Teacher attendance at DCPS

[Anonymous]

Op, it could be that some of those days are for professional reasons. Some teachers have meetings, etc, to attend outside of the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I'm shocked at how many people think chronic teacher absenteeism is none of my business. I agree the reason for her absences is personal and not my business, but it seems clear that this teacher is determined to do the bare minimum so I want to know what the bare minimum is so I can hold the administration accountable.

Not only is she chronically absent, she told the students that she will not respond to any email nor grade any papers outside of mandatory school hours - and she is sticking to it. When I asked her about the curriculum for the year (she is new to the grade) she acknowledged that she did not know what it is but will be learning as she goes, so clearly she did no prep over the summer. She regularly does not make lesson plans for the substitutes because her absences are unplanned and she does not do any work out of school hours. This week all of her classes started the week-long in-class test a day late because she was absent on Monday and had made no arrangements for the sub to start the test. She is way behind on entering her grades into Aspen. She is the only teacher on the team who regularly has a blank on the team weekly newsletter. She has already been absent more than 12 days of the year. Seems to me like she is dipping below the minimum but I wasn't sure.

I'm probably spoiled by so many amazing Deal teachers who clearly love teaching, are dedicated to their students and go above and beyond. Because when you have a teacher who is not interested or able to put in the necessary time and effort, it really has a detrimental effect on the student experience.

I’m with you. Our DS was at MCPS school that had a K teacher that didn’t show for 60% of the time. It’s wasn’t because of pregnancy, she just called in the morning of. We spoke to the principal and superintendent and they said because of union regs, there was nothing they could do about it. He and his classmates missed a year of education because of union rules.
We moved that summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I'm shocked at how many people think chronic teacher absenteeism is none of my business. I agree the reason for her absences is personal and not my business, but it seems clear that this teacher is determined to do the bare minimum so I want to know what the bare minimum is so I can hold the administration accountable.

Not only is she chronically absent, she told the students that she will not respond to any email nor grade any papers outside of mandatory school hours - and she is sticking to it. When I asked her about the curriculum for the year (she is new to the grade) she acknowledged that she did not know what it is but will be learning as she goes, so clearly she did no prep over the summer. She regularly does not make lesson plans for the substitutes because her absences are unplanned and she does not do any work out of school hours. This week all of her classes started the week-long in-class test a day late because she was absent on Monday and had made no arrangements for the sub to start the test. She is way behind on entering her grades into Aspen. She is the only teacher on the team who regularly has a blank on the team weekly newsletter. She has already been absent more than 12 days of the year. Seems to me like she is dipping below the minimum but I wasn't sure.

I'm probably spoiled by so many amazing Deal teachers who clearly love teaching, are dedicated to their students and go above and beyond. Because when you have a teacher who is not interested or able to put in the necessary time and effort, it really has a detrimental effect on the student experience.

I’m with you. Our DS was at MCPS school that had a K teacher that didn’t show for 60% of the time. It’s wasn’t because of pregnancy, she just called in the morning of. We spoke to the principal and superintendent and they said because of union regs, there was nothing they could do about it. He and his classmates missed a year of education because of union rules.
We moved that summer.

I call BS. That’s an accumulated 108 out of 180 school days she was allegedly absent. In order to do that, she’d have to miss more than the number of days that a MCPS teacher can be absent without approved leave or face termination. Even my colleague who had 25 years of saved leave was unable to be absent more than 90 accumulated days before termination was recommended. I had a high risk pregnancy before FMLA and was threatened with termination after 40 missed date over a six month period and that was with doctor’s notes.

[Anonymous]

Just like all professions, people are allowed to be absent and it is none of you business why they are absent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many sick days does a DCPS teacher get? Is there a union contract standard? DC's teacher at Deal has missed about 12-15 days of school so far (I didn't realize it was a problem at the beginning so I wasn't counting) and it's only December. I'm sorry that she is unwell but this is really starting to have a detrimental affect on the classroom. I have raised this with the administration but I'm also curious what the actual rules are here.

God forbid she was diagnosed with Cancer, is taking care of an elderly parent, or has a sick child with a terminal disease. But that's right, this is all about you.

[Anonymous]

In my district, teachers are routinely required to be at meetings during the day. One colleague missed 25+ days of school last year due to these required meetings. Curriculum meetings, leadership team meetings, various other meetings, etc. This is 100% the district's fault, not the teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just like all professions, people are allowed to be absent and it is none of you business why they are absent.

If it is impacting the children, it's everyone's business. Public schools....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just like all professions, people are allowed to be absent and it is none of you business why they are absent.

If it is impacting the children, it's everyone's business. Public schools....

Actually, why still isn’t anyone’s business except the Leave Specialist in HR. He or she certifies the absences and determines if someone has a legitimate reason to be out. One year, a first year teacher on our team was raped over the weekend. Although her physical injuries were superficial, she was out frequently for mental health reasons and meeting with the ADA about the case. The only people who knew at the time were me (because I was her mentor and she called me from the ER to ask about how to request leave), the principal, and the leave specialist. This young woman had no leave accrued and this had to worry about bills and her job security on top of recovery from sexual assault and the CJ process. She didn’t owe an explanation to every tax payer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just like all professions, people are allowed to be absent and it is none of you business why they are absent.

If it is impacting the children, it's everyone's business. Public schools....

Actually, why still isn’t anyone’s business except the Leave Specialist in HR. He or she certifies the absences and determines if someone has a legitimate reason to be out. One year, a first year teacher on our team was raped over the weekend. Although her physical injuries were superficial, she was out frequently for mental health reasons and meeting with the ADA about the case. The only people who knew at the time were me (because I was her mentor and she called me from the ER to ask about how to request leave), the principal, and the leave specialist. This young woman had no leave accrued and this had to worry about bills and her job security on top of recovery from sexual assault and the CJ process. She didn’t owe an explanation to every tax payer.

OK that's one. But was that, or any, teacher absent so frequently the class lost its functional structure?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just like all professions, people are allowed to be absent and it is none of you business why they are absent.

If it is impacting the children, it's everyone's business. Public schools....

Actually, why still isn’t anyone’s business except the Leave Specialist in HR. He or she certifies the absences and determines if someone has a legitimate reason to be out. One year, a first year teacher on our team was raped over the weekend. Although her physical injuries were superficial, she was out frequently for mental health reasons and meeting with the ADA about the case. The only people who knew at the time were me (because I was her mentor and she called me from the ER to ask about how to request leave), the principal, and the leave specialist. This young woman had no leave accrued and this had to worry about bills and her job security on top of recovery from sexual assault and the CJ process. She didn’t owe an explanation to every tax payer.

OK that's one. But was that, or any, teacher absent so frequently the class lost its functional structure?

Still not a teacher issue. That's the district's failure to hire competent subs and the principal's failure to prepare subs. Teachers get leave and are entitled to use it as long as it falls within the criteria. I have 40+ days and if I need them I'll be taking them. The principal is responsible for ensuring continuity of instruction in my absence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just like all professions, people are allowed to be absent and it is none of you business why they are absent.

If it is impacting the children, it's everyone's business. Public schools....

Actually, why still isn’t anyone’s business except the Leave Specialist in HR. He or she certifies the absences and determines if someone has a legitimate reason to be out. One year, a first year teacher on our team was raped over the weekend. Although her physical injuries were superficial, she was out frequently for mental health reasons and meeting with the ADA about the case. The only people who knew at the time were me (because I was her mentor and she called me from the ER to ask about how to request leave), the principal, and the leave specialist. This young woman had no leave accrued and this had to worry about bills and her job security on top of recovery from sexual assault and the CJ process. She didn’t owe an explanation to every tax payer.

OK that's one. But was that, or any, teacher absent so frequently the class lost its functional structure?

Still not a teacher issue. That's the district's failure to hire competent subs and the principal's failure to prepare subs. Teachers get leave and are entitled to use it as long as it falls within the criteria. I have 40+ days and if I need them I'll be taking them. The principal is responsible for ensuring continuity of instruction in my absence.

Children are part of a system that is designed to educate and move them on to the next level. Schools are workplaces with all the politics, drama and self preservation of any of any other workplace. If you have never experienced what OP is describing, consider yourself lucky. Once you realize your kid is just part of the system it's much easier when your kid gets a teacher like PP above who doesn't care who is in the classroom during an absence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just like all professions, people are allowed to be absent and it is none of you business why they are absent.

If it is impacting the children, it's everyone's business. Public schools....

Actually, why still isn’t anyone’s business except the Leave Specialist in HR. He or she certifies the absences and determines if someone has a legitimate reason to be out. One year, a first year teacher on our team was raped over the weekend. Although her physical injuries were superficial, she was out frequently for mental health reasons and meeting with the ADA about the case. The only people who knew at the time were me (because I was her mentor and she called me from the ER to ask about how to request leave), the principal, and the leave specialist. This young woman had no leave accrued and this had to worry about bills and her job security on top of recovery from sexual assault and the CJ process. She didn’t owe an explanation to every tax payer.

OK that's one. But was that, or any, teacher absent so frequently the class lost its functional structure?

Still not a teacher issue. That's the district's failure to hire competent subs and the principal's failure to prepare subs. Teachers get leave and are entitled to use it as long as it falls within the criteria. I have 40+ days and if I need them I'll be taking them. The principal is responsible for ensuring continuity of instruction in my absence.

Children are part of a system that is designed to educate and move them on to the next level. Schools are workplaces with all the politics, drama and self preservation of any of any other workplace. If you have never experienced what OP is describing, consider yourself lucky. Once you realize your kid is just part of the system it's much easier when your kid gets a teacher like PP above who doesn't care who is in the classroom during an absence.

Oh I certainly care. I'm just not about to give up my rights and benefits because of a failure in the system.

[Anonymous]

So teachers shouldn’t take leave they’ve earned, they should work after their “shift”, and prep in the summer (but remember people complain about teachers having the summer off.) Oh, also when and how they use their personal time is everybody’s business. Did I get that right?

If the teacher does not have lessons or leave quality plans, that is something you need to address with the administration. I wish I would find myself explaining to a parent why I took a day off. Do you explain why you took a day off from your job? No wonder we have such entitled students.

[Anonymous]

Only ICU nurses deserve days off. The rest of us are just whiny babies who need to suck it up.

[Anonymous]

Holy sh#$%! You people are idiots. It's my understanding that there is a teacher at Deal who got into a terrible car accident and is now in rehab. Shame on you for speaking ill of her or anyone else who needs to take leave! Yes. There are some who may game the system a little bit, like taking a mental health day, which in my opinion is understandable (you have no idea what some teachers deal with every. single. day), but most teachers are there out of duty and seriously care about their students. Lose the negativity.