De Staff

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can thank the school board.

This is what happens when school enrollment drops across the board.

No, destaffs happen every year in every district. Op still has a job, her contract was never with a school, it was with FCPS. She just gets move to a different school that has need of staff since hers no longer does. It’s not a RIF. Been through multiple destaffs at multiple schools; enrollment goes up and down and staffing does as well.

I’ve also seen it happen punitively- Principal couldn’t fire a problematic AP but was able to destaff them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The staffing formula for classroom teachers is the problem, especially 1-6. They just give principals a number of teachers based off total from 1-6. The principal then gets to decide how to allocate. That is why you can gave grades with classes 28-31 and others with 18-22. The staffing formula should be by grade level. Example- if 5th grade has 85 kids they could have three classes of 28-29 kids or 4 classes of about 21-22. The needs per grade level vary too. Some years we gave gad a ton of sped/esol in a grade and the next year a smaller amount.

There's also the AAP component. In our school, the AAP class has 18-20 kids and the regular classes have almost 30 kids. It's incredibly unfair and I wish they'd get rid of LLIV and go back to having only centers. LLIV is a waste.

This too. And AAP parents will be like “oh my kid scored this on this assessment” - yeah, more kids could do that if they weren’t in a class with 29 kids, 15 of whom have an IEP. Class size matters tremendously yet the advanced classes are small and Gen Ed are big.

For al this talk of equity, I find it irritating that FCPS prioritizes the AAP kids over everyone else. The reason that low income, learning disabled, and english language learners aren't doing so well is because they are pouring unnecessary money into advanced academics when it needs to be going to kids who really need help, not just kids who aren't feeling challenged enough.

Queue the AAP mom who is going to talk about how her kids needs the extra emphasis on PBL and critical thinking, blah blah.

Okay. Try this. Queue the UMC AAP parents who would move their kids out of FCPS without AAP, either to a different school system that prioritized GT, or private. How well do you think FCPs does if there is an exodus of the UMC highly educated families?

This wouldn't happen and you know it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The staffing formula for classroom teachers is the problem, especially 1-6. They just give principals a number of teachers based off total from 1-6. The principal then gets to decide how to allocate. That is why you can gave grades with classes 28-31 and others with 18-22. The staffing formula should be by grade level. Example- if 5th grade has 85 kids they could have three classes of 28-29 kids or 4 classes of about 21-22. The needs per grade level vary too. Some years we gave gad a ton of sped/esol in a grade and the next year a smaller amount.

There's also the AAP component. In our school, the AAP class has 18-20 kids and the regular classes have almost 30 kids. It's incredibly unfair and I wish they'd get rid of LLIV and go back to having only centers. LLIV is a waste.

This too. And AAP parents will be like “oh my kid scored this on this assessment” - yeah, more kids could do that if they weren’t in a class with 29 kids, 15 of whom have an IEP. Class size matters tremendously yet the advanced classes are small and Gen Ed are big.

For al this talk of equity, I find it irritating that FCPS prioritizes the AAP kids over everyone else. The reason that low income, learning disabled, and english language learners aren't doing so well is because they are pouring unnecessary money into advanced academics when it needs to be going to kids who really need help, not just kids who aren't feeling challenged enough.

Queue the AAP mom who is going to talk about how her kids needs the extra emphasis on PBL and critical thinking, blah blah.

Okay. Try this. Queue the UMC AAP parents who would move their kids out of FCPS without AAP, either to a different school system that prioritized GT, or private. How well do you think FCPs does if there is an exodus of the UMC highly educated families?

This wouldn't happen and you know it.

tons of kids who don't get AAP go private in 4th grade

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The staffing formula for classroom teachers is the problem, especially 1-6. They just give principals a number of teachers based off total from 1-6. The principal then gets to decide how to allocate. That is why you can gave grades with classes 28-31 and others with 18-22. The staffing formula should be by grade level. Example- if 5th grade has 85 kids they could have three classes of 28-29 kids or 4 classes of about 21-22. The needs per grade level vary too. Some years we gave gad a ton of sped/esol in a grade and the next year a smaller amount.

There's also the AAP component. In our school, the AAP class has 18-20 kids and the regular classes have almost 30 kids. It's incredibly unfair and I wish they'd get rid of LLIV and go back to having only centers. LLIV is a waste.

This too. And AAP parents will be like “oh my kid scored this on this assessment” - yeah, more kids could do that if they weren’t in a class with 29 kids, 15 of whom have an IEP. Class size matters tremendously yet the advanced classes are small and Gen Ed are big.

For al this talk of equity, I find it irritating that FCPS prioritizes the AAP kids over everyone else. The reason that low income, learning disabled, and english language learners aren't doing so well is because they are pouring unnecessary money into advanced academics when it needs to be going to kids who really need help, not just kids who aren't feeling challenged enough.

Queue the AAP mom who is going to talk about how her kids needs the extra emphasis on PBL and critical thinking, blah blah.

It's amazing how much better the teaching is when a teacher has a third less kids

Exactly. For any grades. Wouldn’t it be better to have 4 classes with 18 than 3 with 24 or 25?

Of course, but the county either doesn't want to pay for additional staff or can't because of funding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I got hired before the school year ended and I’ve been warned this week that I might be de staffed. I am really nervous and upset for a variety of reasons.

Has anyone been through this and it turned out OK? I’m unsure about so much of it, also for a variety of reasons. A lot of “what if?”

And I just signed my contract so now I’m at the mercy of FCPS and their games.

I was destaffed once. I was placed at a great school. If you don’t get a school you want then you just need to do a good job to get a good reference and wait it out for a year. You can transfer to a different school for the following year.

I know. I guess it’s just frustrating because I wanted to be at this school and a lot of factors worked out with commute and timing to make it easier with having my own kids in school. I don’t want to be sent to a school with a 45 min commute and make it all more stressful for our family.

I get it, but that school is no longer an option. You may be surprised by how good the new school is for you once you start.

Yes the key here is to “pivot” and accept and hope for the best. Hard for a type A planner but not much I can do about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The staffing formula for classroom teachers is the problem, especially 1-6. They just give principals a number of teachers based off total from 1-6. The principal then gets to decide how to allocate. That is why you can gave grades with classes 28-31 and others with 18-22. The staffing formula should be by grade level. Example- if 5th grade has 85 kids they could have three classes of 28-29 kids or 4 classes of about 21-22. The needs per grade level vary too. Some years we gave gad a ton of sped/esol in a grade and the next year a smaller amount.

There's also the AAP component. In our school, the AAP class has 18-20 kids and the regular classes have almost 30 kids. It's incredibly unfair and I wish they'd get rid of LLIV and go back to having only centers. LLIV is a waste.

This is not true at every school. Our school has very large AAP classes sized anywhere from 26 to 30 and are Gen Ed classes are closer to 18 to 22.

[Anonymous]

One year, when I was planning a move to another area, I had three principals promise me a job (in May) for as soon as they had approval from above for the next school year. In mid-August, all three callled me and told me they were not getting the slots. After Labor Day, all three called me back and offered the position due to increased enrollment after Labor Day. By that time, I had secured a job in a different area.

Point: this time of year is always fluid. You may not be destaffed. Depends on how long principal can hold out with upper management.

[Anonymous]

If you don’t like the options they give for re assignment, can you just say “no thanks” and get out of the contract?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The staffing formula for classroom teachers is the problem, especially 1-6. They just give principals a number of teachers based off total from 1-6. The principal then gets to decide how to allocate. That is why you can gave grades with classes 28-31 and others with 18-22. The staffing formula should be by grade level. Example- if 5th grade has 85 kids they could have three classes of 28-29 kids or 4 classes of about 21-22. The needs per grade level vary too. Some years we gave gad a ton of sped/esol in a grade and the next year a smaller amount.

There's also the AAP component. In our school, the AAP class has 18-20 kids and the regular classes have almost 30 kids. It's incredibly unfair and I wish they'd get rid of LLIV and go back to having only centers. LLIV is a waste.

If you are a school with local level 4, the principal can and usually does place kids into the level 4 classroom to even out the numbers.

PP's example of an AAP center school is more where their hands are tied, because principals cannot place non center kids into center classrooms, and you can get big disparities either way with the nuymbers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The staffing formula for classroom teachers is the problem, especially 1-6. They just give principals a number of teachers based off total from 1-6. The principal then gets to decide how to allocate. That is why you can gave grades with classes 28-31 and others with 18-22. The staffing formula should be by grade level. Example- if 5th grade has 85 kids they could have three classes of 28-29 kids or 4 classes of about 21-22. The needs per grade level vary too. Some years we gave gad a ton of sped/esol in a grade and the next year a smaller amount.

There's also the AAP component. In our school, the AAP class has 18-20 kids and the regular classes have almost 30 kids. It's incredibly unfair and I wish they'd get rid of LLIV and go back to having only centers. LLIV is a waste.

This too. And AAP parents will be like “oh my kid scored this on this assessment” - yeah, more kids could do that if they weren’t in a class with 29 kids, 15 of whom have an IEP. Class size matters tremendously yet the advanced classes are small and Gen Ed are big.

For al this talk of equity, I find it irritating that FCPS prioritizes the AAP kids over everyone else. The reason that low income, learning disabled, and english language learners aren't doing so well is because they are pouring unnecessary money into advanced academics when it needs to be going to kids who really need help, not just kids who aren't feeling challenged enough.

Queue the AAP mom who is going to talk about how her kids needs the extra emphasis on PBL and critical thinking, blah blah.

Okay. Try this. Queue the UMC AAP parents who would move their kids out of FCPS without AAP, either to a different school system that prioritized GT, or private. How well do you think FCPs does if there is an exodus of the UMC highly educated families?

This wouldn't happen and you know it.

tons of kids who don't get AAP go private in 4th grade

Maybe in McLean/Great Falls, definitely not at our school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The staffing formula for classroom teachers is the problem, especially 1-6. They just give principals a number of teachers based off total from 1-6. The principal then gets to decide how to allocate. That is why you can gave grades with classes 28-31 and others with 18-22. The staffing formula should be by grade level. Example- if 5th grade has 85 kids they could have three classes of 28-29 kids or 4 classes of about 21-22. The needs per grade level vary too. Some years we gave gad a ton of sped/esol in a grade and the next year a smaller amount.

There's also the AAP component. In our school, the AAP class has 18-20 kids and the regular classes have almost 30 kids. It's incredibly unfair and I wish they'd get rid of LLIV and go back to having only centers. LLIV is a waste.

If you are a school with local level 4, the principal can and usually does place kids into the level 4 classroom to even out the numbers.

PP's example of an AAP center school is more where their hands are tied, because principals cannot place non center kids into center classrooms, and you can get big disparities either way with the nuymbers.

Agree. I teach at a LL4. They usually try to make the AAP class have a few more knowing kids will enroll and be placed in Gen Ed. But they are usually pretty balanced. I personally think the cap should be 20-22 for any class.

[Anonymous]

If you check the job openings there are a lot of openings around the county. Maybe you’ll get placed somewhere great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The staffing formula for classroom teachers is the problem, especially 1-6. They just give principals a number of teachers based off total from 1-6. The principal then gets to decide how to allocate. That is why you can gave grades with classes 28-31 and others with 18-22. The staffing formula should be by grade level. Example- if 5th grade has 85 kids they could have three classes of 28-29 kids or 4 classes of about 21-22. The needs per grade level vary too. Some years we gave gad a ton of sped/esol in a grade and the next year a smaller amount.

There's also the AAP component. In our school, the AAP class has 18-20 kids and the regular classes have almost 30 kids. It's incredibly unfair and I wish they'd get rid of LLIV and go back to having only centers. LLIV is a waste.

This too. And AAP parents will be like “oh my kid scored this on this assessment” - yeah, more kids could do that if they weren’t in a class with 29 kids, 15 of whom have an IEP. Class size matters tremendously yet the advanced classes are small and Gen Ed are big.

For al this talk of equity, I find it irritating that FCPS prioritizes the AAP kids over everyone else. The reason that low income, learning disabled, and english language learners aren't doing so well is because they are pouring unnecessary money into advanced academics when it needs to be going to kids who really need help, not just kids who aren't feeling challenged enough.

Queue the AAP mom who is going to talk about how her kids needs the extra emphasis on PBL and critical thinking, blah blah.

It's amazing how much better the teaching is when a teacher has a third less kids

On average, AAP class size has been consistently larger--it has essentially subsidized lower class sizes for gen ed for over a decade. The cost of that far outweighed the cost of bussing to centers. However, there's a push to eliminate centers, so it's hard to say how the shift to local IV programs will impact class size.

[Anonymous]

I was de staffed officially. Admin basically said we don’t have the position and good luck. Nothing from HR yet I’m supposed to be at great beginnings Monday. WTH?

I am beyond discouraged.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was de staffed officially. Admin basically said we don’t have the position and good luck. Nothing from HR yet I’m supposed to be at great beginnings Monday. WTH?

I am beyond discouraged.

If I learned anything on these boards—it would be to not rely on HR. Reach out to the schools/principals where you know there are openings. They need you. We need you. You will get scooped up!