MCPS teacher shortages continue..

[Anonymous]

Most of these issues happened long before Covid which is why they are so bad now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And then you have the issue of widening gaps between "good schools" and "mediocre/bad schools."

From the article:

Stacy Ganz Kahn, president of the Winston Churchill High School PTSA, says special education programs are dealing with the brunt of the teacher shortage in MCPS. Offering bonuses in high-need areas and pathways to teacher certification for paraprofessionals could help remedy the situation, she said.

Still, Ganz Kahn says the Potomac school is pretty well-staffed, unlike other schools in the county, because people want to teach there.

I read that quote in the article and thought it was in poor taste. And then just now I looked at the available jobs on the MCPS Careers site, and it turns out it's not true at all. Churchill actually has 6 open teacher positions posted, more than any other HS!

6: Churchill
5: Whitman
4: Blair, Blake, Einstein, Springbrook
3: Gaithersburg, Magruder, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Sherwood
2: BCC, Kennedy, Northwood, Paint Branch, Watkins Mill
1: Damascus, Northwest, Walter Johnson
0: Clarksburg, Poolesville, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, Wheaton, Wootton

Couple potential takeaways:

Working in W schools might be much less attractive than DCUM wants to believe. Possibly because teachers don’t want to deal with DCUM parents.

Working in non-W schools might be much more attractive than DCUM wants to believe. Possibly because there’s better work life balance there. Or because working with those students is more rewarding to teachers who see their career as a vocation.

I think some of the up county schools are attractive because teachers can afford to live in decent neighborhoods within a reasonable commuting distance. Some are getting cheaper real estate outside MoCo but working in MoCo for the better benefits. A teacher can’t really live near Churchill unless they have a rich spouse or another source of money.

Churchill parents could attract quality teachers by offering to rent a house or in-law suite at below market for as long as the teacher remained employed at the school. However, they see teachers as beneath them and undeserving of being a full member of the community.

An in-law suite???? You think living in an in-law suite would make a teacher a part of the community? Unreal. THIS is why no one wants to be a teacher. You think living in some student's family home is perfectly fine for a teacher. Like a governess with a straw suitcase and a note of introduction or a maid you're sponsoring. What adult wants to live like that? What if they have a family of their own, are they all supposed to pile into the in-law suite?

YOU are the one who thinks teachers are beneath them. I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN AN IN-LAW SUITE. BECAUSE I AM AN ADULT, WORKING A FULL TIME JOB AND DESERVE A REAL PLACE TO LIVE.

1999-2003 me. I’m the person you are responding to and I’m a teacher. I would have gladly rented a below market in-law suite in Potomac, CC, or Bethesda when I was a newish teacher (career changer) because all I could afford the first 4 years were run down apartments in high crime areas. I grew up poor in high crime inner-city neighborhoods so I made it work until I could afford to move, but an in-law suite in an UMC zip code would have been a step up over moldy drywall, roaches, and repeated car break ins in Takoma Park.

I guess you weren't interested in having a family.

Few new teachers have families. Most work several years before they have kids. If you can’t afford rent in a decent area, you probably aren’t planning a baby, but you still need a place to lay your head at night. Once people can afford a baby, they also can afford to live somewhere nicer.

Someone who gets a college degree and a professional job should be able to afford a real place to lay their head at night. Good grief, an in-law suite is appropriate for an au pair -- a teen or young adult with no other skills who wants to experience life in another country, inside someone else's home. Not for a professional teacher. That is not okay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And then you have the issue of widening gaps between "good schools" and "mediocre/bad schools."

From the article:

Stacy Ganz Kahn, president of the Winston Churchill High School PTSA, says special education programs are dealing with the brunt of the teacher shortage in MCPS. Offering bonuses in high-need areas and pathways to teacher certification for paraprofessionals could help remedy the situation, she said.

Still, Ganz Kahn says the Potomac school is pretty well-staffed, unlike other schools in the county, because people want to teach there.

I read that quote in the article and thought it was in poor taste. And then just now I looked at the available jobs on the MCPS Careers site, and it turns out it's not true at all. Churchill actually has 6 open teacher positions posted, more than any other HS!

6: Churchill
5: Whitman
4: Blair, Blake, Einstein, Springbrook
3: Gaithersburg, Magruder, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Sherwood
2: BCC, Kennedy, Northwood, Paint Branch, Watkins Mill
1: Damascus, Northwest, Walter Johnson
0: Clarksburg, Poolesville, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, Wheaton, Wootton

The openings at Churchill include mainly special ed positions and long term substitutes. There is only one full time teaching position open. Special ed staffing is an issue country wide.

It’s not a priority at Churchill to teach Special Education students. The school is a prime example of discrimination against students with disabilities given that students have not received their required services.

It's not that special ed students aren't a priority at Churchill, it's that special ed teachers are burnt out all over the county, and have quit. Its a nation-wode problem as well. Between covid, not to mention all the extra paperwork required, no planning time and parents who regularly attend meetings with lawyers ready to pounce and prove their worth, there are not lines of people waiting to fill those jobs. I am at a school that has had a special ed opening posted since before school started and no one has applied.

I’m a parent who has not brought in an attorney to my child’s IEP meetings but MCPS feels compelled to bring in their attorney as well as the Director of RACU (also an attorney) to IEP meetings. Meanwhile, MCPS is continuing not to provide the services as outlined in my child’s IEP.

As a teacher, you may be burnt out. But you should be advocating for more services and help so student needs can be met. Explain at the IEP meeting what the lack of a para educator means for the rest of the staff that needs to do what the para educator would do. Advocate for filling the long term special education vacancies. Tell RACU that without proper staffing that meets the IEP, the school is non-compliant.

Teachers are burnt out because of the lack of resources but MCPS is pocketing millions from not filling the vacancies. You are working overtime for free because there is no incentive for MCPS administrators to fill vacancies for special education positions.

When you say special ed teachers (who as you acknowledge "may be burnt out") should "advocate" for these things, what is it you are suggesting they should do exactly?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And then you have the issue of widening gaps between "good schools" and "mediocre/bad schools."

From the article:

Stacy Ganz Kahn, president of the Winston Churchill High School PTSA, says special education programs are dealing with the brunt of the teacher shortage in MCPS. Offering bonuses in high-need areas and pathways to teacher certification for paraprofessionals could help remedy the situation, she said.

Still, Ganz Kahn says the Potomac school is pretty well-staffed, unlike other schools in the county, because people want to teach there.

I read that quote in the article and thought it was in poor taste. And then just now I looked at the available jobs on the MCPS Careers site, and it turns out it's not true at all. Churchill actually has 6 open teacher positions posted, more than any other HS!

6: Churchill
5: Whitman
4: Blair, Blake, Einstein, Springbrook
3: Gaithersburg, Magruder, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Sherwood
2: BCC, Kennedy, Northwood, Paint Branch, Watkins Mill
1: Damascus, Northwest, Walter Johnson
0: Clarksburg, Poolesville, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, Wheaton, Wootton

The openings at Churchill include mainly special ed positions and long term substitutes. There is only one full time teaching position open. Special ed staffing is an issue country wide.

It’s not a priority at Churchill to teach Special Education students. The school is a prime example of discrimination against students with disabilities given that students have not received their required services.

It's not that special ed students aren't a priority at Churchill, it's that special ed teachers are burnt out all over the county, and have quit. Its a nation-wode problem as well. Between covid, not to mention all the extra paperwork required, no planning time and parents who regularly attend meetings with lawyers ready to pounce and prove their worth, there are not lines of people waiting to fill those jobs. I am at a school that has had a special ed opening posted since before school started and no one has applied.

I’m a parent who has not brought in an attorney to my child’s IEP meetings but MCPS feels compelled to bring in their attorney as well as the Director of RACU (also an attorney) to IEP meetings. Meanwhile, MCPS is continuing not to provide the services as outlined in my child’s IEP.

As a teacher, you may be burnt out. But you should be advocating for more services and help so student needs can be met. Explain at the IEP meeting what the lack of a para educator means for the rest of the staff that needs to do what the para educator would do. Advocate for filling the long term special education vacancies. Tell RACU that without proper staffing that meets the IEP, the school is non-compliant.

Teachers are burnt out because of the lack of resources but MCPS is pocketing millions from not filling the vacancies. You are working overtime for free because there is no incentive for MCPS administrators to fill vacancies for special education positions.

When you say special ed teachers (who as you acknowledge "may be burnt out") should "advocate" for these things, what is it you are suggesting they should do exactly?

And if by "advocate" you mean speaking at IEP meetings as suggested and putting oneself in a bad position with admin or going on about staff shortages that existing teachers have zero control over, you truly think that is what will fix this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS is not a good company to work for. I'm not talking about principals or teachers -- I'm talking about the MCPS machine.

In addition, they haven't adjusted at all to the change in circumstances the entire country finds itself in regarding teachers. They continue acting like they can afford to be choosy when they should be giving anyone who wants to be a teacher and passes a background check a chance. Of course a qualified teacher and a seasoned teacher would be better, but we simply don't have enough of them. And yet MCPS refuses to budge while other systems all around us are hiring.

MCPS only offered us $60 per hour for Special Education private support that cost $350 per hour. We cannot make up the difference between what services actually cost and what MCPS is willing to pay so we asked them to provide their own Special Education Teacher to provide the services my child needs. We are now on the second year waiting for services to be provided by MCPS.

The bureaucracy of special education is so confusing that I don’t know who is dropping the ball? Are school principals supposed to be hiring the Special Education Teachers or is Central Office supposed to fill the vacancies to fill the required staffing hours based on IEPs at a school?

I get that $60 is low for some services. But what service can you only find for $350? For that money I was getting PHP services.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And then you have the issue of widening gaps between "good schools" and "mediocre/bad schools."

From the article:

Stacy Ganz Kahn, president of the Winston Churchill High School PTSA, says special education programs are dealing with the brunt of the teacher shortage in MCPS. Offering bonuses in high-need areas and pathways to teacher certification for paraprofessionals could help remedy the situation, she said.

Still, Ganz Kahn says the Potomac school is pretty well-staffed, unlike other schools in the county, because people want to teach there.

I read that quote in the article and thought it was in poor taste. And then just now I looked at the available jobs on the MCPS Careers site, and it turns out it's not true at all. Churchill actually has 6 open teacher positions posted, more than any other HS!

6: Churchill
5: Whitman
4: Blair, Blake, Einstein, Springbrook
3: Gaithersburg, Magruder, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Sherwood
2: BCC, Kennedy, Northwood, Paint Branch, Watkins Mill
1: Damascus, Northwest, Walter Johnson
0: Clarksburg, Poolesville, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, Wheaton, Wootton

Couple potential takeaways:

Working in W schools might be much less attractive than DCUM wants to believe. Possibly because teachers don’t want to deal with DCUM parents.

Working in non-W schools might be much more attractive than DCUM wants to believe. Possibly because there’s better work life balance there. Or because working with those students is more rewarding to teachers who see their career as a vocation.

I think some of the up county schools are attractive because teachers can afford to live in decent neighborhoods within a reasonable commuting distance. Some are getting cheaper real estate outside MoCo but working in MoCo for the better benefits. A teacher can’t really live near Churchill unless they have a rich spouse or another source of money.

Churchill parents could attract quality teachers by offering to rent a house or in-law suite at below market for as long as the teacher remained employed at the school. However, they see teachers as beneath them and undeserving of being a full member of the community.

An in-law suite???? You think living in an in-law suite would make a teacher a part of the community? Unreal. THIS is why no one wants to be a teacher. You think living in some student's family home is perfectly fine for a teacher. Like a governess with a straw suitcase and a note of introduction or a maid you're sponsoring. What adult wants to live like that? What if they have a family of their own, are they all supposed to pile into the in-law suite?

YOU are the one who thinks teachers are beneath them. I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN AN IN-LAW SUITE. BECAUSE I AM AN ADULT, WORKING A FULL TIME JOB AND DESERVE A REAL PLACE TO LIVE.

1999-2003 me. I’m the person you are responding to and I’m a teacher. I would have gladly rented a below market in-law suite in Potomac, CC, or Bethesda when I was a newish teacher (career changer) because all I could afford the first 4 years were run down apartments in high crime areas. I grew up poor in high crime inner-city neighborhoods so I made it work until I could afford to move, but an in-law suite in an UMC zip code would have been a step up over moldy drywall, roaches, and repeated car break ins in Takoma Park.

I guess you weren't interested in having a family.

Few new teachers have families. Most work several years before they have kids. If you can’t afford rent in a decent area, you probably aren’t planning a baby, but you still need a place to lay your head at night. Once people can afford a baby, they also can afford to live somewhere nicer.

Someone who gets a college degree and a professional job should be able to afford a real place to lay their head at night. Good grief, an in-law suite is appropriate for an au pair -- a teen or young adult with no other skills who wants to experience life in another country, inside someone else's home. Not for a professional teacher. That is not okay.

Most wealthy families are not going to rent out their rooms. NO need.

[Anonymous]

Bottom line is who would want to be a teacher right now? With the plethora of WFH maxi-flex government jobs available in the DMV, why would anyone want to be a teacher and deal with all the nonsense that comes with that job??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And then you have the issue of widening gaps between "good schools" and "mediocre/bad schools."

From the article:

Stacy Ganz Kahn, president of the Winston Churchill High School PTSA, says special education programs are dealing with the brunt of the teacher shortage in MCPS. Offering bonuses in high-need areas and pathways to teacher certification for paraprofessionals could help remedy the situation, she said.

Still, Ganz Kahn says the Potomac school is pretty well-staffed, unlike other schools in the county, because people want to teach there.

I read that quote in the article and thought it was in poor taste. And then just now I looked at the available jobs on the MCPS Careers site, and it turns out it's not true at all. Churchill actually has 6 open teacher positions posted, more than any other HS!

6: Churchill
5: Whitman
4: Blair, Blake, Einstein, Springbrook
3: Gaithersburg, Magruder, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Sherwood
2: BCC, Kennedy, Northwood, Paint Branch, Watkins Mill
1: Damascus, Northwest, Walter Johnson
0: Clarksburg, Poolesville, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, Wheaton, Wootton

The openings at Churchill include mainly special ed positions and long term substitutes. There is only one full time teaching position open. Special ed staffing is an issue country wide.

It’s not a priority at Churchill to teach Special Education students. The school is a prime example of discrimination against students with disabilities given that students have not received their required services.

It's not that special ed students aren't a priority at Churchill, it's that special ed teachers are burnt out all over the county, and have quit. Its a nation-wode problem as well. Between covid, not to mention all the extra paperwork required, no planning time and parents who regularly attend meetings with lawyers ready to pounce and prove their worth, there are not lines of people waiting to fill those jobs. I am at a school that has had a special ed opening posted since before school started and no one has applied.

I’m a parent who has not brought in an attorney to my child’s IEP meetings but MCPS feels compelled to bring in their attorney as well as the Director of RACU (also an attorney) to IEP meetings. Meanwhile, MCPS is continuing not to provide the services as outlined in my child’s IEP.

As a teacher, you may be burnt out. But you should be advocating for more services and help so student needs can be met. Explain at the IEP meeting what the lack of a para educator means for the rest of the staff that needs to do what the para educator would do. Advocate for filling the long term special education vacancies. Tell RACU that without proper staffing that meets the IEP, the school is non-compliant.

Teachers are burnt out because of the lack of resources but MCPS is pocketing millions from not filling the vacancies. You are working overtime for free because there is no incentive for MCPS administrators to fill vacancies for special education positions.

I am a special ed teacher and we advocated for additional staffing due to some significant needs of students. MCPS approved extra staffing for our school. The position was posted in the summer, and still has not been filled. No one wants these jobs.

This! I'm an elementary administrator and we've had para positions posted since this summer and nobody is applying. It's not an appealing job given the rate of pay and lack of benefits. Our admin and core team have been doing lunch and recess all year which is great for getting to know the kids better but also keeps us from getting into classrooms to observe and provide support to teachers.

But what has Central Office done to create positions that have an attractive pay scale with benefits? Do they give you the flexibility to combine two para educator positions to create a full-time position with benefits? What impact is there for Central Office administrators when you are covering the vacancies for free? They are saving money on the vacancies and they are getting extra free labor from school staff.

It’s a no brainer why burn out is occurring but there’s no incentive for Central Office to come up with solutions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And then you have the issue of widening gaps between "good schools" and "mediocre/bad schools."

From the article:

Stacy Ganz Kahn, president of the Winston Churchill High School PTSA, says special education programs are dealing with the brunt of the teacher shortage in MCPS. Offering bonuses in high-need areas and pathways to teacher certification for paraprofessionals could help remedy the situation, she said.

Still, Ganz Kahn says the Potomac school is pretty well-staffed, unlike other schools in the county, because people want to teach there.

I read that quote in the article and thought it was in poor taste. And then just now I looked at the available jobs on the MCPS Careers site, and it turns out it's not true at all. Churchill actually has 6 open teacher positions posted, more than any other HS!

6: Churchill
5: Whitman
4: Blair, Blake, Einstein, Springbrook
3: Gaithersburg, Magruder, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Sherwood
2: BCC, Kennedy, Northwood, Paint Branch, Watkins Mill
1: Damascus, Northwest, Walter Johnson
0: Clarksburg, Poolesville, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, Wheaton, Wootton

The openings at Churchill include mainly special ed positions and long term substitutes. There is only one full time teaching position open. Special ed staffing is an issue country wide.

It’s not a priority at Churchill to teach Special Education students. The school is a prime example of discrimination against students with disabilities given that students have not received their required services.

It's not that special ed students aren't a priority at Churchill, it's that special ed teachers are burnt out all over the county, and have quit. Its a nation-wode problem as well. Between covid, not to mention all the extra paperwork required, no planning time and parents who regularly attend meetings with lawyers ready to pounce and prove their worth, there are not lines of people waiting to fill those jobs. I am at a school that has had a special ed opening posted since before school started and no one has applied.

I’m a parent who has not brought in an attorney to my child’s IEP meetings but MCPS feels compelled to bring in their attorney as well as the Director of RACU (also an attorney) to IEP meetings. Meanwhile, MCPS is continuing not to provide the services as outlined in my child’s IEP.

As a teacher, you may be burnt out. But you should be advocating for more services and help so student needs can be met. Explain at the IEP meeting what the lack of a para educator means for the rest of the staff that needs to do what the para educator would do. Advocate for filling the long term special education vacancies. Tell RACU that without proper staffing that meets the IEP, the school is non-compliant.

Teachers are burnt out because of the lack of resources but MCPS is pocketing millions from not filling the vacancies. You are working overtime for free because there is no incentive for MCPS administrators to fill vacancies for special education positions.

I am a special ed teacher and we advocated for additional staffing due to some significant needs of students. MCPS approved extra staffing for our school. The position was posted in the summer, and still has not been filled. No one wants these jobs.

This! I'm an elementary administrator and we've had para positions posted since this summer and nobody is applying. It's not an appealing job given the rate of pay and lack of benefits. Our admin and core team have been doing lunch and recess all year which is great for getting to know the kids better but also keeps us from getting into classrooms to observe and provide support to teachers.

Teachers don’t want admin in their classrooms.

Sometimes I do. We had a kid who was…challenging and our grade level admin and principal had all of these ideas about what classroom teachers needed to do. Like build a relationship with him. So we’d send him to the office when he was out of control. And they would build their relationship with him by giving him snacks, letting him watch YouTube videos on their phones, and even doing a TikTok dance with him. And then, they’d send him back. The day came when the admin arrived to get a different kid for an unrelated matter and the boy they built the relationship with was being…challenging. The admin asked him to stop and got cussed out. The admin put him in his office, which the boy the destroyed. I wish admin visited classrooms more often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And then you have the issue of widening gaps between "good schools" and "mediocre/bad schools."

From the article:

Stacy Ganz Kahn, president of the Winston Churchill High School PTSA, says special education programs are dealing with the brunt of the teacher shortage in MCPS. Offering bonuses in high-need areas and pathways to teacher certification for paraprofessionals could help remedy the situation, she said.

Still, Ganz Kahn says the Potomac school is pretty well-staffed, unlike other schools in the county, because people want to teach there.

I read that quote in the article and thought it was in poor taste. And then just now I looked at the available jobs on the MCPS Careers site, and it turns out it's not true at all. Churchill actually has 6 open teacher positions posted, more than any other HS!

6: Churchill
5: Whitman
4: Blair, Blake, Einstein, Springbrook
3: Gaithersburg, Magruder, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Sherwood
2: BCC, Kennedy, Northwood, Paint Branch, Watkins Mill
1: Damascus, Northwest, Walter Johnson
0: Clarksburg, Poolesville, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, Wheaton, Wootton

Couple potential takeaways:

Working in W schools might be much less attractive than DCUM wants to believe. Possibly because teachers don’t want to deal with DCUM parents.

Working in non-W schools might be much more attractive than DCUM wants to believe. Possibly because there’s better work life balance there. Or because working with those students is more rewarding to teachers who see their career as a vocation.

I think some of the up county schools are attractive because teachers can afford to live in decent neighborhoods within a reasonable commuting distance. Some are getting cheaper real estate outside MoCo but working in MoCo for the better benefits. A teacher can’t really live near Churchill unless they have a rich spouse or another source of money.

Churchill parents could attract quality teachers by offering to rent a house or in-law suite at below market for as long as the teacher remained employed at the school. However, they see teachers as beneath them and undeserving of being a full member of the community.

An in-law suite???? You think living in an in-law suite would make a teacher a part of the community? Unreal. THIS is why no one wants to be a teacher. You think living in some student's family home is perfectly fine for a teacher. Like a governess with a straw suitcase and a note of introduction or a maid you're sponsoring. What adult wants to live like that? What if they have a family of their own, are they all supposed to pile into the in-law suite?

YOU are the one who thinks teachers are beneath them. I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN AN IN-LAW SUITE. BECAUSE I AM AN ADULT, WORKING A FULL TIME JOB AND DESERVE A REAL PLACE TO LIVE.

1999-2003 me. I’m the person you are responding to and I’m a teacher. I would have gladly rented a below market in-law suite in Potomac, CC, or Bethesda when I was a newish teacher (career changer) because all I could afford the first 4 years were run down apartments in high crime areas. I grew up poor in high crime inner-city neighborhoods so I made it work until I could afford to move, but an in-law suite in an UMC zip code would have been a step up over moldy drywall, roaches, and repeated car break ins in Takoma Park.

I guess you weren't interested in having a family.

Few new teachers have families. Most work several years before they have kids. If you can’t afford rent in a decent area, you probably aren’t planning a baby, but you still need a place to lay your head at night. Once people can afford a baby, they also can afford to live somewhere nicer.

Someone who gets a college degree and a professional job should be able to afford a real place to lay their head at night. Good grief, an in-law suite is appropriate for an au pair -- a teen or young adult with no other skills who wants to experience life in another country, inside someone else's home. Not for a professional teacher. That is not okay.

Is advocating for decent teacher pay your top political issue right now? Is it even in your top three?

[Anonymous]

Right the lack of substitutes is bad for schools too. Its hard to get a sub, and if the sub gets sick or cancels we're up the creek

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And then you have the issue of widening gaps between "good schools" and "mediocre/bad schools."

From the article:

Stacy Ganz Kahn, president of the Winston Churchill High School PTSA, says special education programs are dealing with the brunt of the teacher shortage in MCPS. Offering bonuses in high-need areas and pathways to teacher certification for paraprofessionals could help remedy the situation, she said.

Still, Ganz Kahn says the Potomac school is pretty well-staffed, unlike other schools in the county, because people want to teach there.

I read that quote in the article and thought it was in poor taste. And then just now I looked at the available jobs on the MCPS Careers site, and it turns out it's not true at all. Churchill actually has 6 open teacher positions posted, more than any other HS!

6: Churchill
5: Whitman
4: Blair, Blake, Einstein, Springbrook
3: Gaithersburg, Magruder, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Sherwood
2: BCC, Kennedy, Northwood, Paint Branch, Watkins Mill
1: Damascus, Northwest, Walter Johnson
0: Clarksburg, Poolesville, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, Wheaton, Wootton

The openings at Churchill include mainly special ed positions and long term substitutes. There is only one full time teaching position open. Special ed staffing is an issue country wide.

It’s not a priority at Churchill to teach Special Education students. The school is a prime example of discrimination against students with disabilities given that students have not received their required services.

It's not that special ed students aren't a priority at Churchill, it's that special ed teachers are burnt out all over the county, and have quit. Its a nation-wode problem as well. Between covid, not to mention all the extra paperwork required, no planning time and parents who regularly attend meetings with lawyers ready to pounce and prove their worth, there are not lines of people waiting to fill those jobs. I am at a school that has had a special ed opening posted since before school started and no one has applied.

I’m a parent who has not brought in an attorney to my child’s IEP meetings but MCPS feels compelled to bring in their attorney as well as the Director of RACU (also an attorney) to IEP meetings. Meanwhile, MCPS is continuing not to provide the services as outlined in my child’s IEP.

As a teacher, you may be burnt out. But you should be advocating for more services and help so student needs can be met. Explain at the IEP meeting what the lack of a para educator means for the rest of the staff that needs to do what the para educator would do. Advocate for filling the long term special education vacancies. Tell RACU that without proper staffing that meets the IEP, the school is non-compliant.

Teachers are burnt out because of the lack of resources but MCPS is pocketing millions from not filling the vacancies. You are working overtime for free because there is no incentive for MCPS administrators to fill vacancies for special education positions.

When you say special ed teachers (who as you acknowledge "may be burnt out") should "advocate" for these things, what is it you are suggesting they should do exactly?

And if by "advocate" you mean speaking at IEP meetings as suggested and putting oneself in a bad position with admin or going on about staff shortages that existing teachers have zero control over, you truly think that is what will fix this?

There are a number of ways teachers can and should advocate for students.

All teachers fill out teacher reports as a mechanism for gathering their input for the IEP / 504 team’s consideration. Be honest in these reports. List what they view are their concerns and things they think would help. Teachers spend every teaching day with the student so they know the child and if more support is needed. One teacher is selected to personally attend the IEP / 504 meeting. Just speak up, provide classroom data, and give your professional opinion.

School staff also routinely have pre-meetings before parents are invited into the IEP meeting. There’s an opportunity to explain at this stage or in private meetings with administrators as to what problems they face implementing IEPs / 504 plans.

Finally, if teachers are intimidated by MCPS administrators and lawyers to not provide honest input for a student’s IEP / 504 plan, then that demonstrates a toxic workplace culture. Why would anyone want to continue working for MCPS if they are threatened when advocating for students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And then you have the issue of widening gaps between "good schools" and "mediocre/bad schools."

From the article:

Stacy Ganz Kahn, president of the Winston Churchill High School PTSA, says special education programs are dealing with the brunt of the teacher shortage in MCPS. Offering bonuses in high-need areas and pathways to teacher certification for paraprofessionals could help remedy the situation, she said.

Still, Ganz Kahn says the Potomac school is pretty well-staffed, unlike other schools in the county, because people want to teach there.

I read that quote in the article and thought it was in poor taste. And then just now I looked at the available jobs on the MCPS Careers site, and it turns out it's not true at all. Churchill actually has 6 open teacher positions posted, more than any other HS!

6: Churchill
5: Whitman
4: Blair, Blake, Einstein, Springbrook
3: Gaithersburg, Magruder, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Sherwood
2: BCC, Kennedy, Northwood, Paint Branch, Watkins Mill
1: Damascus, Northwest, Walter Johnson
0: Clarksburg, Poolesville, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, Wheaton, Wootton

The openings at Churchill include mainly special ed positions and long term substitutes. There is only one full time teaching position open. Special ed staffing is an issue country wide.

It’s not a priority at Churchill to teach Special Education students. The school is a prime example of discrimination against students with disabilities given that students have not received their required services.

It's not that special ed students aren't a priority at Churchill, it's that special ed teachers are burnt out all over the county, and have quit. Its a nation-wode problem as well. Between covid, not to mention all the extra paperwork required, no planning time and parents who regularly attend meetings with lawyers ready to pounce and prove their worth, there are not lines of people waiting to fill those jobs. I am at a school that has had a special ed opening posted since before school started and no one has applied.

I’m a parent who has not brought in an attorney to my child’s IEP meetings but MCPS feels compelled to bring in their attorney as well as the Director of RACU (also an attorney) to IEP meetings. Meanwhile, MCPS is continuing not to provide the services as outlined in my child’s IEP.

As a teacher, you may be burnt out. But you should be advocating for more services and help so student needs can be met. Explain at the IEP meeting what the lack of a para educator means for the rest of the staff that needs to do what the para educator would do. Advocate for filling the long term special education vacancies. Tell RACU that without proper staffing that meets the IEP, the school is non-compliant.

Teachers are burnt out because of the lack of resources but MCPS is pocketing millions from not filling the vacancies. You are working overtime for free because there is no incentive for MCPS administrators to fill vacancies for special education positions.

When you say special ed teachers (who as you acknowledge "may be burnt out") should "advocate" for these things, what is it you are suggesting they should do exactly?

And if by "advocate" you mean speaking at IEP meetings as suggested and putting oneself in a bad position with admin or going on about staff shortages that existing teachers have zero control over, you truly think that is what will fix this?

There are a number of ways teachers can and should advocate for students.

All teachers fill out teacher reports as a mechanism for gathering their input for the IEP / 504 team’s consideration. Be honest in these reports. List what they view are their concerns and things they think would help. Teachers spend every teaching day with the student so they know the child and if more support is needed. One teacher is selected to personally attend the IEP / 504 meeting. Just speak up, provide classroom data, and give your professional opinion.

School staff also routinely have pre-meetings before parents are invited into the IEP meeting. There’s an opportunity to explain at this stage or in private meetings with administrators as to what problems they face implementing IEPs / 504 plans.

Finally, if teachers are intimidated by MCPS administrators and lawyers to not provide honest input for a student’s IEP / 504 plan, then that demonstrates a toxic workplace culture. Why would anyone want to continue working for MCPS if they are threatened when advocating for students?

What about any of that do you think would result in more staff for special ed? There are an allotted number of slots for special ed staff. Complaining to school admin will not change that allocation. Or do you think more candidates will appear for open positions if the existing teachers complain enough?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And then you have the issue of widening gaps between "good schools" and "mediocre/bad schools."

From the article:

Stacy Ganz Kahn, president of the Winston Churchill High School PTSA, says special education programs are dealing with the brunt of the teacher shortage in MCPS. Offering bonuses in high-need areas and pathways to teacher certification for paraprofessionals could help remedy the situation, she said.

Still, Ganz Kahn says the Potomac school is pretty well-staffed, unlike other schools in the county, because people want to teach there.

I read that quote in the article and thought it was in poor taste. And then just now I looked at the available jobs on the MCPS Careers site, and it turns out it's not true at all. Churchill actually has 6 open teacher positions posted, more than any other HS!

6: Churchill
5: Whitman
4: Blair, Blake, Einstein, Springbrook
3: Gaithersburg, Magruder, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Sherwood
2: BCC, Kennedy, Northwood, Paint Branch, Watkins Mill
1: Damascus, Northwest, Walter Johnson
0: Clarksburg, Poolesville, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, Wheaton, Wootton

The openings at Churchill include mainly special ed positions and long term substitutes. There is only one full time teaching position open. Special ed staffing is an issue country wide.

It’s not a priority at Churchill to teach Special Education students. The school is a prime example of discrimination against students with disabilities given that students have not received their required services.

It's not that special ed students aren't a priority at Churchill, it's that special ed teachers are burnt out all over the county, and have quit. Its a nation-wode problem as well. Between covid, not to mention all the extra paperwork required, no planning time and parents who regularly attend meetings with lawyers ready to pounce and prove their worth, there are not lines of people waiting to fill those jobs. I am at a school that has had a special ed opening posted since before school started and no one has applied.

I’m a parent who has not brought in an attorney to my child’s IEP meetings but MCPS feels compelled to bring in their attorney as well as the Director of RACU (also an attorney) to IEP meetings. Meanwhile, MCPS is continuing not to provide the services as outlined in my child’s IEP.

As a teacher, you may be burnt out. But you should be advocating for more services and help so student needs can be met. Explain at the IEP meeting what the lack of a para educator means for the rest of the staff that needs to do what the para educator would do. Advocate for filling the long term special education vacancies. Tell RACU that without proper staffing that meets the IEP, the school is non-compliant.

Teachers are burnt out because of the lack of resources but MCPS is pocketing millions from not filling the vacancies. You are working overtime for free because there is no incentive for MCPS administrators to fill vacancies for special education positions.

When you say special ed teachers (who as you acknowledge "may be burnt out") should "advocate" for these things, what is it you are suggesting they should do exactly?

And if by "advocate" you mean speaking at IEP meetings as suggested and putting oneself in a bad position with admin or going on about staff shortages that existing teachers have zero control over, you truly think that is what will fix this?

There are a number of ways teachers can and should advocate for students.

All teachers fill out teacher reports as a mechanism for gathering their input for the IEP / 504 team’s consideration. Be honest in these reports. List what they view are their concerns and things they think would help. Teachers spend every teaching day with the student so they know the child and if more support is needed. One teacher is selected to personally attend the IEP / 504 meeting. Just speak up, provide classroom data, and give your professional opinion.

School staff also routinely have pre-meetings before parents are invited into the IEP meeting. There’s an opportunity to explain at this stage or in private meetings with administrators as to what problems they face implementing IEPs / 504 plans.

Finally, if teachers are intimidated by MCPS administrators and lawyers to not provide honest input for a student’s IEP / 504 plan, then that demonstrates a toxic workplace culture. Why would anyone want to continue working for MCPS if they are threatened when advocating for students?

What about any of that do you think would result in more staff for special ed? There are an allotted number of slots for special ed staff. Complaining to school admin will not change that allocation. Or do you think more candidates will appear for open positions if the existing teachers complain enough?

The amount of special education staff is driven by the IEP. More and less staff is allocated to a school as required hours of services are changed on an IEP. If teachers are overwhelmed, advocate for the student’s need for more services on the IEP. Likewise, if accommodations on 504 plans and IEPs are unrealistic for the general education teacher to provide, general education teachers should give that input to the school teams. Are there skills that could be taught with special education services to increase the student’s self independence vs. learned helplessness with too many accommodations?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child’s IEP reads like a 504 plan where most of the responsibility is on the general education teacher. When I initially read it, I immediately could see that one teacher who has 30+ other students could not possibly do what the IEP said would be done. Despite our advocacy, Churchill pushed through the IEP and the teachers couldn’t implement the IEP. This was a school driven administration problem, not a teacher problem and I could understand why teachers are leaving the school to find more supportive environments for themselves and students.

At Churchill, we were also told my child could only access para educator support in specific classes. My child has to choose between the class he has the ability to take and special education services. Classes they identify as general education classes are filled with students who have 504 plans and IEPs so they are not the least restrictive environment for the students who are assigned there.

I have a second grader and felt the same way when I saw the IEP draft. In the meeting with the teacher, principal and SpEd teacher, I asked how this would actually work and what kind of support or PD is the classroom teacher given to implement all of the accommodations. SpED teacher assured me she would “push in” when my kid would need to work in small groups but I can’t see how this will come to fruition when there are many classes with many kids like mine. Also, how can the teacher read aloud directions for my kid and redirect while also meeting the needs of the rest of the class at the same time?

Read aloud directions on a test or for everything? I have enough ESOL students that have that accommodation that I read everything aloud for students and then pull kids to my small group table who get read aloud for tests.