As a parent and a sub, I feel bad teachers have to find their own substitutes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mcps teacher here. There is an online sub system. You login, create an absence and hope a sub takes the job. Other than writing sub plans, your job is done. I’ve been in the county for a long time and have never been denied leave or been harassed for not having a sub. Is this really a problem countywide?

And many schools also have a preferred sub list. We would rather contact someone we know is good rather than leave it to chance. If no one on our preferred sub list can do it, we post on the sub system. If that's not picked up, our administrators and secretaries contact systemwide subs or ask people to cover in-house.

It's upsetting that they're such a sub shortage. With all the people on this forum, maybe some of you can sign up to sub!

They need to pay more than $20/hour. It’s insulting and not a living wage. It’s gross that people think this is okay.

+1

This. I've considered subbing. I am a good teacher and need flexible work, but I won't sub for $20 an hour. It needs to be more than that. I can get other work that is easier and just as flexible for $25 to $45 an hour.

The sub rates are negotiated by the union. Why doesn't the union push for higher sub rates? $20 per hour is ridiculous and just means that teachers will lose planning periods to sub.

This. The teachers complain about the sub shortage but I haven’t seen true will to fix it from the union. It’s clearly not their priority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mcps teacher here. There is an online sub system. You login, create an absence and hope a sub takes the job. Other than writing sub plans, your job is done. I’ve been in the county for a long time and have never been denied leave or been harassed for not having a sub. Is this really a problem countywide?

Correct. Teachers do not have to find their own sub. Submit your leave slip for approval, create the system request, create your sub plans.

Please name your school where you weren’t harassed for taking leave without a sub. I’m looking to transfer.

All of them but yours apparently.

Clearly not true as others have posted.

Reasonable admins exist, but no one will share where they can be found.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mcps teacher here. There is an online sub system. You login, create an absence and hope a sub takes the job. Other than writing sub plans, your job is done. I’ve been in the county for a long time and have never been denied leave or been harassed for not having a sub. Is this really a problem countywide?

Correct. Teachers do not have to find their own sub. Submit your leave slip for approval, create the system request, create your sub plans.

Please name your school where you weren’t harassed for taking leave without a sub. I’m looking to transfer.

All of them but yours apparently.

Clearly not true as others have posted.

Reasonable admins exist, but no one will share where they can be found.

Nah, those are just posters from that one school. The rest follow MCPS policy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mcps teacher here. There is an online sub system. You login, create an absence and hope a sub takes the job. Other than writing sub plans, your job is done. I’ve been in the county for a long time and have never been denied leave or been harassed for not having a sub. Is this really a problem countywide?

Correct. Teachers do not have to find their own sub. Submit your leave slip for approval, create the system request, create your sub plans.

Please name your school where you weren’t harassed for taking leave without a sub. I’m looking to transfer.

All of them but yours apparently.

Clearly not true as others have posted.

Reasonable admins exist, but no one will share where they can be found.

Nah, those are just posters from that one school. The rest follow MCPS policy.

Check out the Facebook group for mcps subs and teachers. Not from one school. And some teachers are trying to help their colleagues by finding a sub. Stop running your mouth. The last two years have been atrocious for finding a sub because no one at first wanted to be in the building (many subs are older) and who wants to deal with all of your unruly and disrespectful children as a sub???!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mcps teacher here. There is an online sub system. You login, create an absence and hope a sub takes the job. Other than writing sub plans, your job is done. I’ve been in the county for a long time and have never been denied leave or been harassed for not having a sub. Is this really a problem countywide?

And many schools also have a preferred sub list. We would rather contact someone we know is good rather than leave it to chance. If no one on our preferred sub list can do it, we post on the sub system. If that's not picked up, our administrators and secretaries contact systemwide subs or ask people to cover in-house.

It's upsetting that they're such a sub shortage. With all the people on this forum, maybe some of you can sign up to sub!

They need to pay more than $20/hour. It’s insulting and not a living wage. It’s gross that people think this is okay.

+1

This. I've considered subbing. I am a good teacher and need flexible work, but I won't sub for $20 an hour. It needs to be more than that. I can get other work that is easier and just as flexible for $25 to $45 an hour.

The sub rates are negotiated by the union. Why doesn't the union push for higher sub rates? $20 per hour is ridiculous and just means that teachers will lose planning periods to sub.

This. The teachers complain about the sub shortage but I haven’t seen true will to fix it from the union. It’s clearly not their priority.

Union should push for being forced to sub. Then it's Admin's problem to pay enough to staff the rooms, or cover classes themselves. (Imagine! The school leaders spending time on the school's primary function!)

[Anonymous]

My husband takes subbing jobs on his days off from work, and he's confused about something.

It is common for him to sub for classes/periods where there is a co-teacher. Sometimes, the other teacher is a para, and he understands that there is a responsibility to have a sub in addition to paras. But sometimes, it is clearly a co-teacher. Sometimes the co-teacher is only for some periods and not the whole day, which probably complicates things from a staffing perspective.

Of course, the ideal situation would be to get subs for any teacher who is absent. But if that is unattainable, then it seems like priority needs to go to classes without co-teachers (perhaps having a sub bounce between different classes in the same school depending on what classes have co-teachers available). And perhaps the next set of classes to forego subs could be those that have more than one para (with one or both paras getting a pay bump if they need to take over the course on that day).

I'm guessing the reasons this isn't done relate to teachers' contracts and to responsibilities to furnish paras for kids with IEPs. But given that there are sometimes multiple classes put into the cafeteria for study hall because subs aren't available for multiple classes, it really seems like MCPS needs to set back and re-think sub allocation in light of the sub shortage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband takes subbing jobs on his days off from work, and he's confused about something.

It is common for him to sub for classes/periods where there is a co-teacher. Sometimes, the other teacher is a para, and he understands that there is a responsibility to have a sub in addition to paras. But sometimes, it is clearly a co-teacher. Sometimes the co-teacher is only for some periods and not the whole day, which probably complicates things from a staffing perspective.

Of course, the ideal situation would be to get subs for any teacher who is absent. But if that is unattainable, then it seems like priority needs to go to classes without co-teachers (perhaps having a sub bounce between different classes in the same school depending on what classes have co-teachers available). And perhaps the next set of classes to forego subs could be those that have more than one para (with one or both paras getting a pay bump if they need to take over the course on that day).

I'm guessing the reasons this isn't done relate to teachers' contracts and to responsibilities to furnish paras for kids with IEPs. But given that there are sometimes multiple classes put into the cafeteria for study hall because subs aren't available for multiple classes, it really seems like MCPS needs to set back and re-think sub allocation in light of the sub shortage.

It’s because of kids’ IEPs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it unusual that teachers have to find subs when they or their kids are sick? How do other school districts handle this issue?

I taught in 3 other states before teaching in MCPS and never had to do this before. If you were sick, you called in and the school placed a sub. It was strange at first with how MCPS handles the sub situation but I do think it holds teachers accountable more and improves communication for what the sub is supposed to do with the students. Not a big deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it unusual that teachers have to find subs when they or their kids are sick? How do other school districts handle this issue?

I taught in 3 other states before teaching in MCPS and never had to do this before. If you were sick, you called in and the school placed a sub. It was strange at first with how MCPS handles the sub situation but I do think it holds teachers accountable more and improves communication for what the sub is supposed to do with the students. Not a big deal.

Huh? It's the same process. MCPS teachers put a job in the subsystem (same thing as calling in sick) and subs are notified. If no sub picks it up, admin deals with coverage. It doesn't hold anyone more accountable. It's the same process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mcps teacher here. There is an online sub system. You login, create an absence and hope a sub takes the job. Other than writing sub plans, your job is done. I’ve been in the county for a long time and have never been denied leave or been harassed for not having a sub. Is this really a problem countywide?

Correct. Teachers do not have to find their own sub. Submit your leave slip for approval, create the system request, create your sub plans.

Please name your school where you weren’t harassed for taking leave without a sub. I’m looking to transfer.

not the poster you are responding to but i have had multiple administrators and never had leave denied. I’ve worked for some principals who tried to bully people over taking a day without a sub assigned to the job. We had a well established staff that was not easily intimidated and knew their rights so it got the principal nowhere. They learned pretty quickly that we were taking the leave regardless of whether or not they “approved” it.

Can you name the school? I really need to move to some place sane.

or you could work with the union reps in your building to educate people about their rights. controlling admins are allowed to thrive, particularly in elementary schools, because teachers tend to be people pleasers and are manipulated by the “do it for the kids” bs.
yes, we are here for the kids. but you can’t pour from an empty glass. it’s ok to take the leave when you need it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it unusual that teachers have to find subs when they or their kids are sick? How do other school districts handle this issue?

I taught in 3 other states before teaching in MCPS and never had to do this before. If you were sick, you called in and the school placed a sub. It was strange at first with how MCPS handles the sub situation but I do think it holds teachers accountable more and improves communication for what the sub is supposed to do with the students. Not a big deal.

Huh? It's the same process. MCPS teachers put a job in the subsystem (same thing as calling in sick) and subs are notified. If no sub picks it up, admin deals with coverage. It doesn't hold anyone more accountable. It's the same process.

I disagree. Calling the main office to state “I will be out sick today.” is not the same as getting out your computer, logging in, entering all of that info. Sure, you could offer your opinion that the latter isn’t onerous, but is factually inaccurate that it is the same.

[Anonymous]

If admin doesn't like your sickness they can take it up I n your performance evaluation. Teachers don't have guaranteed support or protection until after 3 years. Jntil then it's a popularity contest and admin have been know to be vindictive ego maniacs who fire people for no cause. Oh yeah, and they lie to unemployment office and say you quit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it unusual that teachers have to find subs when they or their kids are sick? How do other school districts handle this issue?

I taught in 3 other states before teaching in MCPS and never had to do this before. If you were sick, you called in and the school placed a sub. It was strange at first with how MCPS handles the sub situation but I do think it holds teachers accountable more and improves communication for what the sub is supposed to do with the students. Not a big deal.

Huh? It's the same process. MCPS teachers put a job in the subsystem (same thing as calling in sick) and subs are notified. If no sub picks it up, admin deals with coverage. It doesn't hold anyone more accountable. It's the same process.

I disagree. Calling the main office to state “I will be out sick today.” is not the same as getting out your computer, logging in, entering all of that info. Sure, you could offer your opinion that the latter isn’t onerous, but is factually inaccurate that it is the same.

So… you’re wrong. DP and just laughing at how stupid you are. Also, worried you could potentially be teaching my kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it unusual that teachers have to find subs when they or their kids are sick? How do other school districts handle this issue?

I taught in 3 other states before teaching in MCPS and never had to do this before. If you were sick, you called in and the school placed a sub. It was strange at first with how MCPS handles the sub situation but I do think it holds teachers accountable more and improves communication for what the sub is supposed to do with the students. Not a big deal.

Huh? It's the same process. MCPS teachers put a job in the subsystem (same thing as calling in sick) and subs are notified. If no sub picks it up, admin deals with coverage. It doesn't hold anyone more accountable. It's the same process.

I disagree. Calling the main office to state “I will be out sick today.” is not the same as getting out your computer, logging in, entering all of that info. Sure, you could offer your opinion that the latter isn’t onerous, but is factually inaccurate that it is the same.

Or, while you are holding your phone, you could click the request a substitute button on the website and enter the job there. And what exactly is “all of that info”? Once you’ve logged in you pick the reason, click say no prearranged sub, and hopefully type few words into the instructions. The amazing thing is you can do this in the middle of the night when you wake up sick, instead of waiting to talk to someone in the office.

[Anonymous]

Make your spineless admins sub and then they might be less inclined to abuse and fire teachers once they feel what it's like to be unsupported when children assault them. They also can manipulate their own data to make the school look good.