Huge turnover at Churchill

[Anonymous]

I have been told by several members of Churchill staff that emails from outside MCPS don't make it into their MCPS email inbox. Kind of makes parent /teacher communication difficult but no answers as to whether or not MCPS is going to fix the problem.

[Anonymous]

Leaving phone messages is also a lost cause. Those also tend to go unanswered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been told by several members of Churchill staff that emails from outside MCPS don't make it into their MCPS email inbox. Kind of makes parent /teacher communication difficult but no answers as to whether or not MCPS is going to fix the problem.

That’s an excuse — they’re getting your emails.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been told by several members of Churchill staff that emails from outside MCPS don't make it into their MCPS email inbox. Kind of makes parent /teacher communication difficult but no answers as to whether or not MCPS is going to fix the problem.

The MCPS spam filter will black some emails from reaching the teacher. Especially if you have a weird email address.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been told by several members of Churchill staff that emails from outside MCPS don't make it into their MCPS email inbox. Kind of makes parent /teacher communication difficult but no answers as to whether or not MCPS is going to fix the problem.

The MCPS spam filter will black some emails from reaching the teacher. Especially if you have a weird email address.

Very true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been told by several members of Churchill staff that emails from outside MCPS don't make it into their MCPS email inbox. Kind of makes parent /teacher communication difficult but no answers as to whether or not MCPS is going to fix the problem.

The MCPS spam filter will black some emails from reaching the teacher. Especially if you have a weird email address.

Very true.

So let’s just say this is true, Then the school should let parents know that this might happen and if they don’t hear back offer and alternate email that parents can use. It’s not rocket science!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been told by several members of Churchill staff that emails from outside MCPS don't make it into their MCPS email inbox. Kind of makes parent /teacher communication difficult but no answers as to whether or not MCPS is going to fix the problem.

The MCPS spam filter will black some emails from reaching the teacher. Especially if you have a weird email address.

Very true.

What is a weird email address?

[Anonymous]

I don't know any teachers that have voicemail, so I'm not sure what that's about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I don't know any teachers that have voicemail, so I'm not sure what that's about.

Teacher's don't have voicemail. However, they have mailboxes that a secretary in the office can place a written message.

Office staff, counseling staff, the school nurse, the registrar, and attendance all have voicemail. However, sometimes theit voicemail is full and you can't leave a message.

I feel like Churchill is in the dark ages when it comes to communication. I have reverted to snail mail since other forms of communication are hit or miss.

FYI 3 different people at Churchill have told me that there's an email glitch. Yahoo and Gmail addresses can be blocked inadvertently by the MCPS spam filter. This is an IT issue that needs to be fixed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been told by several members of Churchill staff that emails from outside MCPS don't make it into their MCPS email inbox. Kind of makes parent /teacher communication difficult but no answers as to whether or not MCPS is going to fix the problem.

That’s an excuse — they’re getting your emails.

When person #1 told me that she didn't receive my email, I didn't at first believe her because my email had the message as sent. I didn't receive any notice that the message bounced like I do if I Cc my child's MCPS email address.

After multiple emails went unaddressed, I contacted the RT. The RT told me that there's an email glitch and the problem had been raised to Mrs. Heckert's attention but MCPS doesn't know how to fix it.

I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt particularly if two employees are telling me that there is an IT problem that is not their fault. Could be BS but then a third employee in a different department told me the same thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been told by several members of Churchill staff that emails from outside MCPS don't make it into their MCPS email inbox. Kind of makes parent /teacher communication difficult but no answers as to whether or not MCPS is going to fix the problem.

That’s an excuse — they’re getting your emails.

When person #1 told me that she didn't receive my email, I didn't at first believe her because my email had the message as sent. I didn't receive any notice that the message bounced like I do if I Cc my child's MCPS email address.

After multiple emails went unaddressed, I contacted the RT. The RT told me that there's an email glitch and the problem had been raised to Mrs. Heckert's attention but MCPS doesn't know how to fix it.

I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt particularly if two employees are telling me that there is an IT problem that is not their fault. Could be BS but then a third employee in a different department told me the same thing.

Ok. I was told my email didn’t go through by a principal— not at Churchill — and then he said something when we spoke that he only could have known if he HAD received my email. I prefer someone just say it fell by the wayside, but whatever. If there is a glitch the. MCPS should be making it a priority to fix it. Huge numbers of parents have gmail—those need to get through.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been told by several members of Churchill staff that emails from outside MCPS don't make it into their MCPS email inbox. Kind of makes parent /teacher communication difficult but no answers as to whether or not MCPS is going to fix the problem.

That’s an excuse — they’re getting your emails.

When person #1 told me that she didn't receive my email, I didn't at first believe her because my email had the message as sent. I didn't receive any notice that the message bounced like I do if I Cc my child's MCPS email address.

After multiple emails went unaddressed, I contacted the RT. The RT told me that there's an email glitch and the problem had been raised to Mrs. Heckert's attention but MCPS doesn't know how to fix it.

I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt particularly if two employees are telling me that there is an IT problem that is not their fault. Could be BS but then a third employee in a different department told me the same thing.

Make sure these are the same email address you have listed in the contact information forms. All of that gets entered into the MyMCPS teacher intranet. The intranet is different from the teacher/parent/student myMCPS portal.
Ok. I was told my email didn’t go through by a principal— not at Churchill — and then he said something when we spoke that he only could have known if he HAD received my email. I prefer someone just say it fell by the wayside, but whatever. If there is a glitch the. MCPS should be making it a priority to fix it. Huge numbers of parents have gmail—those need to get through.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been told by several members of Churchill staff that emails from outside MCPS don't make it into their MCPS email inbox. Kind of makes parent /teacher communication difficult but no answers as to whether or not MCPS is going to fix the problem.

That’s an excuse — they’re getting your emails.

When person #1 told me that she didn't receive my email, I didn't at first believe her because my email had the message as sent. I didn't receive any notice that the message bounced like I do if I Cc my child's MCPS email address.

After multiple emails went unaddressed, I contacted the RT. The RT told me that there's an email glitch and the problem had been raised to Mrs. Heckert's attention but MCPS doesn't know how to fix it.

I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt particularly if two employees are telling me that there is an IT problem that is not their fault. Could be BS but then a third employee in a different department told me the same thing.

Make sure these are the same email address you have listed in the contact information forms. All of that gets entered into the MyMCPS teacher intranet. The intranet is different from the teacher/parent/student myMCPS portal.
Ok. I was told my email didn’t go through by a principal— not at Churchill — and then he said something when we spoke that he only could have known if he HAD received my email. I prefer someone just say it fell by the wayside, but whatever. If there is a glitch the. MCPS should be making it a priority to fix it. Huge numbers of parents have gmail—those need to get through.

Same email address that I have always used. Never had a problem till this year. The problem is also inconsistent. The same people who said that a particular email had not come through on their end responded to a follow up or different email. If it is an IT issue, school staff should understand that this can create a poor reflection on them because MCPS isn't explaining the problem to parents or developing a solution.

[Anonymous]

For a school system that is overly prone to forcing students onto Google platforms that have data privacy concerns that the MCPS email system would block parental Gmail accounts.

I am personally concerned that my child has been given an MCPS email without parental permission and my child cannot Cc me or forward me correspondence from that account.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A paid consultant can help you with some of the strategizing. There are some schools that disproportionately take kids who apply early decision. There are schools that don’t like certain high schools. There are schools that won’t take kids who are overqualified because they know from past yield numbers that these kids are unlikely to matriculate. There are schools that are by-the-numbers, and schools that really have the bandwidth and interest in considering a student as a whole. Then there’s second early—in-the-know kids might choose to have a second-early decision choice if their first choice rejects them. Some kids need to get creative about scholarships to make early decision a worthwhile gamble. These are all just examples, but not everyone is savvy. I am a school counselor and can give this type of advice, but not because of any specialized training or grad school course or PD in MCPS. I know my colleagues wouldn’t be able to do the same, though they certainly have strengths in other areas that I lack. This isn’t meant to be a boast—I just took a personal interest in the topic, maybe because I find it a fun challenge to figure out the system—to the extent possible, it’s pretty broken. Anyway, the college and career counselor can guide groups at a time but there’s just one person and no way they can give individualized help to 350-500 graduating high school seniors.

How do you feel about the required counselor letter for seniors? It seems like such a joke. My DD (rising senior) has spent 5 minutes total with her counselor as he signed her class schedule 3 times.

Counselor here that you're addressing. I personally "interviewed" my students to ensure I wrote as positive and thorough and personal a recommendation as possible, but I would agree that teacher recs are likely far more substantive. But this is what schools want, so please encourage your children to get to know their counselor. One misconception kids have is that they need to have a problem to see us. Our whole day is often putting out fires, and we love to just chat and be a source of support for students who simply want to know and have another trusted adult in the building. Even if we leave the school and don't end up writing their recommendation letter, it's always a positive for students to feel a connection with a range of educators.

LOL - We can't even get ours to return an email. You will be served at MCPS if your child is a star or troubled. The rest of you must fend for yourselves.

Dp. Our experience couldn't have been more different. Perhaps you are sending your DC the message the counselor is too busy to get to know them? I don't know but, what I do know is my DC's counselor has made a substantive difference. There have been semesters where DC wasn't interested in their recommendations and others when recommendations were taken.

The change for our DC was when DC decided school was their number one priority over other worthwhile pursuits. It was like a light switch turned on. Their counselor not only saw this but, nurtured it along with the importance of personal responsibility. Two years I wasn't impressed but, realized my own confirmation bias about the administration impacted my opinion about the guidance counselor.

I know, with certainty, our DC's letter of recommendation will be an accurate reflection of DC.

Give them a second chance and a break. They are dealing with more than you may care to know.