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Anonymous wrote:Good thing the OP is not making decisions for our county. Unbelievably selfish; perhaps some kids need the VA because they are immunocompromised? Only concerned about your child getting into CES instead of the well-being of many. How typical of MCPS parents.
VA is getting far less funding than a typical school. It is silly to cancel VA, especially now when covid is getting worse and in our schools. It is no different than MCPS opening up another in person school to help with overcrowding.
If anything, VA needs far more funding to make it equal to other schools.
Where is your source for VA getting far less funding?
Keep up with what's going on as it impacts my kids. We don't have enough staff, no activities, and don't have many other things a traditional school has. Lower school doesn't have enough teachers to fully staff classes and its a lot of asynchronous teaching and very limited class hours. We strictly got a computer (which all kids get) and a few useless supplies and for some classes a workbook and that's it. The staff are trying very hard but funding/staffing is a huge issue. But, they are doing a great job at making it work with the resources they have and we are very happy in it. We do hope to return in person in the fall but thankful for it this year.
ok, so you have nothing to support your assertion other than VA sucking?
It doesn't suck and its been a very good experience but we don't have the same funding/staff. We don't have many of the things an in person school would have. They aren't transparent with the funding so no we don't know what's going on but we need more teachers, staff and many other things. They are doing a great job with the limited resources they do have. We are very appreciative to be offered this opportunity.
So as far as you know, they might be spending more money on VA per pupil, right?
We have no building, no supplies, no extra curricular, no sports, no health clinic, no arts music, gym equipment. No buses. Very limited special education services. No real honors classes. Teachers teach from home. We get the same chromebook as your kids. And, the same software applications. And, yet we get more per student? If we get more money, where is it?
They had to set up a temporary program for a small group of students. That's not going to be cheap.
I don't know if VA ends up being more or less expensive per pupil than in-person. And neither do you.
It’s not a temporary program. They already had the computers and software. How much extra do you think they spend beyond staff?
Of course it is a temporary program. Even if some version of virtual continues, it isn't going to look like the current VA.
How much time was spent on administrative activities associated with standing up VA? How much time was spent adjusting the curriculum? What is the student-teacher ratio?
You made a definitive statement that "VA is getting far less funding," but in fact have no data to back that claim up. Your guess might be right. But it is still a guess.
No point in debating as you clearly aren't in VA or even have any clue what is going on. Its not a temporary program. They have said multiple times its here to stay. You should look into it more if you are curious about it.
That's what Jack Smith said. He's gone, though. The school board has not approved long-term funding for VA- it is currently being paid for with COVID recovery funds that will run out or expire.
And as I said, even if it does continue, it will significantly change. The current program is temporary.
Right.
If the board can spend 1.6M for a "covid" Kids' Museum program that no students are using, I'm sure virtual is a drop in the bucket. As stated earlier by another parent, a zoom license is a zoom license and the kids already have their chromebooks. A smart leadership decision would have been to "practice / rehearse" doing virtual for.. snow day contingencies. But again, Hogan (just before he caught covid himself.. a bit of ironic serendipity there..) stubbornly committed to in-person learning only.
https://www.marylandmatters.org/2021/12/20/state-department-of-education-encourages-in-person-learning-as-covid-rates-climb-one-school-system-has-gone-virtual/
Majority of the kids did virtual last year so they should easily be able to switch over. It's the new families to MCPS or K. that need a training session. Many of the MS and HS are still using the same software and technology in classes.
MCPS pays for a zoom and all those other software licenses as a county, not individual schools. All schools including VA are under the same licenses.
So, the only thing that is costly to VA is the staff. The teachers and other staff, like counselors work from home. The Admin have office space.
The computers are from the same central location and the same that are issued to all MCPS kids.
And, there are about 400 students on the waitlist as of the last announcement (may be more now) so there is clearly a demand if some families leave.
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