MCPS asks for 4 days off so teachers can prepare building for in-person instruction

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hogan sends another F U to the people of MoCo. Don’t think he cares about your kids. He just waves to stick it to MCPS. Your kids are collateral damage.

What? How is this bad for kids? Even teachers in this thread are saying they don’t need extra time to set up. Seems like MCPS was being unreasonable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know y’all thought it was about bulletin boards, but it was to practice keeping children safe.

From the article:

The time also would have allowed the staff to “practice compliance with protocols, finalize student schedules and transportation, and address the myriad of other details that will have to be finalized,” Smith wrote.

The preparations are especially important, Smith wrote, because the first students scheduled to return to buildings are generally the youngest — “some of whom have never navigated a school building before” — and students who need significant support from employees.

“The waiver of four days will allow staff to complete this important work without requiring divided attention from virtual instruction and support for students,” Smith wrote. “This waiver of four school days is critical to success for opening school buildings.”

They can cover that on Wednesdays and on other professional development days. Kids are far behind already.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This request itself demonstrates the level of incompetency.

Exactly.

They should have been preparing to go back from Day 1.

Did we think online learning would last forever?? It was always a given that the kids would be back in school some day.

Why isn’t MCPS ready now? Ridiculous incompetency.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids go to Wednesday checking pretty regularly. Its amazing how many of you are doing nothing to tale advantage of whats been given.

4 days is politics. You ask for 4, you get 2.

In ES they just have homeroom and about a half hour for “review”—no new material covered. No opp foe checkins.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hogan sends another F U to the people of MoCo. Don’t think he cares about your kids. He just waves to stick it to MCPS. Your kids are collateral damage.

Nope. I’m happy that Hogan is taking a stand against MCPS.

MCPS is ridiculous. MCPS has shown us consistently that it does not care about our kids. The BOE and Jack Smith have basically given up on our kids. Someone needs to advocate for them. Thanks Hogan!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a teacher Wednesdays are often my most exhausting. Grading, calling parents, lesson planning, meetings, helping students. Just constant grunt work.

Those of you thinking Wednesdays are a day off, have no idea.

Didn't you have to do all that during in-person school also?

The amount of "grunt work" has increased significantly. In the past you could have a quick conversation with a parent during dismissal, now it has to be a phone call or an email. You could chat with co-workers while making photo copies or walking students to recess and now that has to be a scheduled meeting. Wednesdays are crazy busy and telling teachers to set up their class room on Wednesdays would mean something has to give.

Same with everyone else who is teleworking. This is hardly unique to teaching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hogan sends another F U to the people of MoCo. Don’t think he cares about your kids. He just waves to stick it to MCPS. Your kids are collateral damage.

Nope. I’m happy that Hogan is taking a stand against MCPS.

MCPS is ridiculous. MCPS has shown us consistently that it does not care about our kids. The BOE and Jack Smith have basically given up on our kids. Someone needs to advocate for them. Thanks Hogan!

+1

How do we know when MCPS will be fully open for business? When that exact date is set, and the unions and parents are all in agreement, and health parameters are met, let's walk backwards from that exact date, 4 days prior. Set up then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hogan sends another F U to the people of MoCo. Don’t think he cares about your kids. He just waves to stick it to MCPS. Your kids are collateral damage.

What? How is this bad for kids? Even teachers in this thread are saying they don’t need extra time to set up. Seems like MCPS was being unreasonable.

I think MCPS wanted to make an ask that they knew the state would say no and then they could blame everything on Hogan.

If they had asked for a day or two, which would arguably have been reasonable, there was a risk that the state would have agreed. It is more useful for them to have Hogan as a foil, especially since they can no longer point to Trump and have to contend with Biden saying schools should be open in a similar time frame to what Hogan is saying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hogan sends another F U to the people of MoCo. Don’t think he cares about your kids. He just waves to stick it to MCPS. Your kids are collateral damage.

Nope. I’m happy that Hogan is taking a stand against MCPS.

MCPS is ridiculous. MCPS has shown us consistently that it does not care about our kids. The BOE and Jack Smith have basically given up on our kids. Someone needs to advocate for them. Thanks Hogan!

Another thanks Hogan and Dr. Salmon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hogan sends another F U to the people of MoCo. Don’t think he cares about your kids. He just waves to stick it to MCPS. Your kids are collateral damage.

Nope. I’m happy that Hogan is taking a stand against MCPS.

MCPS is ridiculous. MCPS has shown us consistently that it does not care about our kids. The BOE and Jack Smith have basically given up on our kids. Someone needs to advocate for them. Thanks Hogan!

Another thanks Hogan and Dr. Salmon.

The BoE and Smith deserve praise for keeping us safe through this crisis. Hogan not so much. All he cares about our profits for his rich cronies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a MCPS elementary school teacher. I figured I'd use a Wednesday afternoon after our weekly staff meeting to set my room up. There's not much to set up. The kids can't access our classroom library, centers or share materials. It's going to be as sterile and boring of an environment as you can imagine. I think four days would be ridiculous.

I have faith you will still make it as beautiful as always even if a bit different. The kids deserve it don’t you think?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess they cannot walk and chew gum at the same time either.

But, but, but..... it's toooooo hard!!! LOL

Fine. I'll set up my classroom while simultaneously teaching your kid. I hope they can hear me while I drag the desks into position and don't mind me getting up to put name tags, hand sanitizer and tissues on the desks in the middle of them asking a question.

Trust me, teachers already do a lot of multi-tasking while teaching. Wanting them to set up a physical classroom while simultaneously teaching virtually is an idiotic idea.

Building services set up my desks, but that’s all that will happen in my room. Everything will be on Chromebooks. No tissues or sanitizers available yet. Hope they can bring their own. It’s all good.

Such a great attitude. How you are my kids teacher. Hope your real pants still fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a MCPS elementary school teacher. I figured I'd use a Wednesday afternoon after our weekly staff meeting to set my room up. There's not much to set up. The kids can't access our classroom library, centers or share materials. It's going to be as sterile and boring of an environment as you can imagine. I think four days would be ridiculous.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a teacher Wednesdays are often my most exhausting. Grading, calling parents, lesson planning, meetings, helping students. Just constant grunt work.

Those of you thinking Wednesdays are a day off, have no idea.

Didn't you have to do all that during in-person school also?

The amount of "grunt work" has increased significantly. In the past you could have a quick conversation with a parent during dismissal, now it has to be a phone call or an email. You could chat with co-workers while making photo copies or walking students to recess and now that has to be a scheduled meeting. Wednesdays are crazy busy and telling teachers to set up their class room on Wednesdays would mean something has to give.

? how are you having convos with a parent during dismal pre-covid? Parents are not allowed in the school building during dismal. We all wait outside or at the bus stop.

I have never had a teacher reach out to me in person. It's always by phone or email pre-covid.

[Anonymous]

If only there were four days between 3/13/2020 and 3/1/2021 to prepare the classrooms