FCPS closed Monday

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our neighborhood is about a 20 minute walk to the high school. The majority of the sidewalks, that line roads to the school have not been plowed. We do not have bus service (that pesky 1 mile radius rule). There is no way the kids can make it to the high school. The sidewalk area next to the main crosswalk to cross a major road, is full of ice. We drove past the high school this morning. The parking spots are cleared, but the sidewalks leading into the school are packed with ice. Do you expect the kids to walk on the aslphalt, along with a bunch if new drivers? Also, what is up with people assuming teachers would have to help clear the ice/snow!? That is ridiculous!

Reid expects the parents will do it. Why not the teachers?

It is not their job! Period, end of story. My kid has a teacher that walks with a cane. Should he go out, cut through the ice and shovel it?! Should that job be only for the younger healthier teachers? Did they go to college for 5+ years to end up being forced to clean up the snow? They didn’t sign up for that job! You signed up to have kids.

It’s not the parents job either, but that didn’t stop Reid from telling them to get out and shovel.

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.

Is everything in FCPS responsibility done? Including public sidewalks leading to schools? I don’t see how Reid can tell parents they should shovel out public bus stops but not expect the FCPS staff who work for her to put in a few hours on a day they’re being paid.

No, in fact, the faculty are professionals who have contracts that outline their roles and duties and “shoveling sidewalks for angry parents” is not among them. They’re not indentured servants who can be assigned any task that dumb people on message boards dream up in frustration.

This response exemplifies the problem with FCPS and its defenders.

You can cry all you want- contracts are legally binding documents that prevent employers from being able to abuse you by doing things like forcing you to shovel snow on school property when you were hired to teach. You need to get a grip on reality.

I am an employment lawyer. I certainly have a grip on this reality. So you can stop your lecture.

You can focus on the contract. Or you can focus on the practical reality. The most successful workplaces generally have employers and employees that take the latter approach.

Here, there is a problem (need to clear school walkways and lots). There is also a large workforce that can be part of the solution. The answer seems obvious.

An example: I went to a smaller private day school (not in this area). After big snowstorms, the faculty and the principal (even nearby parents/students) always pitched in to help our maintenance department clear the school grounds. The school would give everyone a free pizza lunch. It was fun and effective. The result: we always reopened quickly after storms. It was a win-win for everyone.

That’s the reality — you can either focus on what everyone can do to help schools be open or try and push the problem off to someone else. FCPS and its defenders too often take the second path.

I doubt that you work near law thing.
This entire problem is not about school ground.
It is more about how to safely bring kids to school from their home…. And school is not responsible to clean hundreds miles of sidewalk and streets within their zone.

But the school can say: we are open if you can make it safely; if you can’t, it’s an excused absence. That’s essentially what Loudoun’s announcement for today said.

Sound like “we are open for daycare if you need it”.
Because, if only half class show up, teacher has to re- teach…

I’m a Loudoun teacher and I predict no more than the usual amount of absences today. People love to make threats about keeping their kids home but few follow though. Car line will be a doozy but that’s ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what exactly is going to change between monday and Tuesday. Did reid work with vdot to clear the sidewalks? How can they open school ever again without addressing the sidewalks? Maybe she should use one of her 10 body guards?

For the thousandth time, VDOT doesn’t clear sidewalks. You and your neighbors have to get out there and shovel them. No one is coming to save you. You have to have some responsibility for your community.

VDOT should remove the 8ft pile of ice slabs that they plowed into the corners of the school intersection until the sidewalks and crosswalks.

This is the property owner’s responsibility almost everywhere. DOT’s job is to clear snow from the street. If their plowing blocks access to your property, you need to move it.

Oh well, then whoever live in the corner house is fu*ked then, those 8’ of ice mountain is my responsibility to remove. They sure need to rent a bobcat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our neighborhood is about a 20 minute walk to the high school. The majority of the sidewalks, that line roads to the school have not been plowed. We do not have bus service (that pesky 1 mile radius rule). There is no way the kids can make it to the high school. The sidewalk area next to the main crosswalk to cross a major road, is full of ice. We drove past the high school this morning. The parking spots are cleared, but the sidewalks leading into the school are packed with ice. Do you expect the kids to walk on the aslphalt, along with a bunch if new drivers? Also, what is up with people assuming teachers would have to help clear the ice/snow!? That is ridiculous!

Reid expects the parents will do it. Why not the teachers?

It is not their job! Period, end of story. My kid has a teacher that walks with a cane. Should he go out, cut through the ice and shovel it?! Should that job be only for the younger healthier teachers? Did they go to college for 5+ years to end up being forced to clean up the snow? They didn’t sign up for that job! You signed up to have kids.

It’s not the parents job either, but that didn’t stop Reid from telling them to get out and shovel.

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.

Is everything in FCPS responsibility done? Including public sidewalks leading to schools? I don’t see how Reid can tell parents they should shovel out public bus stops but not expect the FCPS staff who work for her to put in a few hours on a day they’re being paid.

No, in fact, the faculty are professionals who have contracts that outline their roles and duties and “shoveling sidewalks for angry parents” is not among them. They’re not indentured servants who can be assigned any task that dumb people on message boards dream up in frustration.

This response exemplifies the problem with FCPS and its defenders.

You can cry all you want- contracts are legally binding documents that prevent employers from being able to abuse you by doing things like forcing you to shovel snow on school property when you were hired to teach. You need to get a grip on reality.

I am an employment lawyer. I certainly have a grip on this reality. So you can stop your lecture.

You can focus on the contract. Or you can focus on the practical reality. The most successful workplaces generally have employers and employees that take the latter approach.

Here, there is a problem (need to clear school walkways and lots). There is also a large workforce that can be part of the solution. The answer seems obvious.

An example: I went to a smaller private day school (not in this area). After big snowstorms, the faculty and the principal (even nearby parents/students) always pitched in to help our maintenance department clear the school grounds. The school would give everyone a free pizza lunch. It was fun and effective. The result: we always reopened quickly after storms. It was a win-win for everyone.

That’s the reality — you can either focus on what everyone can do to help schools be open or try and push the problem off to someone else. FCPS and its defenders too often take the second path.

I doubt that you work near law thing.
This entire problem is not about school ground.
It is more about how to safely bring kids to school from their home…. And school is not responsible to clean hundreds miles of sidewalk and streets within their zone.

But the school can say: we are open if you can make it safely; if you can’t, it’s an excused absence. That’s essentially what Loudoun’s announcement for today said.

Sound like “we are open for daycare if you need it”.
Because, if only half class show up, teacher has to re- teach…

Sure, but at least they opened!

I don’t understand the bus issue though. In my hometown we had 2 bus stops. The normal one, and the “snow route” one. If the residential streets weren’t safely passable for busses, you went to your snow bus stop on a main road that was passable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our neighborhood is about a 20 minute walk to the high school. The majority of the sidewalks, that line roads to the school have not been plowed. We do not have bus service (that pesky 1 mile radius rule). There is no way the kids can make it to the high school. The sidewalk area next to the main crosswalk to cross a major road, is full of ice. We drove past the high school this morning. The parking spots are cleared, but the sidewalks leading into the school are packed with ice. Do you expect the kids to walk on the aslphalt, along with a bunch if new drivers? Also, what is up with people assuming teachers would have to help clear the ice/snow!? That is ridiculous!

Reid expects the parents will do it. Why not the teachers?

It is not their job! Period, end of story. My kid has a teacher that walks with a cane. Should he go out, cut through the ice and shovel it?! Should that job be only for the younger healthier teachers? Did they go to college for 5+ years to end up being forced to clean up the snow? They didn’t sign up for that job! You signed up to have kids.

It’s not the parents job either, but that didn’t stop Reid from telling them to get out and shovel.

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.

Is everything in FCPS responsibility done? Including public sidewalks leading to schools? I don’t see how Reid can tell parents they should shovel out public bus stops but not expect the FCPS staff who work for her to put in a few hours on a day they’re being paid.

No, in fact, the faculty are professionals who have contracts that outline their roles and duties and “shoveling sidewalks for angry parents” is not among them. They’re not indentured servants who can be assigned any task that dumb people on message boards dream up in frustration.

This response exemplifies the problem with FCPS and its defenders.

You can cry all you want- contracts are legally binding documents that prevent employers from being able to abuse you by doing things like forcing you to shovel snow on school property when you were hired to teach. You need to get a grip on reality.

I am an employment lawyer. I certainly have a grip on this reality. So you can stop your lecture.

You can focus on the contract. Or you can focus on the practical reality. The most successful workplaces generally have employers and employees that take the latter approach.

Here, there is a problem (need to clear school walkways and lots). There is also a large workforce that can be part of the solution. The answer seems obvious.

An example: I went to a smaller private day school (not in this area). After big snowstorms, the faculty and the principal (even nearby parents/students) always pitched in to help our maintenance department clear the school grounds. The school would give everyone a free pizza lunch. It was fun and effective. The result: we always reopened quickly after storms. It was a win-win for everyone.

That’s the reality — you can either focus on what everyone can do to help schools be open or try and push the problem off to someone else. FCPS and its defenders too often take the second path.

I doubt that you work near law thing.
This entire problem is not about school ground.
It is more about how to safely bring kids to school from their home…. And school is not responsible to clean hundreds miles of sidewalk and streets within their zone.

But the school can say: we are open if you can make it safely; if you can’t, it’s an excused absence. That’s essentially what Loudoun’s announcement for today said.

Sound like “we are open for daycare if you need it”.
Because, if only half class show up, teacher has to re- teach…

Sure, but at least they opened!

I don’t understand the bus issue though. In my hometown we had 2 bus stops. The normal one, and the “snow route” one. If the residential streets weren’t safely passable for busses, you went to your snow bus stop on a main road that was passable.

Same here re the snow route when I was a kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what exactly is going to change between monday and Tuesday. Did reid work with vdot to clear the sidewalks? How can they open school ever again without addressing the sidewalks? Maybe she should use one of her 10 body guards?

For the thousandth time, VDOT doesn’t clear sidewalks. You and your neighbors have to get out there and shovel them. No one is coming to save you. You have to have some responsibility for your community.

VDOT should remove the 8ft pile of ice slabs that they plowed into the corners of the school intersection until the sidewalks and crosswalks.

This is the property owner’s responsibility almost everywhere. DOT’s job is to clear snow from the street. If their plowing blocks access to your property, you need to move it.

In Fairfax County, there is no legal requirement for any homeowner to clear the sidewalk in front of their house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our neighborhood is about a 20 minute walk to the high school. The majority of the sidewalks, that line roads to the school have not been plowed. We do not have bus service (that pesky 1 mile radius rule). There is no way the kids can make it to the high school. The sidewalk area next to the main crosswalk to cross a major road, is full of ice. We drove past the high school this morning. The parking spots are cleared, but the sidewalks leading into the school are packed with ice. Do you expect the kids to walk on the aslphalt, along with a bunch if new drivers? Also, what is up with people assuming teachers would have to help clear the ice/snow!? That is ridiculous!

Reid expects the parents will do it. Why not the teachers?

It is not their job! Period, end of story. My kid has a teacher that walks with a cane. Should he go out, cut through the ice and shovel it?! Should that job be only for the younger healthier teachers? Did they go to college for 5+ years to end up being forced to clean up the snow? They didn’t sign up for that job! You signed up to have kids.

It’s not the parents job either, but that didn’t stop Reid from telling them to get out and shovel.

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.

Is everything in FCPS responsibility done? Including public sidewalks leading to schools? I don’t see how Reid can tell parents they should shovel out public bus stops but not expect the FCPS staff who work for her to put in a few hours on a day they’re being paid.

No, in fact, the faculty are professionals who have contracts that outline their roles and duties and “shoveling sidewalks for angry parents” is not among them. They’re not indentured servants who can be assigned any task that dumb people on message boards dream up in frustration.

This response exemplifies the problem with FCPS and its defenders.

You can cry all you want- contracts are legally binding documents that prevent employers from being able to abuse you by doing things like forcing you to shovel snow on school property when you were hired to teach. You need to get a grip on reality.

I am an employment lawyer. I certainly have a grip on this reality. So you can stop your lecture.

You can focus on the contract. Or you can focus on the practical reality. The most successful workplaces generally have employers and employees that take the latter approach.

Here, there is a problem (need to clear school walkways and lots). There is also a large workforce that can be part of the solution. The answer seems obvious.

An example: I went to a smaller private day school (not in this area). After big snowstorms, the faculty and the principal (even nearby parents/students) always pitched in to help our maintenance department clear the school grounds. The school would give everyone a free pizza lunch. It was fun and effective. The result: we always reopened quickly after storms. It was a win-win for everyone.

That’s the reality — you can either focus on what everyone can do to help schools be open or try and push the problem off to someone else. FCPS and its defenders too often take the second path.

I doubt that you work near law thing.
This entire problem is not about school ground.
It is more about how to safely bring kids to school from their home…. And school is not responsible to clean hundreds miles of sidewalk and streets within their zone.

But the school can say: we are open if you can make it safely; if you can’t, it’s an excused absence. That’s essentially what Loudoun’s announcement for today said.

Sound like “we are open for daycare if you need it”.
Because, if only half class show up, teacher has to re- teach…

So they re-teach. Use the opportunity of only having half the class there to give some individual attention. The mental gymnastics you go through to try to excuse people from doing the job for which they’re paid…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what exactly is going to change between monday and Tuesday. Did reid work with vdot to clear the sidewalks? How can they open school ever again without addressing the sidewalks? Maybe she should use one of her 10 body guards?

For the thousandth time, VDOT doesn’t clear sidewalks. You and your neighbors have to get out there and shovel them. No one is coming to save you. You have to have some responsibility for your community.

VDOT should remove the 8ft pile of ice slabs that they plowed into the corners of the school intersection until the sidewalks and crosswalks.

This is the property owner’s responsibility almost everywhere. DOT’s job is to clear snow from the street. If their plowing blocks access to your property, you need to move it.

VDOT needs to come back out and clean up the feeder streets/intersections at the very least. That is a portion of the problem.

Then VDOT needs to clean up the intersections where kiss cross. Another portion of the problem.

Or VDOT could have done it right the 1st time so this wouldn't have become such an insurmountable problem (but that ship has sailed).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what exactly is going to change between monday and Tuesday. Did reid work with vdot to clear the sidewalks? How can they open school ever again without addressing the sidewalks? Maybe she should use one of her 10 body guards?

For the thousandth time, VDOT doesn’t clear sidewalks. You and your neighbors have to get out there and shovel them. No one is coming to save you. You have to have some responsibility for your community.

VDOT should remove the 8ft pile of ice slabs that they plowed into the corners of the school intersection until the sidewalks and crosswalks.

This is the property owner’s responsibility almost everywhere. DOT’s job is to clear snow from the street. If their plowing blocks access to your property, you need to move it.

VDOT needs to come back out and clean up the feeder streets/intersections at the very least. That is a portion of the problem.

Then VDOT needs to clean up the intersections where kiss cross. Another portion of the problem.

Or VDOT could have done it right the 1st time so this wouldn't have become such an insurmountable problem (but that ship has sailed).

Yup. I have been in several areas. It is astounding the difference that I see in some areas over others. Some neighborhoods are almost perfect. Others are a mess. And, I am talking about VDOT roads. Even in my neighborhood there is enormous difference. Some streets are perfect. Mine was not touched after the ice. Obviously, different contractors. If your contract or was driving a light pickup with a snow plow on the front, you were out of luck. If your contractor had a decent sized truck with a snowplow on it, you probably did okay.

Our contractor could not handle it and left after putting a wall across the only outlet. Neighbors were able to cut a lane through the wall, but the road is a sheet of ice. Sand would have helped, but we got none.

[Anonymous]

Snow plow won’t do any dent in present condition. The only solution is heavy construction equipments. Wonder how many are available to handle those massive tons of metric of ice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Snow plow won’t do any dent in present condition. The only solution is heavy construction equipments. Wonder how many are available to handle those massive tons of metric of ice.

Then Reid needs to get Soanberger on the phone to call out the Natl Guard and their heavy duty equipment.

Yea, seems extreme to call the Natl Guard, but VDOT won't or cant (or both) so how else will this mess get cleaned up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:and teachers wonder why they "don't get paid much" when they only work 7 months out of the year

You might want to redo that math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our neighborhood is about a 20 minute walk to the high school. The majority of the sidewalks, that line roads to the school have not been plowed. We do not have bus service (that pesky 1 mile radius rule). There is no way the kids can make it to the high school. The sidewalk area next to the main crosswalk to cross a major road, is full of ice. We drove past the high school this morning. The parking spots are cleared, but the sidewalks leading into the school are packed with ice. Do you expect the kids to walk on the aslphalt, along with a bunch if new drivers? Also, what is up with people assuming teachers would have to help clear the ice/snow!? That is ridiculous!

Reid expects the parents will do it. Why not the teachers?

It is not their job! Period, end of story. My kid has a teacher that walks with a cane. Should he go out, cut through the ice and shovel it?! Should that job be only for the younger healthier teachers? Did they go to college for 5+ years to end up being forced to clean up the snow? They didn’t sign up for that job! You signed up to have kids.

It’s not the parents job either, but that didn’t stop Reid from telling them to get out and shovel.

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.

Is everything in FCPS responsibility done? Including public sidewalks leading to schools? I don’t see how Reid can tell parents they should shovel out public bus stops but not expect the FCPS staff who work for her to put in a few hours on a day they’re being paid.

No, in fact, the faculty are professionals who have contracts that outline their roles and duties and “shoveling sidewalks for angry parents” is not among them. They’re not indentured servants who can be assigned any task that dumb people on message boards dream up in frustration.

This response exemplifies the problem with FCPS and its defenders.

You can cry all you want- contracts are legally binding documents that prevent employers from being able to abuse you by doing things like forcing you to shovel snow on school property when you were hired to teach. You need to get a grip on reality.

I am an employment lawyer. I certainly have a grip on this reality. So you can stop your lecture.

You can focus on the contract. Or you can focus on the practical reality. The most successful workplaces generally have employers and employees that take the latter approach.

Here, there is a problem (need to clear school walkways and lots). There is also a large workforce that can be part of the solution. The answer seems obvious.

An example: I went to a smaller private day school (not in this area). After big snowstorms, the faculty and the principal (even nearby parents/students) always pitched in to help our maintenance department clear the school grounds. The school would give everyone a free pizza lunch. It was fun and effective. The result: we always reopened quickly after storms. It was a win-win for everyone.

That’s the reality — you can either focus on what everyone can do to help schools be open or try and push the problem off to someone else. FCPS and its defenders too often take the second path.

If you're an employment lawyer and this is your perspective and advice, you're grossly incompetent. You're recommendation for the superintendent would be to breach employment contracts, unnecessarily expose teachers to physical harm for activities outside their scope of employment, under the guise of "asking for volunteers," without any concern for the potential liability (which would go well beyond workers' comp)? I hope you're a first year associate. If not, I feel sorry for your clients/firm.

[Anonymous]

I would never expect school staff to shovel snow. That's absurd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:and teachers wonder why they "don't get paid much" when they only work 7 months out of the year

You might want to redo that math.

It's close. FCPS teachers have massive amounts of days off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Snow plow won’t do any dent in present condition. The only solution is heavy construction equipments. Wonder how many are available to handle those massive tons of metric of ice.

Then Reid needs to get Soanberger on the phone to call out the Natl Guard and their heavy duty equipment.

Yea, seems extreme to call the Natl Guard, but VDOT won't or cant (or both) so how else will this mess get cleaned up?

Nature will clean up itself.
Meanwhile … let the people who is in charge to figure out the best solution possible for everyone.

When you are not in charge, it always seems easy.

School will reopen soon, as soon as tomorrow with delay.