How is FCPS teacher/staff shortage?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For perspective - My daughter applied to Fairfax a few months ago from another county. She had eight interviews (all remote) the day she applied. Eight job offers on the spot. She still gets calls even though she has accepted a position. Fairfax needs teachers.

Another perspective, I contacted HR more than once in the spring to see if there could be any negotiation on the salary scale. I work in a neighboring district and would like to come to FCPS as an experienced and certified special ed teacher so I could be in the same district as my children. It would be a big pay cut since they won’t give experienced teachers all of their years of experience. I would make less even if I was put on the same step but it would be closer than their max entry that is posted. I never got a response.

They should just remove that maximum entry step. If you come over with 20 years exp, credit the 20.

+1. FCPS is beyond stupid to not remove the maximum entry step, especially in the critical shortage positions. It's also time to consider signing bonuses for certain teaching and classroom positions.

FCPS teacher here, critical need position. Had 20 years of experience, combined across a couple of places. I lost 5 experience years when I joined FCPS. No negotiating. It was about a 15k cut. I had been thinking about it for a few years prior but their salary scale had not been updated at that point and likewise I was looking at more like a 25-30k cut.

I made the best decision for myself at the time but I’d be lying to say I don’t sometimes wonder if I did the right thing. Each year I continue working I will continue to lag behind where I would have been (whether I’d stayed where I was or been in Fcps the whole time).

I do think Fcps needs to think outside the box to bring in folks, but honestly, no matter what they do, it will have a marginal impact. Education is broken and there’s no easy fix.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


I agree. The school board is dragging its feet on this.



I used to be a huge supporter of unions. I think unfortunately for teachers locally, how Covid was handled really soured the public on the school system and by association-the teachers. The extremists marching around with coffins, the people who phoned it in on virtual, the teachers who refused to help kids catch up this year--a few bad apples spoilt it for the bunc

h.

Puh-leeze.
1) Show me the person in FFX Co. who "marched around with a coffin." Show me...bet you can't, because it didn't happen here in Fairfax.
2) It was impossible to "phone it in" during virtual. Impossible. It was very difficult work to teach under those conditions, and every teacher did their best.
3) What teachers are these who "refused to help kids catch up" this year? Seriously...who did this? No one. Every teacher out there did their best this year.
PP sounds like a sour grapes person who, even under the circumstances, cannot admit that teachers have been terribly maligned and mistreated. I'll bet PP was one of the loudest voices out there at the time.

+1 And won't recognize their own culpability in creating vitriol that increased the teacher shortage.

Yeah, that’s been a huge factor in me questioning my career - I was stunned at the anger and teacher-blaming that happened during the pandemic. I didn’t understand why people who clearly needed us would proceed to verbally abuse us - it seems counterintuitive. I realized that it’s the people we need the most who are often abused the most, as if making them question their worth and self-esteem will keep them around - women, mothers, nurses, teachers. We are a society of bullies and many of us are in abusive relationships, work-wise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


I agree. The school board is dragging its feet on this.



I used to be a huge supporter of unions. I think unfortunately for teachers locally, how Covid was handled really soured the public on the school system and by association-the teachers. The extremists marching around with coffins, the people who phoned it in on virtual, the teachers who refused to help kids catch up this year--a few bad apples spoilt it for the bunc

h.

Puh-leeze.
1) Show me the person in FFX Co. who "marched around with a coffin." Show me...bet you can't, because it didn't happen here in Fairfax.
2) It was impossible to "phone it in" during virtual. Impossible. It was very difficult work to teach under those conditions, and every teacher did their best.
3) What teachers are these who "refused to help kids catch up" this year? Seriously...who did this? No one. Every teacher out there did their best this year.
PP sounds like a sour grapes person who, even under the circumstances, cannot admit that teachers have been terribly maligned and mistreated. I'll bet PP was one of the loudest voices out there at the time.

+1 And won't recognize their own culpability in creating vitriol that increased the teacher shortage.

Yeah, that’s been a huge factor in me questioning my career - I was stunned at the anger and teacher-blaming that happened during the pandemic. I didn’t understand why people who clearly needed us would proceed to verbally abuse us - it seems counterintuitive. I realized that it’s the people we need the most who are often abused the most, as if making them question their worth and self-esteem will keep them around - women, mothers, nurses, teachers. We are a society of bullies and many of us are in abusive relationships, work-wise.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


I agree. The school board is dragging its feet on this.



I used to be a huge supporter of unions. I think unfortunately for teachers locally, how Covid was handled really soured the public on the school system and by association-the teachers. The extremists marching around with coffins, the people who phoned it in on virtual, the teachers who refused to help kids catch up this year--a few bad apples spoilt it for the bunc

h.

Puh-leeze.
1) Show me the person in FFX Co. who "marched around with a coffin." Show me...bet you can't, because it didn't happen here in Fairfax.
2) It was impossible to "phone it in" during virtual. Impossible. It was very difficult work to teach under those conditions, and every teacher did their best.
3) What teachers are these who "refused to help kids catch up" this year? Seriously...who did this? No one. Every teacher out there did their best this year.
PP sounds like a sour grapes person who, even under the circumstances, cannot admit that teachers have been terribly maligned and mistreated. I'll bet PP was one of the loudest voices out there at the time.

+1 And won't recognize their own culpability in creating vitriol that increased the teacher shortage.

Yeah, that’s been a huge factor in me questioning my career - I was stunned at the anger and teacher-blaming that happened during the pandemic. I didn’t understand why people who clearly needed us would proceed to verbally abuse us - it seems counterintuitive. I realized that it’s the people we need the most who are often abused the most, as if making them question their worth and self-esteem will keep them around - women, mothers, nurses, teachers. We are a society of bullies and many of us are in abusive relationships, work-wise.

+100

I'm a parent not a teacher and I was stunned by what I heard too. I have to believe it's a vocal minority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


I agree. The school board is dragging its feet on this.



I used to be a huge supporter of unions. I think unfortunately for teachers locally, how Covid was handled really soured the public on the school system and by association-the teachers. The extremists marching around with coffins, the people who phoned it in on virtual, the teachers who refused to help kids catch up this year--a few bad apples spoilt it for the bunc

h.

Puh-leeze.
1) Show me the person in FFX Co. who "marched around with a coffin." Show me...bet you can't, because it didn't happen here in Fairfax.
2) It was impossible to "phone it in" during virtual. Impossible. It was very difficult work to teach under those conditions, and every teacher did their best.
3) What teachers are these who "refused to help kids catch up" this year? Seriously...who did this? No one. Every teacher out there did their best this year.
PP sounds like a sour grapes person who, even under the circumstances, cannot admit that teachers have been terribly maligned and mistreated. I'll bet PP was one of the loudest voices out there at the time.

+1 And won't recognize their own culpability in creating vitriol that increased the teacher shortage.

Yeah, that’s been a huge factor in me questioning my career - I was stunned at the anger and teacher-blaming that happened during the pandemic. I didn’t understand why people who clearly needed us would proceed to verbally abuse us - it seems counterintuitive. I realized that it’s the people we need the most who are often abused the most, as if making them question their worth and self-esteem will keep them around - women, mothers, nurses, teachers. We are a society of bullies and many of us are in abusive relationships, work-wise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


I agree. The school board is dragging its feet on this.



I used to be a huge supporter of unions. I think unfortunately for teachers locally, how Covid was handled really soured the public on the school system and by association-the teachers. The extremists marching around with coffins, the people who phoned it in on virtual, the teachers who refused to help kids catch up this year--a few bad apples spoilt it for the bunc

h.

Puh-leeze.
1) Show me the person in FFX Co. who "marched around with a coffin." Show me...bet you can't, because it didn't happen here in Fairfax.
2) It was impossible to "phone it in" during virtual. Impossible. It was very difficult work to teach under those conditions, and every teacher did their best.
3) What teachers are these who "refused to help kids catch up" this year? Seriously...who did this? No one. Every teacher out there did their best this year.
PP sounds like a sour grapes person who, even under the circumstances, cannot admit that teachers have been terribly maligned and mistreated. I'll bet PP was one of the loudest voices out there at the time.

+1 And won't recognize their own culpability in creating vitriol that increased the teacher shortage.

Yeah, that’s been a huge factor in me questioning my career - I was stunned at the anger and teacher-blaming that happened during the pandemic. I didn’t understand why people who clearly needed us would proceed to verbally abuse us - it seems counterintuitive. I realized that it’s the people we need the most who are often abused the most, as if making them question their worth and self-esteem will keep them around - women, mothers, nurses, teachers. We are a society of bullies and many of us are in abusive relationships, work-wise.

Why would you roll your eyes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


I agree. The school board is dragging its feet on this.



I used to be a huge supporter of unions. I think unfortunately for teachers locally, how Covid was handled really soured the public on the school system and by association-the teachers. The extremists marching around with coffins, the people who phoned it in on virtual, the teachers who refused to help kids catch up this year--a few bad apples spoilt it for the bunc

h.

Puh-leeze.
1) Show me the person in FFX Co. who "marched around with a coffin." Show me...bet you can't, because it didn't happen here in Fairfax.
2) It was impossible to "phone it in" during virtual. Impossible. It was very difficult work to teach under those conditions, and every teacher did their best.
3) What teachers are these who "refused to help kids catch up" this year? Seriously...who did this? No one. Every teacher out there did their best this year.
PP sounds like a sour grapes person who, even under the circumstances, cannot admit that teachers have been terribly maligned and mistreated. I'll bet PP was one of the loudest voices out there at the time.

+1 And won't recognize their own culpability in creating vitriol that increased the teacher shortage.

Yeah, that’s been a huge factor in me questioning my career - I was stunned at the anger and teacher-blaming that happened during the pandemic. I didn’t understand why people who clearly needed us would proceed to verbally abuse us - it seems counterintuitive. I realized that it’s the people we need the most who are often abused the most, as if making them question their worth and self-esteem will keep them around - women, mothers, nurses, teachers. We are a society of bullies and many of us are in abusive relationships, work-wise.

Why would you roll your eyes?

Cause bullying and misogyny are baked in now apparently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you expect to be taken seriously when you confidently say that EVERY TEACHER did his best at virtual and EVERY TEACHER did her best last year? That's absurd. Teachers are human beings. There are great teachers, and terrible teachers. Hard workers, and lazy asses.

Agree. Sorry, there is no way out of tens of thousands of employees that every teacher was a rockstar doing her best. Please. That's absurd. Don't make absurd arguments if you want to be taken seriously.

[Anonymous]

^^^And if I was a teacher, I would be really frustrated with my slacker colleagues. You can't blame parents for being angry when their children get the dud teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^And if I was a teacher, I would be really frustrated with my slacker colleagues. You can't blame parents for being angry when their children get the dud teachers.

Ok, then. Apparently, they are just quitting. Not just the bad ones, but lots of teachers. I was at the pool yesterday for a swim lesson and the very nice aquatic director was explaining to a parent that he made a mistake because he didn’t know the system. “I just started a couple of weeks ago because I retired from teaching.” The guy was MAYBE 50, but I would say late 40s. Off they go, out the door. No blame, but leaving you with your anger and your child without a teacher. They got out, just like you told them to. Cool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^And if I was a teacher, I would be really frustrated with my slacker colleagues. You can't blame parents for being angry when their children get the dud teachers.

Ok, then. Apparently, they are just quitting. Not just the bad ones, but lots of teachers. I was at the pool yesterday for a swim lesson and the very nice aquatic director was explaining to a parent that he made a mistake because he didn’t know the system. “I just started a couple of weeks ago because I retired from teaching.” The guy was MAYBE 50, but I would say late 40s. Off they go, out the door. No blame, but leaving you with your anger and your child without a teacher. They got out, just like you told them to. Cool.

Well, they aren't indentured servants. They are free to seek happiness in a new career. What exactly do you want people to say?

Eventually, the schools will have to raise pay to attract talent, just like any other industry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^And if I was a teacher, I would be really frustrated with my slacker colleagues. You can't blame parents for being angry when their children get the dud teachers.

I have noticed that teachers are being kept on board who normally would be let go. My policy is to basically not interact with them professionally. No help, no partnering, no lesson sharing, etc. I am not doing another person's work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^And if I was a teacher, I would be really frustrated with my slacker colleagues. You can't blame parents for being angry when their children get the dud teachers.

I have noticed that teachers are being kept on board who normally would be let go. My policy is to basically not interact with them professionally. No help, no partnering, no lesson sharing, etc. I am not doing another person's work.

My ES principal made it a point to put a lot of pressure on a total dud 2nd grade teacher and Cat B teacher in our school this year. They left and he was able to replace them both. Hopefully this kind of thing is still broadly possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^And if I was a teacher, I would be really frustrated with my slacker colleagues. You can't blame parents for being angry when their children get the dud teachers.

Ok, then. Apparently, they are just quitting. Not just the bad ones, but lots of teachers. I was at the pool yesterday for a swim lesson and the very nice aquatic director was explaining to a parent that he made a mistake because he didn’t know the system. “I just started a couple of weeks ago because I retired from teaching.” The guy was MAYBE 50, but I would say late 40s. Off they go, out the door. No blame, but leaving you with your anger and your child without a teacher. They got out, just like you told them to. Cool.

Well, they aren't indentured servants. They are free to seek happiness in a new career. What exactly do you want people to say?

Eventually, the schools will have to raise pay to attract talent, just like any other industry.

*snort* Pay teachers more? Please. They re just lowering the bar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


I agree. The school board is dragging its feet on this.



I used to be a huge supporter of unions. I think unfortunately for teachers locally, how Covid was handled really soured the public on the school system and by association-the teachers. The extremists marching around with coffins, the people who phoned it in on virtual, the teachers who refused to help kids catch up this year--a few bad apples spoilt it for the bunc

h.

Puh-leeze.
1) Show me the person in FFX Co. who "marched around with a coffin." Show me...bet you can't, because it didn't happen here in Fairfax.
2) It was impossible to "phone it in" during virtual. Impossible. It was very difficult work to teach under those conditions, and every teacher did their best.
3) What teachers are these who "refused to help kids catch up" this year? Seriously...who did this? No one. Every teacher out there did their best this year.
PP sounds like a sour grapes person who, even under the circumstances, cannot admit that teachers have been terribly maligned and mistreated. I'll bet PP was one of the loudest voices out there at the time.

+1 And won't recognize their own culpability in creating vitriol that increased the teacher shortage.

Yeah, that’s been a huge factor in me questioning my career - I was stunned at the anger and teacher-blaming that happened during the pandemic. I didn’t understand why people who clearly needed us would proceed to verbally abuse us - it seems counterintuitive. I realized that it’s the people we need the most who are often abused the most, as if making them question their worth and self-esteem will keep them around - women, mothers, nurses, teachers. We are a society of bullies and many of us are in abusive relationships, work-wise.

Why would you roll your eyes?

Cause bullying and misogyny are baked in now apparently.

Baked into what?