APS Proposing Additional Days Off in 24-25 School Year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, Youngkin.

Shittiest governor ever.

Umm what is wrong with you? This is training for the literacy act that was bipartisan. Teachers in Virginia need to start teaching in accordance with the science of reading. Since it’s a whole new way of teaching they need this training. Are you against students learning to read?

I agree with the rest of the PPs. Why November 4? They should just have the training right before or after thanksgiving break. Too many breaks aren’t good for learning.

Um... science of reading isn't that new. It's been pretty standard for at least 10 years. APS has been incredibly slow to adapt a decent curriculum, but this isn't new and many teachers were trained in the science of reading

There is at least one APS elementary school that's still using Lucy Calkins and teachers-helping-teachers materials and hasn't adopted CKLA yet. I know because my kids attend. It's ridiculous. I was told that CKLA was too hard for the school's students and too much work for teachers to adopt.

You should inform as many SB members, Syphax folks, and anyone you can find on APS instructional committees. APS paid money for CKLA and its use is broadly supported across the three groups I just mentioned. Not using it will have a negative impact on test scores, and THAT will get them good and P*ss3d off.

Go on AEM and post this anonymously with the schools name.

They could post it here anonymously too

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I reiterate my point that a significant problem in Arlington specifically is the number of employees paid by APS whose job is “curriculum.” Syphax is bloated with people who do not have any direct contact with our children (and barely any with teachers), and their entire job function centers around reviewing and identifying science, math, LA, etc curriculum; which textbooks is APS using: are teachers trained in the new curriculum; blah blah blah. It’s the same with the APS tech department which is totally a creature unto itself. As a result of employing these people, APS now spends countless taxpayer dollars revisiting, revising, retraining curriculum at all levels. It’s so incredibly wasteful and detrimental to our children. The idea that we as a community want the newest science or reading curriculum to very single year is just nuts. It’s my opinion that if we cut a significant number of these Syphax jobs, parents and teachers and kids would be happier and smarter.

AMEN

AMEN x2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, Youngkin.

Shittiest governor ever.

Umm what is wrong with you? This is training for the literacy act that was bipartisan. Teachers in Virginia need to start teaching in accordance with the science of reading. Since it’s a whole new way of teaching they need this training. Are you against students learning to read?

I agree with the rest of the PPs. Why November 4? They should just have the training right before or after thanksgiving break. Too many breaks aren’t good for learning.

Um... science of reading isn't that new. It's been pretty standard for at least 10 years. APS has been incredibly slow to adapt a decent curriculum, but this isn't new and many teachers were trained in the science of reading

There is at least one APS elementary school that's still using Lucy Calkins and teachers-helping-teachers materials and hasn't adopted CKLA yet. I know because my kids attend. It's ridiculous. I was told that CKLA was too hard for the school's students and too much work for teachers to adopt.

You should inform as many SB members, Syphax folks, and anyone you can find on APS instructional committees. APS paid money for CKLA and its use is broadly supported across the three groups I just mentioned. Not using it will have a negative impact on test scores, and THAT will get them good and P*ss3d off.

Go on AEM and post this anonymously with the schools name.

They could post it here anonymously too

They could but more people would see it on AEM, so it would be more likely to get fixed. But you do you.

[Anonymous]

“Grading for Equity” practices based on the research of Joe Feldman. It seems that was little input received from educators or the community at large before Feldman’s measures were adopted. From my experience as a parent, I experienced the unfortunate downside (and stress of supplementing at home) and ironically have observed the harm towards the population it’s suppose to benefit, English Learners. Why aren’t teachers treated as “experts” and a part of the design process before drastic changes are made—they are our most important resource. The elimination of homework, or new testing policies, elimination of quizzes, extra credit, participation, etc.
Am I the only frustrated APS parent?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“Grading for Equity” practices based on the research of Joe Feldman. It seems that was little input received from educators or the community at large before Feldman’s measures were adopted. From my experience as a parent, I experienced the unfortunate downside (and stress of supplementing at home) and ironically have observed the harm towards the population it’s suppose to benefit, English Learners. Why aren’t teachers treated as “experts” and a part of the design process before drastic changes are made—they are our most important resource. The elimination of homework, or new testing policies, elimination of quizzes, extra credit, participation, etc.
Am I the only frustrated APS parent?

Teachers were involved. There have been 2 cohorts of teachers- that is why the change in retake scores were made mid-year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“Grading for Equity” practices based on the research of Joe Feldman. It seems that was little input received from educators or the community at large before Feldman’s measures were adopted. From my experience as a parent, I experienced the unfortunate downside (and stress of supplementing at home) and ironically have observed the harm towards the population it’s suppose to benefit, English Learners. Why aren’t teachers treated as “experts” and a part of the design process before drastic changes are made—they are our most important resource. The elimination of homework, or new testing policies, elimination of quizzes, extra credit, participation, etc.
Am I the only frustrated APS parent?

What does this have to do with days off for state-mandated professional development for teachers???

[Anonymous]

Why can't the training be done during the religious holidays? No one celebrates ALL the holidays. Training/pd should be done on those days of your choosing. APS does not care about working families despite all their equity talk. The calendar proves it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why can't the training be done during the religious holidays? No one celebrates ALL the holidays. Training/pd should be done on those days of your choosing. APS does not care about working families despite all their equity talk. The calendar proves it.

Because that would be working on a school holiday. Like working on Thanksgiving or MLK Jr day. Not everyone celebrates Presidents day, either.
I think they should have put them the Mon and Tue of Thanksgiving break week. Less disruptive to the routine of going to school. But I'm sure some teachers would complain that students and families get a week off for Thanksgiving travel but they can't do the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't the training be done during the religious holidays? No one celebrates ALL the holidays. Training/pd should be done on those days of your choosing. APS does not care about working families despite all their equity talk. The calendar proves it.

Because that would be working on a school holiday. Like working on Thanksgiving or MLK Jr day. Not everyone celebrates Presidents day, either.
I think they should have put them the Mon and Tue of Thanksgiving break week. Less disruptive to the routine of going to school. But I'm sure some teachers would complain that students and families get a week off for Thanksgiving travel but they can't do the same.

There are plenty of days where the kids don't have schools but teachers do. There is no job in America, including Arlington County, where all employees get all religious holidays off. It is completely reasonable to expect staff to complete professional training on religious holidays that they do not observe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't the training be done during the religious holidays? No one celebrates ALL the holidays. Training/pd should be done on those days of your choosing. APS does not care about working families despite all their equity talk. The calendar proves it.

Because that would be working on a school holiday. Like working on Thanksgiving or MLK Jr day. Not everyone celebrates Presidents day, either.
I think they should have put them the Mon and Tue of Thanksgiving break week. Less disruptive to the routine of going to school. But I'm sure some teachers would complain that students and families get a week off for Thanksgiving travel but they can't do the same.

But APS doesn't have to designate these religious holidays as a school holiday, they could be teacher work days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't the training be done during the religious holidays? No one celebrates ALL the holidays. Training/pd should be done on those days of your choosing. APS does not care about working families despite all their equity talk. The calendar proves it.

Because that would be working on a school holiday. Like working on Thanksgiving or MLK Jr day. Not everyone celebrates Presidents day, either.
I think they should have put them the Mon and Tue of Thanksgiving break week. Less disruptive to the routine of going to school. But I'm sure some teachers would complain that students and families get a week off for Thanksgiving travel but they can't do the same.

There are plenty of days where the kids don't have schools but teachers do. There is no job in America, including Arlington County, where all employees get all religious holidays off. It is completely reasonable to expect staff to complete professional training on religious holidays that they do not observe.

Think that through… assuming this isn’t asynchronous online training, how on earth would a school system conduct multi-part trainings with people being out on different days?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't the training be done during the religious holidays? No one celebrates ALL the holidays. Training/pd should be done on those days of your choosing. APS does not care about working families despite all their equity talk. The calendar proves it.

Because that would be working on a school holiday. Like working on Thanksgiving or MLK Jr day. Not everyone celebrates Presidents day, either.
I think they should have put them the Mon and Tue of Thanksgiving break week. Less disruptive to the routine of going to school. But I'm sure some teachers would complain that students and families get a week off for Thanksgiving travel but they can't do the same.

There are plenty of days where the kids don't have schools but teachers do. There is no job in America, including Arlington County, where all employees get all religious holidays off. It is completely reasonable to expect staff to complete professional training on religious holidays that they do not observe.

Think that through… assuming this isn’t asynchronous online training, how on earth would a school system conduct multi-part trainings with people being out on different days?

It is asynchronous training.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't the training be done during the religious holidays? No one celebrates ALL the holidays. Training/pd should be done on those days of your choosing. APS does not care about working families despite all their equity talk. The calendar proves it.

Because that would be working on a school holiday. Like working on Thanksgiving or MLK Jr day. Not everyone celebrates Presidents day, either.
I think they should have put them the Mon and Tue of Thanksgiving break week. Less disruptive to the routine of going to school. But I'm sure some teachers would complain that students and families get a week off for Thanksgiving travel but they can't do the same.

There are plenty of days where the kids don't have schools but teachers do. There is no job in America, including Arlington County, where all employees get all religious holidays off. It is completely reasonable to expect staff to complete professional training on religious holidays that they do not observe.

The problem is that it would put them over their contracted days

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't the training be done during the religious holidays? No one celebrates ALL the holidays. Training/pd should be done on those days of your choosing. APS does not care about working families despite all their equity talk. The calendar proves it.

Because that would be working on a school holiday. Like working on Thanksgiving or MLK Jr day. Not everyone celebrates Presidents day, either.
I think they should have put them the Mon and Tue of Thanksgiving break week. Less disruptive to the routine of going to school. But I'm sure some teachers would complain that students and families get a week off for Thanksgiving travel but they can't do the same.

There are plenty of days where the kids don't have schools but teachers do. There is no job in America, including Arlington County, where all employees get all religious holidays off. It is completely reasonable to expect staff to complete professional training on religious holidays that they do not observe.

Because APS teachers work to a contracted number of days. They can’t just add work days to a contract and they cannot require professional development training outside of contract hours/days. The current teacher work days are already spoken for other purposes so they need to find a way to include these required trainings during teacher contracted time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't the training be done during the religious holidays? No one celebrates ALL the holidays. Training/pd should be done on those days of your choosing. APS does not care about working families despite all their equity talk. The calendar proves it.

Because that would be working on a school holiday. Like working on Thanksgiving or MLK Jr day. Not everyone celebrates Presidents day, either.
I think they should have put them the Mon and Tue of Thanksgiving break week. Less disruptive to the routine of going to school. But I'm sure some teachers would complain that students and families get a week off for Thanksgiving travel but they can't do the same.

There are plenty of days where the kids don't have schools but teachers do. There is no job in America, including Arlington County, where all employees get all religious holidays off. It is completely reasonable to expect staff to complete professional training on religious holidays that they do not observe.

Because APS teachers work to a contracted number of days. They can’t just add work days to a contract and they cannot require professional development training outside of contract hours/days. The current teacher work days are already spoken for other purposes so they need to find a way to include these required trainings during teacher contracted time.

No they are not. Teachers are contracted for 200 work days. School days are supposed to be 180. This change takes us to 178 or 177. Cut out other nonmandatory training and start treating school like it’s essential. I’m with APE on this one.