Ms. Reid, I am writing to formally state my anger and frustration over the continued failure of FCPS to provide education during recent snow closures. This situation is unacceptable and reflects a serious lack of planning and leadership. FCPS previously implemented online learning successfully under Dr. Brabrand. The infrastructure already exists. There is no reasonable explanation for why instruction completely stops now whenever there is snow on the ground. Closing schools without offering online learning is a choice — not a necessity — and it is harming students. The majority of families and teachers want schools open. Most students want to be in class. Decisions should not be driven by a small minority who dislike school or are unwilling to work during weather events. Other districts manage this. FCPS should be capable of doing the same. My second grader has already begun forgetting basic skills, including telling time and spelling, after nearly two weeks of missed instruction. That is not a weather issue — that is a leadership failure. Children are losing learning time that cannot simply be “made up.” Seven inches of snow does not justify prolonged closures. FCPS remained open longer during the 2010 storms when snowfall totals were significantly higher. The current response is excessive and indefensible. If schools cannot safely reopen in person, then online instruction must immediately resume. Continuing to provide no education at all is not acceptable. If you believe FCPS is incapable of operating either in person or online under these conditions, then you should step aside for leadership that can. Parents expect solutions, not excuses. Our children deserve better than this. — A Frustrated FCPS Parent |
Online learning was not successfully implemented. It was an utter disaster. Schools need to be open. Full stop |
Not the sidewalks in no-man's-land ex: the sidewalks leading up to the MS and HS. Or the sidewalks along feeder streets surrounding the MS and HS |
| Both my kids did really well with virtual learning. It wasn’t a disaster. |
| I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt here. Driving around today there were huge walls of ice next to the roads and that may make buses and walking very difficult. I assume they didn't make rhe call lightly. I'm not thrilled but I'm not throwing a fit here, I saw how bad the roads and sidewalks are all around. |
This is a pretty pathetic “letter”. What do you expect Reid to do, wave a magic wand and raise the temperature to 48 degrees??? It’s not seven inches of snow, it’s seven inches of ICE. Also, your kid missed 3.5 days of school, including tomorrow. Two weeks of missed instruction? You sure are a class A liar! |
Teachers can go out and break up the ice/snowcrete on sidewalks/at bus stops in their own neighborhoods--if the community spirit moves them--just like accountants, software engineers, grocery cashiers, retail managers, lawyers, realtors, doctors, waitstaff, chefs, dentists, SAHM, landscape company owners, florists and mechanics can. FCPS's email specified that they would like people to take care of the areas outside of its area of responsibility, which is school grounds. I don't care for Gatehouse either, but let's not misrepresent their communications. They suck enough in reality.
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Speak for yourself. My kid would rather have the day off. |
What is wrong with this letter is that online learning doesn’t work. Sure, infrastructure exists but don’t kid yourself that it was successful. It wasn’t. There are reasons. |
Nearly two weeks of instruction? Lady, you just discredited yourself in one fell swoop. Students were only scheduled to be in school 2.5 days last week. Your child is not old enough to have experienced the disaster known as online learning. May it never cross your child’s screen. Pierpont will be back at school on Tuesday. Everything will be fine. |
| Well, now my kid now gets an 8 hour rehearsal for her show instead of school tomorrow AND gets to sleep in. Am guessing the director is not mad about this! |
But you all complained about online instruction! You also voted in a governor who was against it. Therefore there is no virtual instruction. |
Just stop. This crazy cold and stubbornly persistent stretch of weather we are having has nothing to do with which wing of the same corrupt bird is currently running things. Virginia dems don't control the weather. |
Laughing at that second grade parent. It was a half week of school. Your 7 year old will survive. We just went away. We were already planning to go aaay and left town early. |
How did your 2nd grader survive winter break? That was 16 days off. Your argument also falls apart given it was 2.5 missed days paired with 2.5 tescher work days. I dont disagree that we should be pivoting to online learning this week. I assumed that was why there was a directive to send computers home with every child, so that they could do virtual learning, but they seem to be not want to cross that line. |