1st weather delay of the season this Thursday?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They all have laptops now, right? Just do distance learning. There’s no reason for snow days anymore.

The state approved 3 asynchronous virtual days for inclement weather and MCPS has said nothing. Other counties already released their plans.

The ability to pivot to asynchronous is harder for MCPS. It is the largest school district and most diverse in terms of the technology available. Even teachers do not all have the same devices and software.

Asynchronous means you can plan in advance. Send home/post meaningful lessons BEFORE the inclement weather days. We don't need to go backwards when we have the ability to plan ahead.

That might work for K or even first grade, but most grades don’t have meaningful generic lessons that can be done at any time. Instead, the curriculum has progressive skills or content that needs to be taught in sequence. Teachers could post three days of busy work if you really want that. Or if parents complain enough, MCPS will purchase three more days of a canned socioemotional learning curriculum to plop on Canvas.

It's hilarious that MCPS can't even do what the state approved or what the other counties have already done. Keep making excuses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They all have laptops now, right? Just do distance learning. There’s no reason for snow days anymore.

The state approved 3 asynchronous virtual days for inclement weather and MCPS has said nothing. Other counties already released their plans.

The ability to pivot to asynchronous is harder for MCPS. It is the largest school district and most diverse in terms of the technology available. Even teachers do not all have the same devices and software.

Asynchronous means you can plan in advance. Send home/post meaningful lessons BEFORE the inclement weather days. We don't need to go backwards when we have the ability to plan ahead.

That might work for K or even first grade, but most grades don’t have meaningful generic lessons that can be done at any time. Instead, the curriculum has progressive skills or content that needs to be taught in sequence. Teachers could post three days of busy work if you really want that. Or if parents complain enough, MCPS will purchase three more days of a canned socioemotional learning curriculum to plop on Canvas.

It's hilarious that MCPS can't even do what the state approved or what the other counties have already done. Keep making excuses.

Do you know the quality of what other counties posted?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They all have laptops now, right? Just do distance learning. There’s no reason for snow days anymore.

For schools who use the cart model, kids leave laptops at schools, so I don't think MCPS will be able to implement distance learning unless they make all kids bring them home.

Then allow schools who are prepared to do it. Why should the rest of us have make up days when our kids can do virtual?

Lots of reasons:
For one, when there is a makeup day, teachers and other staff are not paid for it. Teachers were already paid for the emergency day and paras are not paid. Except if that day is made asynchronous, paras would have to be paid. There are staff who are paras part time at multiple schools. It would be a payroll nightmare.

Huh? Staff get paid on makeup days. It would be criminal to not pay them for work done. If staff works, they get paid. Payroll can handle it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They all have laptops now, right? Just do distance learning. There’s no reason for snow days anymore.

The state approved 3 asynchronous virtual days for inclement weather and MCPS has said nothing. Other counties already released their plans.

The ability to pivot to asynchronous is harder for MCPS. It is the largest school district and most diverse in terms of the technology available. Even teachers do not all have the same devices and software.

Asynchronous means you can plan in advance. Send home/post meaningful lessons BEFORE the inclement weather days. We don't need to go backwards when we have the ability to plan ahead.

That might work for K or even first grade, but most grades don’t have meaningful generic lessons that can be done at any time. Instead, the curriculum has progressive skills or content that needs to be taught in sequence. Teachers could post three days of busy work if you really want that. Or if parents complain enough, MCPS will purchase three more days of a canned socioemotional learning curriculum to plop on Canvas.

It's hilarious that MCPS can't even do what the state approved or what the other counties have already done. Keep making excuses.

Do you know the quality of what other counties posted?

My child's asynchronous work is meaningful. All school systems have to get approval of the asynchronous instruction and plan by the state before publishing the information. So why did MCPS ignore this opportunity? Carroll, Howard, Frederick - all approved by the state. We can only hope that MCPS submitted a plan. Here's an example of one - https://www.pgcps.org/globalassets/offices/information-technology/docs---information-technology/plan

[Anonymous]

I can tell you that at the elementary school where I work there is no chance that we will do online learning on an upcoming snow day. Teachers have not been asked to put anything online or keep up their canvas pages. We don’t have zoom rooms created or shared with families. We have no reason to believe all families have wifi or devices. We have a cart model for Chromebooks and students don’t bring them home. Yes they can request an (old) Chromebook for home use but obviously that requires a lot of lead time and we’re not out there making sure they have them. Not happening. We’re at March 2020 levels of preparedness for this right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can tell you that at the elementary school where I work there is no chance that we will do online learning on an upcoming snow day. Teachers have not been asked to put anything online or keep up their canvas pages. We don’t have zoom rooms created or shared with families. We have no reason to believe all families have wifi or devices. We have a cart model for Chromebooks and students don’t bring them home. Yes they can request an (old) Chromebook for home use but obviously that requires a lot of lead time and we’re not out there making sure they have them. Not happening. We’re at March 2020 levels of preparedness for this right now.

That’s fine (ES parent here). Distance learning was a disaster and I don’t need more of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can tell you that at the elementary school where I work there is no chance that we will do online learning on an upcoming snow day. Teachers have not been asked to put anything online or keep up their canvas pages. We don’t have zoom rooms created or shared with families. We have no reason to believe all families have wifi or devices. We have a cart model for Chromebooks and students don’t bring them home. Yes they can request an (old) Chromebook for home use but obviously that requires a lot of lead time and we’re not out there making sure they have them. Not happening. We’re at March 2020 levels of preparedness for this right now.

Asynchronous was approved by the state. I hope you understand the difference between asynchronous and synchronous. The work does not have to be done on a computer if the teacher decides to send home hard copies of the lessons.

[Anonymous]

WX says all rain this time. Next real threat is 12/22/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can tell you that at the elementary school where I work there is no chance that we will do online learning on an upcoming snow day. Teachers have not been asked to put anything online or keep up their canvas pages. We don’t have zoom rooms created or shared with families. We have no reason to believe all families have wifi or devices. We have a cart model for Chromebooks and students don’t bring them home. Yes they can request an (old) Chromebook for home use but obviously that requires a lot of lead time and we’re not out there making sure they have them. Not happening. We’re at March 2020 levels of preparedness for this right now.

March 2020 levels of preparedness? No wonder MCPS is falling so far behind. Can't even get it together to try and avoid making up days. There will be no waivers for big storms. The state will not allow them when they implemented this inclement weather plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They all have laptops now, right? Just do distance learning. There’s no reason for snow days anymore.

For schools who use the cart model, kids leave laptops at schools, so I don't think MCPS will be able to implement distance learning unless they make all kids bring them home.

Then allow schools who are prepared to do it. Why should the rest of us have make up days when our kids can do virtual?

Lots of reasons:
For one, when there is a makeup day, teachers and other staff are not paid for it. Teachers were already paid for the emergency day and paras are not paid. Except if that day is made asynchronous, paras would have to be paid. There are staff who are paras part time at multiple schools. It would be a payroll nightmare.

Huh? Staff get paid on makeup days. It would be criminal to not pay them for work done. If staff works, they get paid. Payroll can handle it.

NP, they don’t get paid bc they were paid on the day of the snow day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They all have laptops now, right? Just do distance learning. There’s no reason for snow days anymore.

The state approved 3 asynchronous virtual days for inclement weather and MCPS has said nothing. Other counties already released their plans.

The ability to pivot to asynchronous is harder for MCPS. It is the largest school district and most diverse in terms of the technology available. Even teachers do not all have the same devices and software.

Asynchronous means you can plan in advance. Send home/post meaningful lessons BEFORE the inclement weather days. We don't need to go backwards when we have the ability to plan ahead.

That might work for K or even first grade, but most grades don’t have meaningful generic lessons that can be done at any time. Instead, the curriculum has progressive skills or content that needs to be taught in sequence. Teachers could post three days of busy work if you really want that. Or if parents complain enough, MCPS will purchase three more days of a canned socioemotional learning curriculum to plop on Canvas.

It's hilarious that MCPS can't even do what the state approved or what the other counties have already done. Keep making excuses.

Do you know the quality of what other counties posted?

My child's asynchronous work is meaningful. All school systems have to get approval of the asynchronous instruction and plan by the state before publishing the information. So why did MCPS ignore this opportunity? Carroll, Howard, Frederick - all approved by the state. We can only hope that MCPS submitted a plan. Here's an example of one - https://www.pgcps.org/globalassets/offices/information-technology/docs---information-technology/plan

But MCPS is so much bigger than all of those. I’m sure what they are doing is crap anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They all have laptops now, right? Just do distance learning. There’s no reason for snow days anymore.

The state approved 3 asynchronous virtual days for inclement weather and MCPS has said nothing. Other counties already released their plans.

The ability to pivot to asynchronous is harder for MCPS. It is the largest school district and most diverse in terms of the technology available. Even teachers do not all have the same devices and software.

Asynchronous means you can plan in advance. Send home/post meaningful lessons BEFORE the inclement weather days. We don't need to go backwards when we have the ability to plan ahead.

That might work for K or even first grade, but most grades don’t have meaningful generic lessons that can be done at any time. Instead, the curriculum has progressive skills or content that needs to be taught in sequence. Teachers could post three days of busy work if you really want that. Or if parents complain enough, MCPS will purchase three more days of a canned socioemotional learning curriculum to plop on Canvas.

It's hilarious that MCPS can't even do what the state approved or what the other counties have already done. Keep making excuses.

Do you know the quality of what other counties posted?

My child's asynchronous work is meaningful. All school systems have to get approval of the asynchronous instruction and plan by the state before publishing the information. So why did MCPS ignore this opportunity? Carroll, Howard, Frederick - all approved by the state. We can only hope that MCPS submitted a plan. Here's an example of one - https://www.pgcps.org/globalassets/offices/information-technology/docs---information-technology/plan

But MCPS is so much bigger than all of those. I’m sure what they are doing is crap anyway.

Approved by the state. 3 days for inclement weather. The other option is to have DCUM parents complain about how no meaningful instruction is taking place the make up days at the end of the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They all have laptops now, right? Just do distance learning. There’s no reason for snow days anymore.

The state approved 3 asynchronous virtual days for inclement weather and MCPS has said nothing. Other counties already released their plans.

The ability to pivot to asynchronous is harder for MCPS. It is the largest school district and most diverse in terms of the technology available. Even teachers do not all have the same devices and software.

Asynchronous means you can plan in advance. Send home/post meaningful lessons BEFORE the inclement weather days. We don't need to go backwards when we have the ability to plan ahead.

That might work for K or even first grade, but most grades don’t have meaningful generic lessons that can be done at any time. Instead, the curriculum has progressive skills or content that needs to be taught in sequence. Teachers could post three days of busy work if you really want that. Or if parents complain enough, MCPS will purchase three more days of a canned socioemotional learning curriculum to plop on Canvas.

It's hilarious that MCPS can't even do what the state approved or what the other counties have already done. Keep making excuses.

Do you know the quality of what other counties posted?

My child's asynchronous work is meaningful. All school systems have to get approval of the asynchronous instruction and plan by the state before publishing the information. So why did MCPS ignore this opportunity? Carroll, Howard, Frederick - all approved by the state. We can only hope that MCPS submitted a plan. Here's an example of one - https://www.pgcps.org/globalassets/offices/information-technology/docs---information-technology/plan

But MCPS is so much bigger than all of those. I’m sure what they are doing is crap anyway.

Approved by the state. 3 days for inclement weather. The other option is to have DCUM parents complain about how no meaningful instruction is taking place the make up days at the end of the year.

It's fluff either way, so who cares. Go with whatever costs less and is more practical, which my guess would be adding days at the end of the year. I just don't see the point in having everything in place- curriculum, chromebooks, chargers, etc. for a couple potential weather days at the ES level especially.

[Anonymous]

Based on the current forecast, gotta think there will be enough iciness up north for at least a delay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They all have laptops now, right? Just do distance learning. There’s no reason for snow days anymore.

For schools who use the cart model, kids leave laptops at schools, so I don't think MCPS will be able to implement distance learning unless they make all kids bring them home.

Then allow schools who are prepared to do it. Why should the rest of us have make up days when our kids can do virtual?

Lots of reasons:
For one, when there is a makeup day, teachers and other staff are not paid for it. Teachers were already paid for the emergency day and paras are not paid. Except if that day is made asynchronous, paras would have to be paid. There are staff who are paras part time at multiple schools. It would be a payroll nightmare.

Huh? Staff get paid on makeup days. It would be criminal to not pay them for work done. If staff works, they get paid. Payroll can handle it.

Staff (not teachers) get paid on the makeup day, but are not paid on the energency closure day. Not an issue when the days are the same across the county. Start closing school by school and it will be more complex to get track of who is getting paid on which day.