Holiday Gift Limits MCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. $50 a kid is my expectation.

Expectation?

Every year is a little different but I have done about $20 per teacher in either a gc, class pool, or a physical gift.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a link to the ethics policy: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/pdf/bbb.pdf

Teachers may accept an unsolicited gift that does not exceed $20 in value, or an unsolicited series of gifts not exceeding $100 in value in a calendar year, or trivial items of informational value.

It looks like the BoE adopted this part of the ethics policy in October 2012, in response to a state law from 2010 requiring local boards of education to have a policy about conflicts of interest, financial disclosure, and lobbying.

It’s like the Residency policy. There is name only and impossible to enforce. Nobody is going to enforce a policy of $20 per gift. Just like nobody from MCPS enforces the policy of making sure that kids live in boundary (as evidenced by the dozens of kids at our ES who live out of boundary and don’t have a COSA).

Are you saying that it's ok for you to violate the policy because you're not going to get caught?

If the policy is not widely publicized it makes things difficult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a link to the ethics policy: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/pdf/bbb.pdf

Teachers may accept an unsolicited gift that does not exceed $20 in value, or an unsolicited series of gifts not exceeding $100 in value in a calendar year, or trivial items of informational value.

It looks like the BoE adopted this part of the ethics policy in October 2012, in response to a state law from 2010 requiring local boards of education to have a policy about conflicts of interest, financial disclosure, and lobbying.

It’s like the Residency policy. There is name only and impossible to enforce. Nobody is going to enforce a policy of $20 per gift. Just like nobody from MCPS enforces the policy of making sure that kids live in boundary (as evidenced by the dozens of kids at our ES who live out of boundary and don’t have a COSA).

Are you saying that it's ok for you to violate the policy because you're not going to get caught?

Pretty much. That’s how things work in MoCo. Rules are for suckers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a link to the ethics policy: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/pdf/bbb.pdf

Teachers may accept an unsolicited gift that does not exceed $20 in value, or an unsolicited series of gifts not exceeding $100 in value in a calendar year, or trivial items of informational value.

It looks like the BoE adopted this part of the ethics policy in October 2012, in response to a state law from 2010 requiring local boards of education to have a policy about conflicts of interest, financial disclosure, and lobbying.

Does this apply to PTAs, too?

No, it applies to the members of the Board of Education and to MCPS employees, including the superintendent.

I meant, does it apply to PTAs giving gifts to teachers??

[Anonymous]

Who cares. Does the same teacher post this every December?

Teacher is getting cookies. If Dad thinks of something and it is deemed necessary maybe. Our school is 30% int'l and constantly laugh about this stuff later, and continue to not do it. Nor tip at dinners, but that's another story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a link to the ethics policy: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/pdf/bbb.pdf

Teachers may accept an unsolicited gift that does not exceed $20 in value, or an unsolicited series of gifts not exceeding $100 in value in a calendar year, or trivial items of informational value.

It looks like the BoE adopted this part of the ethics policy in October 2012, in response to a state law from 2010 requiring local boards of education to have a policy about conflicts of interest, financial disclosure, and lobbying.

It’s like the Residency policy. There is name only and impossible to enforce. Nobody is going to enforce a policy of $20 per gift. Just like nobody from MCPS enforces the policy of making sure that kids live in boundary (as evidenced by the dozens of kids at our ES who live out of boundary and don’t have a COSA).

Are you saying that it's ok for you to violate the policy because you're not going to get caught?

Please. Get off your high horse. Do you speed? Do you pay your undocumented nanny under the table?

If I want to give my kid's excellent teacher $50, then I will. And, yes, better yet that I'm not going to get caught.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:my kids teachers have always been age 23-27. what would they like? starbucks?

THat's pretty young, are you saying the whole school is constantly first time teachers right out of college?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who cares. Does the same teacher post this every December?

Teacher is getting cookies. If Dad thinks of something and it is deemed necessary maybe. Our school is 30% int'l and constantly laugh about this stuff later, and continue to not do it.Nor tip at dinners,[b] but that's another story.

No way! That can't be true?

Where are you from that people don't tip at dinner? Or, are you only going places where the tip is included?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:my kids teachers have always been age 23-27. what would they like? starbucks?

THat's pretty young, are you saying the whole school is constantly first time teachers right out of college?

This is the case at our ES. Every teacher my kid has had in the last 5 years has been teaching for less than 6 years. Every single one. I think due to budget cuts, they try to hire new grads because it's cheaper?

It's very rare at our ES to have a very experienced teacher. FWIW, we're at a FOCUS school, so maybe more challenges than non-Focus? And maybe teachers don't stick around for that long.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a link to the ethics policy: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/pdf/bbb.pdf

Teachers may accept an unsolicited gift that does not exceed $20 in value, or an unsolicited series of gifts not exceeding $100 in value in a calendar year, or trivial items of informational value.

It looks like the BoE adopted this part of the ethics policy in October 2012, in response to a state law from 2010 requiring local boards of education to have a policy about conflicts of interest, financial disclosure, and lobbying.

It’s like the Residency policy. There is name only and impossible to enforce. Nobody is going to enforce a policy of $20 per gift. Just like nobody from MCPS enforces the policy of making sure that kids live in boundary (as evidenced by the dozens of kids at our ES who live out of boundary and don’t have a COSA).

Are you saying that it's ok for you to violate the policy because you're not going to get caught?

Please. Get off your high horse. Do you speed? Do you pay your undocumented nanny under the table?

If I want to give my kid's excellent teacher $50, then I will. And, yes, better yet that I'm not going to get caught.

I do not speed (except on I-270, because I don't want to be killed), I do not have any undocumented employees, and I don't pay anybody under the table.

If you want to violate the ethics policy, potentially getting your kid's excellent teacher in trouble, that's between you and your conscience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:my kids teachers have always been age 23-27. what would they like? starbucks?

THat's pretty young, are you saying the whole school is constantly first time teachers right out of college?

This is the case at our ES. Every teacher my kid has had in the last 5 years has been teaching for less than 6 years. Every single one. I think due to budget cuts, they try to hire new grads because it's cheaper?

It's very rare at our ES to have a very experienced teacher. FWIW, we're at a FOCUS school, so maybe more challenges than non-Focus? And maybe teachers don't stick around for that long.

We are at a Focus school too and many of the teachers are that age. I think its the principal.

[Anonymous]

Never saw a gifting policy, never heard of a gifting policy, we don't gift unless it's some homemade thing or due to a teacher recommendation for private school or college.

If a teacher and school was above average maybe we'd consider it, but not par for the course.

Is this a touchy feely elementary school thing? We were vastly disappointed in our Curriculum 2.0 ES... no way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:my kids teachers have always been age 23-27. what would they like? starbucks?

THat's pretty young, are you saying the whole school is constantly first time teachers right out of college?

This is the case at our ES. Every teacher my kid has had in the last 5 years has been teaching for less than 6 years. Every single one. I think due to budget cuts, they try to hire new grads because it's cheaper?

It's very rare at our ES to have a very experienced teacher. FWIW, we're at a FOCUS school, so maybe more challenges than non-Focus? And maybe teachers don't stick around for that long.

We are at a Focus school too and many of the teachers are that age. I think its the principal.

We're inside the beltway elementary and every teacher is under age 27 easily. We were told it's because they don't house share or have roommates in order to live somewhat nearby so are transfer to private or upcounty or east county where they live -- unless they are house-sharing.
At middle school we finally got teachers over age 33. Ugh.
Plus the county constantly rotates staff so...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:my kids teachers have always been age 23-27. what would they like? starbucks?

THat's pretty young, are you saying the whole school is constantly first time teachers right out of college?

This is the case at our ES. Every teacher my kid has had in the last 5 years has been teaching for less than 6 years. Every single one. I think due to budget cuts, they try to hire new grads because it's cheaper?

It's very rare at our ES to have a very experienced teacher. FWIW, we're at a FOCUS school, so maybe more challenges than non-Focus? And maybe teachers don't stick around for that long.

We are at a Focus school too and many of the teachers are that age. I think its the principal.

We're inside the beltway elementary and every teacher is under age 27 easily. We were told it's because they don't house share or have roommates in order to live somewhat nearby so are transfer to private or upcounty or east county where they live -- unless they are house-sharing.
At middle school we finally got teachers over age 33. Ugh.
Plus the county constantly rotates staff so...

That makes no sense. Privates pay less than the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:my kids teachers have always been age 23-27. what would they like? starbucks?

THat's pretty young, are you saying the whole school is constantly first time teachers right out of college?

This is the case at our ES. Every teacher my kid has had in the last 5 years has been teaching for less than 6 years. Every single one. I think due to budget cuts, they try to hire new grads because it's cheaper?

It's very rare at our ES to have a very experienced teacher. FWIW, we're at a FOCUS school, so maybe more challenges than non-Focus? And maybe teachers don't stick around for that long.

We are at a Focus school too and many of the teachers are that age. I think its the principal.

We're inside the beltway elementary and every teacher is under age 27 easily. We were told it's because they don't house share or have roommates in order to live somewhat nearby so are transfer to private or upcounty or east county where they live -- unless they are house-sharing.
At middle school we finally got teachers over age 33. Ugh.
Plus the county constantly rotates staff so...

That makes no sense. Privates pay less than the county.

Also, the county only rotates APs. All other staff changes are voluntary or due to changes in enrollment.