Vacancies

[Anonymous]

I used to staff the clinics. Teachers and IAs would come in for ice packs, band aids and often advice after being injured by an out of control student (lots of biting and unfortunately, head bumps). I’d do my thing and give first aid according to my protocol while also reminding the adult that they need to file an accident report and follow their own FCPS guidelines. Very very few actually reported their injuries to their principal and wanted me not to document care (which I could not not do) so as to keep this quiet.
Why, I’m not exactly sure.

I quit after I was repeatedly placed in unsafe environments without any support or back up.

It’s brutal out there.

[Anonymous]

Not a good way to run an organization. I think parents need to question their kids daily about what's going on in the classroom if there are kids that are very disruptive. Keep notes and talk to other parents about it and email admin. They eventually get annoyed if many parents are emailing and will be forced to act.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to staff the clinics. Teachers and IAs would come in for ice packs, band aids and often advice after being injured by an out of control student (lots of biting and unfortunately, head bumps). I’d do my thing and give first aid according to my protocol while also reminding the adult that they need to file an accident report and follow their own FCPS guidelines. Very very few actually reported their injuries to their principal and wanted me not to document care (which I could not not do) so as to keep this quiet.
Why, I’m not exactly sure.

I quit after I was repeatedly placed in unsafe environments without any support or back up.

It’s brutal out there.

It really is. Thank you for supporting and caring for staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I left education and started a new job. I do my best to not spread negativity about the profession, but when I told my new coworkers it was immediately “is it true the kids are crazy?” And “you’re so brave”. The reputation about teaching is spreading so yeah it’s going to be hard to fill positions. After what happened in Newport News and now in Texas with the principal losing her eye a lot of people are very hesitant.

This-I left teaching and my family and friends were like thank goodness you got out. I watched IA's get hurt and admin act annoyed-I had admin ask my IA's and myself what we wanted them to do as a child destroyed rooms and kicked and scratched/screamed for sometimes 30 mins straight. It's becoming unsafe-I can't speak for MS and HS but elementary schools are understaffed. And you might get a sub one day but in these conditions most aren't coming back. It's sad for the kids who are there and ready to learn. And honestly I wouldn't want to be admin because the truth is there is not much they can do....but I will tell you teachers do not get paid enough to deal with that level of chaos when they are still responsible for the safety and education of many other students. So admin-take them out-make parents come get them but don't shrug and ask what you should do. It is a horrible working and learning environment-day to day survival is not good for teaching or learning.

+100

They need to send the violent kids with the issues to a special school that can meet their needs.

The focus right now is the exact opposite. The LRE is the regular classroom in a regular school with very few exceptions. Schools are not supposed to remove students from the classroom or suspend them for behaviors either.
Every parent who sees this for what it really is should be filling out SR&R feedback survey that was sent out a few weeks ago. School districts are not listening to teachers. The problem will continue to get worse if parents don't say anything.

Yes....SPED IEPs/laws are silencing the majority. Parents fight for Gen ed classrooms (LRE) no matter how unrealistic or disruptive it is to the others. Everyone says their hands are tied and we keep losing solid educators. LRE does not mean general education but no one s standing up for the all the other kids in the room. And before we go all ballistic about ADHD or LD that is not who I am talking about. I am talking about kids hurting other students, teachers-destroying rooms-that should not be happening in Gen ED every day. But it is.

What is most tragic about this is that the Gen Ed environment is clearly NOT least restrictive for explosive students like this. There is just TOO MUCH that can set them off at any given memory in the day. I transferred from a school with a great CSS to a school where the principal believed that LRE always means Gen Ed, and I saw a kid suffer so much (and his class suffer along with) who could have thrived in a CSS classroom with 4-5 peers and maybe mainstreaming for one or two subjects a day.

Instead, every single day, they'll classroom had to be evacuated, sometimes multiple times a day. But they child's parent vehemently opposed a CSS placement and the principal seemed to think it was some kind of failure to push that as truly the least restrictive environment for that child. With more feedback, more opportunities to catch the child doing something right, less peer conflict, less distraction, less sensory overload from a big class and lots of bodies, this child would have been so much more free to engage and learn and experience success.

Just wondering if the parent had knowledge about the classroom evacuations? Are you allowed to video them and show the parents? I would think that if the parent knew what the kid was doing then they would have felt differently. Also wondering if the parents complained about this kid?

Countless parents complained about the child. They hit the brick wall of admin saying they can't discuss other children (unless the child directly harmed theirs, and even then nothing happened).

The parent of the child was very aware of daily meltdowns and classroom evacuations. All was blamed on staff for antagonizing child or not following de-escalation methods. (The child would just ignore all possible paths to de-escalate...or all of the de-escalation options discussed in countless meetings with behavior intervention teachers would only escalate the child further.)

The parent was not open to any feedback about how this placement was hurting the child. The parent's perspective was all about how other kids and staffers were hurting her completely innocent child and if everyone would only follow the plan, her child would be an angel.

I could have wrote this. Went through this exact situation. It was always the staff's fault-every day every episode was the schools fault. Our admin did nothing to support or protect teachers and IA's. Three SPED teachers left that year.

I always think about the Newport News teacher when this topic comes up. The child’s mom went on national news to try to say it was the teachers fault for not giving him attention, the AP refused to search the kid or listen to several warnings given by staff, and then the school district attempted to just give her workers comp.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not a good way to run an organization. I think parents need to question their kids daily about what's going on in the classroom if there are kids that are very disruptive. Keep notes and talk to other parents about it and email admin. They eventually get annoyed if many parents are emailing and will be forced to act.

Parents are sadly talked around and out of their concerns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not a good way to run an organization. I think parents need to question their kids daily about what's going on in the classroom if there are kids that are very disruptive. Keep notes and talk to other parents about it and email admin. They eventually get annoyed if many parents are emailing and will be forced to act.

Parents are sadly talked around and out of their concerns.

Admin doesn’t want to get sued

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can I just say how much it sucks to teach in a school with an instructional vacancy and yet have an EMRT (math resource teacher paid out of local funds) and a new STEAM teacher (who is mostly used as an assistant to the principal and literacy resource teacher, not on the master schedule) both of whom used to be classroom teachers? I don't know how our principal can be allowed to utilize these staff members for extra "coach" type positions while we have class sizes hovering at/near 30 in two grades.

It's good for no one but admin and those teachers. No one else in the staff wants another coach or resource teacher vs smaller class sizes. Even if it's not your grade impacted, you know the kids will be better disciplined and better prepared and better for the school climate overall if they are in smaller classes. It just shouldn't be allowed.

Our school moved a teacher to be a math resource teacher from a grade that has a current vacancy and another one of the teachers in that grade is a trainee. I'm sure they are all wonderful people, however I do not comprehend the logic behind this. Our classes are also 30.

This can be about retaining talent. They may have threatened to quit and been given the resource teacher position to keep them from walking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can I just say how much it sucks to teach in a school with an instructional vacancy and yet have an EMRT (math resource teacher paid out of local funds) and a new STEAM teacher (who is mostly used as an assistant to the principal and literacy resource teacher, not on the master schedule) both of whom used to be classroom teachers? I don't know how our principal can be allowed to utilize these staff members for extra "coach" type positions while we have class sizes hovering at/near 30 in two grades.

It's good for no one but admin and those teachers. No one else in the staff wants another coach or resource teacher vs smaller class sizes. Even if it's not your grade impacted, you know the kids will be better disciplined and better prepared and better for the school climate overall if they are in smaller classes. It just shouldn't be allowed.

Our school moved a teacher to be a math resource teacher from a grade that has a current vacancy and another one of the teachers in that grade is a trainee. I'm sure they are all wonderful people, however I do not comprehend the logic behind this. Our classes are also 30.

+1 I’m at that school as well - yikes!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I left education and started a new job. I do my best to not spread negativity about the profession, but when I told my new coworkers it was immediately “is it true the kids are crazy?” And “you’re so brave”. The reputation about teaching is spreading so yeah it’s going to be hard to fill positions. After what happened in Newport News and now in Texas with the principal losing her eye a lot of people are very hesitant.

This-I left teaching and my family and friends were like thank goodness you got out. I watched IA's get hurt and admin act annoyed-I had admin ask my IA's and myself what we wanted them to do as a child destroyed rooms and kicked and scratched/screamed for sometimes 30 mins straight. It's becoming unsafe-I can't speak for MS and HS but elementary schools are understaffed. And you might get a sub one day but in these conditions most aren't coming back. It's sad for the kids who are there and ready to learn. And honestly I wouldn't want to be admin because the truth is there is not much they can do....but I will tell you teachers do not get paid enough to deal with that level of chaos when they are still responsible for the safety and education of many other students. So admin-take them out-make parents come get them but don't shrug and ask what you should do. It is a horrible working and learning environment-day to day survival is not good for teaching or learning.

+100

They need to send the violent kids with the issues to a special school that can meet their needs.

The focus right now is the exact opposite. The LRE is the regular classroom in a regular school with very few exceptions. Schools are not supposed to remove students from the classroom or suspend them for behaviors either.
Every parent who sees this for what it really is should be filling out SR&R feedback survey that was sent out a few weeks ago. School districts are not listening to teachers. The problem will continue to get worse if parents don't say anything.

The only way to escape this is to go private where those kids aren’t, or get your kid in AAP, honors or higher level classes where those kids won’t be later on.

I subbed in an AAP classroom in a highly sough-after elementary school and witnessed some of the worst behavior I've ever dealt with as a sub. 6th grader threw himself on the ground and had a full-fledged tantrum, ripped his notebook and binders apart, all because I asked him to do his work. Admin sent him to another teacher because he "needed a break" and that teacher was his break buddy or something. Several of the other gifted angels ignored instructions, went on their phones, and shrugged and gave me dirty look when I asked them to work. AAP is no guarantee of anything.

THIS ^^. I am so sick of parents insisting AAP is some kind of nirvana. It’s not. Not only are there tantrums, there are also the know-it-alls who argue with the teacher and refuse to take direction, distracting everyone around them. AAP classes are often a very unpleasant place to work.
-former FCPS teacher and now sub

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to staff the clinics. Teachers and IAs would come in for ice packs, band aids and often advice after being injured by an out of control student (lots of biting and unfortunately, head bumps). I’d do my thing and give first aid according to my protocol while also reminding the adult that they need to file an accident report and follow their own FCPS guidelines. Very very few actually reported their injuries to their principal and wanted me not to document care (which I could not not do) so as to keep this quiet.
Why, I’m not exactly sure.

I quit after I was repeatedly placed in unsafe environments without any support or back up.

It’s brutal out there.

This makes me absolutely sick. No wonder there are constantly SPED vacancies. Disgraceful how teachers are treated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I left education and started a new job. I do my best to not spread negativity about the profession, but when I told my new coworkers it was immediately “is it true the kids are crazy?” And “you’re so brave”. The reputation about teaching is spreading so yeah it’s going to be hard to fill positions. After what happened in Newport News and now in Texas with the principal losing her eye a lot of people are very hesitant.

This-I left teaching and my family and friends were like thank goodness you got out. I watched IA's get hurt and admin act annoyed-I had admin ask my IA's and myself what we wanted them to do as a child destroyed rooms and kicked and scratched/screamed for sometimes 30 mins straight. It's becoming unsafe-I can't speak for MS and HS but elementary schools are understaffed. And you might get a sub one day but in these conditions most aren't coming back. It's sad for the kids who are there and ready to learn. And honestly I wouldn't want to be admin because the truth is there is not much they can do....but I will tell you teachers do not get paid enough to deal with that level of chaos when they are still responsible for the safety and education of many other students. So admin-take them out-make parents come get them but don't shrug and ask what you should do. It is a horrible working and learning environment-day to day survival is not good for teaching or learning.

+100

They need to send the violent kids with the issues to a special school that can meet their needs.

The focus right now is the exact opposite. The LRE is the regular classroom in a regular school with very few exceptions. Schools are not supposed to remove students from the classroom or suspend them for behaviors either.
Every parent who sees this for what it really is should be filling out SR&R feedback survey that was sent out a few weeks ago. School districts are not listening to teachers. The problem will continue to get worse if parents don't say anything.

The only way to escape this is to go private where those kids aren’t, or get your kid in AAP, honors or higher level classes where those kids won’t be later on.

I subbed in an AAP classroom in a highly sough-after elementary school and witnessed some of the worst behavior I've ever dealt with as a sub. 6th grader threw himself on the ground and had a full-fledged tantrum, ripped his notebook and binders apart, all because I asked him to do his work. Admin sent him to another teacher because he "needed a break" and that teacher was his break buddy or something. Several of the other gifted angels ignored instructions, went on their phones, and shrugged and gave me dirty look when I asked them to work. AAP is no guarantee of anything.

THIS ^^. I am so sick of parents insisting AAP is some kind of nirvana. It’s not. Not only are there tantrums, there are also the know-it-alls who argue with the teacher and refuse to take direction, distracting everyone around them. AAP classes are often a very unpleasant place to work.
-former FCPS teacher and now sub

I tutor a girl who is in a class with a no-it-all student. He argues with the teacher during math for about 10 minutes every day. She’s in a LLIV school so she’s been in class with him since third grade. She’s told me some crazy stories in the past couple of years about the class. I definitely would’ve quit if I was their teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I left education and started a new job. I do my best to not spread negativity about the profession, but when I told my new coworkers it was immediately “is it true the kids are crazy?” And “you’re so brave”. The reputation about teaching is spreading so yeah it’s going to be hard to fill positions. After what happened in Newport News and now in Texas with the principal losing her eye a lot of people are very hesitant.

This-I left teaching and my family and friends were like thank goodness you got out. I watched IA's get hurt and admin act annoyed-I had admin ask my IA's and myself what we wanted them to do as a child destroyed rooms and kicked and scratched/screamed for sometimes 30 mins straight. It's becoming unsafe-I can't speak for MS and HS but elementary schools are understaffed. And you might get a sub one day but in these conditions most aren't coming back. It's sad for the kids who are there and ready to learn. And honestly I wouldn't want to be admin because the truth is there is not much they can do....but I will tell you teachers do not get paid enough to deal with that level of chaos when they are still responsible for the safety and education of many other students. So admin-take them out-make parents come get them but don't shrug and ask what you should do. It is a horrible working and learning environment-day to day survival is not good for teaching or learning.

+100

They need to send the violent kids with the issues to a special school that can meet their needs.

The focus right now is the exact opposite. The LRE is the regular classroom in a regular school with very few exceptions. Schools are not supposed to remove students from the classroom or suspend them for behaviors either.
Every parent who sees this for what it really is should be filling out SR&R feedback survey that was sent out a few weeks ago. School districts are not listening to teachers. The problem will continue to get worse if parents don't say anything.

The only way to escape this is to go private where those kids aren’t, or get your kid in AAP, honors or higher level classes where those kids won’t be later on.

I subbed in an AAP classroom in a highly sough-after elementary school and witnessed some of the worst behavior I've ever dealt with as a sub. 6th grader threw himself on the ground and had a full-fledged tantrum, ripped his notebook and binders apart, all because I asked him to do his work. Admin sent him to another teacher because he "needed a break" and that teacher was his break buddy or something. Several of the other gifted angels ignored instructions, went on their phones, and shrugged and gave me dirty look when I asked them to work. AAP is no guarantee of anything.

THIS ^^. I am so sick of parents insisting AAP is some kind of nirvana. It’s not. Not only are there tantrums, there are also the know-it-alls who argue with the teacher and refuse to take direction, distracting everyone around them. AAP classes are often a very unpleasant place to work.
-former FCPS teacher and now sub

I tutor a girl who is in a class with a no-it-all student. He argues with the teacher during math for about 10 minutes every day. She’s in a LLIV school so she’s been in class with him since third grade. She’s told me some crazy stories in the past couple of years about the class. I definitely would’ve quit if I was their teacher.

I hear you but it’s still a hell of a lot better than some of the crazy Gen Ed classes out there. I would much rather have a student argue than go ballistic and throw chairs and deal with evacuations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not a good way to run an organization. I think parents need to question their kids daily about what's going on in the classroom if there are kids that are very disruptive. Keep notes and talk to other parents about it and email admin. They eventually get annoyed if many parents are emailing and will be forced to act.

Parents are sadly talked around and out of their concerns.

Show up in numbers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I left education and started a new job. I do my best to not spread negativity about the profession, but when I told my new coworkers it was immediately “is it true the kids are crazy?” And “you’re so brave”. The reputation about teaching is spreading so yeah it’s going to be hard to fill positions. After what happened in Newport News and now in Texas with the principal losing her eye a lot of people are very hesitant.

This-I left teaching and my family and friends were like thank goodness you got out. I watched IA's get hurt and admin act annoyed-I had admin ask my IA's and myself what we wanted them to do as a child destroyed rooms and kicked and scratched/screamed for sometimes 30 mins straight. It's becoming unsafe-I can't speak for MS and HS but elementary schools are understaffed. And you might get a sub one day but in these conditions most aren't coming back. It's sad for the kids who are there and ready to learn. And honestly I wouldn't want to be admin because the truth is there is not much they can do....but I will tell you teachers do not get paid enough to deal with that level of chaos when they are still responsible for the safety and education of many other students. So admin-take them out-make parents come get them but don't shrug and ask what you should do. It is a horrible working and learning environment-day to day survival is not good for teaching or learning.

+100

They need to send the violent kids with the issues to a special school that can meet their needs.

The focus right now is the exact opposite. The LRE is the regular classroom in a regular school with very few exceptions. Schools are not supposed to remove students from the classroom or suspend them for behaviors either.
Every parent who sees this for what it really is should be filling out SR&R feedback survey that was sent out a few weeks ago. School districts are not listening to teachers. The problem will continue to get worse if parents don't say anything.

The only way to escape this is to go private where those kids aren’t, or get your kid in AAP, honors or higher level classes where those kids won’t be later on.

I subbed in an AAP classroom in a highly sough-after elementary school and witnessed some of the worst behavior I've ever dealt with as a sub. 6th grader threw himself on the ground and had a full-fledged tantrum, ripped his notebook and binders apart, all because I asked him to do his work. Admin sent him to another teacher because he "needed a break" and that teacher was his break buddy or something. Several of the other gifted angels ignored instructions, went on their phones, and shrugged and gave me dirty look when I asked them to work. AAP is no guarantee of anything.

THIS ^^. I am so sick of parents insisting AAP is some kind of nirvana. It’s not. Not only are there tantrums, there are also the know-it-alls who argue with the teacher and refuse to take direction, distracting everyone around them. AAP classes are often a very unpleasant place to work.
-former FCPS teacher and now sub

I tutor a girl who is in a class with a no-it-all student. He argues with the teacher during math for about 10 minutes every day. She’s in a LLIV school so she’s been in class with him since third grade. She’s told me some crazy stories in the past couple of years about the class. I definitely would’ve quit if I was their teacher.

I hear you but it’s still a hell of a lot better than some of the crazy Gen Ed classes out there. I would much rather have a student argue than go ballistic and throw chairs and deal with evacuations.

ugh these are the options....this is why teachers are running from education.

[Anonymous]

Public education needs a massive overhaul but the public isn’t going to handover the cash needed. If you want these super inclusive classes with wide ranges of academic and social needs make the classes very small, like 10 kids. Offer serious actual therapy and mental health services to students and families with trauma/behavioral issues. Offer free online or hybrid public school so long as parents agree to some check ins/oversight if you don’t want your kid in school.