MCPS faces Teacher shortage next year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure why some people think MCPS is not hiring because it is obvious they do. Quote from Dr. McKnight message:

• We have hired Mr. Brian Stockton as Chief of Staff, who will assist me with leveraging the work of the system's leadership and liaising with the Board of Education and external stakeholders.
• We have hired Ms. Elba Garcia as Senior Community Advisor, who will maintain and coordinate with partners, stakeholders and community leaders.
• We look forward to enhanced, proactive, thoughtful and effective communications with the addition of Ms. Celia Fischer as Assistant Chief of Communications.
• We will hire a Special Education Liaison, who will engage with families of students with disabilities to better understand the students’ needs and how we can be more responsive to them.
• We will have a new Deputy Superintendent, Chief Academic Officer and Chief Operations Officer, all of whom will maximize support to schools and the engagement of students, staff and all of our partnerships.

That doesn't fill the openings for special education and other classroom teachers

+1 Dr. McKnight is so focused on increasing bloat at Central Office that staff did not hire Special Ed teachers for ESY.

We need teachers in schools not Central Office staff.

How do you know Dr McKnight is focused on the central office and not on getting teachers in classrooms? It sure seems like they're trying to since they've listed whatever like 900 positions.

Cause she is busy hiring back all of Jerry Weast's cronies. Is Weast on the payroll too?

I thought everyone yearned for the Weast days?

They do but their desire to complain about everything is greater.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Signing bonuses, competitive pay, and generous benefits is how employers fill positions. Do more than your competitors, then you will get the better candidates.

Particularly for hard to fill positions including Special Education jobs, MCPS advertise low wages and no benefit or signing bonuses. This results in positions going unfilled while candidates choose other school districts or private employment opportunities.

Valuing your personnel goes a long way, and it’s not happening most places. Not just In MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure why some people think MCPS is not hiring because it is obvious they do. Quote from Dr. McKnight message:

• We have hired Mr. Brian Stockton as Chief of Staff, who will assist me with leveraging the work of the system's leadership and liaising with the Board of Education and external stakeholders.
• We have hired Ms. Elba Garcia as Senior Community Advisor, who will maintain and coordinate with partners, stakeholders and community leaders.
• We look forward to enhanced, proactive, thoughtful and effective communications with the addition of Ms. Celia Fischer as Assistant Chief of Communications.
• We will hire a Special Education Liaison, who will engage with families of students with disabilities to better understand the students’ needs and how we can be more responsive to them.
• We will have a new Deputy Superintendent, Chief Academic Officer and Chief Operations Officer, all of whom will maximize support to schools and the engagement of students, staff and all of our partnerships.

That doesn't fill the openings for special education and other classroom teachers

+1 Dr. McKnight is so focused on increasing bloat at Central Office that staff did not hire Special Ed teachers for ESY.

We need teachers in schools not Central Office staff.

How do you know Dr McKnight is focused on the central office and not on getting teachers in classrooms? It sure seems like they're trying to since they've listed whatever like 900 positions.

Cause she is busy hiring back all of Jerry Weast's cronies. Is Weast on the payroll too?

I thought everyone yearned for the Weast days?

No one does except the McKnight PR department that worked for Weast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So they're asking families of students to identify a person to suppor their children and MCPS will pay them $19/hr??? https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/staffing-shortages-push-mcps-summer-school-program-students-online/?fbclid=IwAR03Yym6egvWLEKiPxEwK-4TwpZ-wAIDvfpgKHZE-Kpd5QNMvZSXrGYmtO4

Well, yeah, like we’ve been saying…teachers are burnt out! This should not be a surprise. I feel for the families affected by this late change.

Staff are burnt out because of the failure by Dr. McKnight and Central Office to have appropriate staffing levels for the FY 22 school year. To make a last minute announcement for parents to find their own providers to help students once again with online services shows how chaotic Central Office is right now.

As a parent of a kid that is affected by this announcement, I resent this being used in some anti-McKnight propaganda campaign. The pandemic has taken its toll on all schools but MCPS has worked through this. Sure, it's still a challenging situation, but what isn't helping is all this misinformation and finger-pointing because some unhinged racist can't accept an AA woman in charge of the county and makes every issue about their short tenure as superintendent.

Who is in charge? No one. Stop trying to use race and sex as an excuse. McKnight can be pink and bi and it still leaves students without a summer ESY program. Try putting the children first for once.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So they're asking families of students to identify a person to suppor their children and MCPS will pay them $19/hr??? https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/staffing-shortages-push-mcps-summer-school-program-students-online/?fbclid=IwAR03Yym6egvWLEKiPxEwK-4TwpZ-wAIDvfpgKHZE-Kpd5QNMvZSXrGYmtO4

Well, yeah, like we’ve been saying…teachers are burnt out! This should not be a surprise. I feel for the families affected by this late change.

Staff are burnt out because of the failure by Dr. McKnight and Central Office to have appropriate staffing levels for the FY 22 school year. To make a last minute announcement for parents to find their own providers to help students once again with online services shows how chaotic Central Office is right now.

As a parent of a kid that is affected by this announcement, I resent this being used in some anti-McKnight propaganda campaign. The pandemic has taken its toll on all schools but MCPS has worked through this. Sure, it's still a challenging situation, but what isn't helping is all this misinformation and finger-pointing because some unhinged racist can't accept an AA woman in charge of the county and makes every issue about their short tenure as superintendent.

Yes, that poster tries to make every thread a critique on McKnight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So they're asking families of students to identify a person to suppor their children and MCPS will pay them $19/hr??? https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/staffing-shortages-push-mcps-summer-school-program-students-online/?fbclid=IwAR03Yym6egvWLEKiPxEwK-4TwpZ-wAIDvfpgKHZE-Kpd5QNMvZSXrGYmtO4

Well, yeah, like we’ve been saying…teachers are burnt out! This should not be a surprise. I feel for the families affected by this late change.

Staff are burnt out because of the failure by Dr. McKnight and Central Office to have appropriate staffing levels for the FY 22 school year. To make a last minute announcement for parents to find their own providers to help students once again with online services shows how chaotic Central Office is right now.

As a parent of a kid that is affected by this announcement, I resent this being used in some anti-McKnight propaganda campaign. The pandemic has taken its toll on all schools but MCPS has worked through this. Sure, it's still a challenging situation, but what isn't helping is all this misinformation and finger-pointing because some unhinged racist can't accept an AA woman in charge of the county and makes every issue about their short tenure as superintendent.

Yes, that poster tries to make every thread a critique on McKnight.

Agreed. She's not in charge, so why mention her name.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Signing bonuses, competitive pay, and generous benefits is how employers fill positions. Do more than your competitors, then you will get the better candidates.

Particularly for hard to fill positions including Special Education jobs, MCPS advertise low wages and no benefit or signing bonuses. This results in positions going unfilled while candidates choose other school districts or private employment opportunities.

Valuing your personnel goes a long way, and it’s not happening most places. Not just In MCPS.

It's not even MCPS. It's the parents of this community and the complete lack of respect teachers get in general. People are sick and tired of being treated this way. You're so privileged bc you have SuMmEr OfF, sToP wHiNiNg....It's disgusting. People who disparaged teachers for two years are running for BOE. No one wants to put up with these types of people anymore.

[Anonymous]

Special education teacher here. Not burned out by the students or parents, but the current mcps professional climate is draining and inequitable for special education teachers--especially at the elementary level.

Maybe they will send an email regarding a salary boost for special education positions just before the start of the school year just like they did for Compensatory Services and ESY? I'd at least like to see supplements for teaching and supporting a high caseload.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Signing bonuses, competitive pay, and generous benefits is how employers fill positions. Do more than your competitors, then you will get the better candidates.

Particularly for hard to fill positions including Special Education jobs, MCPS advertise low wages and no benefit or signing bonuses. This results in positions going unfilled while candidates choose other school districts or private employment opportunities.

Valuing your personnel goes a long way, and it’s not happening most places. Not just In MCPS.

It's not even MCPS. It's the parents of this community and the complete lack of respect teachers get in general. People are sick and tired of being treated this way. You're so privileged bc you have SuMmEr OfF, sToP wHiNiNg....It's disgusting. People who disparaged teachers for two years are running for BOE. No one wants to put up with these types of people anymore.

Yes, it really doesn't help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure why some people think MCPS is not hiring because it is obvious they do. Quote from Dr. McKnight message:

• We have hired Mr. Brian Stockton as Chief of Staff, who will assist me with leveraging the work of the system's leadership and liaising with the Board of Education and external stakeholders.
• We have hired Ms. Elba Garcia as Senior Community Advisor, who will maintain and coordinate with partners, stakeholders and community leaders.
• We look forward to enhanced, proactive, thoughtful and effective communications with the addition of Ms. Celia Fischer as Assistant Chief of Communications.
• We will hire a Special Education Liaison, who will engage with families of students with disabilities to better understand the students’ needs and how we can be more responsive to them.
• We will have a new Deputy Superintendent, Chief Academic Officer and Chief Operations Officer, all of whom will maximize support to schools and the engagement of students, staff and all of our partnerships.

That doesn't fill the openings for special education and other classroom teachers

+1 Dr. McKnight is so focused on increasing bloat at Central Office that staff did not hire Special Ed teachers for ESY.

We need teachers in schools not Central Office staff.

How do you know Dr McKnight is focused on the central office and not on getting teachers in classrooms? It sure seems like they're trying to since they've listed whatever like 900 positions.

Cause she is busy hiring back all of Jerry Weast's cronies. Is Weast on the payroll too?

Really? I read they weren't hiring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of my DC ES teachers left MCPS. They are underpaid and there is no incentive to work here considering how expensive life is in MC. MCPS has a huge budget but looks like money go into wrong pockets and directions. Education is not a priority now days.
Property tax increases will resolve the problem in the near future.

Society has been in freefall for decades. When were schools good again?

For MCPS? About 20 years ago, when MCPS was recognized as a top school system within the U.S. I think it started declining after Weast left. This paper explains the issues.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/leadingforequity/pdf/HarvardCase-DifferientiatedTreatment.pdf

An interesting sidenote - compare Jerry Weast's resume to McKnight's. See the difference? That's the caliber of Superintendent of Schools resume you should get with half-a-million dollars, imho.

You're delusional. I went to MCPS 20 years ago. It wasn't all that. There is greater economic diversity today which impacts averages, but anyone who wants a top notch education can do better today than back then.

Completely agree! I graduated from a W 20 years ago and my kid's DCC schools are so much better. MCPS is better today for anyone who wants a great education. The people complaining only have themselves to blame.

Agree my oldest graduated from an application magnet with over 14 APs and near perfect SATs. I don't think my w high school even offered that many APs. My point is that if you want a great education the opportunities today are even greater than in the past but it's up to you to make that happen. So many people here complain but I've done nothing and take no's personal responsibility for their lives. They want a nanny state for the county tells them what to do.

AP exams and the SAT are also no longer what they used to be. Just because your DC is at the top of the heap doesn't mean that they are getting a great education, just one that is better than some other kids. Lots of us who have been around education see the deterioration. - AP teacher

AP and SAT exams are no longer required for Maryland public system admission. They become irrelevant.
Soon, we'll live in a surreal county where all students have only 'A's and everybody will be happy. 'A's for all, free tuition for all, government jobs for all, free "affordable" houses for everybody. Take it as a joke (still a joke) but that's the direction.

I joined MCPS as a teacher this year from a different district. I still don’t understand why MCPS uses an E for a failing grade instead of an F. So weird.
And why are department heads called resource teachers? And yes, the 50% rule for no work turned in is pathetic. MCPS has a good reputation but I have been less than impressed

Maybe because many colleges all over the country use E instead of F? It's the least confusing thing. You explain it to a kid once and they don't forget. Maybe worry about important things.

Colleges use F for failing. And if we are going by college standards, then D should be a failing grade

I work in HR for a huge corporation. I see transcripts all the time. E is very standard for a failing grade. Most schools accept D's as passing as long as their GPA for the major is above 3.0. It won't transfer to other schools. Maybe educate yourself, aren't you a teacher?

DP here. Clearly you must hire from crap colleges. I went to an Ivy and if you fall a course, you got an F. How are you accepting applicants with Es and Fs on their transcript

They said “see.” Please point out where they said “accepting applicants.” Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So they're asking families of students to identify a person to suppor their children and MCPS will pay them $19/hr??? https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/staffing-shortages-push-mcps-summer-school-program-students-online/?fbclid=IwAR03Yym6egvWLEKiPxEwK-4TwpZ-wAIDvfpgKHZE-Kpd5QNMvZSXrGYmtO4

Completely crazy. There are retail jobs right now that start at $17-18 in high demand areas. And yet the schools are flummoxed why no one wants to deal with a roomful of ill-parented children whom they’re not allowed to discipline and consequences don’t exist? Gee, I wonder why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Special education teacher here. Not burned out by the students or parents, but the current mcps professional climate is draining and inequitable for special education teachers--especially at the elementary level.

Maybe they will send an email regarding a salary boost for special education positions just before the start of the school year just like they did for Compensatory Services and ESY? I'd at least like to see supplements for teaching and supporting a high caseload.

They should. They pay principals more when the student body is bigger. Pyle middle is big for example and that principal gets an annual stipend above other principals’ pay.

[Anonymous]

There's a shortage of teacher because no one wants to deal with Montgomery County parents. I have various friends who are teachers at MCPS and if they didn't have the level of seniority that they have, and would have to go backwards, they would leave MCPS in a heartbeat for school districts that treat their staff better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So they're asking families of students to identify a person to suppor their children and MCPS will pay them $19/hr??? https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/staffing-shortages-push-mcps-summer-school-program-students-online/?fbclid=IwAR03Yym6egvWLEKiPxEwK-4TwpZ-wAIDvfpgKHZE-Kpd5QNMvZSXrGYmtO4

Well, yeah, like we’ve been saying…teachers are burnt out! This should not be a surprise. I feel for the families affected by this late change.

Staff are burnt out because of the failure by Dr. McKnight and Central Office to have appropriate staffing levels for the FY 22 school year. To make a last minute announcement for parents to find their own providers to help students once again with online services shows how chaotic Central Office is right now.

As a parent of a kid that is affected by this announcement, I resent this being used in some anti-McKnight propaganda campaign. The pandemic has taken its toll on all schools but MCPS has worked through this. Sure, it's still a challenging situation, but what isn't helping is all this misinformation and finger-pointing because some unhinged racist can't accept an AA woman in charge of the county and makes every issue about their short tenure as superintendent.

Yes, that poster tries to make every thread a critique on McKnight.

I like McKnight. I can't wait to see how she does. So far I've really loved how she's handled things. We'll see.