Attendance pressure

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

This may be one reason parents are fed up— in the past, teachers weren’t all over social media sharing their Disney vacations in February. It may be that the actual instances of teachers taking midyear vacations hasn’t changed much, just the awareness of the phenomenon has.

Like the posts sitting on the beach during COVID and talking about how much they missed the kids?

Had a neighbor who did that.

I don’t even think it has to be something egregious. Family photo of kids with Mickey gets posted to Facebook, even if settings are private, a friend shows it in their mom’s group has “this is what the teachers are doing” and now the credibility is gone.

I think there’s a message about minimizing absences that also respects the need for time with family, economic conditions, and working with parents to minimize academic impact . It just certainly wasn’t this.

Teachers are allowed vacations.

Absolutely! So is every other parent. If policy supports one it must support the other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

This may be one reason parents are fed up— in the past, teachers weren’t all over social media sharing their Disney vacations in February. It may be that the actual instances of teachers taking midyear vacations hasn’t changed much, just the awareness of the phenomenon has.

Like the posts sitting on the beach during COVID and talking about how much they missed the kids?

Had a neighbor who did that.

Who cares? The schools were closed, teachers were teaching for home. Who cares if they moved to the beach, as long as they were teaching when they were supposed to be teaching. The teachers did not shut down the schools. The Governor did. It wasn't even a county decision, the state closed schools.

Many of my co-workers moved to other locations during COVID because they could work remotely. No one cared as long as they were showing up on the Zoom calls and turning in their work. The only issues came from the times that they were required to come to the office, and they objected because they would have to travel back.

No but they advocated for them to remain closed much longer than they needed to (after wide availability of vaccines and data from other open areas)

FCPS never ever accepts responsibility and commits to learning and doing better. It would make a world of difference if they would.

Teachers were back in school less than 2 months after the vaccine was introduced to the world. Calm down, it was almost 6 years ago.

Oh gosh did you lose that much math instruction? September 2021 was more than six months after the vaccine was available to teachers and just about four years ago. You are a great example of why in-person learning matters.

[Anonymous]

Oh gosh did you lose that much math instruction? September 2021 was more than six months after the vaccine was available to teachers and just about four years ago. You are a great example of why in-person learning matters.

Got my vaccine in January 2021 and was back in the classroom in March 2021 as was all of FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh gosh did you lose that much math instruction? September 2021 was more than six months after the vaccine was available to teachers and just about four years ago. You are a great example of why in-person learning matters.

Got my vaccine in January 2021 and was back in the classroom in March 2021 as was all of FCPS.

You consider hybrid “back on the classroom”?

No one else does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh gosh did you lose that much math instruction? September 2021 was more than six months after the vaccine was available to teachers and just about four years ago. You are a great example of why in-person learning matters.

Got my vaccine in January 2021 and was back in the classroom in March 2021 as was all of FCPS.

You consider hybrid “back on the classroom”?

No one else does.

My kid was back in class full time. The kids who chose to stay home lost out, what can I say. Most of his classmates were back in person. His teacher took a leave of absence, she had a baby at home, and they hired a new teacher who had just completed her Ed degree. It was a great end of the year.

Our school had enough kids return that they had to get creative with lunch spaces to meet the requirements so that all the kids could return. I think there were like 3 kids in his class who didn't come back to the classroom.

If you had kids and you decided not to send back, that is on you. the HS and MS kids who returned ended up with a lot of individual instruction because so many stayed home. I remember MS and HS teachers posting that they were able to get the kids who returned in person fully up to the regular standard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

This may be one reason parents are fed up— in the past, teachers weren’t all over social media sharing their Disney vacations in February. It may be that the actual instances of teachers taking midyear vacations hasn’t changed much, just the awareness of the phenomenon has.

Like the posts sitting on the beach during COVID and talking about how much they missed the kids?

Had a neighbor who did that.

I don’t even think it has to be something egregious. Family photo of kids with Mickey gets posted to Facebook, even if settings are private, a friend shows it in their mom’s group has “this is what the teachers are doing” and now the credibility is gone.

I think there’s a message about minimizing absences that also respects the need for time with family, economic conditions, and working with parents to minimize academic impact . It just certainly wasn’t this.

Teachers are allowed vacations.

Absolutely! So is every other parent. If policy supports one it must support the other.

Take your kid on a vacation but don't ask for work packets and make ups when you come back. Your vacation should not mean extra work for the teacher. And don't complain if your kids grade drops or they are struggling with the material. The teacher shouldn't
have to tutor your kid because you chose a vacation.

I saw a post on the FCPS facebook page where a parent was worried that the teacher wouldn't sign off on the form saying the kid was going to miss extended time for a vacation. The teacher wrote on the form that the child was struggling with the class and missing extra time was going to make it harder for the kid. The parents concern wasn't the struggling kid but the fact that the teacher didn't sign the form. The advice from posters was that the form was a courtesy and to go ahead and enjoy the vacation, no concerns about the kid struggling with the class and then missing more class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

This may be one reason parents are fed up— in the past, teachers weren’t all over social media sharing their Disney vacations in February. It may be that the actual instances of teachers taking midyear vacations hasn’t changed much, just the awareness of the phenomenon has.

Like the posts sitting on the beach during COVID and talking about how much they missed the kids?

Had a neighbor who did that.

I don’t even think it has to be something egregious. Family photo of kids with Mickey gets posted to Facebook, even if settings are private, a friend shows it in their mom’s group has “this is what the teachers are doing” and now the credibility is gone.

I think there’s a message about minimizing absences that also respects the need for time with family, economic conditions, and working with parents to minimize academic impact . It just certainly wasn’t this.

Teachers are allowed vacations.

Absolutely! So is every other parent. If policy supports one it must support the other.

Take your kid on a vacation but don't ask for work packets and make ups when you come back. Your vacation should not mean extra work for the teacher. And don't complain if your kids grade drops or they are struggling with the material. The teacher shouldn't
have to tutor your kid because you chose a vacation.

I saw a post on the FCPS facebook page where a parent was worried that the teacher wouldn't sign off on the form saying the kid was going to miss extended time for a vacation. The teacher wrote on the form that the child was struggling with the class and missing extra time was going to make it harder for the kid. The parents concern wasn't the struggling kid but the fact that the teacher didn't sign the form. The advice from posters was that the form was a courtesy and to go ahead and enjoy the vacation, no concerns about the kid struggling with the class and then missing more class.

Nope, that’s not how it works. If a kid is absent for any reason, the teacher will provide makeup work. Pre arranged absences can be excused.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh gosh did you lose that much math instruction? September 2021 was more than six months after the vaccine was available to teachers and just about four years ago. You are a great example of why in-person learning matters.

Got my vaccine in January 2021 and was back in the classroom in March 2021 as was all of FCPS.

You consider hybrid “back on the classroom”?

No one else does.

Hybrid still required teachers to be in their classrooms full-time.

[Anonymous]

Nope, my son's 5th grade teacher stayed home and the kids had to be on laptops in the classroom to accomodate her. She was afraid to teach in person but took multiple trips that year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh gosh did you lose that much math instruction? September 2021 was more than six months after the vaccine was available to teachers and just about four years ago. You are a great example of why in-person learning matters.

Got my vaccine in January 2021 and was back in the classroom in March 2021 as was all of FCPS.

You consider hybrid “back on the classroom”?

No one else does.

My kid was back in class full time. The kids who chose to stay home lost out, what can I say. Most of his classmates were back in person. His teacher took a leave of absence, she had a baby at home, and they hired a new teacher who had just completed her Ed degree. It was a great end of the year.

Our school had enough kids return that they had to get creative with lunch spaces to meet the requirements so that all the kids could return. I think there were like 3 kids in his class who didn't come back to the classroom.

If you had kids and you decided not to send back, that is on you. the HS and MS kids who returned ended up with a lot of individual instruction because so many stayed home. I remember MS and HS teachers posting that they were able to get the kids who returned in person fully up to the regular standard.

I taught third grade at that time. I had all but 3 students in person and that dwindled to 1. A teammate of mine had 2 that chose to stay virtual, but she convinced them to come in person a she had no hybrid instruction.

[Anonymous]

I have a couple of students out for 3-4 weeks right now for international trips. Kids can’t access Schoology overseas. Families didn’t get them pre-arranged. Probably because they knew teachers would advise against it because the kids are struggling learners. I plan to excuse their assignments because there is realistically no way for me to catch them up with all the other kids I need to help who did show up. I teach a non-SOL middle school class. If you choose to take weeks off of school, you miss the content. It just is what it is. I prioritize kids and families who think school is important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

This may be one reason parents are fed up— in the past, teachers weren’t all over social media sharing their Disney vacations in February. It may be that the actual instances of teachers taking midyear vacations hasn’t changed much, just the awareness of the phenomenon has.

Like the posts sitting on the beach during COVID and talking about how much they missed the kids?

Had a neighbor who did that.

I don’t even think it has to be something egregious. Family photo of kids with Mickey gets posted to Facebook, even if settings are private, a friend shows it in their mom’s group has “this is what the teachers are doing” and now the credibility is gone.

I think there’s a message about minimizing absences that also respects the need for time with family, economic conditions, and working with parents to minimize academic impact . It just certainly wasn’t this.

Teachers are allowed vacations.

Absolutely! So is every other parent. If policy supports one it must support the other.

Take your kid on a vacation but don't ask for work packets and make ups when you come back. Your vacation should not mean extra work for the teacher. And don't complain if your kids grade drops or they are struggling with the material. The teacher shouldn't
have to tutor your kid because you chose a vacation.

I saw a post on the FCPS facebook page where a parent was worried that the teacher wouldn't sign off on the form saying the kid was going to miss extended time for a vacation. The teacher wrote on the form that the child was struggling with the class and missing extra time was going to make it harder for the kid. The parents concern wasn't the struggling kid but the fact that the teacher didn't sign the form. The advice from posters was that the form was a courtesy and to go ahead and enjoy the vacation, no concerns about the kid struggling with the class and then missing more class.

Nope, that’s not how it works. If a kid is absent for any reason, the teacher will provide makeup work. Pre arranged absences can be excused.

“Thank you, teacher, for taking the time to help our son stay on track in your class. We appreciate the individualized lessons and the tutoring you provided after school. We know this took extra time, something you don’t have much of. We are grateful for your support.”

That wasn’t so hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh gosh did you lose that much math instruction? September 2021 was more than six months after the vaccine was available to teachers and just about four years ago. You are a great example of why in-person learning matters.

Got my vaccine in January 2021 and was back in the classroom in March 2021 as was all of FCPS.

You consider hybrid “back on the classroom”?

No one else does.

Hybrid still required teachers to be in their classrooms full-time.

+1, time to move on DCUM. Almost half the students that went through COVID have either graduated from FCPS and/or graduated from college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a couple of students out for 3-4 weeks right now for international trips. Kids can’t access Schoology overseas. Families didn’t get them pre-arranged. Probably because they knew teachers would advise against it because the kids are struggling learners. I plan to excuse their assignments because there is realistically no way for me to catch them up with all the other kids I need to help who did show up. I teach a non-SOL middle school class. If you choose to take weeks off of school, you miss the content. It just is what it is. I prioritize kids and families who think school is important.

Won’t they be unenrolled after 15 days?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope, my son's 5th grade teacher stayed home and the kids had to be on laptops in the classroom to accomodate her. She was afraid to teach in person but took multiple trips that year.

Same! Ours even moved 2 hours away during hybrid learning.