Write a letter to oppose the waiver

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please list all the MD counties/school districts that have taken away Professional Days, holidays, etc.? I heard of Frederick, specifically, but no others.

When I checked PG and HoCo's websites, it appears they are in the same "add to the end of the year unless we get a waiver" mode that MCPS is in.

Howard County has done nothing other than say days will be added per the colander and apply for a waiver for the rest. Personally I wouldn't send my kid if they reduced spring break bc I believe my first grader needs that time with his extended family as we planned. And professional days are necessary on many levels and I don't expect nor want them tone reduced.

I hope the waivers are granted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please list all the MD counties/school districts that have taken away Professional Days, holidays, etc.? I heard of Frederick, specifically, but no others.

When I checked PG and HoCo's websites, it appears they are in the same "add to the end of the year unless we get a waiver" mode that MCPS is in.

Howard County has done nothing other than say days will be added per the colander and apply for a waiver for the rest. Personally I wouldn't send my kid if they reduced spring break bc I believe my first grader needs that time with his extended family as we planned. And professional days are necessary on many levels and I don't expect nor want them tone reduced.

I hope the waivers are granted.

Calendar obviously not colander. Ugh.

[Anonymous]

Here is a decent summary from the Post.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/local/wp/2014/02/12/snow-days-are-adding-up-at-washington-area-schools-this-winter/

[Anonymous]

There will be only one more professional day this year, and it is the most important one I terms of making sure that all grades are in and other tasks are completed so that students who are supposed to matriculate from their schools at the end of the school year can do so. Therefore, eliminating that one day is not going to work. That leaves us with eliminating Memorial Day -- not going to happen in his area give the military and political influences -- and spring break in two weeks -- which will not happen given the short notice. So, we either extend the school year, knowing that all grading for the year is completed or give up the ghost on this issue.

[Anonymous]

They'll have to extend the school day. The problem may be that MCPS, like AA, didn't make any attempt to address the day. They just assumed that they would get the waiver. Now its too late to go back and do that so we'll see if the state holds MCPS accountable too.

Some people will be upset and it will be a budget hit but the MCPS machine will get to say not my fault.

[Anonymous]

Based on the AA County denial, it does not seem like the state is asking the district to cancel one day to show an effort, instead AA County is now making plans to make up all but one of their snow days. It seems like it is too late to show an effort to make up the days so unless there is something distinctive about MCPS compared to AA County in terms of instructional days, no reason to expect it would be granted. Btw, St. Mary's County was granted a waiver but they had taken out a Professional Day and planned to go to school on Easter Monday, though according to a news story, they won't need to use the last day of Spring Break now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is a decent summary from the Post.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/local/wp/2014/02/12/snow-days-are-adding-up-at-washington-area-schools-this-winter/

Thanks.

According to this, of the counties in MD that are listed, the only one that has made any effort to do anything prior to June and/or get a waiver is Frederick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There will be only one more professional day this year, and it is the most important one I terms of making sure that all grades are in and other tasks are completed so that students who are supposed to matriculate from their schools at the end of the school year can do so. Therefore, eliminating that one day is not going to work. That leaves us with eliminating Memorial Day -- not going to happen in his area give the military and political influences -- and spring break in two weeks -- which will not happen given the short notice. So, we either extend the school year, knowing that all grading for the year is completed or give up the ghost on this issue.

In Montgomery County, there are no more professional days left prior to the end of the school year. I don't really think the one scheduled for the day after school end counts for our purposes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Typically, teachers have the grades done already prior to the work-day. At least, that's how it is at my child's ES. I had no clue until I went in once to retrieve a left-behind jacket... had to track down a custodian to let me in her room. Custodian was VERY forthcoming about how few people go in and why. Of course, I could already tell the school was empty except for the on-site child care.

Maybe at your school. The parking lot at East Silver Spring ES was packed today.

Ha! I live next to a teacher from Westland. He was at home all day.

Those that mean that he wasn't teleworking as allowed?

[Anonymous]

I'd be THRILLED with a designated "work day" at my office. No meetings, no interruptions. WORK!

Sadly, it never works out that way in reality. I began teleworking on the grading and planning days specifically because of constant interruptions. Colleagues stop by to discuss struggling or troubled students because we have to little "team time" to address them all. Parents bypass the main office to drop off entire marking periods worth of late/missing assignments in the hopes that I would accept them weeks, months past deadline and little Johnny would pass. One year, the fire alarms were being tested the entire morning.

[Anonymous]

I hope the state turns down MCPS. MCPS is SO arrogant about everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Typically, teachers have the grades done already prior to the work-day. At least, that's how it is at my child's ES. I had no clue until I went in once to retrieve a left-behind jacket... had to track down a custodian to let me in her room. Custodian was VERY forthcoming about how few people go in and why. Of course, I could already tell the school was empty except for the on-site child care.

Maybe at your school. The parking lot at East Silver Spring ES was packed today.

Ha! I live next to a teacher from Westland. He was at home all day.

Those that mean that he wasn't teleworking as allowed?

Non-tenured teachers and those who have "not proven themselves to be reliable" cannot telework.

Why is this so goddamn controversial? We plan and grade at home all the time. Why can't we have a paid day where we can plan and grade from home? And why punish those who are efficient and organized?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
The horror of taking her own personal leave for a vacation!

Teachers shouldn't get vacations. Or sick leave. Or maternity leave -- in fact, they shouldn't be allowed to get pregnant, let alone have a family. They shouldn't be allowed to have their own residences, either. They should live in the classroom. That will help with snow days, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The horror of taking her own personal leave for a vacation!

Teachers shouldn't get vacations. Or sick leave. Or maternity leave -- in fact, they shouldn't be allowed to get pregnant, let alone have a family. They shouldn't be allowed to have their own residences, either. They should live in the classroom. That will help with snow days, too.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The horror of taking her own personal leave for a vacation!

Teachers shouldn't get vacations. Or sick leave. Or maternity leave -- in fact, they shouldn't be allowed to get pregnant, let alone have a family. They shouldn't be allowed to have their own residences, either. They should live in the classroom. That will help with snow days, too.

They should not get vacation time AT ALL. Sorry but you get a Thanksgiving break, winter break, Spring break and the entire summer off. Not to mention every holiday known to man kind. Your vacations should be planned then.