750+ substitute openings in APS alone

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

In theory, sure. In practice? It leads to people doing things like… Decreasing the number of art or music teachers at a school in order to put people on a pet project, often with minimal interaction with children, creating jobs that serve a superintendent’s pet project like, let’s say, trying to win an award for the district.

Let's say the Baldrige award?

Or building/architecture awards? And publicity tours?? Soooo many tours.

LOL I bet we work at the same school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

In theory, sure. In practice? It leads to people doing things like… Decreasing the number of art or music teachers at a school in order to put people on a pet project, often with minimal interaction with children, creating jobs that serve a superintendent’s pet project like, let’s say, trying to win an award for the district.

Let's say the Baldrige award?

Or building/architecture awards? And publicity tours?? Soooo many tours.

LOL I bet we work at the same school

Principals with control over staffing for pet projects etc (implied upthread) have no control over architectural awards. They can manage tours however. It’s the district that submits school projects for awards, and APS is generally not as proactive as other districts for such awards. The Heights School (HB Woodlawn/Shriver) could have won multiple prestigious awards, but the district didn’t waste energy on submitting the project for consideration. It is featured in prominent architecture books however—something the architect pursues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

In theory, sure. In practice? It leads to people doing things like… Decreasing the number of art or music teachers at a school in order to put people on a pet project, often with minimal interaction with children, creating jobs that serve a superintendent’s pet project like, let’s say, trying to win an award for the district.

Let's say the Baldrige award?

Or building/architecture awards? And publicity tours?? Soooo many tours.

LOL I bet we work at the same school

Principals with control over staffing for pet projects etc (implied upthread) have no control over architectural awards. They can manage tours however. It’s the district that submits school projects for awards, and APS is generally not as proactive as other districts for such awards. The Heights School (HB Woodlawn/Shriver) could have won multiple prestigious awards, but the district didn’t waste energy on submitting the project for consideration. It is featured in prominent architecture books however—something the architect pursues.

I think the PPs meant those as two separate things… principals used to have too much control over staffing. And the district is very proactive about awards, which doesn’t necessarily just mean architectural recognitions. (Or at least it was under Murphy.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

In theory, sure. In practice? It leads to people doing things like… Decreasing the number of art or music teachers at a school in order to put people on a pet project, often with minimal interaction with children, creating jobs that serve a superintendent’s pet project like, let’s say, trying to win an award for the district.

Let's say the Baldrige award?

Or building/architecture awards? And publicity tours?? Soooo many tours.

LOL I bet we work at the same school

Principals with control over staffing for pet projects etc (implied upthread) have no control over architectural awards. They can manage tours however. It’s the district that submits school projects for awards, and APS is generally not as proactive as other districts for such awards. The Heights School (HB Woodlawn/Shriver) could have won multiple prestigious awards, but the district didn’t waste energy on submitting the project for consideration. It is featured in prominent architecture books however—something the architect pursues.

I think the PPs meant those as two separate things… principals used to have too much control over staffing. And the district is very proactive about awards, which doesn’t necessarily just mean architectural recognitions. (Or at least it was under Murphy.)

I'm the LOL poster and I was really just referring to the awards/architects/consultants that always seem to be wandering around

[Anonymous]

Has anyone recently applied and heard back? I have a friend who applied but has not heard anything.

[Anonymous]

How long ago did they apply? Perfect test case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How long ago did they apply? Perfect test case.

2 weeks ago

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have heard from multiple sources that hr doesn’t act on sub applications they get. Until they fix the hr problem it won’t work

Everyone refers to HR problems all the time but never specifics. What are the problems there?

A few of APS HR’s blunders:

- Messed up the board certified teachers’ pay bonuses – paid everyone in group A the amounts that should’ve gone to group B, and everyone in group B the amounts that were due group A. Then it took three separate tries (complete with surveys, of course) to be fixed.

- Not moving on substitute applications. Retired APS teachers report being told that they will have to have background checks, fingerprints, and in-person and interviews to sub.

- Over the last few years, APS has put a lot of energy and effort into name changes — focusing on whether it should be “Personnel”, or “HR, and now there is “Talent Acquisition” too. Overall, totally on point with the APS trend of paying more attention to how things look and what they are called than to how they work or don’t.

Yeah. I’m beginning to understand that Duran is running APS like FCPS. Meaning he wants lots of middle managers and layers of bureaucracy between himself and the teachers/children/parents he is serving. He is over hiring at this level and not understanding that the beauty of APS is that it needs to be sleek and responsive with 3-5 high schools. It should not be overrun with higher ups because it is not necessary. Sad to see that go because as a system gets bigger it gets less responsive and less nimble.

I know this unpopular here, but I do think some of the Syphax hiring is good. APS has been a confederacy of schools for too long, with separate but unequal fully accepted by past sups (looking at you Murphy). Also, there are just so many more mandates from self, state and federal over past few decades, of course there have to be more middle managers to handle them. And my guess is each mandate has some vocal constituency, e.g., ESL from the lawsuit or SpEd under NVD's time. There is some goodness in centralization. Yes, there is more bureaucracy and I agree I don't want to see it keep growing forever.

I used to buck the trend and supported the need for additional central office staff as APS was exponentially growing. But not anymore. Duran has done too much central office hiring and has done so with too many incompetent people and positions that do absolutely nothing. (Someone - anyone - please tell me what the CDEIO director and 3 sub-directors actually DO? or have done?) The different departments don't talk to each other like they used to and/or have become more territorial. And most importantly, he has continued to expand central administration staff while the quality of APS education has been continually declining. So, while there is a need for a sufficient administrative staff, that staff needs to be efficient and effective. Arlington is NOT Fairfax Co.

[Anonymous]

Wait - there are 3 DEI coordinators?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How long ago did they apply? Perfect test case.

When I applied a little more than a year ago, it took me a little over a month to hear back. 2 months from applying, until first sub start date (online orientation, forms and stuff, in person finger printing, various other menial things).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How long ago did they apply? Perfect test case.

When I applied a little more than a year ago, it took me a little over a month to hear back. 2 months from applying, until first sub start date (online orientation, forms and stuff, in person finger printing, various other menial things).

Thank you, that sounds reasonable. I will update when I hear more about the current app thats in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How long ago did they apply? Perfect test case.

When I applied a little more than a year ago, it took me a little over a month to hear back. 2 months from applying, until first sub start date (online orientation, forms and stuff, in person finger printing, various other menial things).

Thank you, that sounds reasonable. I will update when I hear more about the current app thats in.

The necessary background checks can take a long time and that has nothing to do with APS (was also an issue in other states)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How long ago did they apply? Perfect test case.

When I applied a little more than a year ago, it took me a little over a month to hear back. 2 months from applying, until first sub start date (online orientation, forms and stuff, in person finger printing, various other menial things).

Thank you, that sounds reasonable. I will update when I hear more about the current app thats in.

The necessary background checks can take a long time and that has nothing to do with APS (was also an issue in other states)

Hmm, I dunno. What took a long time for me was getting a call for the interview after I had submitted everything. After the interview everything was fast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How long ago did they apply? Perfect test case.

When I applied a little more than a year ago, it took me a little over a month to hear back. 2 months from applying, until first sub start date (online orientation, forms and stuff, in person finger printing, various other menial things).

Thank you, that sounds reasonable. I will update when I hear more about the current app thats in.

The necessary background checks can take a long time and that has nothing to do with APS (was also an issue in other states)

Hmm, I dunno. What took a long time for me was getting a call for the interview after I had submitted everything. After the interview everything was fast.

Did you submit your background check authorization before or after the interview?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How long ago did they apply? Perfect test case.

When I applied a little more than a year ago, it took me a little over a month to hear back. 2 months from applying, until first sub start date (online orientation, forms and stuff, in person finger printing, various other menial things).

Thank you, that sounds reasonable. I will update when I hear more about the current app thats in.

The necessary background checks can take a long time and that has nothing to do with APS (was also an issue in other states)

They don't do a background check until they have interviewed the candidate.... candidates are not being contacted although they have submitted applications. I have heard this from a handful of people, meanwhile APS is screaming they don't have enough subs.