Attendance pressure

[Anonymous]

They waste all of June once the SOLs are over!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What absolute bs. I hope no one actually listens to them. Don’t forget how they treated school during Covid. It wasn’t important then and we only got 4 days of school for an entire freaking year on a computer! My child’s teacher actually moved out of the area during the school year and was allowed to still be employed by FCPS.

F off, FCPS.

People who are continuing to post about Covid need serious help. It was 4.5 to 5.5 years ago. Move on.

Why do you care where your child's teacher lived? If he/she was still logging in to Blackboard Collaborate and was teaching, how is it your business where he/she lived? Do you have any concept of how many FCPS teachers live "out of the area," yet still teach in FCPS? There are teachers who live in West Virginia, Eastern MD, Baltimore, Stafford, etc. It's no one's business!

Do you miss having the Mondays off every week? Sit down

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What absolute bs. I hope no one actually listens to them. Don’t forget how they treated school during Covid. It wasn’t important then and we only got 4 days of school for an entire freaking year on a computer! My child’s teacher actually moved out of the area during the school year and was allowed to still be employed by FCPS.

F off, FCPS.

OMG it was FIVE YEARS ago. Get over it and move on past COVID.

Seriously. All you have to do is point to the ridiculous calendars of the last three years and the lack of 5 day school weeks.

To quote myself:

"39 Days"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What absolute bs. I hope no one actually listens to them. Don’t forget how they treated school during Covid. It wasn’t important then and we only got 4 days of school for an entire freaking year on a computer! My child’s teacher actually moved out of the area during the school year and was allowed to still be employed by FCPS.

F off, FCPS.

People who are continuing to post about Covid need serious help. [b]It was 4.5 to 5.5 years ago. Move on.

Why do you care where your child's teacher lived? If he/she was still logging in to Blackboard Collaborate and was teaching, how is it your business where he/she lived? Do you have any concept of how many FCPS teachers live "out of the area," yet still teach in FCPS? There are teachers who live in West Virginia, Eastern MD, Baltimore, Stafford, etc. It's no one's business!

Nope. We parents will never forget how teachers jumped the line to get vaccinated and then refused to come into work. We will never forget the hell that was virtual school.

So we parents will take a vacation when we damn well want to.

"WE" parents?

The vast majority of "we parents" have our mental health in check, so we moved on from Covid-related closures, years ago.

The majority of "we parents" don't hold grudges against people, especially ones who probably weren't remotely involved in decisions regarding return to school.

The majority of " we parents" don't process emotion like a toddler, "I don't like what you said, so I'm taking my toys and going home."

The majority of "we parents" have more intelligence than a gnat, so we don't have our children miss additional school when the concern is missed instructional hours.

I’m sorry you can’t teach in your pajamas anymore.

You've completely misinterpreted this message. I am a parent, not a teacher. I have or have had four children in FCPS schools and have been very involved with groups of other FCPS parents through various booster clubs. I haven't encountered any parents who feel the way you seem to feel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What absolute bs. I hope no one actually listens to them. Don’t forget how they treated school during Covid. It wasn’t important then and we only got 4 days of school for an entire freaking year on a computer! My child’s teacher actually moved out of the area during the school year and was allowed to still be employed by FCPS.

F off, FCPS.

People who are continuing to post about Covid need serious help. [b]It was 4.5 to 5.5 years ago. Move on.

Why do you care where your child's teacher lived? If he/she was still logging in to Blackboard Collaborate and was teaching, how is it your business where he/she lived? Do you have any concept of how many FCPS teachers live "out of the area," yet still teach in FCPS? There are teachers who live in West Virginia, Eastern MD, Baltimore, Stafford, etc. It's no one's business!

Nope. We parents will never forget how teachers jumped the line to get vaccinated and then refused to come into work. We will never forget the hell that was virtual school.

So we parents will take a vacation when we damn well want to.

"WE" parents?

The vast majority of "we parents" have our mental health in check, so we moved on from Covid-related closures, years ago.

The majority of "we parents" don't hold grudges against people, especially ones who probably weren't remotely involved in decisions regarding return to school.

The majority of " we parents" don't process emotion like a toddler, "I don't like what you said, so I'm taking my toys and going home."

The majority of "we parents" have more intelligence than a gnat, so we don't have our children miss additional school when the concern is missed instructional hours.

I’m a DP but I think the majority of parents who had kids in school during COVID no longer consider the schools credible on the specific issue of attendance. The 2025-2026 calendar, which even the school board realizes is brutally unpopular, makes it worse.

💯 %

The PPs response is obviously from someone who didn’t have multiple kids doing virtual school during Covid and who just doesn’t get it.

I had four children in FCPS during Covid, and both my husband and I were working full-time as well. While I was frustrated back then, I moved on several years ago, as did most people.

[Anonymous]

This is not racist. Families of all races and nationalities travel internationally. It’s disruptive. I have a student who has missed all of second quarter so far. Was supposed to return 11/24 but hasn’t come back yet, so he was dropped from the system due to 15 consecutive days of absence. I have no idea when he’s coming back, but if it isn’t before winter break, it will be a full 2 months that he wasn’t in my class if he comes back in January. What am I supposed to do? How do I recover that much learning? I cannot remediate an entire quarter for one kid.

Part of having kids is prioritizing them. I get wanting to travel and see family but there are lots of times at which that can be done without drastically impacting school. Pulling your kid out for multiple weeks is not beneficial to them just because you found tickets for $300 cheaper during school time.

[Anonymous]

NP - school accreditation can be affected by higher numbers of student absenteeism (10% or more missed days for ANY reason).

My straight A honor roll sophmore was out with pneumonia for three days in October. I got a Talking Points message that she would be required to stay after school to make up time missed. She was PULLED five minutes before the bell from her last class and marched to the library for her make up hour. It was like a forced detention/study hall. And she was excused and is an honor roll student.

But I also understand the serious pressure coming from VDOE on absentism and it's defintely showing up in the schools and how they choose to handle it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah I don't care what they say. Not planning on missing much, but might plan a last minute short trip in early January that spills over into the first day or two after winter break, because the prices do drop a lot and it's one of the only times I can take off work without consequence. We can't use the holidays or teacher workdays to take long weekends because I never have off work during those times and I can't just call out; nor can I travel around Thanksgiving or during FCPS spring break.

Well aren’t you the rebel? Good for you. That will show FCPS.

[Anonymous]

What I hate is even in high school, days before breaks are wasted nothing days with substitutes and sitting around. Its disrespectful to the kids who show up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am kicking myself that we did not travel for the full week of Thanksgiving. There was no content taught and no assessments and so many kids were out that the school sent several emails begging parents to not call, but to send in absenses through SIS.

Parents, take your children out of school when you need do, especially before breaks. There is nothing going on the days leading up to Winter Break.

Of course families are leaving early.

My seventh grade child has at least one test, quiz, or project due every day the week before winter break.

My ninth grade child has an essay, three quizzes, and two tests the week before winter break, including on the day before winter break.

But you say there is nothing going on the days leading up to winter break? Maybe thats true in elementary school, but I doubt that's true for most middle and high schools.

+1, my 11th grader had a test on the Monday and Tuesday before thanksgiving. I am expecting at least 2-3 the week before winter break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP - school accreditation can be affected by higher numbers of student absenteeism (10% or more missed days for ANY reason).

My straight A honor roll sophmore was out with pneumonia for three days in October. I got a Talking Points message that she would be required to stay after school to make up time missed. She was PULLED five minutes before the bell from her last class and marched to the library for her make up hour. It was like a forced detention/study hall. And she was excused and is an honor roll student.

But I also understand the serious pressure coming from VDOE on absentism and it's defintely showing up in the schools and how they choose to handle it.

One way they could choose to handle it is by treating families with more respect, which the 25-26 calendar simply doesn’t do. You cannot credibly say how important time in class is, and have a schedule practically devoid of five day weeks.

FCPS needs to rebuild credibility with parents before they’ll take messages like this seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What absolute bs. I hope no one actually listens to them. Don’t forget how they treated school during Covid. It wasn’t important then and we only got 4 days of school for an entire freaking year on a computer! My child’s teacher actually moved out of the area during the school year and was allowed to still be employed by FCPS.

F off, FCPS.

People who are continuing to post about Covid need serious help. It was 4.5 to 5.5 years ago. Move on.

Why do you care where your child's teacher lived? If he/she was still logging in to Blackboard Collaborate and was teaching, how is it your business where he/she lived? Do you have any concept of how many FCPS teachers live "out of the area," yet still teach in FCPS? There are teachers who live in West Virginia, Eastern MD, Baltimore, Stafford, etc. It's no one's business!

Nope. We parents will never forget how teachers jumped the line to get vaccinated and then refused to come into work. We will never forget the hell that was virtual school.

So we parents will take a vacation when we damn well want to.

"WE" parents?

The vast majority of "we parents" have our mental health in check, so we moved on from Covid-related closures, years ago.

The majority of "we parents" don't hold grudges against people, especially ones who probably weren't remotely involved in decisions regarding return to school.

The majority of " we parents" don't process emotion like a toddler, "I don't like what you said, so I'm taking my toys and going home."

The majority of "we parents" have more intelligence than a gnat, so we don't have our children miss additional school when the concern is missed instructional hours.

I’m a DP but I think the majority of parents who had kids in school during COVID no longer consider the schools credible on the specific issue of attendance. The 2025-2026 calendar, which even the school board realizes is brutally unpopular, makes it worse.

💯 %

The PPs response is obviously from someone who didn’t have multiple kids doing virtual school during Covid and who just doesn’t get it.

I had four children in FCPS during Covid, and both my husband and I were working full-time as well. While I was frustrated back then, I moved on several years ago, [b]as did most people.

I mean, this would be a fascinating thing to study, but I’ve found almost no one in my peer group who thinks schools have a leg to stand on for attendance issues and the mockery around messages like this is immediate. But maybe it was always this way and my sample size is limited to parent's who experienced the COVID years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What absolute bs. I hope no one actually listens to them. Don’t forget how they treated school during Covid. It wasn’t important then and we only got 4 days of school for an entire freaking year on a computer! My child’s teacher actually moved out of the area during the school year and was allowed to still be employed by FCPS.

F off, FCPS.

People who are continuing to post about Covid need serious help. It was 4.5 to 5.5 years ago. Move on.

Why do you care where your child's teacher lived? If he/she was still logging in to Blackboard Collaborate and was teaching, how is it your business where he/she lived? Do you have any concept of how many FCPS teachers live "out of the area," yet still teach in FCPS? There are teachers who live in West Virginia, Eastern MD, Baltimore, Stafford, etc. It's no one's business!

Nope. We parents will never forget how teachers jumped the line to get vaccinated and then refused to come into work. We will never forget the hell that was virtual school.

So we parents will take a vacation when we damn well want to.

"WE" parents?

The vast majority of "we parents" have our mental health in check, so we moved on from Covid-related closures, years ago.

The majority of "we parents" don't hold grudges against people, especially ones who probably weren't remotely involved in decisions regarding return to school.

The majority of " we parents" don't process emotion like a toddler, "I don't like what you said, so I'm taking my toys and going home."

The majority of "we parents" have more intelligence than a gnat, so we don't have our children miss additional school when the concern is missed instructional hours.

I’m a DP but I think the majority of parents who had kids in school during COVID no longer consider the schools credible on the specific issue of attendance. The 2025-2026 calendar, which even the school board realizes is brutally unpopular, makes it worse.

💯 %

The PPs response is obviously from someone who didn’t have multiple kids doing virtual school during Covid and who just doesn’t get it.

I had four children in FCPS during Covid, and both my husband and I were working full-time as well. While I was frustrated back then, I moved on several years ago, [b]as did most people.

I mean, this would be a fascinating thing to study, but I’ve found almost no one in my peer group who thinks schools have a leg to stand on for attendance issues and the mockery around messages like this is immediate. But maybe it was always this way and my sample size is limited to parent's who experienced the COVID years.

This. The attitude toward attendance changed after Covid. I also see the attitude around here impacted because of the FCPS calendar. “What’s another day off? They’re always off”

[Anonymous]

Oh look: another FCPS thread bashing the calendar. Managed to sprinkle in some references to COVID. We get it. You don’t like the calendar. Do you people have anything better to do? I bet if Jeff pulled the IP addresses of these threads, he’d find the same 10 posters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is not racist. Families of all races and nationalities travel internationally. It’s disruptive. I have a student who has missed all of second quarter so far. Was supposed to return 11/24 but hasn’t come back yet, so he was dropped from the system due to 15 consecutive days of absence. I have no idea when he’s coming back, but if it isn’t before winter break, it will be a full 2 months that he wasn’t in my class if he comes back in January. What am I supposed to do? How do I recover that much learning? I cannot remediate an entire quarter for one kid.

Part of having kids is prioritizing them. I get wanting to travel and see family but there are lots of times at which that can be done without drastically impacting school. Pulling your kid out for multiple weeks is not beneficial to them just because you found tickets for $300 cheaper during school time.

Firstly, it might do you some good to consider that $1200 ($300 across a families worth of tickets) is probably real money to some of your students parents. I’m genuinely happy for you that $300/ticket is not a meaningful enough difference to impact your travel plans.

Next, when are all these “lots of times” I can travel internationally without impacting school? Bear in mind I have a family member with a medical condition which makes summer travel nearly impossible. I try to target weeks that already have a day or two off, but if there’s a ton of other time I’m missing I’d be happy to learn about it.

Finally— the parents of these kids are prioritizing them. They just think that prioritizing them means giving them time with their families.