Navy Elementary - Principal Resignation

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Its common at other schools for classes to have long term subs for the entire school year.
So parents were crying about a long term
sub for just one subject?

Two subjects, but yes.

I thought the problem was that there was no sub. The long term sub they had hired quit after like a week. And since then there has been no one filling that role. That’s why parents have been upset.

You don’t know the facts obviously. First sub quit after 3 weeks. She was never supposed to be there long term anyway. Then they had a 2nd sub (a warm body) for a week. No one could even understand her. Then they got a long term sub who was there for 6 weeks and left the class in shambles. While there, she loosely threw some SS materials at them but it was absolute chaos in her class. Not a drop of science was taught.

Ok great. No need to be snarky to me. The point remains that it’s not just parents being upset that there’s a long term sub, like PP tried to imply. I am on your side here.

I hope you don’t speak like this to the people you need on your side in order to fix the situation. They’re not going to feel very sympathetic to you if you’re being an a-hole.

I am a new poster. I want to add that last year there was a long term sub for one of the grades and she had lesson plans. All was well and she was well liked. This year what the previous person said was true. They didn't learn much and the class was chaotic. My kid was coming home with migraines daily and overly stressed by the behaviors of some really problematic kids. The problem was not the sub but the lack of plans and support and expectations. The buck stops with admin but the current situation does sadden me as we are all human and I feel like mistakes were made and I wish there was a different outcome.

Lack of plans was because the previous teacher who taught SS/Sci had left. There was no one to provide those plans to the sub to begin with. Whose responsibility was it to provide plans to the sub? Why wasn’t everyone working together on it from day 1?

They should have all come together to support the sub and make sure she had adequate plans. Instead our kids suffered. The team and admin did not work together here it seems.

Yes but this is even more out of the teachers personal time. Yes they need to work as a team, but it’s not good doing your lessons and someone else’s for an indefinite period of time.

Unfortunately that is what happens when there is a long term sub.

I would imagine that people are a lot more willing to help if the person shows some sort of initiative and willingness to do what they can on their own to pull plans together. If the sub was not doing that, I can see why a lot of resentment would be created. You can’t expect people to just do someone else’s job for them if they are straight up incompetent.

Exactly. Even so, Mr. Dyer gave the sub his slides and typed out detailed instructions for the children to follow on Schoology every, single morning. The sub had everything she needed. Hell, the parents even had everything they needed to teach the unit on Western African Empires. But instead of using the materials she was given, she would just let the kids sit there from 12-2:50 and do whatever they wanted. I cannot even begin to tell you some of the things that were happening in that class. I used to teach in a Title 1 school, and none of it would have been acceptable. Sub or no sub.

Why was Mr. Dyer providing the plans, when he is on the AAP team? Where are the gen Ed plans for SS/Sci?(this goes back to the vacancy issue created by last year’s Gen Ed SS/Sci teacher leaving). And please note his AAP class gets SS and Science daily. If the sub was just following his plans, that would mean our kids never would get taught science as Mr. Dyer doesn’t teach science. Again, who was overseeing the plans to ensure our kids got both SS and science?

OMG this is such a Navy AAP Mama response. Sweetheart, literally the only difference between what your kid and my kid learn is advanced math.

Different peer group though

Not at Navy, all the children come from very academically-oriented families.

+1. Different peer group my *ss. These kids are neighbors, are in sports and extracurriculars together, and many went to preschool together. We do a carpool with a kid in AAP and that child and mine talk about the same exact silly kid things. But I guess we know how PP thinks of Gen Ed kids. Clearly they are beneath her amazing genius child!

I mean, she thinks kids in general ed can't read, so there is no reasoning with her.

My Lord you’re sensitive. I said there are many kids with reading issues. That is a fact. Not all. And they need other ways of learning besides simply being presented with a textbook and vast amounts of reading and a cram session the night before a test. That’s why it didn’t work for the gen Ed to follow the AAP lesson plans. The 6th grade team very much understood this. It also didn’t work bc it meant that gen Ed didn’t actually get science. Presenting information in multiple ways is called differentiating my dear. Gen Ed teachers usually have to do more of that than AAP teachers.

AAP social studies sounds awful the way you describe it!! Normal students DO get science, I don't know what you are going on and on about. You sound insane.

Tell that to our admin, who had gen Ed kids following AAP SS plans only and as a result, gen Ed kids didn’t get any science. Oh that’s right, admin resigned.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its common at other schools for classes to have long term subs for the entire school year.
So parents were crying about a long term
sub for just one subject?

Two subjects, but yes.

I thought the problem was that there was no sub. The long term sub they had hired quit after like a week. And since then there has been no one filling that role. That’s why parents have been upset.

You don’t know the facts obviously. First sub quit after 3 weeks. She was never supposed to be there long term anyway. Then they had a 2nd sub (a warm body) for a week. No one could even understand her. Then they got a long term sub who was there for 6 weeks and left the class in shambles. While there, she loosely threw some SS materials at them but it was absolute chaos in her class. Not a drop of science was taught.

Ok great. No need to be snarky to me. The point remains that it’s not just parents being upset that there’s a long term sub, like PP tried to imply. I am on your side here.

I hope you don’t speak like this to the people you need on your side in order to fix the situation. They’re not going to feel very sympathetic to you if you’re being an a-hole.

I am a new poster. I want to add that last year there was a long term sub for one of the grades and she had lesson plans. All was well and she was well liked. This year what the previous person said was true. They didn't learn much and the class was chaotic. My kid was coming home with migraines daily and overly stressed by the behaviors of some really problematic kids. The problem was not the sub but the lack of plans and support and expectations. The buck stops with admin but the current situation does sadden me as we are all human and I feel like mistakes were made and I wish there was a different outcome.

Lack of plans was because the previous teacher who taught SS/Sci had left. There was no one to provide those plans to the sub to begin with. Whose responsibility was it to provide plans to the sub? Why wasn’t everyone working together on it from day 1?

They should have all come together to support the sub and make sure she had adequate plans. Instead our kids suffered. The team and admin did not work together here it seems.

Yes but this is even more out of the teachers personal time. Yes they need to work as a team, but it’s not good doing your lessons and someone else’s for an indefinite period of time.

Unfortunately that is what happens when there is a long term sub.

I would imagine that people are a lot more willing to help if the person shows some sort of initiative and willingness to do what they can on their own to pull plans together. If the sub was not doing that, I can see why a lot of resentment would be created. You can’t expect people to just do someone else’s job for them if they are straight up incompetent.

Exactly. Even so, Mr. Dyer gave the sub his slides and typed out detailed instructions for the children to follow on Schoology every, single morning. The sub had everything she needed. Hell, the parents even had everything they needed to teach the unit on Western African Empires. But instead of using the materials she was given, she would just let the kids sit there from 12-2:50 and do whatever they wanted. I cannot even begin to tell you some of the things that were happening in that class. I used to teach in a Title 1 school, and none of it would have been acceptable. Sub or no sub.

Why was Mr. Dyer providing the plans, when he is on the AAP team? Where are the gen Ed plans for SS/Sci?(this goes back to the vacancy issue created by last year’s Gen Ed SS/Sci teacher leaving). And please note his AAP class gets SS and Science daily. If the sub was just following his plans, that would mean our kids never would get taught science as Mr. Dyer doesn’t teach science. Again, who was overseeing the plans to ensure our kids got both SS and science?

OMG this is such a Navy AAP Mama response. Sweetheart, literally the only difference between what your kid and my kid learn is advanced math.

Different peer group though

Not at Navy, all the children come from very academically-oriented families.

+1. Different peer group my *ss. These kids are neighbors, are in sports and extracurriculars together, and many went to preschool together. We do a carpool with a kid in AAP and that child and mine talk about the same exact silly kid things. But I guess we know how PP thinks of Gen Ed kids. Clearly they are beneath her amazing genius child!

I mean, she thinks kids in general ed can't read, so there is no reasoning with her.

My Lord you’re sensitive. I said there are many kids with reading issues. That is a fact. Not all. And they need other ways of learning besides simply being presented with a textbook and vast amounts of reading and a cram session the night before a test. That’s why it didn’t work for the gen Ed to follow the AAP lesson plans. The 6th grade team very much understood this. It also didn’t work bc it meant that gen Ed didn’t actually get science. Presenting information in multiple ways is called differentiating my dear. Gen Ed teachers usually have to do more of that than AAP teachers.

Where are you getting “many” from? Did you just make that up? You are in for a rude awakening in a few years. The gap between your kid and AAP and many others not in AAP is nowhere near as wide as you’d like to believe.

You’ve completely missed the point of my post with your hurt feelings over semantics. I’ll rephrase then to “some.” Some kids in gen Ed have reading issues. And for many, nonfiction is harder than fiction. The kids that would have reading issues are not in AAP, they would be in gen Ed.

How wrong you are!

I teach Grade 8 English, including two sections of AA English 8.

On the diagnostic assessment administered last month, quite a few of my AA students scored well below my English 8 GE students on comprehension of informational text, as well as on overall vocabulary. I have approximately a dozen students who scored, on comprehension of informational text, more than two grade levels below expectation, and half of them are AA students.

On No Red Ink, my AA students also tend to struggle more than many of my GE students, and I attribute that to the fact that many of the AA students didn't begin receiving strong grammar and writing instruction until they arrived at our school in Grade 7. Most of our GE students had more explicit instruction in writing and grammar when they were in ES than did our AA students.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its common at other schools for classes to have long term subs for the entire school year.
So parents were crying about a long term
sub for just one subject?

Two subjects, but yes.

I thought the problem was that there was no sub. The long term sub they had hired quit after like a week. And since then there has been no one filling that role. That’s why parents have been upset.

You don’t know the facts obviously. First sub quit after 3 weeks. She was never supposed to be there long term anyway. Then they had a 2nd sub (a warm body) for a week. No one could even understand her. Then they got a long term sub who was there for 6 weeks and left the class in shambles. While there, she loosely threw some SS materials at them but it was absolute chaos in her class. Not a drop of science was taught.

Ok great. No need to be snarky to me. The point remains that it’s not just parents being upset that there’s a long term sub, like PP tried to imply. I am on your side here.

I hope you don’t speak like this to the people you need on your side in order to fix the situation. They’re not going to feel very sympathetic to you if you’re being an a-hole.

I am a new poster. I want to add that last year there was a long term sub for one of the grades and she had lesson plans. All was well and she was well liked. This year what the previous person said was true. They didn't learn much and the class was chaotic. My kid was coming home with migraines daily and overly stressed by the behaviors of some really problematic kids. The problem was not the sub but the lack of plans and support and expectations. The buck stops with admin but the current situation does sadden me as we are all human and I feel like mistakes were made and I wish there was a different outcome.

Lack of plans was because the previous teacher who taught SS/Sci had left. There was no one to provide those plans to the sub to begin with. Whose responsibility was it to provide plans to the sub? Why wasn’t everyone working together on it from day 1?

They should have all come together to support the sub and make sure she had adequate plans. Instead our kids suffered. The team and admin did not work together here it seems.

Yes but this is even more out of the teachers personal time. Yes they need to work as a team, but it’s not good doing your lessons and someone else’s for an indefinite period of time.

Unfortunately that is what happens when there is a long term sub.

I would imagine that people are a lot more willing to help if the person shows some sort of initiative and willingness to do what they can on their own to pull plans together. If the sub was not doing that, I can see why a lot of resentment would be created. You can’t expect people to just do someone else’s job for them if they are straight up incompetent.

Exactly. Even so, Mr. Dyer gave the sub his slides and typed out detailed instructions for the children to follow on Schoology every, single morning. The sub had everything she needed. Hell, the parents even had everything they needed to teach the unit on Western African Empires. But instead of using the materials she was given, she would just let the kids sit there from 12-2:50 and do whatever they wanted. I cannot even begin to tell you some of the things that were happening in that class. I used to teach in a Title 1 school, and none of it would have been acceptable. Sub or no sub.

Why was Mr. Dyer providing the plans, when he is on the AAP team? Where are the gen Ed plans for SS/Sci?(this goes back to the vacancy issue created by last year’s Gen Ed SS/Sci teacher leaving). And please note his AAP class gets SS and Science daily. If the sub was just following his plans, that would mean our kids never would get taught science as Mr. Dyer doesn’t teach science. Again, who was overseeing the plans to ensure our kids got both SS and science?

OMG this is such a Navy AAP Mama response. Sweetheart, literally the only difference between what your kid and my kid learn is advanced math.

Different peer group though

Not at Navy, all the children come from very academically-oriented families.

+1. Different peer group my *ss. These kids are neighbors, are in sports and extracurriculars together, and many went to preschool together. We do a carpool with a kid in AAP and that child and mine talk about the same exact silly kid things. But I guess we know how PP thinks of Gen Ed kids. Clearly they are beneath her amazing genius child!

My came from crossfield.

Like I said, different peer group

Ah yes, Crossfield. Where like 70% of the population is wealthy and white and the 30% that isn't wealthy and white are wealthy and Indian. They definitely couldn't hack it in social studies where you have to read a textbook, LOL!

For my kids cohort from crossfield, it was most chinese/korean that came over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey all. I'm Matt Dyer and I teach sixth grade at Navy. I know we all care about Navy and about our kids getting a great education. I know you are frustrated by the staffing issues, and the Navy teachers are too. I know you want your kids to get a great education, and the Navy teachers want the same thing.

First quarter conferences are coming up. Please bring your concerns to them and we will work very hard to address them. The school is making changes to improve the situation in sixth. The loss of 40% of our instructional staff and all of our guidance counselors was devastating. We lost many excellent teachers, and replacing them is very hard. The new people are working hard, but honestly it takes years and years to build all your teacher skills and classroom management skills. It's going to take time.

Let's not tear each other apart. We all want the same thing, and every student who comes through the doors of Navy is wonderful and deserving a great education. Every day in AAP and PBL we push kids and go beyond the FCPS curriculum and ask lots of them.

Do we make mistakes and have bad days? Sure we do. It's part of being human. But talk to me about it and I'll apologize and try hard to make things better. All Navy teachers will.

Mr. Simms-Smith has a big heart and wanted things at Navy to go well. For whatever reason, things didn't work out. I know he will be successful and continue to help people in his new job. I know the principal who replaces him will do the same. Instead of criticizing each other, let's work together and fix problems and make Navy a great elementary school.

If you would like to talk to me, my number at Navy is 703-262-7184. You'll get my voicemail during school hours, but I'll call you back. If you'd like to email, I'm at [e-mail]. I'm also in the neighborhood over on Duck Pond Court in Franklin Farm, usually out in the yard or sometimes walking around the pond, and I'd be happy to talk to you then. But we are NOT moving the ball forward and helping kids by anonymously saying mean things to each other here.

Let's work together and make the rest of the 2024-2025 school year great.

Mr. Dyer, you are just a class act and represent the best of Navy. We are proud to have our kids there in part because of fantastic teachers like you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its common at other schools for classes to have long term subs for the entire school year.
So parents were crying about a long term
sub for just one subject?

Two subjects, but yes.

I thought the problem was that there was no sub. The long term sub they had hired quit after like a week. And since then there has been no one filling that role. That’s why parents have been upset.

You don’t know the facts obviously. First sub quit after 3 weeks. She was never supposed to be there long term anyway. Then they had a 2nd sub (a warm body) for a week. No one could even understand her. Then they got a long term sub who was there for 6 weeks and left the class in shambles. While there, she loosely threw some SS materials at them but it was absolute chaos in her class. Not a drop of science was taught.

Ok great. No need to be snarky to me. The point remains that it’s not just parents being upset that there’s a long term sub, like PP tried to imply. I am on your side here.

I hope you don’t speak like this to the people you need on your side in order to fix the situation. They’re not going to feel very sympathetic to you if you’re being an a-hole.

I am a new poster. I want to add that last year there was a long term sub for one of the grades and she had lesson plans. All was well and she was well liked. This year what the previous person said was true. They didn't learn much and the class was chaotic. My kid was coming home with migraines daily and overly stressed by the behaviors of some really problematic kids. The problem was not the sub but the lack of plans and support and expectations. The buck stops with admin but the current situation does sadden me as we are all human and I feel like mistakes were made and I wish there was a different outcome.

Lack of plans was because the previous teacher who taught SS/Sci had left. There was no one to provide those plans to the sub to begin with. Whose responsibility was it to provide plans to the sub? Why wasn’t everyone working together on it from day 1?

They should have all come together to support the sub and make sure she had adequate plans. Instead our kids suffered. The team and admin did not work together here it seems.

Yes but this is even more out of the teachers personal time. Yes they need to work as a team, but it’s not good doing your lessons and someone else’s for an indefinite period of time.

Unfortunately that is what happens when there is a long term sub.

I would imagine that people are a lot more willing to help if the person shows some sort of initiative and willingness to do what they can on their own to pull plans together. If the sub was not doing that, I can see why a lot of resentment would be created. You can’t expect people to just do someone else’s job for them if they are straight up incompetent.

Exactly. Even so, Mr. Dyer gave the sub his slides and typed out detailed instructions for the children to follow on Schoology every, single morning. The sub had everything she needed. Hell, the parents even had everything they needed to teach the unit on Western African Empires. But instead of using the materials she was given, she would just let the kids sit there from 12-2:50 and do whatever they wanted. I cannot even begin to tell you some of the things that were happening in that class. I used to teach in a Title 1 school, and none of it would have been acceptable. Sub or no sub.

Why was Mr. Dyer providing the plans, when he is on the AAP team? Where are the gen Ed plans for SS/Sci?(this goes back to the vacancy issue created by last year’s Gen Ed SS/Sci teacher leaving). And please note his AAP class gets SS and Science daily. If the sub was just following his plans, that would mean our kids never would get taught science as Mr. Dyer doesn’t teach science. Again, who was overseeing the plans to ensure our kids got both SS and science?

OMG this is such a Navy AAP Mama response. Sweetheart, literally the only difference between what your kid and my kid learn is advanced math.

Different peer group though

Not at Navy, all the children come from very academically-oriented families.

+1. Different peer group my *ss. These kids are neighbors, are in sports and extracurriculars together, and many went to preschool together. We do a carpool with a kid in AAP and that child and mine talk about the same exact silly kid things. But I guess we know how PP thinks of Gen Ed kids. Clearly they are beneath her amazing genius child!

My came from crossfield.

Like I said, different peer group

Ah yes, Crossfield. Where like 70% of the population is wealthy and white and the 30% that isn't wealthy and white are wealthy and Indian. They definitely couldn't hack it in social studies where you have to read a textbook, LOL!

For my kids cohort from crossfield, it was most chinese/korean that came over.

So when you talk about "different peer group", you are solely talking about race? You prefer Navy because there are more Chinese and Korean families there? That's a little racist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey all. I'm Matt Dyer and I teach sixth grade at Navy. I know we all care about Navy and about our kids getting a great education. I know you are frustrated by the staffing issues, and the Navy teachers are too. I know you want your kids to get a great education, and the Navy teachers want the same thing.

First quarter conferences are coming up. Please bring your concerns to them and we will work very hard to address them. The school is making changes to improve the situation in sixth. The loss of 40% of our instructional staff and all of our guidance counselors was devastating. We lost many excellent teachers, and replacing them is very hard. The new people are working hard, but honestly it takes years and years to build all your teacher skills and classroom management skills. It's going to take time.

Let's not tear each other apart. We all want the same thing, and every student who comes through the doors of Navy is wonderful and deserving a great education. Every day in AAP and PBL we push kids and go beyond the FCPS curriculum and ask lots of them.

Do we make mistakes and have bad days? Sure we do. It's part of being human. But talk to me about it and I'll apologize and try hard to make things better. All Navy teachers will.

Mr. Simms-Smith has a big heart and wanted things at Navy to go well. For whatever reason, things didn't work out. I know he will be successful and continue to help people in his new job. I know the principal who replaces him will do the same. Instead of criticizing each other, let's work together and fix problems and make Navy a great elementary school.

If you would like to talk to me, my number at Navy is 703-262-7184. You'll get my voicemail during school hours, but I'll call you back. If you'd like to email, I'm at [e-mail]. I'm also in the neighborhood over on Duck Pond Court in Franklin Farm, usually out in the yard or sometimes walking around the pond, and I'd be happy to talk to you then. But we are NOT moving the ball forward and helping kids by anonymously saying mean things to each other here.

Let's work together and make the rest of the 2024-2025 school year great.

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much for your dedication and for making such a positive impact on our school and students! -- a fourth grader's parent.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its common at other schools for classes to have long term subs for the entire school year.
So parents were crying about a long term
sub for just one subject?

Two subjects, but yes.

I thought the problem was that there was no sub. The long term sub they had hired quit after like a week. And since then there has been no one filling that role. That’s why parents have been upset.

You don’t know the facts obviously. First sub quit after 3 weeks. She was never supposed to be there long term anyway. Then they had a 2nd sub (a warm body) for a week. No one could even understand her. Then they got a long term sub who was there for 6 weeks and left the class in shambles. While there, she loosely threw some SS materials at them but it was absolute chaos in her class. Not a drop of science was taught.

Ok great. No need to be snarky to me. The point remains that it’s not just parents being upset that there’s a long term sub, like PP tried to imply. I am on your side here.

I hope you don’t speak like this to the people you need on your side in order to fix the situation. They’re not going to feel very sympathetic to you if you’re being an a-hole.

I am a new poster. I want to add that last year there was a long term sub for one of the grades and she had lesson plans. All was well and she was well liked. This year what the previous person said was true. They didn't learn much and the class was chaotic. My kid was coming home with migraines daily and overly stressed by the behaviors of some really problematic kids. The problem was not the sub but the lack of plans and support and expectations. The buck stops with admin but the current situation does sadden me as we are all human and I feel like mistakes were made and I wish there was a different outcome.

Lack of plans was because the previous teacher who taught SS/Sci had left. There was no one to provide those plans to the sub to begin with. Whose responsibility was it to provide plans to the sub? Why wasn’t everyone working together on it from day 1?

They should have all come together to support the sub and make sure she had adequate plans. Instead our kids suffered. The team and admin did not work together here it seems.

Yes but this is even more out of the teachers personal time. Yes they need to work as a team, but it’s not good doing your lessons and someone else’s for an indefinite period of time.

Unfortunately that is what happens when there is a long term sub.

I would imagine that people are a lot more willing to help if the person shows some sort of initiative and willingness to do what they can on their own to pull plans together. If the sub was not doing that, I can see why a lot of resentment would be created. You can’t expect people to just do someone else’s job for them if they are straight up incompetent.

Exactly. Even so, Mr. Dyer gave the sub his slides and typed out detailed instructions for the children to follow on Schoology every, single morning. The sub had everything she needed. Hell, the parents even had everything they needed to teach the unit on Western African Empires. But instead of using the materials she was given, she would just let the kids sit there from 12-2:50 and do whatever they wanted. I cannot even begin to tell you some of the things that were happening in that class. I used to teach in a Title 1 school, and none of it would have been acceptable. Sub or no sub.

Why was Mr. Dyer providing the plans, when he is on the AAP team? Where are the gen Ed plans for SS/Sci?(this goes back to the vacancy issue created by last year’s Gen Ed SS/Sci teacher leaving). And please note his AAP class gets SS and Science daily. If the sub was just following his plans, that would mean our kids never would get taught science as Mr. Dyer doesn’t teach science. Again, who was overseeing the plans to ensure our kids got both SS and science?

OMG this is such a Navy AAP Mama response. Sweetheart, literally the only difference between what your kid and my kid learn is advanced math.

Different peer group though

Not at Navy, all the children come from very academically-oriented families.

+1. Different peer group my *ss. These kids are neighbors, are in sports and extracurriculars together, and many went to preschool together. We do a carpool with a kid in AAP and that child and mine talk about the same exact silly kid things. But I guess we know how PP thinks of Gen Ed kids. Clearly they are beneath her amazing genius child!

My came from crossfield.

Like I said, different peer group

Ah yes, Crossfield. Where like 70% of the population is wealthy and white and the 30% that isn't wealthy and white are wealthy and Indian. They definitely couldn't hack it in social studies where you have to read a textbook, LOL!

For my kids cohort from crossfield, it was most chinese/korean that came over.

So when you talk about "different peer group", you are solely talking about race? You prefer Navy because there are more Chinese and Korean families there? That's a little racist.

Different people have different priorities when it comes to academic after school activities, and family interests. Diverse population means that not everyone has your interest.

What's wrong with preferring other Asian people?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its common at other schools for classes to have long term subs for the entire school year.
So parents were crying about a long term
sub for just one subject?

Two subjects, but yes.

I thought the problem was that there was no sub. The long term sub they had hired quit after like a week. And since then there has been no one filling that role. That’s why parents have been upset.

You don’t know the facts obviously. First sub quit after 3 weeks. She was never supposed to be there long term anyway. Then they had a 2nd sub (a warm body) for a week. No one could even understand her. Then they got a long term sub who was there for 6 weeks and left the class in shambles. While there, she loosely threw some SS materials at them but it was absolute chaos in her class. Not a drop of science was taught.

Ok great. No need to be snarky to me. The point remains that it’s not just parents being upset that there’s a long term sub, like PP tried to imply. I am on your side here.

I hope you don’t speak like this to the people you need on your side in order to fix the situation. They’re not going to feel very sympathetic to you if you’re being an a-hole.

I am a new poster. I want to add that last year there was a long term sub for one of the grades and she had lesson plans. All was well and she was well liked. This year what the previous person said was true. They didn't learn much and the class was chaotic. My kid was coming home with migraines daily and overly stressed by the behaviors of some really problematic kids. The problem was not the sub but the lack of plans and support and expectations. The buck stops with admin but the current situation does sadden me as we are all human and I feel like mistakes were made and I wish there was a different outcome.

Lack of plans was because the previous teacher who taught SS/Sci had left. There was no one to provide those plans to the sub to begin with. Whose responsibility was it to provide plans to the sub? Why wasn’t everyone working together on it from day 1?

They should have all come together to support the sub and make sure she had adequate plans. Instead our kids suffered. The team and admin did not work together here it seems.

Yes but this is even more out of the teachers personal time. Yes they need to work as a team, but it’s not good doing your lessons and someone else’s for an indefinite period of time.

Unfortunately that is what happens when there is a long term sub.

I would imagine that people are a lot more willing to help if the person shows some sort of initiative and willingness to do what they can on their own to pull plans together. If the sub was not doing that, I can see why a lot of resentment would be created. You can’t expect people to just do someone else’s job for them if they are straight up incompetent.

Exactly. Even so, Mr. Dyer gave the sub his slides and typed out detailed instructions for the children to follow on Schoology every, single morning. The sub had everything she needed. Hell, the parents even had everything they needed to teach the unit on Western African Empires. But instead of using the materials she was given, she would just let the kids sit there from 12-2:50 and do whatever they wanted. I cannot even begin to tell you some of the things that were happening in that class. I used to teach in a Title 1 school, and none of it would have been acceptable. Sub or no sub.

Why was Mr. Dyer providing the plans, when he is on the AAP team? Where are the gen Ed plans for SS/Sci?(this goes back to the vacancy issue created by last year’s Gen Ed SS/Sci teacher leaving). And please note his AAP class gets SS and Science daily. If the sub was just following his plans, that would mean our kids never would get taught science as Mr. Dyer doesn’t teach science. Again, who was overseeing the plans to ensure our kids got both SS and science?

OMG this is such a Navy AAP Mama response. Sweetheart, literally the only difference between what your kid and my kid learn is advanced math.

Different peer group though

Not at Navy, all the children come from very academically-oriented families.

+1. Different peer group my *ss. These kids are neighbors, are in sports and extracurriculars together, and many went to preschool together. We do a carpool with a kid in AAP and that child and mine talk about the same exact silly kid things. But I guess we know how PP thinks of Gen Ed kids. Clearly they are beneath her amazing genius child!

My came from crossfield.

Like I said, different peer group

Ah yes, Crossfield. Where like 70% of the population is wealthy and white and the 30% that isn't wealthy and white are wealthy and Indian. They definitely couldn't hack it in social studies where you have to read a textbook, LOL!

For my kids cohort from crossfield, it was most chinese/korean that came over.

So when you talk about "different peer group", you are solely talking about race? You prefer Navy because there are more Chinese and Korean families there? That's a little racist.

Different people have different priorities when it comes to academic after school activities, and family interests. Diverse population means that not everyone has your interest.

What's wrong with preferring other Asian people?

I don't know why it's okay for Asian people to feel this way in FCPS, but not for any other race.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Its common at other schools for classes to have long term subs for the entire school year.
So parents were crying about a long term
sub for just one subject?

Two subjects, but yes.

I thought the problem was that there was no sub. The long term sub they had hired quit after like a week. And since then there has been no one filling that role. That’s why parents have been upset.

You don’t know the facts obviously. First sub quit after 3 weeks. She was never supposed to be there long term anyway. Then they had a 2nd sub (a warm body) for a week. No one could even understand her. Then they got a long term sub who was there for 6 weeks and left the class in shambles. While there, she loosely threw some SS materials at them but it was absolute chaos in her class. Not a drop of science was taught.

Ok great. No need to be snarky to me. The point remains that it’s not just parents being upset that there’s a long term sub, like PP tried to imply. I am on your side here.

I hope you don’t speak like this to the people you need on your side in order to fix the situation. They’re not going to feel very sympathetic to you if you’re being an a-hole.

I am a new poster. I want to add that last year there was a long term sub for one of the grades and she had lesson plans. All was well and she was well liked. This year what the previous person said was true. They didn't learn much and the class was chaotic. My kid was coming home with migraines daily and overly stressed by the behaviors of some really problematic kids. The problem was not the sub but the lack of plans and support and expectations. The buck stops with admin but the current situation does sadden me as we are all human and I feel like mistakes were made and I wish there was a different outcome.

Lack of plans was because the previous teacher who taught SS/Sci had left. There was no one to provide those plans to the sub to begin with. Whose responsibility was it to provide plans to the sub? Why wasn’t everyone working together on it from day 1?

They should have all come together to support the sub and make sure she had adequate plans. Instead our kids suffered. The team and admin did not work together here it seems.

Yes but this is even more out of the teachers personal time. Yes they need to work as a team, but it’s not good doing your lessons and someone else’s for an indefinite period of time.

Unfortunately that is what happens when there is a long term sub.

I would imagine that people are a lot more willing to help if the person shows some sort of initiative and willingness to do what they can on their own to pull plans together. If the sub was not doing that, I can see why a lot of resentment would be created. You can’t expect people to just do someone else’s job for them if they are straight up incompetent.

Exactly. Even so, Mr. Dyer gave the sub his slides and typed out detailed instructions for the children to follow on Schoology every, single morning. The sub had everything she needed. Hell, the parents even had everything they needed to teach the unit on Western African Empires. But instead of using the materials she was given, she would just let the kids sit there from 12-2:50 and do whatever they wanted. I cannot even begin to tell you some of the things that were happening in that class. I used to teach in a Title 1 school, and none of it would have been acceptable. Sub or no sub.

Why was Mr. Dyer providing the plans, when he is on the AAP team? Where are the gen Ed plans for SS/Sci?(this goes back to the vacancy issue created by last year’s Gen Ed SS/Sci teacher leaving). And please note his AAP class gets SS and Science daily. If the sub was just following his plans, that would mean our kids never would get taught science as Mr. Dyer doesn’t teach science. Again, who was overseeing the plans to ensure our kids got both SS and science?

OMG this is such a Navy AAP Mama response. Sweetheart, literally the only difference between what your kid and my kid learn is advanced math.

Different peer group though

Not at Navy, all the children come from very academically-oriented families.

+1. Different peer group my *ss. These kids are neighbors, are in sports and extracurriculars together, and many went to preschool together. We do a carpool with a kid in AAP and that child and mine talk about the same exact silly kid things. But I guess we know how PP thinks of Gen Ed kids. Clearly they are beneath her amazing genius child!

My came from crossfield.

Like I said, different peer group

Ah yes, Crossfield. Where like 70% of the population is wealthy and white and the 30% that isn't wealthy and white are wealthy and Indian. They definitely couldn't hack it in social studies where you have to read a textbook, LOL!

For my kids cohort from crossfield, it was most chinese/korean that came over.

So when you talk about "different peer group", you are solely talking about race? You prefer Navy because there are more Chinese and Korean families there? That's a little racist.

Different people have different priorities when it comes to academic after school activities, and family interests. Diverse population means that not everyone has your interest.

What's wrong with preferring other Asian people?

I don't know why it's okay for Asian people to feel this way in FCPS, but not for any other race.

This has got to be a Navy thing~I don't see this in our area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Who is their right mind would want to be a principal at this school?

This is why I think it’s probably going to be an AP promotion situation. What principal would want to leave their stable situation for a toxic one for the same pay. If you get an AP it can be framed as a promotion. Leading a new school in the middle of the school year, that is also dealing with staffing issues, the benchmark curriculum roll out, and intense parents seems like a nightmare, Godspeed to whoever takes that gig.

Except nobody likes the APs currently there.

I say put one of the gatehouse admins in since the different chiefs and assistant superintendents were such amazing educators that they earned high paid office jobs, one of them surely must be able to diffuse the situation.

They didn’t secure their cushy jobs in Gatehouse just so they could be part of the never-ending mess at Navy, even on an interim basis.

They are the CAUSE of it. They are responsible for the hiring and supervision of principals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS is the root of the problem. The parents were complaining because the 6th grade situation has been pretty terrible. It looked like things would be improving but now he has resigned, which is surprising because many of us were for starting to feel hopeful about the changes being put into place. He also seemed pretty upbeat and positive last week so I don't know what happened this week to change that. The kids all seemed to like him, so as usual, that's who will be negatively affected.

This. 6th grade parents were strongly advocating for an actual teacher after the sub left that class in shambles. Every 6th grade parent I know was absolutely thrilled with the principal’s decision to have the new teacher take over, as he is not only an experienced 6th grade teacher, but also beloved by the kids. I thought this would be a huge win and a positive PR boost for the principal. I also felt like he was finally starting to feel comfortable in his role. Then he resigned. It’s unfortunate, but I don’t blame him one bit. Navy would have been a challenging environment for even the most experienced principal. A brand new one never stood a chance.

I generally agree with this. However, the experienced 6th grade teacher was only set to be there for this week. After that it’s resource teachers and a different one for each section. Not sure the resource teachers have ever taught science before.

They are very experienced teachers. I’m sure they can figure out how to teach 6th grade science.

I’ve seen the 6th grade science lessons and they actually can be difficult if you don’t have a science background. Just like math can be for people not math oriented. I don’t know that an ESOL teacher will be the best fit to be a science teacher, but we will see!

They are. But I’ll take someone with solid pedagogy background/experience over a random person any day. Also, the ESOL teachers aren’t teaching science. They’re teaching writing.

Go back to the principal’s email to review the plan. He clearly states that 3 resource teachers (including an ESOL) teacher will be starting a science unit on 10/28.

ESOL teacher here - I know this thread has moved on, but I just want to say on behalf of all elementary ESOL teachers that yes, we are quite capable of teaching science. As an ESOL teacher I have successfully taught every subject, both as a co-teacher and in a self-contained setting. Even math. I can't guarantee your ESOL teacher will be any good in general, but he/she is still definitely suitably qualified for the position, and way better than a sub.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS is the root of the problem. The parents were complaining because the 6th grade situation has been pretty terrible. It looked like things would be improving but now he has resigned, which is surprising because many of us were for starting to feel hopeful about the changes being put into place. He also seemed pretty upbeat and positive last week so I don't know what happened this week to change that. The kids all seemed to like him, so as usual, that's who will be negatively affected.

This. 6th grade parents were strongly advocating for an actual teacher after the sub left that class in shambles. Every 6th grade parent I know was absolutely thrilled with the principal’s decision to have the new teacher take over, as he is not only an experienced 6th grade teacher, but also beloved by the kids. I thought this would be a huge win and a positive PR boost for the principal. I also felt like he was finally starting to feel comfortable in his role. Then he resigned. It’s unfortunate, but I don’t blame him one bit. Navy would have been a challenging environment for even the most experienced principal. A brand new one never stood a chance.

I generally agree with this. However, the experienced 6th grade teacher was only set to be there for this week. After that it’s resource teachers and a different one for each section. Not sure the resource teachers have ever taught science before.

They are very experienced teachers. I’m sure they can figure out how to teach 6th grade science.

I’ve seen the 6th grade science lessons and they actually can be difficult if you don’t have a science background. Just like math can be for people not math oriented. I don’t know that an ESOL teacher will be the best fit to be a science teacher, but we will see!

They are. But I’ll take someone with solid pedagogy background/experience over a random person any day. Also, the ESOL teachers aren’t teaching science. They’re teaching writing.

Go back to the principal’s email to review the plan. He clearly states that 3 resource teachers (including an ESOL) teacher will be starting a science unit on 10/28.

ESOL teacher here - I know this thread has moved on, but I just want to say on behalf of all elementary ESOL teachers that yes, we are quite capable of teaching science. As an ESOL teacher I have successfully taught every subject, both as a co-teacher and in a self-contained setting. Even math. I can't guarantee your ESOL teacher will be any good in general, but he/she is still definitely suitably qualified for the position, and way better than a sub.

Of course! Unfortunately, what we were told is not even happening yet. The science unit has not started on 10/28 as was promised. We have no idea when it will start and no further communication was given. Meanwhile, the AAP classes have finished their entire astronomy unit and are assessing this week. As are the rest of the schools in the pyramid who do the Astronomy unit in the first quarter. This is unacceptable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS is the root of the problem. The parents were complaining because the 6th grade situation has been pretty terrible. It looked like things would be improving but now he has resigned, which is surprising because many of us were for starting to feel hopeful about the changes being put into place. He also seemed pretty upbeat and positive last week so I don't know what happened this week to change that. The kids all seemed to like him, so as usual, that's who will be negatively affected.

This. 6th grade parents were strongly advocating for an actual teacher after the sub left that class in shambles. Every 6th grade parent I know was absolutely thrilled with the principal’s decision to have the new teacher take over, as he is not only an experienced 6th grade teacher, but also beloved by the kids. I thought this would be a huge win and a positive PR boost for the principal. I also felt like he was finally starting to feel comfortable in his role. Then he resigned. It’s unfortunate, but I don’t blame him one bit. Navy would have been a challenging environment for even the most experienced principal. A brand new one never stood a chance.

I generally agree with this. However, the experienced 6th grade teacher was only set to be there for this week. After that it’s resource teachers and a different one for each section. Not sure the resource teachers have ever taught science before.

They are very experienced teachers. I’m sure they can figure out how to teach 6th grade science.

I’ve seen the 6th grade science lessons and they actually can be difficult if you don’t have a science background. Just like math can be for people not math oriented. I don’t know that an ESOL teacher will be the best fit to be a science teacher, but we will see!

They are. But I’ll take someone with solid pedagogy background/experience over a random person any day. Also, the ESOL teachers aren’t teaching science. They’re teaching writing.

Go back to the principal’s email to review the plan. He clearly states that 3 resource teachers (including an ESOL) teacher will be starting a science unit on 10/28.

ESOL teacher here - I know this thread has moved on, but I just want to say on behalf of all elementary ESOL teachers that yes, we are quite capable of teaching science. As an ESOL teacher I have successfully taught every subject, both as a co-teacher and in a self-contained setting. Even math. I can't guarantee your ESOL teacher will be any good in general, but he/she is still definitely suitably qualified for the position, and way better than a sub.

Also, to address the person who you were responding to: “Our ESOL Teachers will teach the intervention and writing blocks.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS is the root of the problem. The parents were complaining because the 6th grade situation has been pretty terrible. It looked like things would be improving but now he has resigned, which is surprising because many of us were for starting to feel hopeful about the changes being put into place. He also seemed pretty upbeat and positive last week so I don't know what happened this week to change that. The kids all seemed to like him, so as usual, that's who will be negatively affected.

This. 6th grade parents were strongly advocating for an actual teacher after the sub left that class in shambles. Every 6th grade parent I know was absolutely thrilled with the principal’s decision to have the new teacher take over, as he is not only an experienced 6th grade teacher, but also beloved by the kids. I thought this would be a huge win and a positive PR boost for the principal. I also felt like he was finally starting to feel comfortable in his role. Then he resigned. It’s unfortunate, but I don’t blame him one bit. Navy would have been a challenging environment for even the most experienced principal. A brand new one never stood a chance.

I generally agree with this. However, the experienced 6th grade teacher was only set to be there for this week. After that it’s resource teachers and a different one for each section. Not sure the resource teachers have ever taught science before.

They are very experienced teachers. I’m sure they can figure out how to teach 6th grade science.

I’ve seen the 6th grade science lessons and they actually can be difficult if you don’t have a science background. Just like math can be for people not math oriented. I don’t know that an ESOL teacher will be the best fit to be a science teacher, but we will see!

They are. But I’ll take someone with solid pedagogy background/experience over a random person any day. Also, the ESOL teachers aren’t teaching science. They’re teaching writing.

Go back to the principal’s email to review the plan. He clearly states that 3 resource teachers (including an ESOL) teacher will be starting a science unit on 10/28.

ESOL teacher here - I know this thread has moved on, but I just want to say on behalf of all elementary ESOL teachers that yes, we are quite capable of teaching science. As an ESOL teacher I have successfully taught every subject, both as a co-teacher and in a self-contained setting. Even math. I can't guarantee your ESOL teacher will be any good in general, but he/she is still definitely suitably qualified for the position, and way better than a sub.

Also, to address the person who you were responding to: “Our ESOL Teachers will teach the intervention and writing blocks.”

Thank you for stepping in and helping to all of the esol and resource teachers. We have full confident in your abilities and are extremely thankful.