Luftglass out @FCPS IT

[Anonymous]

FCPS has many great schools but not many great HQ leaders, to say the least.

Luftglass stuck with BB (a local firm) for well over a decade. Not only was she not proactive in adopting new approaches, she also wasn't proactive in keeping BB up to date (nor even reactive).

Then COVID comes along, and she's seemingly inundated with a whole bunch of new or sped-up requirements. Not a great way to run a massive educational operation. Certainly not fair to her.

That said, had she and team been doing their job of digital transformation over the years, would have been doable.

In other words, if you are going to be CIO of anything for two decades, you better know how to keep evolving. No matter how dysfunctional or static your org, eventually you will get bit in the ass if you don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FCPS has many great schools but not many great HQ leaders, to say the least.

Luftglass stuck with BB (a local firm) for well over a decade. Not only was she not proactive in adopting new approaches, she also wasn't proactive in keeping BB up to date (nor even reactive).

Then COVID comes along, and she's seemingly inundated with a whole bunch of new or sped-up requirements. Not a great way to run a massive educational operation. Certainly not fair to her.

That said, had she and team been doing their job of digital transformation over the years, would have been doable.

In other words, if you are going to be CIO of anything for two decades, you better know how to keep evolving. No matter how dysfunctional or static your org, eventually you will get bit in the ass if you don't.

Hopefully we'll look back on this as a turning point, a new tech team that pursues real digital transformaition - people, process, technology - to make FCPS where it should be.

Ironic, given DC's high-tech and government chops, how many parents (and teachers, and some kids too!) are more than qualified to help make this happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
There currently is no system that can handle 180, 000 students plus thousands of teachers simultaneously communicating. Especially, via video! Name one product that can do that. I'm waiting.

Sure. Have a look across the river to MCPS. Similar budget, similar student count, more low-income (FARMS) students compared to FCPS. MCPS is on week 3 of online learning. My DS (in elementary) has an online live class every day with one of his teachers.

The technology is there to do it -- MCPS is doing it every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why she not fired

Let it go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what? Our kids still aren’t learning! This is a nothing burger in the grand scheme of FCPS’ epic failure!

Are your kids seriously not being given assignments and work by their teachers?

One child has received nothing but an email from the teacher saying to work on the packets, watch tv and cook and play board games. (5th grade)

Third grade teacher has set up a basic google classroom this week and posted a few worksheets.

Principal email this week said live teaching was canceled indefinitely.

Ditto. Many kids are essentially getting nothing 6 weeks in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why she not fired

Let it go.

She was told to resign, probably with a severance to get her ass moving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FCPS has many great schools but not many great HQ leaders, to say the least.

Luftglass stuck with BB (a local firm) for well over a decade. Not only was she not proactive in adopting new approaches, she also wasn't proactive in keeping BB up to date (nor even reactive).

Then COVID comes along, and she's seemingly inundated with a whole bunch of new or sped-up requirements. Not a great way to run a massive educational operation. Certainly not fair to her.

That said, had she and team been doing their job of digital transformation over the years, would have been doable.

In other words, if you are going to be CIO of anything for two decades, you better know how to keep evolving. No matter how dysfunctional or static your org, eventually you will get bit in the ass if you don't.

Aren't the School Board and Dr. Brabrand the people making the final decisions?

[Anonymous]

Her replacement Marty needs to go too. He's not been any more innocent in this mess.

[Anonymous]

That’s what happens when you have one person in the position for 20+ years. No innovation and an outdated way of thinking lead to these problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what? Our kids still aren’t learning! This is a nothing burger in the grand scheme of FCPS’ epic failure!

Are your kids seriously not being given assignments and work by their teachers?

One child has received nothing but an email from the teacher saying to work on the packets, watch tv and cook and play board games. (5th grade)

Third grade teacher has set up a basic google classroom this week and posted a few worksheets.

Principal email this week said live teaching was canceled indefinitely.

This is baffling to me. My DS is in 3rd grade. During the first few weeks, the teacher was posting daily flipgrid videos and asking the kids to respond - so they could at least keep in touch with her. Last week she started posting a weekly assignment hyperdoc with links to resource materials and assignments. It's divided up by language arts, math, social studies, and "ongoing activities". The expectation is it's all turned in via google classroom at the end of the week. She also posts a recorded lesson every day (what she would have covered live if that was working). The specials teachers sent an email with a bunch of assignments as well. It's giving us enough structure to create a daily schedule for him that basically mimics his school day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS has many great schools but not many great HQ leaders, to say the least.

Luftglass stuck with BB (a local firm) for well over a decade. Not only was she not proactive in adopting new approaches, she also wasn't proactive in keeping BB up to date (nor even reactive).

Then COVID comes along, and she's seemingly inundated with a whole bunch of new or sped-up requirements. Not a great way to run a massive educational operation. Certainly not fair to her.

That said, had she and team been doing their job of digital transformation over the years, would have been doable.

In other words, if you are going to be CIO of anything for two decades, you better know how to keep evolving. No matter how dysfunctional or static your org, eventually you will get bit in the ass if you don't.

Aren't the School Board and Dr. Brabrand the people making the final decisions?

Probably, but this is a case where expertise is involved. The superintendent and BOE are not IT experts. That is the CIO's job. The CIO should vet products from a technical perspective, then present options to the board. The board is going to assume the CIO is presenting options that are technically feasible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what? Our kids still aren’t learning! This is a nothing burger in the grand scheme of FCPS’ epic failure!

Are your kids seriously not being given assignments and work by their teachers?

One child has received nothing but an email from the teacher saying to work on the packets, watch tv and cook and play board games. (5th grade)

Third grade teacher has set up a basic google classroom this week and posted a few worksheets.

Principal email this week said live teaching was canceled indefinitely.

Wow. That's really disappointing. My elementary team is sending daily pdfs with links to recorded videos for morning meeting, lanugage arts and math lessons, and some sort of special. Also providing worksheets and activities to go with the lessons if parents want to use them.

My child's middle school teachers have all made slide decks in google that the kids are to be working through each week. It's tough to motivate him to do it since he knows it doesn't count, but the opportunity is there.

You are one of the lucky ones PP. Seriously. There is a very wide gap on whats being delivered on a school by school basis. Even if your kid is getting some direction and structure (and I'm glad they are), the fact there is such a huge disparity is indicative of the cluster.... that is currently FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From NBC4 Washington

Head of Fairfax Schools IT Steps Down Amid Distance Learning Tech Issues

e head of Fairfax County Public Schools' IT department has stepped down amid fallout over numerous technical problems that have disrupted distance learning for students during the coronavirus pandemic, the school system says.

Assistant Superintendent for the Department of Information and Technology Maribeth Luftglass has been under increased scrutiny for the technical difficulties.

Luftglass' resignation is effective immediately, according to a spokesperson for the school system. She has served as head of the IT department for 21 years.

There’s the problem right there.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what? Our kids still aren’t learning! This is a nothing burger in the grand scheme of FCPS’ epic failure!

Are your kids seriously not being given assignments and work by their teachers?

One child has received nothing but an email from the teacher saying to work on the packets, watch tv and cook and play board games. (5th grade)

Third grade teacher has set up a basic google classroom this week and posted a few worksheets.

Principal email this week said live teaching was canceled indefinitely.

This is baffling to me. My DS is in 3rd grade. During the first few weeks, the teacher was posting daily flipgrid videos and asking the kids to respond - so they could at least keep in touch with her. Last week she started posting a weekly assignment hyperdoc with links to resource materials and assignments. It's divided up by language arts, math, social studies, and "ongoing activities". The expectation is it's all turned in via google classroom at the end of the week. She also posts a recorded lesson every day (what she would have covered live if that was working). The specials teachers sent an email with a bunch of assignments as well. It's giving us enough structure to create a daily schedule for him that basically mimics his school day.

Why baffled? Schools with better rankings provide better education and have better resources as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what? Our kids still aren’t learning! This is a nothing burger in the grand scheme of FCPS’ epic failure!

Are your kids seriously not being given assignments and work by their teachers?

One child has received nothing but an email from the teacher saying to work on the packets, watch tv and cook and play board games. (5th grade)

Third grade teacher has set up a basic google classroom this week and posted a few worksheets.

Principal email this week said live teaching was canceled indefinitely.

Wow. That's really disappointing. My elementary team is sending daily pdfs with links to recorded videos for morning meeting, lanugage arts and math lessons, and some sort of special. Also providing worksheets and activities to go with the lessons if parents want to use them.

My child's middle school teachers have all made slide decks in google that the kids are to be working through each week. It's tough to motivate him to do it since he knows it doesn't count, but the opportunity is there.

You are one of the lucky ones PP. Seriously. There is a very wide gap on whats being delivered on a school by school basis. Even if your kid is getting some direction and structure (and I'm glad they are), the fact there is such a huge disparity is indicative of the cluster.... that is currently FCPS.

This is a no brainier, schools with better rankings provide better education and have better resources as well. This is a big County!