APS superintendent- Francisco Duran

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I like Duran, too. But I also want my kids in school. I'm frustrated that my nieces and nephews and friends' kids in areas with FAR higher case counts are getting in-person instruction while mine are stuck at home. And I'm mad about cancelling HS sports, which was one of the only things to look forward to. Catholic school has been open here for 2 months now and is going great. Get it together, APS. Ours kids are missing out.

There is a freaking pandemic. I get the arguments to open the schools. But sports? You are crying cuz your kid can’t play sports? Wow. Americans live in another world. Tell him to go out for a run.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok 112,000 are not in our area!!! Our cases and hospital admission rates are low for weeks. Now Braband is opening their schools on Nov 30. All the Catholic schools in Arlington are already open. Just plain stupidity to quote national numbers to keep schools closed.

FCPS started having small cohorts of kids return in October. The next cohort is pre-K and kindergarten on 11/17 and then grades 1 and 2 on 12/1. The argument that we need to stay closed, because of cases rising is getting weak—children around the globe have returned to in-person learning; why can’t public school children in the DMV area do so?

Ask your school board the following:
1. How many kids are disengaged/not logging on to school?
2. How many kids have at least 1 failing grade compared to last school year’s Q1?
3. What is the exact metric that will make it safe enough for teachers to return?

APS does not need to carve out DL moving forward. Space in Virtual Virginia already exist—leave the virtual learning to the experts, not the APS teachers thinking their online lessons are as effective as their in-person lessons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like Duran, too. But I also want my kids in school. I'm frustrated that my nieces and nephews and friends' kids in areas with FAR higher case counts are getting in-person instruction while mine are stuck at home. And I'm mad about cancelling HS sports, which was one of the only things to look forward to. Catholic school has been open here for 2 months now and is going great. Get it together, APS. Ours kids are missing out.

There is a freaking pandemic. I get the arguments to open the schools. But sports? You are crying cuz your kid can’t play sports? Wow. Americans live in another world. Tell him to go out for a run.

There was a freakin pandemic in 1918 - yet the managed to send kids to school and get on with daily lives. How sad is it in 1918 they could figure out they needed to learn to live with the situation and adapt but in 2020 with all the medical advances and technology we can’t do the same?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like Duran, too. But I also want my kids in school. I'm frustrated that my nieces and nephews and friends' kids in areas with FAR higher case counts are getting in-person instruction while mine are stuck at home. And I'm mad about cancelling HS sports, which was one of the only things to look forward to. Catholic school has been open here for 2 months now and is going great. Get it together, APS. Ours kids are missing out.

There is a freaking pandemic. I get the arguments to open the schools. But sports? You are crying cuz your kid can’t play sports? Wow. Americans live in another world. Tell him to go out for a run.

There was a freakin pandemic in 1918 - yet the managed to send kids to school and get on with daily lives. How sad is it in 1918 they could figure out they needed to learn to live with the situation and adapt but in 2020 with all the medical advances and technology we can’t do the same?

We have technology, great technology, that can help avoid the risks of going to school. No one had that in 1918. And most of the world and even the country lacks it too. That’s why we are fortunate to be in APS. We can use DL because we have devices, a VPN, and tons of great platforms. To equate this to 1918 or the Philippines or Alabama for that matter is absurd. We have alternatives. They don’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like Duran, too. But I also want my kids in school. I'm frustrated that my nieces and nephews and friends' kids in areas with FAR higher case counts are getting in-person instruction while mine are stuck at home. And I'm mad about cancelling HS sports, which was one of the only things to look forward to. Catholic school has been open here for 2 months now and is going great. Get it together, APS. Ours kids are missing out.

There is a freaking pandemic. I get the arguments to open the schools. But sports? You are crying cuz your kid can’t play sports? Wow. Americans live in another world. Tell him to go out for a run.

There was a freakin pandemic in 1918 - yet the managed to send kids to school and get on with daily lives. How sad is it in 1918 they could figure out they needed to learn to live with the situation and adapt but in 2020 with all the medical advances and technology we can’t do the same?

We have technology, great technology, that can help avoid the risks of going to school. No one had that in 1918. And most of the world and even the country lacks it too. That’s why we are fortunate to be in APS. We can use DL because we have devices, a VPN, and tons of great platforms. To equate this to 1918 or the Philippines or Alabama for that matter is absurd. We have alternatives. They don’t.

You got to be kidding the technology is not great and the delivery of DL via iPad is in pilot and early adoption phase of students/users. For kids K-2nd grade the learning experience is degraded; Duran and his one size fit all solution of reopening With hybrid learning is an awful Win Lose approach. The world is in Pandemic but not Arlington; the kids are at lowest risk group of all. People quoting 112k Covid cases a day, it’s unfortunate but how many are in this county or even how many are kids small percentages?

For the PP, sports being cancelled and suggested go for a run? It’s not the same is foundational for kids to play team sports to build core skills. Going for a run isn’t a substitute. You should be Duran right hand man. You don’t get it.

[Anonymous]

There is no evidence he is anything but a teachers union representative. If you disagree please provide facts.

[Anonymous]

Once again, your issues are caused by a dangerous , highly contagious disease that is widespread in our community. Not Dr. Duran. It’s not over because you’re tired of it, or because you’ve put up a lot of median signs. Cases are rising. Fast. Here.

[Anonymous]

APS published metrics that seemed achievable at the time. Since then the case numbers have increased dramatically in Arlington. We can argue about whether or not the metrics are reasonable, but the fact remains that the community at large (most of whom do not have kids in school) is not prioritizing keeping cases low. We had Halloween bar tours FFS. That is not Duran’s fault.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no evidence he is anything but a teachers union representative. If you disagree please provide facts.

There is no teachers union, moron. Stop spreading your hate & ignorance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:APS published metrics that seemed achievable at the time. Since then the case numbers have increased dramatically in Arlington. We can argue about whether or not the metrics are reasonable, but the fact remains that the community at large (most of whom do not have kids in school) is not prioritizing keeping cases low. We had Halloween bar tours FFS. That is not Duran’s fault.

Also, we are on the cusp of holiday season and we know many families are going to travel and hang out with other people indoors without masks...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no evidence he is anything but a teachers union representative. If you disagree please provide facts.

There is no teachers union, moron. Stop spreading your hate & ignorance.

VEA is a Union in all but name. “Association”. Site evidence that he is not an “association” shill instead of name calling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no evidence he is anything but a teachers union representative. If you disagree please provide facts.

There is no teachers union, moron. Stop spreading your hate & ignorance.

VEA is a Union in all but name. “Association”. Site evidence that he is not an “association” shill instead of name calling.

You clearly have never lived somewhere with a teachers union. This is NOT a teachers union FFS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are lucky to have Dr. Duran. I hope he isn’t fed up enough with personal attacks from Open Schools Now crowd to quit. I know he has experience from Fairfax dealing with nutty parents, but god bless him. I couldn’t stand these attacks from the parents on this. Please stay, Dr. D. We need someone like you who is focused on the students.

If he was focused on the students he would be actively seeking out information on learning loss instead of having to be pushed to even be willing to acknowledge that its a slight possibility.

if he was focused on the students he would have brought Phase 1 students, who by definition cannot learn on an Ipad, back with their actual teachers to teach them in person instead of bringing them back with extended day workers to continue distance learning on an Ipad.

If he was focused on the students, he would have at least held a town hall with student athletes about cancelling winter sports instead of slipping it into a slide in a school board update with no discussion whatsoever.

If he was focused on the students, he would be thinking creatively about how to get K-3 back in the building ASAP, instead of just continuing to push it off.

Not all level 1 students in a school have the same one or two teachers. Schools were given some flexibility to identify these students and depending on how much general education time they normally have their parents are likely not all on the same page of grouping these kids together. I know at least one title 1 Es school has zero level 1 students because the parents declined. They don’t think school is safe.

[Anonymous]

APS has canceled indoor winter sports. Who in their right mind thought indoor basketball with teens at school was a good idea!?

Also solving community spread is not APS or any other public schools responsibility. Many public schools who opened earlier have either a real need to do so because they lack resources to have a real virtual option or are in areas of the country that isn’t such an urban area. This new large scale study shows that schools reopening and having open bars and restaurants is the biggest contributor to a rising rate of covid infection. People will be out more in a place where schools are open, it’s a fact. And that will lead to higher rate of viral spread. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/science/coronavirus-r-rate-school-closures-lockdown-lancet-study-b1251617.html%3famp

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:APS has canceled indoor winter sports. Who in their right mind thought indoor basketball with teens at school was a good idea!?

Also solving community spread is not APS or any other public schools responsibility. Many public schools who opened earlier have either a real need to do so because they lack resources to have a real virtual option or are in areas of the country that isn’t such an urban area. This new large scale study shows that schools reopening and having open bars and restaurants is the biggest contributor to a rising rate of covid infection. People will be out more in a place where schools are open, it’s a fact. And that will lead to higher rate of viral spread. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/science/coronavirus-r-rate-school-closures-lockdown-lancet-study-b1251617.html%3famp

High School Basketball Start Dates

State – Start Date
Alabama – Nov. 5
Mississippi – Nov. 5
Arkansas – Nov. 9
Georgia – Nov. 13
Texas – Nov. 13
Louisiana – Nov. 16
South Carolina – Nov. 16
Utah – Nov. 17
Oklahoma – Nov. 19
Indiana – Nov. 20
North Dakota – Nov. 23
Tennessee – Nov. 23
Florida – Nov. 23
Kentucky – Nov. 23
Ohio – Nov. 25
Idaho – Nov. 28
Pennsylvania – Nov. 28
Arizona – Nov. 30
Illinois – Nov. 30
Iowa – Nov. 30
Massachusetts – Nov. 30
Missouri – Nov. 30
Wisconsin – Dec. 1
Kansas – Dec. 3
Minnesota – Dec. 3
Nebraska – Dec. 3
Delaware – Dec. 4
Maryland – Dec. 4
Montana – Dec. 4
Michigan – Dec. 7
West Virginia – Dec. 8
South Dakota – Dec. 10
Wyoming – Dec. 10
Maine – Dec. 11
New Hampshire – Dec. 11
Alaska – Dec. 17
Connecticut – Dec. 17
New Jersey – Dec. 18
Virginia – Dec. 28
North Carolina – Jan. 4
New Mexico – Jan. 4
New York – Jan. 4
District of Columbia – Jan. 4
Colorado – Jan. 7
Washington – Jan. 10
Oregon – Jan. 11
Nevada – Jan. 15
California – March 12
Hawaii – TBD
Rhode Island – TBD
Vermont – TBD