Why Did My Private School Kid Have Virtual School on Snow Days But Not My MCPS Kid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS never submitted a virtual plan. The shrieking parents HATE virtual, because it doesn’t serve school’s primary purpose to them — a place to park their kid, be it when the roads are icy or on an in-person makeup day. 🙄

This, but Taylor has 100% against virtual, which is why he shut down the virtual school regardless of who it hurt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because virtual school is dumb, but the private school knows it has to justify tuition.

Private school parent of a HS student here. Our private school already justifies tuition even without virtual school during snow days.

1. School is not cancelled for ridiculous reasons. My kid was back in school on Thursday, January 29, following one true snow day on Monday and two remote learning days on Tuesday and Wednesday. All while MCPS students wasted time playing on their phones for an entire week.

2. Smaller class sizes...about half the size (or sometimes a third of the size) of MCPS.

3. Nicer facilities. Bathrooms all work and aren't closed. No vaping or other activities in bathroom (beyond some girls putting on makeup).

4. No grade inflation.

5. Teachers who are mission driven vs. benefit/salary driven.

6. Strong sense of community. Smaller overall class size (less than 100).

7. Amazing college counseling support. Lots of contact with counselor and counselor support for students seeking to get into certain schools. Some strong relationships with those schools that my DD wants to attend.

8. School was open during the pandemic.

9. Wonderful school trips for different groups of students (Spain, Austria, Costa Rica are recent trips).

10. Religion...this is a religious school. Having theology as a subject is something my daughter loves.

So for the PP, private school has SO MANY other reasons for a family to consider beyond school being open after a snow storm.

I’m a private school teacher and I take issue with #5. I used to teach in a public school.

I’m both mission driven AND salary driven. Let’s be honest: teachers have to pay the bills. Language like “mission driven” and “vocation” is often used as justification to pay us less. Contrary to DCUM belief, many of us are not married to wealthy spouses. We simply chose private because we were tired of the hopelessness we felt in public, so tired of it that we willingly gave up higher pay.

Also, I was mission driven as a public school teacher. It isn’t fair to claim that they are all simply in it for selfish reasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because virtual school is dumb, but the private school knows it has to justify tuition.

Private school parent of a HS student here. Our private school already justifies tuition even without virtual school during snow days.

1. School is not cancelled for ridiculous reasons. My kid was back in school on Thursday, January 29, following one true snow day on Monday and two remote learning days on Tuesday and Wednesday. All while MCPS students wasted time playing on their phones for an entire week.

2. Smaller class sizes...about half the size (or sometimes a third of the size) of MCPS.

3. Nicer facilities. Bathrooms all work and aren't closed. No vaping or other activities in bathroom (beyond some girls putting on makeup).

4. No grade inflation.

5. Teachers who are mission driven vs. benefit/salary driven.

6. Strong sense of community. Smaller overall class size (less than 100).

7. Amazing college counseling support. Lots of contact with counselor and counselor support for students seeking to get into certain schools. Some strong relationships with those schools that my DD wants to attend.

8. School was open during the pandemic.

9. Wonderful school trips for different groups of students (Spain, Austria, Costa Rica are recent trips).

10. Religion...this is a religious school. Having theology as a subject is something my daughter loves.

So for the PP, private school has SO MANY other reasons for a family to consider beyond school being open after a snow storm.

I’m a private school teacher and I take issue with #5. I used to teach in a public school.

I’m both mission driven AND salary driven. Let’s be honest: teachers have to pay the bills. Language like “mission driven” and “vocation” is often used as justification to pay us less. Contrary to DCUM belief, many of us are not married to wealthy spouses. We simply chose private because we were tired of the hopelessness we felt in public, so tired of it that we willingly gave up higher pay.

Also, I was mission driven as a public school teacher. It isn’t fair to claim that they are all simply in it for selfish reasons.

You make good points.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because virtual school is dumb, but the private school knows it has to justify tuition.

Private school parent of a HS student here. Our private school already justifies tuition even without virtual school during snow days.

1. School is not cancelled for ridiculous reasons. My kid was back in school on Thursday, January 29, following one true snow day on Monday and two remote learning days on Tuesday and Wednesday. All while MCPS students wasted time playing on their phones for an entire week.

2. Smaller class sizes...about half the size (or sometimes a third of the size) of MCPS.

3. Nicer facilities. Bathrooms all work and aren't closed. No vaping or other activities in bathroom (beyond some girls putting on makeup).

4. No grade inflation.

5. Teachers who are mission driven vs. benefit/salary driven.

6. Strong sense of community. Smaller overall class size (less than 100).

7. Amazing college counseling support. Lots of contact with counselor and counselor support for students seeking to get into certain schools. Some strong relationships with those schools that my DD wants to attend.

8. School was open during the pandemic.

9. Wonderful school trips for different groups of students (Spain, Austria, Costa Rica are recent trips).

10. Religion...this is a religious school. Having theology as a subject is something my daughter loves.

So for the PP, private school has SO MANY other reasons for a family to consider beyond school being open after a snow storm.

Underpaying teachers is not something to be proud of when your yearly tuition for one child is more than a teacher makes. Makes you wonder where the school pirorities are!

Some MCPS schools have great facilities, given they are newer.

Not seeing any grade inflation in MCPS.

Why do you need the school to take your kids on trips? Why can't you?

Socially having 100 students per grade can be hard and stiffling.

100 kids is plenty to choose from!

No grade inflation? Hello, 50% just for showing up (over the past several years); everyone’s in “honors” English is defacto grade inflation and not reading a full book during the year yet being allowed to enroll in AP English classes? Grade inflation - all of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because virtual school is dumb, but the private school knows it has to justify tuition.

Virtual school isn't as effective as in person but it beats an entire canceled week!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because virtual school is dumb, but the private school knows it has to justify tuition.

Private school parent of a HS student here. Our private school already justifies tuition even without virtual school during snow days.

1. School is not cancelled for ridiculous reasons. My kid was back in school on Thursday, January 29, following one true snow day on Monday and two remote learning days on Tuesday and Wednesday. All while MCPS students wasted time playing on their phones for an entire week.

2. Smaller class sizes...about half the size (or sometimes a third of the size) of MCPS.

3. Nicer facilities. Bathrooms all work and aren't closed. No vaping or other activities in bathroom (beyond some girls putting on makeup).

4. No grade inflation.

5. Teachers who are mission driven vs. benefit/salary driven.

6. Strong sense of community. Smaller overall class size (less than 100).

7. Amazing college counseling support. Lots of contact with counselor and counselor support for students seeking to get into certain schools. Some strong relationships with those schools that my DD wants to attend.

8. School was open during the pandemic.

9. Wonderful school trips for different groups of students (Spain, Austria, Costa Rica are recent trips).

10. Religion...this is a religious school. Having theology as a subject is something my daughter loves.

So for the PP, private school has SO MANY other reasons for a family to consider beyond school being open after a snow storm.

Underpaying teachers is not something to be proud of when your yearly tuition for one child is more than a teacher makes. Makes you wonder where the school pirorities are!

Some MCPS schools have great facilities, given they are newer.

Not seeing any grade inflation in MCPS.

Why do you need the school to take your kids on trips? Why can't you?

Socially having 100 students per grade can be hard and stiffling.

100 kids is plenty to choose from!

No grade inflation? Hello, 50% just for showing up (over the past several years); everyone’s in “honors” English is defacto grade inflation and not reading a full book during the year yet being allowed to enroll in AP English classes? Grade inflation - all of it.

Most of our teacher didn't do the 50% and 50% is still failing. That's not grade inflation if you are still failing. Its not the kids fault they don't read books and that is not grade inflation. You are misusing the term.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because virtual school is dumb, but the private school knows it has to justify tuition.

Virtual school isn't as effective as in person but it beats an entire canceled week!

Actually, it can be very effective and there is a reason why MCPS never released the data. Many kids are failing in person, so by that standard, in person is also ineffective. So, missing a week or two of school doesn't matter given how ineffective it is. Virtual was great for my kids...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because virtual school is dumb, but the private school knows it has to justify tuition.

Virtual school isn't as effective as in person but it beats an entire canceled week!

Actually, it can be very effective and there is a reason why MCPS never released the data. Many kids are failing in person, so by that standard, in person is also ineffective. So, missing a week or two of school doesn't matter given how ineffective it is. Virtual was great for my kids...

Good point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:During snowcrete, my MCPS kid had no virtual school at all and my private school kid had virtual learning everyday. Quite annoying - one kid is occupied and the other is bouncing off of the walls with nothing to do. Same thing today. Now private school kid gets out first week in June and MCPS kid is not out until the end of the month.

This blows my mind. My public school kid has barely had two consecutive weeks of school!

If they capitalize every single word in a header, they need all of the education they can get their hands on

[Anonymous]

No one knows!

[Anonymous]

Is this a troll post? What kids can’t have fun on a snow day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this a troll post? What kids can’t have fun on a snow day?

Our hs kids who kindly shoveled people out and still had homework and new assignments.

[Anonymous]

Private schools do not hold themselves accountable for accessibility. If you can sign on that’s your problem. Most have lax attendance policies too. Your kid doesn’t sign on and misses class that’s your problem. Since public schools have a higher standard for equity and tens of thousands of kids to consider there really is no comparison in the decision making. It’s very simple. Also people need to remember that all of the extra funding from COVID is gone. If you want every kid to have a computer we have to pay for it. The shelf life of a school device is three years max. Every subscription to a platform costs money. I see people balking about paying for HVAC and mold control so where the property tax dollars are coming from to fund virtual learning for 3 extra school days I’m not clear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go private then

+100. Perfect response. My exact thoughts as I read OP's message.

Exactly. Why on earth would she think private and public need operate similarly?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Private schools do not hold themselves accountable for accessibility. If you can sign on that’s your problem. Most have lax attendance policies too. Your kid doesn’t sign on and misses class that’s your problem. Since public schools have a higher standard for equity and tens of thousands of kids to consider there really is no comparison in the decision making. It’s very simple. Also people need to remember that all of the extra funding from COVID is gone. If you want every kid to have a computer we have to pay for it. The shelf life of a school device is three years max. Every subscription to a platform costs money. I see people balking about paying for HVAC and mold control so where the property tax dollars are coming from to fund virtual learning for 3 extra school days I’m not clear.

They don’t need extra money for virtual and kids keep their computers for more than three years. Stop making stuff up. All ms and hs kids bring theirs home.