Parents: please be kind & patient with MCPS (from a parent)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

This is just another example of the short sighted mentality of MCPS leadership. The ability to teach remotely should have been developed and utilized for any situation that prevents a student for attending schools for long periods of time. For example, it is a much cheaper option and a more cohesive option when students have long term illnesses that prevent them attending school in person. Another use for remote learning is for when there are weather conditions (ie. snow) that prevent students from traveling safely to school. Finally, distributing Chrombooks and hot spots to students should be done year round so all MCPS students have equal access to tools for learning anytime they are learning including when they are doing homework.

It was short-sighted of MCPS to not develop a plan to teach 166,000 students remotely for weeks at a time?

There hasn't been anything like this in the US in 102 years, but it was short-sighted of MCPS not to prepare for it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

This is just another example of the short sighted mentality of MCPS leadership. The ability to teach remotely should have been developed and utilized for any situation that prevents a student for attending schools for long periods of time. For example, it is a much cheaper option and a more cohesive option when students have long term illnesses that prevent them attending school in person. Another use for remote learning is for when there are weather conditions (ie. snow) that prevent students from traveling safely to school. Finally, distributing Chrombooks and hot spots to students should be done year round so all MCPS students have equal access to tools for learning anytime they are learning including when they are doing homework.

It was short-sighted of MCPS to not develop a plan to teach 166,000 students remotely for weeks at a time?

There hasn't been anything like this in the US in 102 years, but it was short-sighted of MCPS not to prepare for it?

The threat of a pandemic equal to the Spanish Flu outbreak of 1918 has been a concern for scientists for decades. Also, coming up with disaster plans is a best practice for private industries. Finally, remote learning with the technology available to MCPS has other applications that other school districts have utilized for the last decade.

MCPS has demonstrated that they are short sighted in the sense that they have no contingency plan prepared for any scenario that prevents students from coming to school for an extended period of time. They are also used to keeping technology under lock and key in physical buildings vs. fully utilizing technology to erase unequal access to learning.

Perhaps many lessons will be learned. Other school districts have been teaching remotely for weeks. Why has it taken MCPS so long to resume teaching students?

[Anonymous]

I agree about being patient with MCPS. People are doing the best they can. Also, Howard County schools, which are often mentioned on DCUM as superior to MCPS, isn't starting remote learning for high school students until April 14 and for middle and elementary until April 20 (https://www.hcpss.org/health/coronavirus/continuity-learning/). PG county is beginning online instruction on April 14 (https://www.pgcps.org/coronavirus/community/). MCPS is not unusually slow or behind its neighbors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

This is just another example of the short sighted mentality of MCPS leadership. The ability to teach remotely should have been developed and utilized for any situation that prevents a student for attending schools for long periods of time. For example, it is a much cheaper option and a more cohesive option when students have long term illnesses that prevent them attending school in person. Another use for remote learning is for when there are weather conditions (ie. snow) that prevent students from traveling safely to school. Finally, distributing Chrombooks and hot spots to students should be done year round so all MCPS students have equal access to tools for learning anytime they are learning including when they are doing homework.

It was short-sighted of MCPS to not develop a plan to teach 166,000 students remotely for weeks at a time?

There hasn't been anything like this in the US in 102 years, but it was short-sighted of MCPS not to prepare for it?

The threat of a pandemic equal to the Spanish Flu outbreak of 1918 has been a concern for scientists for decades. Also, coming up with disaster plans is a best practice for private industries. Finally, remote learning with the technology available to MCPS has other applications that other school districts have utilized for the last decade.

MCPS has demonstrated that they are short sighted in the sense that they have no contingency plan prepared for any scenario that prevents students from coming to school for an extended period of time. They are also used to keeping technology under lock and key in physical buildings vs. fully utilizing technology to erase unequal access to learning.

Perhaps many lessons will be learned. Other school districts have been teaching remotely for weeks. Why has it taken MCPS so long to resume teaching students?

Howard County, often held up as a model on DCUM, isn't going to teach remotely for another 2 weeks. Other school districts aren't going to teach remotely at all.

[Anonymous]

This is exactly where textbooks that, for whatever reason, are universally hated in this country, would have come in handy.
I could have taught my elementary-aged child everything myself, if only I had necessary materials. But I have no idea what has been, and what needs to be, covered in class.
Friggin' crying shame.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is exactly where textbooks that, for whatever reason, are universally hated in this country, would have come in handy.
I could have taught my elementary-aged child everything myself, if only I had necessary materials. But I have no idea what has been, and what needs to be, covered in class.
Friggin' crying shame.

PP, MCPS publishes curriculum guides. You can look them up. Then fill in what hasn't been taught. There is no shortage of materials on the Internet.

[Anonymous]

If this is "the best they can" - that's frightening. This is a massive failure of the administration. 1) Zero crisis preparedness plan 2) No communication with teachers - I have spoken with several who are "waiting to find out what comes next..." 3) Every communication to families is "don't expect much/we are working so hard/this is so hard."

Yes, the particulars of ANY specific crisis are difficult to predict - but that there COULD be a crisis that interrupts learning for more than 2 weeks - fire/weather/illness/war.... this is something that competent leadership plans for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If this is "the best they can" - that's frightening. This is a massive failure of the administration. 1) Zero crisis preparedness plan 2) No communication with teachers - I have spoken with several who are "waiting to find out what comes next..." 3) Every communication to families is "don't expect much/we are working so hard/this is so hard."

Yes, the particulars of ANY specific crisis are difficult to predict - but that there COULD be a crisis that interrupts learning for more than 2 weeks - fire/weather/illness/war.... this is something that competent leadership plans for.

+1000 - New York has over 1000 people dead yet they have been teaching remotely for two weeks. Comparing MCPS to another dysfunctional Maryland school system is pathetic and saying we are doing ok because no one was prepared across our state is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

This is just another example of the short sighted mentality of MCPS leadership. The ability to teach remotely should have been developed and utilized for any situation that prevents a student for attending schools for long periods of time. For example, it is a much cheaper option and a more cohesive option when students have long term illnesses that prevent them attending school in person. Another use for remote learning is for when there are weather conditions (ie. snow) that prevent students from traveling safely to school. Finally, distributing Chrombooks and hot spots to students should be done year round so all MCPS students have equal access to tools for learning anytime they are learning including when they are doing homework.

It was short-sighted of MCPS to not develop a plan to teach 166,000 students remotely for weeks at a time?

There hasn't been anything like this in the US in 102 years, but it was short-sighted of MCPS not to prepare for it?

Wrong. There have been other pandemic threats and MCPS has prepared for it. They have had a written plan for years. They have been moving to an online platform for years. They have invested hundreds of millions into online learning. This is the plan. It is in place now. It's been worked on and vetted.

[Anonymous]

THIS IS THE PLAN??!!?? I felt better when I thought they were making it up as they went along.

[Anonymous]

My patience is wearing thin. What are all these teachers doing everyday?!? This is comical.