Anyone watching tonight's APS school board meeting?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh - didn't realize that Level 1 kids weren't getting in-person instruction.

They are being supported by assistants and/or SPED teachers.

I don't believe any SPED teachers are in school. My understanding is that it's all assistants helping them access ipads. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It appears to me that Duran literally cares nothing whatsoever about instruction. What a horrible choice for a superintendent.

He was Fairfax equity officer. It’s about bringing everyone to same level, but that is hard to bring people up with limited resources. So many have to come down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It appears to me that Duran literally cares nothing whatsoever about instruction. What a horrible choice for a superintendent.

He was Fairfax equity officer. It’s about bringing everyone to same level, but that is hard to bring people up with limited resources. So many have to come down.

Unfortunately I think you are correct. I am just grateful that my 4th child is a junior and we will be out of APS soon - the teachers and many principals have been amazing over the years but leadership continues to drag the system down.

[Anonymous]

^^ yes its all about equity. We will leave the area in 3 years. Hopefully our house will still be worth a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh - didn't realize that Level 1 kids weren't getting in-person instruction.

They are being supported by assistants and/or SPED teachers.

I don't believe any SPED teachers are in school. My understanding is that it's all assistants helping them access ipads. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

You are wrong. At my school all the self-contained SPED teachers returned with their students in person 4 days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh - didn't realize that Level 1 kids weren't getting in-person instruction.

They are being supported by assistants and/or SPED teachers.

I don't believe any SPED teachers are in school. My understanding is that it's all assistants helping them access ipads. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

You are wrong. At my school all the self-contained SPED teachers returned with their students in person 4 days.

Nope your both wrong. It’s up to SPED teacher and if school will allow it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It appears to me that Duran literally cares nothing whatsoever about instruction. What a horrible choice for a superintendent.

He was Fairfax equity officer. It’s about bringing everyone to same level, but that is hard to bring people up with limited resources. So many have to come down.

It is all about how you use your resources. What is APS spending per student? Either equity is a priority or it isn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher in APS. I think parents don’t understand that the union in APS is definitely low on the membership side (less than half of teachers). Additionally they don’t have bargaining rights so not sure what they can do. I’m not a member, I haven’t felt any pressure to join or advocate a specific thing. I do think there are some valid safety concerns such as lunch inside with no masks. I haven’t eaten in a restaurant since before Covid because it’s shown to be high risk. Why would I start doing it at my job?

The number of returning teachers at each school is correlated to the virtual and distance split at that school. My school is about 45 virtual/55 hybrid split which equates to about 2 virtual classrooms per grade (larger sized than the hybrid classes). Teachers are being assigned to staff that model. That’s all.

The teachers are not driving this because ultimately most will not quit simply because they can’t afford to. We are literally doing what we are told. Stop blaming us.

We left APS because the spring was so bad. We are now in week 11 at an Arlington private with 5-days per week in person. We have not had any problems. The kids stay in cohorts and wear masks all day except at lunch. It's really not that difficult.

I don't know why you say that teachers are not driving this, although they hardly deserve all the blame. It would be more accurate to say that the most hysterical and vocal parents and teachers have combined to shut down the schools.

[Anonymous]

instead of uniting on the need to be back in school, and working together (parents, teachers, admin) on the best way to accomplish that safely- APS has divided amongst itself. The a vocal group of teachers have fought to stay shutdown. A vocal group of parents have fought to keep everything shut down. A vocal group of parents have fought to open everything.
We aren't 'united against the virus' because we don't agree on what the end goal should be. We have our heads in the sand about the massive learning loss. Anyone who thinks that this is effective education for a substantial number of students if fooling themselves. I'm pulling my kids out. I give up- I surrender to those who want to keep us down forever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher in APS. I think parents don’t understand that the union in APS is definitely low on the membership side (less than half of teachers). Additionally they don’t have bargaining rights so not sure what they can do. I’m not a member, I haven’t felt any pressure to join or advocate a specific thing. I do think there are some valid safety concerns such as lunch inside with no masks. I haven’t eaten in a restaurant since before Covid because it’s shown to be high risk. Why would I start doing it at my job?

The number of returning teachers at each school is correlated to the virtual and distance split at that school. My school is about 45 virtual/55 hybrid split which equates to about 2 virtual classrooms per grade (larger sized than the hybrid classes). Teachers are being assigned to staff that model. That’s all.

The teachers are not driving this because ultimately most will not quit simply because they can’t afford to. We are literally doing what we are told. Stop blaming us.

We left APS because the spring was so bad. We are now in week 11 at an Arlington private with 5-days per week in person. We have not had any problems. The kids stay in cohorts and wear masks all day except at lunch. It's really not that difficult.

I don't know why you say that teachers are not driving this, although they hardly deserve all the blame. It would be more accurate to say that the most hysterical and vocal parents and teachers have combined to shut down the schools.

It’s not that difficult b/c when you go to a private, you have a subset of kids that will be expelled for not wearing a mask, most parents are not working essential jobs but instead safe WFH jobs, money for updated HVAC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher in APS. I think parents don’t understand that the union in APS is definitely low on the membership side (less than half of teachers). Additionally they don’t have bargaining rights so not sure what they can do. I’m not a member, I haven’t felt any pressure to join or advocate a specific thing. I do think there are some valid safety concerns such as lunch inside with no masks. I haven’t eaten in a restaurant since before Covid because it’s shown to be high risk. Why would I start doing it at my job?

The number of returning teachers at each school is correlated to the virtual and distance split at that school. My school is about 45 virtual/55 hybrid split which equates to about 2 virtual classrooms per grade (larger sized than the hybrid classes). Teachers are being assigned to staff that model. That’s all.

The teachers are not driving this because ultimately most will not quit simply because they can’t afford to. We are literally doing what we are told. Stop blaming us.

We left APS because the spring was so bad. We are now in week 11 at an Arlington private with 5-days per week in person. We have not had any problems. The kids stay in cohorts and wear masks all day except at lunch. It's really not that difficult.

I don't know why you say that teachers are not driving this, although they hardly deserve all the blame. It would be more accurate to say that the most hysterical and vocal parents and teachers have combined to shut down the schools.

It’s not that difficult b/c when you go to a private, you have a subset of kids that will be expelled for not wearing a mask, most parents are not working essential jobs but instead safe WFH jobs, money for updated HVAC.

I guess you've never been to a Catholic school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher in APS. I think parents don’t understand that the union in APS is definitely low on the membership side (less than half of teachers). Additionally they don’t have bargaining rights so not sure what they can do. I’m not a member, I haven’t felt any pressure to join or advocate a specific thing. I do think there are some valid safety concerns such as lunch inside with no masks. I haven’t eaten in a restaurant since before Covid because it’s shown to be high risk. Why would I start doing it at my job?

The number of returning teachers at each school is correlated to the virtual and distance split at that school. My school is about 45 virtual/55 hybrid split which equates to about 2 virtual classrooms per grade (larger sized than the hybrid classes). Teachers are being assigned to staff that model. That’s all.

The teachers are not driving this because ultimately most will not quit simply because they can’t afford to. We are literally doing what we are told. Stop blaming us.

We left APS because the spring was so bad. We are now in week 11 at an Arlington private with 5-days per week in person. We have not had any problems. The kids stay in cohorts and wear masks all day except at lunch. It's really not that difficult.

I don't know why you say that teachers are not driving this, although they hardly deserve all the blame. It would be more accurate to say that the most hysterical and vocal parents and teachers have combined to shut down the schools.

It’s not that difficult b/c when you go to a private, you have a subset of kids that will be expelled for not wearing a mask, most parents are not working essential jobs but instead safe WFH jobs, money for updated HVAC.

I guess you've never been to a Catholic school.

I have, and pretty sure very few parents are grocery store cashiers; most students have to pay and I suspect there are fewer on scholarship than big privates (and parents will keep kids in line to not jeopardize scholarship)

And I remember nuns wrapping knuckles for talking in class; probably take out a knee cap for taking off your mask.

Fair point, HVAF probably sucks.