How many teachers are leaving your school next year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally love the younger teachers who don’t have children - they are able to put more hours in and plan more creative lessons and don’t have to run out the door when the kids leave.

None of the new teachers I know are like this. They’ve grown up with SEL and work life balance and they are the ones most likely to use lots of personal and sick days to achieve this. It’s people my age who fret about taking a day off.

Yup here too....but I won't lie these young ones are teaching us all something. Work life balance is important! Our jobs and these disrespectful parents won't care if we stay or leave....why should us older teachers care so much. Long gone are the "do it for the kids" days.

I see the same thing. The younger teachers often draw hard lines between work and home life. Many are of the opinion they are paid for certain hours, and they won’t let the job spill into evenings and weekends. If work doesn’t get done at work, then it doesn’t get done.

Frankly, they have a lot to teach the rest of us. We shouldn’t be giving up so much of our own lives to our schools.

I don’t see this at all. Example - all the teachers that came to an event held outside school hours were the new teachers at the school.

They don't have kids and outside responsibilities so they are able to do this.

Whoever mentioned the pay is absolutely right. I just finished my 12th year of teaching (I had another career first) and just found out that my college aged son qualified for a Pell Grant (he's going into his sophomore year in college). How in the world does the child of a parent with a career that requires a Master's degree qualify for a Pell Grant? This is how the Dept. of Education describes people who qualify for one. "Federal Pell Grants usually are awarded only to undergraduate students who display exceptional financial need." I am grateful for the grant but nobody with a FT job and a Master's degree should fall into this category. His college actually decreased the amount of the grant they gave him so it doesn't actually give us any more aid but that's another story.

That’s why I like the younger teachers. I also find they have better lesson plans. Pros and cons to each.

How do you know about their lesson plans?

You can tell what they are doing based on what the kids are bringing home, what projects they are doing, what they’re saying they do in class daily, and how the tests are (ie. Is there a study guide? Does the test or quiz match the objectives?). You can also glean valuable information from their interactive notebooks. Some years they literally have been empty (bad teacher) and others have been wonderful. Newsletters, emails, etc. it’s very obvious who the good teachers are and who the slackers are. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist or some secret intuition to figure it out.

No, it isn’t always easy to tell. There were 2 4th grade teachers at my DD’s school. Initially, I wanted the “popular” one for her. This teacher had a wonderfully decorated room with flex seating and a reputation for weekly digests home, with pictures of class activities. It didn’t take me long to realize that was all window dressing. The lessons themselves, while fun for the kids, weren’t really instructive in nature. I slowly realized the other teacher, with the modest classroom and the reputation for being average, was actually doing more intentional work that moved the students along.

As a teacher, I usually catch things like this more quickly. I guess I was caught up in the gossip about the popular teacher, so I didn’t consider the quality of instruction.

Teacher here, and this is a bit scary (I understand that you realized differently in the end but the idea that parents may think this was is enlightening regardless). Some teachers, myself included, do not have the means to decorate a Pinterest style classroom. The buy-your-own supply culture has gotten a bit out of hand IMO. I was given a room with very basic furniture/materials, etc. and I could not afford to keep up with colleagues who had the means to spend freely to decorate and furnish their rooms.

In the same way, letters/newsletters. I had about 2-3 hours of planning a week. That time was spent on lesson planning, IEPs, meetings, emailing etc. I easily worked 10-12 hours daily to keep up with front-facing student tasks. Likewise, newsletters were on the back burner and I might have gotten something out quarterly. Scares me to think I may have been judged on my plain classroom and/or lack of fancy communications.

This is a perfect example of why teachers aren't lasting long - I assure you the Pinterest-style, fancy newsletter teacher life is not sustainable long term

I assure you, no one cares about the decorations. It’s the actual lessons and activities the kids do that matters.

Teacher here. I don’t over decorate my room as I believe the walls should be decorated with student work and anchor charts created with students. I will say, I don’t do a newsletter but a weekly email to keep parents informed on what we did for the week, upcoming events, tests, etc. But that is important to me as a teacher. For some people, environment is important.

I stopped the kid work- it became too labor intensive and parents would check it out and be all “why doesn’t MY kid write 3 sentences” like Jacob. I couldn’t tell them Jacob turned 5 years old 6 months before Kindergarten even started.

I also think it was making me do a “bulletin board lesson” rather than solid teaching sometimes.

Now I have a bunch of posters of art work and nature around the world and stick that up. So, much easier. Buy an out of date calendar, put up the 7 wonders of the world, scenes from national parks and you have instant cultural building, help kids learn background knowledge and expand their world.

The Pinterest inspired classrooms are often overstimulating for a lot of children. So it might look pretty during back to school nights but there isn’t much substance that directly positively impacts the students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally love the younger teachers who don’t have children - they are able to put more hours in and plan more creative lessons and don’t have to run out the door when the kids leave.

None of the new teachers I know are like this. They’ve grown up with SEL and work life balance and they are the ones most likely to use lots of personal and sick days to achieve this. It’s people my age who fret about taking a day off.

Yup here too....but I won't lie these young ones are teaching us all something. Work life balance is important! Our jobs and these disrespectful parents won't care if we stay or leave....why should us older teachers care so much. Long gone are the "do it for the kids" days.

I see the same thing. The younger teachers often draw hard lines between work and home life. Many are of the opinion they are paid for certain hours, and they won’t let the job spill into evenings and weekends. If work doesn’t get done at work, then it doesn’t get done.

Frankly, they have a lot to teach the rest of us. We shouldn’t be giving up so much of our own lives to our schools.

I don’t see this at all. Example - all the teachers that came to an event held outside school hours were the new teachers at the school.

They don't have kids and outside responsibilities so they are able to do this.

Whoever mentioned the pay is absolutely right. I just finished my 12th year of teaching (I had another career first) and just found out that my college aged son qualified for a Pell Grant (he's going into his sophomore year in college). How in the world does the child of a parent with a career that requires a Master's degree qualify for a Pell Grant? This is how the Dept. of Education describes people who qualify for one. "Federal Pell Grants usually are awarded only to undergraduate students who display exceptional financial need." I am grateful for the grant but nobody with a FT job and a Master's degree should fall into this category. His college actually decreased the amount of the grant they gave him so it doesn't actually give us any more aid but that's another story.

That’s why I like the younger teachers. I also find they have better lesson plans. Pros and cons to each.

How do you know about their lesson plans?

You can tell what they are doing based on what the kids are bringing home, what projects they are doing, what they’re saying they do in class daily, and how the tests are (ie. Is there a study guide? Does the test or quiz match the objectives?). You can also glean valuable information from their interactive notebooks. Some years they literally have been empty (bad teacher) and others have been wonderful. Newsletters, emails, etc. it’s very obvious who the good teachers are and who the slackers are. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist or some secret intuition to figure it out.

No, it isn’t always easy to tell. There were 2 4th grade teachers at my DD’s school. Initially, I wanted the “popular” one for her. This teacher had a wonderfully decorated room with flex seating and a reputation for weekly digests home, with pictures of class activities. It didn’t take me long to realize that was all window dressing. The lessons themselves, while fun for the kids, weren’t really instructive in nature. I slowly realized the other teacher, with the modest classroom and the reputation for being average, was actually doing more intentional work that moved the students along.

As a teacher, I usually catch things like this more quickly. I guess I was caught up in the gossip about the popular teacher, so I didn’t consider the quality of instruction.

Teacher here, and this is a bit scary (I understand that you realized differently in the end but the idea that parents may think this was is enlightening regardless). Some teachers, myself included, do not have the means to decorate a Pinterest style classroom. The buy-your-own supply culture has gotten a bit out of hand IMO. I was given a room with very basic furniture/materials, etc. and I could not afford to keep up with colleagues who had the means to spend freely to decorate and furnish their rooms.

In the same way, letters/newsletters. I had about 2-3 hours of planning a week. That time was spent on lesson planning, IEPs, meetings, emailing etc. I easily worked 10-12 hours daily to keep up with front-facing student tasks. Likewise, newsletters were on the back burner and I might have gotten something out quarterly. Scares me to think I may have been judged on my plain classroom and/or lack of fancy communications.

This is a perfect example of why teachers aren't lasting long - I assure you the Pinterest-style, fancy newsletter teacher life is not sustainable long term

I’m sorry. I know it is a hard job and I appreciate my kids teachers so much. Newsletters are so helpful though! I can talk to my kid about what is happening in class. Reinforce lessons. If the class is working on a behavior goal I can support that. Our teacher sends one out and while I realize it isn’t an indication of what is happening in the classroom but as a parent it better helps me help you.

My son tells me nothing. Nothing. My daughter talks a lot more . . .

[Anonymous]

About the above - does not have to be fancy - an email letting us know what is happening is helpful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They track the staff who leave in and the have it in the last school board meeting of every month. They lost 276 teachers in the summer time last year and lose about 30 teachers a month during the school year. So far this year they have lost 454 teachers post contract/ midyear, not including retirees.

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/D55GQD44BDF6/$file/Monthly%20Separation%20Report%20April%201%2C%202024%20to%20April%2030%2C%202024.pdf

Here is the data of the people who break contact or leave midyear

Thanks for this, PP. Interesting and enlightening and a bit shocking to see these stats.

Is there any kind of exit interview for people who break contract or leave? If not, the school board needs to develop one.

PP and I’m a longtime Fx county government employee and most agencies (certainly mine, one of the larger) do not conduct exit interviews.

No one in FCPS cares....they will go find a "trainee" or long term sub

[Anonymous]

I just send a talking points each week with an outline of the subjects and events of the week. Most of my families speak a different language at home so it is better than a newsletter written in English.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They track the staff who leave in and the have it in the last school board meeting of every month. They lost 276 teachers in the summer time last year and lose about 30 teachers a month during the school year. So far this year they have lost 454 teachers post contract/ midyear, not including retirees.

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/D55GQD44BDF6/$file/Monthly%20Separation%20Report%20April%201%2C%202024%20to%20April%2030%2C%202024.pdf

Here is the data of the people who break contact or leave midyear

Thanks for this, PP. Interesting and enlightening and a bit shocking to see these stats.

Is there any kind of exit interview for people who break contract or leave? If not, the school board needs to develop one.

PP and I’m a longtime Fx county government employee and most agencies (certainly mine, one of the larger) do not conduct exit interviews.

No one in FCPS cares....they will go find a "trainee" or long term sub

They will eventually run out of trainees that will take a 48,000 dollar a year salary. I wish there was specific data on the trainees, some do great but many crash and burn hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They track the staff who leave in and the have it in the last school board meeting of every month. They lost 276 teachers in the summer time last year and lose about 30 teachers a month during the school year. So far this year they have lost 454 teachers post contract/ midyear, not including retirees.

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/D55GQD44BDF6/$file/Monthly%20Separation%20Report%20April%201%2C%202024%20to%20April%2030%2C%202024.pdf

Here is the data of the people who break contact or leave midyear

Thanks for this, PP. Interesting and enlightening and a bit shocking to see these stats.

The scariest part is the numbers don’t seem to be improving each year. Public education has never seen mid year departures at this rate before because it was a given that if you quit midyear that your career was over. Now the staffing is so unstable that it’s not the career ender that it used to be.

So many of my county colleagues left or fled to Loudoun where the pay is higher and is typically a shorter commute. LCPS = FCPS of maybe 40 years ago: growing population with new build homes in higher demographic with shiny new schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They track the staff who leave in and the have it in the last school board meeting of every month. They lost 276 teachers in the summer time last year and lose about 30 teachers a month during the school year. So far this year they have lost 454 teachers post contract/ midyear, not including retirees.

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/D55GQD44BDF6/$file/Monthly%20Separation%20Report%20April%201%2C%202024%20to%20April%2030%2C%202024.pdf

Here is the data of the people who break contact or leave midyear

Thanks for this, PP. Interesting and enlightening and a bit shocking to see these stats.

The scariest part is the numbers don’t seem to be improving each year. Public education has never seen mid year departures at this rate before because it was a given that if you quit midyear that your career was over. Now the staffing is so unstable that it’s not the career ender that it used to be.

So many of my county colleagues left or fled to Loudoun where the pay is higher and is typically a shorter commute. LCPS = FCPS of maybe 40 years ago: growing population with new build homes in higher demographic with shiny new schools.

The High COL is killing Fairfax. Even houses in the “rougher” school zones are incredibly expensive for public service workers. They have some housing voucher programs for teachers and emergency services employees but apparently the waitlists are super long.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They track the staff who leave in and the have it in the last school board meeting of every month. They lost 276 teachers in the summer time last year and lose about 30 teachers a month during the school year. So far this year they have lost 454 teachers post contract/ midyear, not including retirees.

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/D55GQD44BDF6/$file/Monthly%20Separation%20Report%20April%201%2C%202024%20to%20April%2030%2C%202024.pdf

Here is the data of the people who break contact or leave midyear

Thanks for this, PP. Interesting and enlightening and a bit shocking to see these stats.

The scariest part is the numbers don’t seem to be improving each year. Public education has never seen mid year departures at this rate before because it was a given that if you quit midyear that your career was over. Now the staffing is so unstable that it’s not the career ender that it used to be.

So many of my county colleagues left or fled to Loudoun where the pay is higher and is typically a shorter commute. LCPS = FCPS of maybe 40 years ago: growing population with new build homes in higher demographic with shiny new schools.

The High COL is killing Fairfax. Even houses in the “rougher” school zones are incredibly expensive for public service workers. They have some housing voucher programs for teachers and emergency services employees but apparently the waitlists are super long.

Loudoun is expensive too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They track the staff who leave in and the have it in the last school board meeting of every month. They lost 276 teachers in the summer time last year and lose about 30 teachers a month during the school year. So far this year they have lost 454 teachers post contract/ midyear, not including retirees.

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/D55GQD44BDF6/$file/Monthly%20Separation%20Report%20April%201%2C%202024%20to%20April%2030%2C%202024.pdf

Here is the data of the people who break contact or leave midyear

Thanks for this, PP. Interesting and enlightening and a bit shocking to see these stats.

The scariest part is the numbers don’t seem to be improving each year. Public education has never seen mid year departures at this rate before because it was a given that if you quit midyear that your career was over. Now the staffing is so unstable that it’s not the career ender that it used to be.

So many of my county colleagues left or fled to Loudoun where the pay is higher and is typically a shorter commute. LCPS = FCPS of maybe 40 years ago: growing population with new build homes in higher demographic with shiny new schools.

The High COL is killing Fairfax. Even houses in the “rougher” school zones are incredibly expensive for public service workers. They have some housing voucher programs for teachers and emergency services employees but apparently the waitlists are super long.

Loudoun is expensive too.

But not like Fairfax

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They track the staff who leave in and the have it in the last school board meeting of every month. They lost 276 teachers in the summer time last year and lose about 30 teachers a month during the school year. So far this year they have lost 454 teachers post contract/ midyear, not including retirees.

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/D55GQD44BDF6/$file/Monthly%20Separation%20Report%20April%201%2C%202024%20to%20April%2030%2C%202024.pdf

Here is the data of the people who break contact or leave midyear

Thanks for this, PP. Interesting and enlightening and a bit shocking to see these stats.

The scariest part is the numbers don’t seem to be improving each year. Public education has never seen mid year departures at this rate before because it was a given that if you quit midyear that your career was over. Now the staffing is so unstable that it’s not the career ender that it used to be.

So many of my county colleagues left or fled to Loudoun where the pay is higher and is typically a shorter commute. LCPS = FCPS of maybe 40 years ago: growing population with new build homes in higher demographic with shiny new schools.

The High COL is killing Fairfax. Even houses in the “rougher” school zones are incredibly expensive for public service workers. They have some housing voucher programs for teachers and emergency services employees but apparently the waitlists are super long.

Loudoun is expensive too.

But not like Fairfax

I dunno about that. A crappy 90s house with no land is a million dollars in Loudoun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They track the staff who leave in and the have it in the last school board meeting of every month. They lost 276 teachers in the summer time last year and lose about 30 teachers a month during the school year. So far this year they have lost 454 teachers post contract/ midyear, not including retirees.

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/D55GQD44BDF6/$file/Monthly%20Separation%20Report%20April%201%2C%202024%20to%20April%2030%2C%202024.pdf

Here is the data of the people who break contact or leave midyear

Thanks for this, PP. Interesting and enlightening and a bit shocking to see these stats.

The scariest part is the numbers don’t seem to be improving each year. Public education has never seen mid year departures at this rate before because it was a given that if you quit midyear that your career was over. Now the staffing is so unstable that it’s not the career ender that it used to be.

So many of my county colleagues left or fled to Loudoun where the pay is higher and is typically a shorter commute. LCPS = FCPS of maybe 40 years ago: growing population with new build homes in higher demographic with shiny new schools.

The High COL is killing Fairfax. Even houses in the “rougher” school zones are incredibly expensive for public service workers. They have some housing voucher programs for teachers and emergency services employees but apparently the waitlists are super long.

Loudoun is expensive too.

But not like Fairfax

I dunno about that. A crappy 90s house with no land is a million dollars in Loudoun.

PW is the cheaper one of the edge NOVA counties. I feel like all of the new builds and the wineries and scenery keeps Loudoun expensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They track the staff who leave in and the have it in the last school board meeting of every month. They lost 276 teachers in the summer time last year and lose about 30 teachers a month during the school year. So far this year they have lost 454 teachers post contract/ midyear, not including retirees.

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/D55GQD44BDF6/$file/Monthly%20Separation%20Report%20April%201%2C%202024%20to%20April%2030%2C%202024.pdf

Here is the data of the people who break contact or leave midyear

Thanks for this, PP. Interesting and enlightening and a bit shocking to see these stats.

The scariest part is the numbers don’t seem to be improving each year. Public education has never seen mid year departures at this rate before because it was a given that if you quit midyear that your career was over. Now the staffing is so unstable that it’s not the career ender that it used to be.

So many of my county colleagues left or fled to Loudoun where the pay is higher and is typically a shorter commute. LCPS = FCPS of maybe 40 years ago: growing population with new build homes in higher demographic with shiny new schools.

The High COL is killing Fairfax. Even houses in the “rougher” school zones are incredibly expensive for public service workers. They have some housing voucher programs for teachers and emergency services employees but apparently the waitlists are super long.

Loudoun is expensive too.

But not like Fairfax

I dunno about that. A crappy 90s house with no land is a million dollars in Loudoun.

And the same house with HALF the square footage is 1 million in Fairfax.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They track the staff who leave in and the have it in the last school board meeting of every month. They lost 276 teachers in the summer time last year and lose about 30 teachers a month during the school year. So far this year they have lost 454 teachers post contract/ midyear, not including retirees.

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/D55GQD44BDF6/$file/Monthly%20Separation%20Report%20April%201%2C%202024%20to%20April%2030%2C%202024.pdf

Here is the data of the people who break contact or leave midyear

Thanks for this, PP. Interesting and enlightening and a bit shocking to see these stats.

The scariest part is the numbers don’t seem to be improving each year. Public education has never seen mid year departures at this rate before because it was a given that if you quit midyear that your career was over. Now the staffing is so unstable that it’s not the career ender that it used to be.

So many of my county colleagues left or fled to Loudoun where the pay is higher and is typically a shorter commute. LCPS = FCPS of maybe 40 years ago: growing population with new build homes in higher demographic with shiny new schools.

The High COL is killing Fairfax. Even houses in the “rougher” school zones are incredibly expensive for public service workers. They have some housing voucher programs for teachers and emergency services employees but apparently the waitlists are super long.

Loudoun is expensive too.

But not like Fairfax

I dunno about that. A crappy 90s house with no land is a million dollars in Loudoun.

And the same house with HALF the square footage is 1 million in Fairfax.

You can still get a sfh house for 900k on a decent lot in a good school district in Fairfax county. I don't think you can get that on Loudoun. Loudoun may have newer houses but the lots are super small and no privacy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They track the staff who leave in and the have it in the last school board meeting of every month. They lost 276 teachers in the summer time last year and lose about 30 teachers a month during the school year. So far this year they have lost 454 teachers post contract/ midyear, not including retirees.

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/D55GQD44BDF6/$file/Monthly%20Separation%20Report%20April%201%2C%202024%20to%20April%2030%2C%202024.pdf

Here is the data of the people who break contact or leave midyear

Thanks for this, PP. Interesting and enlightening and a bit shocking to see these stats.

The scariest part is the numbers don’t seem to be improving each year. Public education has never seen mid year departures at this rate before because it was a given that if you quit midyear that your career was over. Now the staffing is so unstable that it’s not the career ender that it used to be.

So many of my county colleagues left or fled to Loudoun where the pay is higher and is typically a shorter commute. LCPS = FCPS of maybe 40 years ago: growing population with new build homes in higher demographic with shiny new schools.

The High COL is killing Fairfax. Even houses in the “rougher” school zones are incredibly expensive for public service workers. They have some housing voucher programs for teachers and emergency services employees but apparently the waitlists are super long.

Loudoun is expensive too.

But not like Fairfax

I dunno about that. A crappy 90s house with no land is a million dollars in Loudoun.

And the same house with HALF the square footage is 1 million in Fairfax.

You can still get a sfh house for 900k on a decent lot in a good school district in Fairfax county. I don't think you can get that on Loudoun. Loudoun may have newer houses but the lots are super small and no privacy.

Even as “ low” as $800k.