Extended calendar next school year at two schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm glad they are willing to try new things, honestly. It's a shame if teachers felt blindsided, but I also don't know whether this is the sort of thing that needs to be put up to an employee vote.

So people who have been out of the classroom for years - some who have never taught in challenging situations - should make these decisons.

bc that makes the most sense

Thanks for the input.

What would you suggest? If we all agree that the achievement gap is a problem, and that summer learning retention plays a role in that gap, what would the teachers want done?

Expand the summer school programs for the kids having trouble and not penalize the middle class students who are already toughing out a lower SES school. That way the focus kids can get there free meals and not be sat in front of a TV all day at their grandmothers apt and the middle class kids can still get full summers. This way it is basically opt in for the kids, teachers and parents and the budget can be enforced by slots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm glad they are willing to try new things, honestly. It's a shame if teachers felt blindsided, but I also don't know whether this is the sort of thing that needs to be put up to an employee vote.

So people who have been out of the classroom for years - some who have never taught in challenging situations - should make these decisons.

bc that makes the most sense

Thanks for the input.

What would you suggest? If we all agree that the achievement gap is a problem, and that summer learning retention plays a role in that gap, what would the teachers want done?

Fix the poverty issue. That is putting a bandaid on an oozing infected wound. I'm finally at the point where I'm realizing that whether I work 40 hour weeks or 80 hour weeks it really won't make a difference, which is a sad realization since I've devoted years of my life to these kids to the detriment of my own health and family.

I honestly would like for parents to have to attend parenting classes in order to receive FARMS or other benefits. The parents are the kids' biggest barrier to learning. 30 extra days in school won't fix what's broken. --teacher in a Focus school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So normal kids are going to lose the joy that is summer camps, bike riding and friends because some ghetto kids back slide with there limited read and math skills? What ever as long as they leave it to the focus and title one schools

I'm not normally a grammar/spelling stickler, but it appears you could have used an extended school year to learn the difference between there and their, the difference between read and reading, and that whatever is one word. More to the point, maybe your kids could use an extended year so that they don't absorb your bad English language habits over the summer, nor your snobbery.

+1. There are plenty of people who think an academic year modeled after an agrarian society is antiquated and not serving our children well to compete in a model world. If this experiment shows positive academic outcomes, I hope it gets implemented county wide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm glad they are willing to try new things, honestly. It's a shame if teachers felt blindsided, but I also don't know whether this is the sort of thing that needs to be put up to an employee vote.

So people who have been out of the classroom for years - some who have never taught in challenging situations - should make these decisons.

bc that makes the most sense

Thanks for the input.

What would you suggest? If we all agree that the achievement gap is a problem, and that summer learning retention plays a role in that gap, what would the teachers want done?

Fix the poverty issue. That is putting a bandaid on an oozing infected wound. I'm finally at the point where I'm realizing that whether I work 40 hour weeks or 80 hour weeks it really won't make a difference, which is a sad realization since I've devoted years of my life to these kids to the detriment of my own health and family.

I honestly would like for parents to have to attend parenting classes in order to receive FARMS or other benefits. The parents are the kids' biggest barrier to learning. 30 extra days in school won't fix what's broken. --teacher in a Focus school

You want CHILDREN to go hungry because you don't like how their parents are parenting?

For the love of G-d I hope you are lying about being a public school teacher, because that's abhorrent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm glad they are willing to try new things, honestly. It's a shame if teachers felt blindsided, but I also don't know whether this is the sort of thing that needs to be put up to an employee vote.

So people who have been out of the classroom for years - some who have never taught in challenging situations - should make these decisons.

bc that makes the most sense

Thanks for the input.

What would you suggest? If we all agree that the achievement gap is a problem, and that summer learning retention plays a role in that gap, what would the teachers want done?

Fix the poverty issue. That is putting a bandaid on an oozing infected wound. I'm finally at the point where I'm realizing that whether I work 40 hour weeks or 80 hour weeks it really won't make a difference, which is a sad realization since I've devoted years of my life to these kids to the detriment of my own health and family.

I honestly would like for parents to have to attend parenting classes in order to receive FARMS or other benefits. The parents are the kids' biggest barrier to learning. 30 extra days in school won't fix what's broken. --teacher in a Focus school

Money has nothing to do with Parenting and your post is offensive. Rich parents can have horrible parenting. Rich parents just may pay others to do it and not be involved. Parenting isn't the biggest barrier to learning. The curriculum and school set up is the biggest barrier to learning. We are at a Focus school and the curriculum sucks. They force all kids with an IEP regardless of needs into a SN classroom and dumb down the curriculum. It should be not allowed. And, the services provided to SN kids suck. Most of us have to pay a fortune privately. There is no differentiation in teaching. Teachers don't teach. They do a quick lesson and then kids go to centers where they spend most of the day on the computers. They do a small group lesson once or twice a week. There is very little science or history. Parents are not allowed in the classroom, so as a teacher refusing volunteers, what do you have to hide. My child doing well as we supplement like most parents we know. We should have to supplement. We have no idea what is going on in the classroom either. There are no emails, no worksheets coming home, nothing. Homework is random and very basic. I don't even see the point of it. You can blame the parents but you need to look at the school and teaching first. It is your responsibility to educate.

Farms has to do with income. Income doesn't make a parent a good or bad parent. They may parent differently than you but that doesn't make it wrong or bad.

And focus schools have a huge mix of kids. They are not like Title One or inner city, so to act like parents are the sole reason our kids are struggling in schools is wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm glad they are willing to try new things, honestly. It's a shame if teachers felt blindsided, but I also don't know whether this is the sort of thing that needs to be put up to an employee vote.

So people who have been out of the classroom for years - some who have never taught in challenging situations - should make these decisons.

bc that makes the most sense

Thanks for the input.

What would you suggest? If we all agree that the achievement gap is a problem, and that summer learning retention plays a role in that gap, what would the teachers want done?

Fix the poverty issue. That is putting a bandaid on an oozing infected wound. I'm finally at the point where I'm realizing that whether I work 40 hour weeks or 80 hour weeks it really won't make a difference, which is a sad realization since I've devoted years of my life to these kids to the detriment of my own health and family.

I honestly would like for parents to have to attend parenting classes in order to receive FARMS or other benefits. The parents are the kids' biggest barrier to learning. 30 extra days in school won't fix what's broken. --teacher in a Focus school

You want CHILDREN to go hungry because you don't like how their parents are parenting?

For the love of G-d I hope you are lying about being a public school teacher, because that's abhorrent.

When did I say I want CHILDREN to go hungry? I want parents to take responsibility for the children they choose to have. As a condition of receiving these benefits, parents should be held accountable for their choices and should be required to take financial literacy and parenting classes. I work with many families who do have money for wants, but not needs. I've worked in Title 1 and Focus schools for 15 years and was a social worker before that. I provide food, supplies and gifts for these families out of my own pocket over and above what I already spend to do my job well. I also spend time volunteering with Manna packing food into backpacks so that children have food to bring home over the weekend.

Do you work with this population every day?

[Anonymous]

When did I say I want CHILDREN to go hungry? I want parents to take responsibility for the children they choose to have. As a condition of receiving these benefits, parents should be held accountable for their choices and should be required to take financial literacy and parenting classes. I work with many families who do have money for wants, but not needs. I've worked in Title 1 and Focus schools for 15 years and was a social worker before that. I provide food, supplies and gifts for these families out of my own pocket over and above what I already spend to do my job well. I also spend time volunteering with Manna packing food into backpacks so that children have food to bring home over the weekend.

Do you work with this population every day?

Well, you specifically said you wanted to tie FARMS, which is a school-based program that only serves the children, to parental obedience. How else could I possible read that other than you want children to go hungry?

Yes, we know that you want parents to do a specific thing (go to classes) but how does not giving kids a hot lunch (and breakfast) serve that goal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm glad they are willing to try new things, honestly. It's a shame if teachers felt blindsided, but I also don't know whether this is the sort of thing that needs to be put up to an employee vote.

So people who have been out of the classroom for years - some who have never taught in challenging situations - should make these decisons.

bc that makes the most sense

Thanks for the input.

What would you suggest? If we all agree that the achievement gap is a problem, and that summer learning retention plays a role in that gap, what would the teachers want done?

Fix the poverty issue. That is putting a bandaid on an oozing infected wound. I'm finally at the point where I'm realizing that whether I work 40 hour weeks or 80 hour weeks it really won't make a difference, which is a sad realization since I've devoted years of my life to these kids to the detriment of my own health and family.

I honestly would like for parents to have to attend parenting classes in order to receive FARMS or other benefits. The parents are the kids' biggest barrier to learning. 30 extra days in school won't fix what's broken. --teacher in a Focus school

You want CHILDREN to go hungry because you don't like how their parents are parenting?

For the love of G-d I hope you are lying about being a public school teacher, because that's abhorrent.

When did I say I want CHILDREN to go hungry? I want parents to take responsibility for the children they choose to have. As a condition of receiving these benefits, parents should be held accountable for their choices and should be required to take financial literacy and parenting classes. I work with many families who do have money for wants, but not needs. I've worked in Title 1 and Focus schools for 15 years and was a social worker before that. I provide food, supplies and gifts for these families out of my own pocket over and above what I already spend to do my job well. I also spend time volunteering with Manna packing food into backpacks so that children have food to bring home over the weekend.

Do you work with this population every day?

PP, I agree with you completely. Ignore the ignorant PPs who don’t actually have experience with Title 1 students.

Anyone who works with this population of families knows that what you say it’ll true. We are at a Focus school and PP is spot on. Lots of money for Xboxes and iPhones, but the kids come to school without a winter jacket. They’ve seen the new Star Wars movie, but didn’t have time to get their homework done.

Our school and MCPS provides TONS of support to lower income families. Expecting these types of changes (an extra 30 days of school or Universal preK, like in the other thread) to solve the issues that these kids face is naive.

And providing all these benefits absolutely leads to the families continuing to have children without any regard to whether or not they can actually care for the kids they already have.

[Anonymous]

I'll believe this when I see it. Don't they need a waiver to go past June 15? I bet Hogan won't let them, because he has a stick up his ass about MCPS and MCEA in particular. He'll make some grandstanding pronouncement about how horrible it is to deny kids summer vacation and that MCPS should try helping kids by having less crappy teachers because the union makes it hard to get rid of them, and this is just another attempt by MCPS to erode his executive order, blah blah blah. Just wait.

[Anonymous]

I think that this is something that qualifies for an exemption from Hogans order.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'll believe this when I see it. Don't they need a waiver to go past June 15? I bet Hogan won't let them, because he has a stick up his ass about MCPS and MCEA in particular. He'll make some grandstanding pronouncement about how horrible it is to deny kids summer vacation and that MCPS should try helping kids by having less crappy teachers because the union makes it hard to get rid of them, and this is just another attempt by MCPS to erode his executive order, blah blah blah. Just wait.

No. They can and will get a waiver for ‘innovative’ programs to address academic achievement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm glad they are willing to try new things, honestly. It's a shame if teachers felt blindsided, but I also don't know whether this is the sort of thing that needs to be put up to an employee vote.

So people who have been out of the classroom for years - some who have never taught in challenging situations - should make these decisons.

bc that makes the most sense

Thanks for the input.

What would you suggest? If we all agree that the achievement gap is a problem, and that summer learning retention plays a role in that gap, what would the teachers want done?

Fix the poverty issue. That is putting a bandaid on an oozing infected wound. I'm finally at the point where I'm realizing that whether I work 40 hour weeks or 80 hour weeks it really won't make a difference, which is a sad realization since I've devoted years of my life to these kids to the detriment of my own health and family.

I honestly would like for parents to have to attend parenting classes in order to receive FARMS or other benefits. The parents are the kids' biggest barrier to learning. 30 extra days in school won't fix what's broken. --teacher in a Focus school

You want CHILDREN to go hungry because you don't like how their parents are parenting?

For the love of G-d I hope you are lying about being a public school teacher, because that's abhorrent.

When did I say I want CHILDREN to go hungry? I want parents to take responsibility for the children they choose to have. As a condition of receiving these benefits, parents should be held accountable for their choices and should be required to take financial literacy and parenting classes. I work with many families who do have money for wants, but not needs. I've worked in Title 1 and Focus schools for 15 years and was a social worker before that. I provide food, supplies and gifts for these families out of my own pocket over and above what I already spend to do my job well. I also spend time volunteering with Manna packing food into backpacks so that children have food to bring home over the weekend.

Do you work with this population every day?

PP, I agree with you completely. Ignore the ignorant PPs who don’t actually have experience with Title 1 students.

Anyone who works with this population of families knows that what you say it’ll true. We are at a Focus school and PP is spot on. Lots of money for Xboxes and iPhones, but the kids come to school without a winter jacket. They’ve seen the new Star Wars movie, but didn’t have time to get their homework done.

Our school and MCPS provides TONS of support to lower income families. Expecting these types of changes (an extra 30 days of school or Universal preK, like in the other thread) to solve the issues that these kids face is naive.

And providing all these benefits absolutely leads to the families continuing to have children without any regard to whether or not they can actually care for the kids they already have.

They are not providing tons of supports. Our Focus school is selfish and excludes parents from volunteering. We've suggested things like a clothing closet so when kids need stuff the teachers can give it to them and they have refused. I have plenty of barely worn or brand new clothing that we've be happy to donate. Yes, some people use the money poorly, but not all do. We don't always do homework as it is not related to the school work and its just dumb!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll believe this when I see it. Don't they need a waiver to go past June 15? I bet Hogan won't let them, because he has a stick up his ass about MCPS and MCEA in particular. He'll make some grandstanding pronouncement about how horrible it is to deny kids summer vacation and that MCPS should try helping kids by having less crappy teachers because the union makes it hard to get rid of them, and this is just another attempt by MCPS to erode his executive order, blah blah blah. Just wait.

No. They can and will get a waiver for ‘innovative’ programs to address academic achievement.

Good. This is how the education system should work. Pilot innovations and see what gets results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll believe this when I see it. Don't they need a waiver to go past June 15? I bet Hogan won't let them, because he has a stick up his ass about MCPS and MCEA in particular. He'll make some grandstanding pronouncement about how horrible it is to deny kids summer vacation and that MCPS should try helping kids by having less crappy teachers because the union makes it hard to get rid of them, and this is just another attempt by MCPS to erode his executive order, blah blah blah. Just wait.

No. They can and will get a waiver for ‘innovative’ programs to address academic achievement.

Good. This is how the education system should work. Pilot innovations and see what gets results.

Ha! You must be an administrator. Or you work for MCPS.

Education needs small class sizes, caring, well-educated teachers and parents who respect the value of education.

The rest is BS. We don’t need all the BS initiatives that MCPS continuously rolls out. Kindergarten Head Start? Waste of time and money. Chromebooks in every K class? Also a waste of time and money. Any teacher can tell you how much time and money is wasted on stupid initiatives that get rolled out by admin. With little to no positive results.

[Anonymous]

They are not providing tons of supports. Our Focus school is selfish and excludes parents from volunteering. We've suggested things like a clothing closet so when kids need stuff the teachers can give it to them and they have refused. I have plenty of barely worn or brand new clothing that we've be happy to donate. Yes, some people use the money poorly, but not all do. We don't always do homework as it is not related to the school work and its just dumb!

You don't see any reason other than "selfishness" that a school might have concerns about letting middle class families unload their used clothing on their children's peers? Not only would facilitating that be a logistical nightmare that most schools have neither the resources nor space for but it also raises all sorts of questions about the "haves" and the "have nots."

Just donate to Adventist Social Services or whatever equivalent is in your community. That way the needy families get warm clothes, from a charity that has the resources to clean and sort them, and there's at least one degree of separation to minimize potential awkwardness.

Middle class parents in economically diverse schools often have a lot of big ideas, but not necessarily the understanding or cultural awareness to implement them. I see that a lot at the Focus school that my kids attend. Middle class parents come in with all sorts of ideas, but they are usually ideas that they want someone else to implement, or they don't understand that thing already exists but isn't being publicized to middle class parents so as not to embarrass the kids receiving it.