We are NEVER going back until covid is 100% gone - MCPS has no leadership

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'm in favor of full F2F now, but I just don't think the MCPS leadership has the leadership capacity to pull it off now/next year without interim steps. Their inaction is always excused away with "it's too hard because they're too big...so they shouldn't even try."

Agreed. In the BOE meeting a week ago, they said they will _start_ to look for funding to upgrade HVAC systems. It's amazing they are just thinking about this now. They've had months.

Meanwhile, the Elrich admin has tens of millions of federal grant money from the CARES act they need to spend by the end of this year, and haven't figured out what to do with it:
http://www.theseventhstate.com/?p=13978

Meanwhile, this is what FCPS is reporting on that topic:

"- Ensured all schools and offices have sufficient air ventilation
- Purchased initial allocation of MERV 13 filters (based on availability) and upgrading school HVAC systems where possible
- Purchased HEPA filters and air purifiers for use in select areas
- Continued review of the use of UV-C lighting in classrooms and ventilation systems and its best application
- Third-party health and safety verification for all building"

And FCPS is about the same size as MCPS.. but MCPS is unable to pull this off.

It's upper management. I bet all the building maintenance guys are sitting around itching for some projects like this, because they really do care and they'd love to get their buildings upgraded.. but they can't do anything without the supplies to do so.

Utter failure by MCPS. I'm voting against both BOE incumbents.

FCPS hasn't pulled it off either. Presently they're spending money on this but will likely achieve little at a high cost.

Don’t these things need to be done and/or in anticipation of next school year? These districts are setting their tables, waiting for one of them to break the ice for the others. When that happens, they can quickly pivot. Doing or buying nothing is not defensible.

It sounds like you're suffering from "herd mentality". FCPS hasn't done anything and even in the best case they'll open a few weeks before MCPS after wasting time and money on this pipedream when they would've been better served focusing on the reality were in and improving DL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'm in favor of full F2F now, but I just don't think the MCPS leadership has the leadership capacity to pull it off now/next year without interim steps. Their inaction is always excused away with "it's too hard because they're too big...so they shouldn't even try."

Agreed. In the BOE meeting a week ago, they said they will _start_ to look for funding to upgrade HVAC systems. It's amazing they are just thinking about this now. They've had months.

Meanwhile, the Elrich admin has tens of millions of federal grant money from the CARES act they need to spend by the end of this year, and haven't figured out what to do with it:
http://www.theseventhstate.com/?p=13978

Meanwhile, this is what FCPS is reporting on that topic:

"- Ensured all schools and offices have sufficient air ventilation
- Purchased initial allocation of MERV 13 filters (based on availability) and upgrading school HVAC systems where possible
- Purchased HEPA filters and air purifiers for use in select areas
- Continued review of the use of UV-C lighting in classrooms and ventilation systems and its best application
- Third-party health and safety verification for all building"

And FCPS is about the same size as MCPS.. but MCPS is unable to pull this off.

It's upper management. I bet all the building maintenance guys are sitting around itching for some projects like this, because they really do care and they'd love to get their buildings upgraded.. but they can't do anything without the supplies to do so.

Utter failure by MCPS. I'm voting against both BOE incumbents.

FCPS hasn't pulled it off either. Presently they're spending money on this but will likely achieve little at a high cost.

Don’t these things need to be done and/or in anticipation of next school year? These districts are setting their tables, waiting for one of them to break the ice for the others. When that happens, they can quickly pivot. Doing or buying nothing is not defensible.

DP, and I would say no, not necessarily. Certainly plenty of schools that are open in the US have not done these things.

Ok, sure...but cross reference that with the apparent need to negotiate with local teachers’ feelings on the topic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Ok, sure...but cross reference that with the apparent need to negotiate with local teachers’ feelings on the topic.

I'm fully in favor of working with the teachers (something MCPS has not been very good at, in recent years), but as far as I know, MCEA has not yet presented a list of demands to MCPS/BoE for these things.

Not to mention that, to the extent MCPS should already have been doing these things, it's not because of covid, but because MCPS's need for capital improvements exceeds MCPS's capital budget, so all of the projects have to get in line, and the line is not always established equitably.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'm in favor of full F2F now, but I just don't think the MCPS leadership has the leadership capacity to pull it off now/next year without interim steps. Their inaction is always excused away with "it's too hard because they're too big...so they shouldn't even try."

Agreed. In the BOE meeting a week ago, they said they will _start_ to look for funding to upgrade HVAC systems. It's amazing they are just thinking about this now. They've had months.

Meanwhile, the Elrich admin has tens of millions of federal grant money from the CARES act they need to spend by the end of this year, and haven't figured out what to do with it:
http://www.theseventhstate.com/?p=13978

Meanwhile, this is what FCPS is reporting on that topic:

"- Ensured all schools and offices have sufficient air ventilation
- Purchased initial allocation of MERV 13 filters (based on availability) and upgrading school HVAC systems where possible
- Purchased HEPA filters and air purifiers for use in select areas
- Continued review of the use of UV-C lighting in classrooms and ventilation systems and its best application
- Third-party health and safety verification for all building"

And FCPS is about the same size as MCPS.. but MCPS is unable to pull this off.

It's upper management. I bet all the building maintenance guys are sitting around itching for some projects like this, because they really do care and they'd love to get their buildings upgraded.. but they can't do anything without the supplies to do so.

Utter failure by MCPS. I'm voting against both BOE incumbents.

FCPS hasn't pulled it off either. Presently they're spending money on this but will likely achieve little at a high cost.

Don’t these things need to be done and/or in anticipation of next school year? These districts are setting their tables, waiting for one of them to break the ice for the others. When that happens, they can quickly pivot. Doing or buying nothing is not defensible.

It sounds like you're suffering from "herd mentality". FCPS hasn't done anything and even in the best case they'll open a few weeks before MCPS after wasting time and money on this pipedream when they would've been better served focusing on the reality were in and improving DL.

I just disagree. Securing a mountain of PPE, changing filters, installing plexiglass, outfitting 14,000 classrooms with hand sanitizer, etc. is not a pipe dream. It sets the stage for return whether that starts happening in a few weeks for small groups or a few months. They’re the ones focusing on reality. MCPS is the one focusing on a fantasy that this will all just get better or that DL can keep going for the long term.

[Anonymous]

Washington County, MD had their board approve an emergency funding allocation for PPE back in July. They had to delay some capital improvement projects unrelated to reopening schools (so that upgraded playing field and playground will wait), but I think it was a worthwhile trade-off. They are on their second phase of in-person schooling already.

I just find it unfathomable that MCPS can't even manage to prepare. Just excuses, excuses, excuses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Washington County, MD had their board approve an emergency funding allocation for PPE back in July. They had to delay some capital improvement projects unrelated to reopening schools (so that upgraded playing field and playground will wait), but I think it was a worthwhile trade-off. They are on their second phase of in-person schooling already.

I just find it unfathomable that MCPS can't even manage to prepare. Just excuses, excuses, excuses.

It's surprising, how often people bring up WCPS on the MCPS forum. Kinda makes you wonder what the other 22 school districts in Maryland are doing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Washington County, MD had their board approve an emergency funding allocation for PPE back in July. They had to delay some capital improvement projects unrelated to reopening schools (so that upgraded playing field and playground will wait), but I think it was a worthwhile trade-off. They are on their second phase of in-person schooling already.

I just find it unfathomable that MCPS can't even manage to prepare. Just excuses, excuses, excuses.

It's surprising, how often people bring up WCPS on the MCPS forum. Kinda makes you wonder what the other 22 school districts in Maryland are doing.

That's just deflection and doesn't address MCPS not having funds to do any of this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Washington County, MD had their board approve an emergency funding allocation for PPE back in July. They had to delay some capital improvement projects unrelated to reopening schools (so that upgraded playing field and playground will wait), but I think it was a worthwhile trade-off. They are on their second phase of in-person schooling already.

I just find it unfathomable that MCPS can't even manage to prepare. Just excuses, excuses, excuses.

It's surprising, how often people bring up WCPS on the MCPS forum. Kinda makes you wonder what the other 22 school districts in Maryland are doing.

That's just deflection and doesn't address MCPS not having funds to do any of this.

The county has plenty of CARES money available from the Feds ($183mln). They just need to apply for it and use it:
http://www.theseventhstate.com/?p=13978

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The county has plenty of CARES money available from the Feds ($183mln). They just need to apply for it and use it:
http://www.theseventhstate.com/?p=13978

Did you read the blog post you linked to? That's not what it says, at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The county has plenty of CARES money available from the Feds ($183mln). They just need to apply for it and use it:
http://www.theseventhstate.com/?p=13978

Did you read the blog post you linked to? That's not what it says, at all.

If you read through the council's response, it's even more discouraging.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Ok, sure...but cross reference that with the apparent need to negotiate with local teachers’ feelings on the topic.

I'm fully in favor of working with the teachers (something MCPS has not been very good at, in recent years), but as far as I know, MCEA has not yet presented a list of demands to MCPS/BoE for these things.

Not to mention that, to the extent MCPS should already have been doing these things, it's not because of covid, but because MCPS's need for capital improvements exceeds MCPS's capital budget, so all of the projects have to get in line, and the line is not always established equitably.

Disagree - doing things is a waste of time and money. They need to be focusing on addressing the real situation. Nobody but Trump and his people are into this herd immunity nonsense that people are these suspect posters are supporting here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Ok, sure...but cross reference that with the apparent need to negotiate with local teachers’ feelings on the topic.

I'm fully in favor of working with the teachers (something MCPS has not been very good at, in recent years), but as far as I know, MCEA has not yet presented a list of demands to MCPS/BoE for these things.

Not to mention that, to the extent MCPS should already have been doing these things, it's not because of covid, but because MCPS's need for capital improvements exceeds MCPS's capital budget, so all of the projects have to get in line, and the line is not always established equitably.

Disagree - doing things is a waste of time and money. They need to be focusing on addressing the real situation. Nobody but Trump and his people are into this herd immunity nonsense that people are these suspect posters are supporting here.

It is suspect there are so many Trumpers posting here and when there's a demonstration against distance learning only 3 people show up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Ok, sure...but cross reference that with the apparent need to negotiate with local teachers’ feelings on the topic.

I'm fully in favor of working with the teachers (something MCPS has not been very good at, in recent years), but as far as I know, MCEA has not yet presented a list of demands to MCPS/BoE for these things.

Not to mention that, to the extent MCPS should already have been doing these things, it's not because of covid, but because MCPS's need for capital improvements exceeds MCPS's capital budget, so all of the projects have to get in line, and the line is not always established equitably.

Disagree - doing things is a waste of time and money. They need to be focusing on addressing the real situation. Nobody but Trump and his people are into this herd immunity nonsense that people are these suspect posters are supporting here.

What is the real situation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Disagree - doing things is a waste of time and money. They need to be focusing on addressing the real situation. Nobody but Trump and his people are into this herd immunity nonsense that people are these suspect posters are supporting here.

Huh? Nobody has said anything here about herd immunity. You must be posting in the wrong forum.

[Anonymous]

I can't believe people are making excuses for why MCPS is not upgrading HVAC/filter systems. What's so wasteful or controversial about doing so?