!

Well they will all align spring break to Easter and FCPS won’t so they will be pissing many people off again.

Fairfax will align with the other spring breaks if they want to retain teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All I can say is it sounds like the random days off are here to stay.

Make sure you choose to replace new holidays with "old" ones. So let's take off Diwali instead of Columbus Day, and take off Eid instead of President's Day, and so on.

Remember... 180 days is 180 days... we just need them arranged in the best possible combination for everyone.

Do you think the Federal government will replace federal holidays with religious ones?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are trying to address the inequity of planning time. Secondary teachers get far more planning time than elementary. I’m a teacher too so curious if a staff survey will come out.

They’ve already said religious days are set through 24-25.

I find it hilarious that they put this much time into the questions and they don’t really care what anyone thinks.

They should go back to short days on Monday (or another day). APS still has them, don't they?

AGREED!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:American teachers spend much more time in front of their students than other countries. Good teaching requires time away from kids to look at assessments, plan instruction, and receive professional development. Right now it feels like we’re continuously building the airplane as we’re flying it.

YES! And we are about to crash

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get that teachers need more time, but why does that mean a school holiday for kids. If you are salary that often means you will work extended hours on occasion as required. If I am in meetings for 8 hours (happens often) and I have to meet a deadline, that means I am working late that day. An occasional TWD quarterly is fine but we shouldn't get jerking around with lesson plans requiring a day off.

If teachers need training, that should happen during the summer.

I would love for FCPS to pay us for summer training. The 8 hours for training we got in August was easily 12 hours in reality. Then they added another 6 hours after that - no day was given for that - all completed in our “off time”.

Yes you should absolutely get paid to do the training.

But at the same time, lots of occupations do training on their own time. I am trying to understand the complaint here.

Why do you want to perpetuate that culture? I'm all for people having work/life balance. (Not a teacher, btw)

This doesn't even make sense.

Not the PP, but what part don’t you understand?

How do you propose changing the entire business model for every single career to be more balanced? How about for doctors, trash collectors, emergency providers like fire and EMT, lawyers, students, office workers? You will be hard pressed to find a career that cares more about your work life balance than them getting their business needs met. WHy would teachers get better work life balance than the average person?

No one is saying that teachers should get a better work-life balance than the average person. Our entire system is broken. Very few countries outside the US have this ridiculous "work until you drop" mentality the way we do. Instead of bragging about honoring the importance of a work-life balance, we brag about working unhealthy amounts of time-- 60, 70, 80, or more hours per week.

This needs to end. In all industries and professions.

Agree. That sort of mentality is not a virtue.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All I can say is it sounds like the random days off are here to stay.

Make sure you choose to replace new holidays with "old" ones. So let's take off Diwali instead of Columbus Day, and take off Eid instead of President's Day, and so on.

Remember... 180 days is 180 days... we just need them arranged in the best possible combination for everyone.

Do you think the Federal government will replace federal holidays with religious ones?

FCPS does not need to give all federal holidays off. Remember that students have traditionally gone to school on Veteran's Day and sometimes went to school on President's Day due to a snow day makeup. So, of course, the federal govt will not replace their designated federal holidays with the religious ones... but that does not matter within FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best we can hope for is that Arlington and Loudoun (especially Loudoun) set their calendars before FCPS (like Prince William has already done).

Teacher in FCPS often live in Prince William or Loudoun... so if those counties go first, our dynamic school board will end up following suit!

It's sad when you prefer that your district FOLLOWS other districts rather than leads. But, that's our best bet with this group. Be followers!

Well they will all align spring break to Easter and FCPS won’t so they will be pissing many people off again.

Fairfax will align with the other spring breaks if they want to retain teachers.

Funniest thing said here.

FCPS doesn’t care about retaining teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Abolish the random days off
Shorten winter break dramatically
Don’t make school after the SOLs count because we all know nothing happens then but glorified babysitting.
Get to teaching!!! We have a lot of ground to catch up on. Stop whining about how your kids need breaks.

So you prefer a 11-12 week summer vacation? Keep in mind that many people do not. Actually, quite a few of us would prefer to move toward year-round -- 9 weeks on, 3 weeks off for each quarter and a 5 week summer.

People want a longer summer break/getting out earlier in June because they really don’t learn a lot or do a lot after Memorial Day anyway so all that time just feels wasted.

This is a big part of it for sure. And why my child is "sick" a lot in that period of time. DC can be home doing other things or sitting around in school. The "last day of school" counting toward those hours they have to be in school, is 2 hours of kids sitting around in he Aux Gym. Even the teachers were encouraging the kids to stay home. It's a joke.

Total joke. That’s why people want longer summers because anything scheduled after exams is no school at all but yet they count it towards the legal requirement. People need to wake up and vote the SB out.

So are you advocating for 165 days of school or for an early August start date? Personally, I would not mind starting on 31 July or 7 August and getting out just before or after Memorial Day weekend.

I’m advocating for no breaks other than federal holidays, winter break, thanksgiving and spring break.

You get 180 days of school. When do you want the school year to start and end? It sounds like you prefer a really long summer?

I want my kids to get educated and for that education to be rigorous, consistent and challenging. I don’t think the weeks in June should count towards the legal requirement. I’m an advocate of 5 day school weeks and shorter breaks. I’m happy with a long summer and for those crying about the summer slide, there are plenty of free fcps programs for students who can’t afford camps and need additional reinforcement.