Staff turnover

[Anonymous]

Mundo Verde has had 17 staff leave since the beginning of the school year. http://www.mundoverdepcs.org/sy2122-school-communications/2021/11/15/staffing-challenges

[Anonymous]

As a teacher with many years of experience, I would like to add that yes, there is more being asked from us teachers. The RCT sound good but are not needed. Just another waste of instructional time. They have to do them in ELA, Social Studies, Mathematics, and Science. While some are short, others are long. The RCT needs to be administered each term, so this will be 16 unnecessary assessments over the course of a year. I think when you look at like this, the question being asked is do we need them?

[Anonymous]

I just got hired in PG county, putting my notice in at my DCPS school tomorrow morning. I started teaching in PG but moved to DC 3 years ago because they paid more. Not worth it.

[Anonymous]

I empathize with lots of comments on this thread. For me this year admin keeps harping on covid protocols that are impossible to follow while they let the building and specifically technology fall apart for 18 months. And then expected things to just work when we returned. So nothing works and I spend a bunch of time dealing with that.

Couple that with absolutely no expectations by DCPS in terms of behavior or grading and it’s kind of like what’s the point? Everyone gets high grades no matter what, kids can behavior however they want with no consequences and I have to grade stacks of assignments emailed to me at midnight on the last day of the advisory. I just don’t feel like I’m teaching anything- content, responsibility, citizenship, etc. My hands are tied.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am at a DCPS school and I will be leaving after this year. The expectations are unbearable. There is very little positive regard from admin.

I will be leaving DCPS at the end of the year as well. If I find a better opportunity mid-year, I will leave mid-year. Teaching is extremely stressful but even more so in a district that continually throws additional requirements on my plate without the training or **time** to get them done.

💯 if DCPS wanted teachers to stay this year they sure picked a funny way to encourage it! I know, let’s overload them even MORE with bureaucracy, requirements that don’t actually help children but give them stats to play with, and let’s overload classes with at least a few students in each with MAJOR trauma!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The teachers at my school are overwhelmed with how far behind the kids are because they missed so much school.

I also hear about there being more behavioral issues in ES classes (not from my kids' teachers -- from teacher friends).

Teachers created this mess by shutting down schools for so long and now they don't want to have to help clean it up.

Oh PLEASE sit down. Almost Eve teacher I know was actively lobbying for schools to open last year. The union did NOT represent a TON of us!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My building hasn't had anyone quit because we are all really, really supportive of each other. There is a fair amount of drinking after work, going out to bars and lots of "I can't take this anymore" talk. In my district as a whole, we had a bunch of people quit before the year started and a few who quit in the first month. Most of the resignations were because of really stressful behaviors. I think most parents were drowning trying to work from home with kids around, and weren't able to spend time teaching kids basic manners, basic acceptable behaviors because they were just trying to survive. And the daycares who also help teach those things were largely closed. So the things we're seeing would just blow an average person's mind. It's almost like some kids have been running around for nearly 2 years without any parenting at all. They're feral.

It is getting better. After 3 months, they can finally walk in a line and we don't have as many meltdowns or fights.

Exactly! Agreed that it is finally getting a bit better after TONS of training on expectations. They were feral and many still are. Many simply don’t know how to behave in school and pretty much don’t even hear or comprehend directions. Lots of emotional disregulation. Our country did children no favors keeping schools closed so long. #reapingwhatwesowed

[Anonymous]

I think about leaving a lot but I’m too tired to look for another job. I feel bad leaving in the middle of the year any way but hopefully I will find something else this summer. If nothing else, I will probably switch to private school. I know it is lower pay but fewer students + less disruptive students is an attractive combination.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am at a DCPS school and I will be leaving after this year. The expectations are unbearable. There is very little positive regard from admin.

I will be leaving DCPS at the end of the year as well. If I find a better opportunity mid-year, I will leave mid-year. Teaching is extremely stressful but even more so in a district that continually throws additional requirements on my plate without the training or **time** to get them done.

💯 if DCPS wanted teachers to stay this year they sure picked a funny way to encourage it! I know, let’s overload them even MORE with bureaucracy, requirements that don’t actually help children but give them stats to play with, and let’s overload classes with at least a few students in each with MAJOR trauma!!

Although I thought one of the things that everyone wanted was greater transparency, which means more data and frankly, oversight. Although maybe the RCTs aren’t providing that, who knows.

I word in the federal government; the amount of stupid stuff I have to do for transparency eats up a good chunk of time, so I can sympathize.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am at a DCPS school and I will be leaving after this year. The expectations are unbearable. There is very little positive regard from admin.

What are the expectations? Are they new?

+1. I'm really sorry to hear that, PP. I have been wondering what it's actually like for my kids' teachers this year and wonder what I could do to support them more. Anything you'd be willing to share would be much appreciated, PP.

Not PP but another teacher. 85% of my time is going toward mitigating negative behaviors and planning instruction for my students who are most in need (both behaviorally & academically.) The expectations from admin aren't anything that you can do to support teachers since we are not accountable to you. Make sure your child goes to school ready to learn, you read any and all communications from teachers, work in collaboration to support your child's academic growth and parent them so they when they are in school they can follow standard classroom norms (keep your hands to yourself, respect yourself /classmates/teacher.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My building hasn't had anyone quit because we are all really, really supportive of each other. There is a fair amount of drinking after work, going out to bars and lots of "I can't take this anymore" talk. In my district as a whole, we had a bunch of people quit before the year started and a few who quit in the first month. Most of the resignations were because of really stressful behaviors. I think most parents were drowning trying to work from home with kids around, and weren't able to spend time teaching kids basic manners, basic acceptable behaviors because they were just trying to survive. And the daycares who also help teach those things were largely closed. So the things we're seeing would just blow an average person's mind. It's almost like some kids have been running around for nearly 2 years without any parenting at all. They're feral.

It is getting better. After 3 months, they can finally walk in a line and we don't have as many meltdowns or fights.

This is interesting but likely the case at every other DMV public school too, no?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I empathize with lots of comments on this thread. For me this year admin keeps harping on covid protocols that are impossible to follow while they let the building and specifically technology fall apart for 18 months. And then expected things to just work when we returned. So nothing works and I spend a bunch of time dealing with that.

Couple that with absolutely no expectations by DCPS in terms of behavior or grading and it’s kind of like what’s the point? Everyone gets high grades no matter what, kids can behavior however they want with no consequences and I have to grade stacks of assignments emailed to me at midnight on the last day of the advisory. I just don’t feel like I’m teaching anything- content, responsibility, citizenship, etc. My hands are tied.

Thank you for this. This is helpful. How are other school systems that were closed manaing the same things- does anyone know?

[Anonymous]

I have heard other school districts are better in some ways and not in other ways. Overall, the increase in behaviors seems to be something universal that all schools are experiencing. Staff shortages are worse in other places. I know in Arlington my friend started the school year with several grade level classroom teacher positions not filled yet in an elementary school. I think Montgomery county has over 300 open positions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have heard other school districts are better in some ways and not in other ways. Overall, the increase in behaviors seems to be something universal that all schools are experiencing. Staff shortages are worse in other places. I know in Arlington my friend started the school year with several grade level classroom teacher positions not filled yet in an elementary school. I think Montgomery county has over 300 open positions.

Montgomery county has 3 times the number of students as compared to DCPS, so it isn’t fair to compare raw numbers of vacant positions and claim one is worse than the other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I empathize with lots of comments on this thread. For me this year admin keeps harping on covid protocols that are impossible to follow while they let the building and specifically technology fall apart for 18 months. And then expected things to just work when we returned. So nothing works and I spend a bunch of time dealing with that.

Couple that with absolutely no expectations by DCPS in terms of behavior or grading and it’s kind of like what’s the point? Everyone gets high grades no matter what, kids can behavior however they want with no consequences and I have to grade stacks of assignments emailed to me at midnight on the last day of the advisory. I just don’t feel like I’m teaching anything- content, responsibility, citizenship, etc. My hands are tied.

Completely agree...I have been teaching for a long time and I don't have much to give anymore. There is little balance with life. Teaching was not sustainable before the pandemic and it's even more exhausting now. Too many additional tasks and mandates from the central office and the school were added this year. Teachers are forced to inflate grades, zero consequences for behavior, and administrators that are passive-aggressive and poor leaders. DCPS doesn't deliver on promised resources. I've spent my own money in an inflated economy just to make learning work for students. Central office and administrators haven't acknowledged the challenges of this year like other districts. We are told to take care of ourselves, but there is NO time to take care of ourselves, we are always working. I am often too exhausted to look for a new job but I have been applying and if given the opportunity I would leave mid-year. I will miss the classroom and the students but I am tired of working for a district and school that doesn't care about the staff.