School closed 1/19/24

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS should correct today's decision not to go virtual by:

1) Making 1/29 an early release day for students. This counts as a full make-up day and provides 2.5 hours of grading/planning time for teachers.
2) Make an announcement that all inclement weather days going forward will be virtual in order to avoid the need to make up more snow days. Therefore, both students and teachers should be prepared by ensuring that necessary technology is taken home on a daily basis.

Remember, students who cannot log in or whose parents choose not to have them participate will have excused absences and work completed on virtual learning days will not be collected until a few days after returning to school to account for any difficulties.

Realistically, the vast majority of teachers are going to use the virtual learning option to review concepts already taught in class or to provide lessons that are both enriching and fun. Virtual learning is not meant to be the end all be all. It is simply meant to provide some continuity of learning while also avoiding the need to make up days missed due to snow. Teachers, parents, and students should simply embrace it for what it is and make it as simple as possible. If I were an elementary school teacher, I believe I would create a snow day packet of learning materials (review of key concepts) to be taken home early in the year. On virtual snow days, I would only reference that packet while meeting with them virtually. I'd go over the instructions for the day and then have them work on the paper packet. I would also give kids and parents advance warning in case they weren't able to log on. For example, kids would know that on Virtual Day 1, Lesson 1 in the packet should be completed and handed in no later than, say, one week after a return to school.

Please email this to the board and McKnight. The rest of us should do the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS should correct today's decision not to go virtual by:

1) Making 1/29 an early release day for students. This counts as a full make-up day and provides 2.5 hours of grading/planning time for teachers.
2) Make an announcement that all inclement weather days going forward will be virtual in order to avoid the need to make up more snow days. Therefore, both students and teachers should be prepared by ensuring that necessary technology is taken home on a daily basis.

Remember, students who cannot log in or whose parents choose not to have them participate will have excused absences and work completed on virtual learning days will not be collected until a few days after returning to school to account for any difficulties.

Realistically, the vast majority of teachers are going to use the virtual learning option to review concepts already taught in class or to provide lessons that are both enriching and fun. Virtual learning is not meant to be the end all be all. It is simply meant to provide some continuity of learning while also avoiding the need to make up days missed due to snow. Teachers, parents, and students should simply embrace it for what it is and make it as simple as possible. If I were an elementary school teacher, I believe I would create a snow day packet of learning materials (review of key concepts) to be taken home early in the year. On virtual snow days, I would only reference that packet while meeting with them virtually. I'd go over the instructions for the day and then have them work on the paper packet. I would also give kids and parents advance warning in case they weren't able to log on. For example, kids would know that on Virtual Day 1, Lesson 1 in the packet should be completed and handed in no later than, say, one week after a return to school.

Kids missed 3 days this week. Replacing that with a half day is absurd.

And even more absurd is the idea that virtual is a meaningful substitute. Clearly you don't have elementary kids, or children with special needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS should correct today's decision not to go virtual by:

1) Making 1/29 an early release day for students. This counts as a full make-up day and provides 2.5 hours of grading/planning time for teachers.
2) Make an announcement that all inclement weather days going forward will be virtual in order to avoid the need to make up more snow days. Therefore, both students and teachers should be prepared by ensuring that necessary technology is taken home on a daily basis.

Remember, students who cannot log in or whose parents choose not to have them participate will have excused absences and work completed on virtual learning days will not be collected until a few days after returning to school to account for any difficulties.

Realistically, the vast majority of teachers are going to use the virtual learning option to review concepts already taught in class or to provide lessons that are both enriching and fun. Virtual learning is not meant to be the end all be all. It is simply meant to provide some continuity of learning while also avoiding the need to make up days missed due to snow. Teachers, parents, and students should simply embrace it for what it is and make it as simple as possible. If I were an elementary school teacher, I believe I would create a snow day packet of learning materials (review of key concepts) to be taken home early in the year. On virtual snow days, I would only reference that packet while meeting with them virtually. I'd go over the instructions for the day and then have them work on the paper packet. I would also give kids and parents advance warning in case they weren't able to log on. For example, kids would know that on Virtual Day 1, Lesson 1 in the packet should be completed and handed in no later than, say, one week after a return to school.

Please email this to the board and McKnight. The rest of us should do the same.

Yes, it clearly articulates what should absolutely not be done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS should correct today's decision not to go virtual by:

1) Making 1/29 an early release day for students. This counts as a full make-up day and provides 2.5 hours of grading/planning time for teachers.
2) Make an announcement that all inclement weather days going forward will be virtual in order to avoid the need to make up more snow days. Therefore, both students and teachers should be prepared by ensuring that necessary technology is taken home on a daily basis.

Remember, students who cannot log in or whose parents choose not to have them participate will have excused absences and work completed on virtual learning days will not be collected until a few days after returning to school to account for any difficulties.

Realistically, the vast majority of teachers are going to use the virtual learning option to review concepts already taught in class or to provide lessons that are both enriching and fun. Virtual learning is not meant to be the end all be all. It is simply meant to provide some continuity of learning while also avoiding the need to make up days missed due to snow. Teachers, parents, and students should simply embrace it for what it is and make it as simple as possible. If I were an elementary school teacher, I believe I would create a snow day packet of learning materials (review of key concepts) to be taken home early in the year. On virtual snow days, I would only reference that packet while meeting with them virtually. I'd go over the instructions for the day and then have them work on the paper packet. I would also give kids and parents advance warning in case they weren't able to log on. For example, kids would know that on Virtual Day 1, Lesson 1 in the packet should be completed and handed in no later than, say, one week after a return to school.

Who are you?! This is what leadership looks like.

I'm simply an MCPS teacher who believes that the Code Purple is a better option than the traditional snow day option being currently implemented.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS should correct today's decision not to go virtual by:

1) Making 1/29 an early release day for students. This counts as a full make-up day and provides 2.5 hours of grading/planning time for teachers.
2) Make an announcement that all inclement weather days going forward will be virtual in order to avoid the need to make up more snow days. Therefore, both students and teachers should be prepared by ensuring that necessary technology is taken home on a daily basis.

Remember, students who cannot log in or whose parents choose not to have them participate will have excused absences and work completed on virtual learning days will not be collected until a few days after returning to school to account for any difficulties.

Realistically, the vast majority of teachers are going to use the virtual learning option to review concepts already taught in class or to provide lessons that are both enriching and fun. Virtual learning is not meant to be the end all be all. It is simply meant to provide some continuity of learning while also avoiding the need to make up days missed due to snow. Teachers, parents, and students should simply embrace it for what it is and make it as simple as possible. If I were an elementary school teacher, I believe I would create a snow day packet of learning materials (review of key concepts) to be taken home early in the year. On virtual snow days, I would only reference that packet while meeting with them virtually. I'd go over the instructions for the day and then have them work on the paper packet. I would also give kids and parents advance warning in case they weren't able to log on. For example, kids would know that on Virtual Day 1, Lesson 1 in the packet should be completed and handed in no later than, say, one week after a return to school.

We have to be mindful about how much paper we use for the remainder of the year.
Last Friday, schools were made aware that our district will “impose expenditure restrictions on supplies, materials, and equipment for the remainder of FY 2024. ”
A quick effort was made to place orders immediately for priority supplies for the remainder of the year. Our school was able to place an order for copy paper, but once it’s gone, it’s gone. We can’t order any more (paper, toner for copiers…toner for the newer machines is around $1,000, etc.) for the rest of the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS should correct today's decision not to go virtual by:

1) Making 1/29 an early release day for students. This counts as a full make-up day and provides 2.5 hours of grading/planning time for teachers.
2) Make an announcement that all inclement weather days going forward will be virtual in order to avoid the need to make up more snow days. Therefore, both students and teachers should be prepared by ensuring that necessary technology is taken home on a daily basis.

Remember, students who cannot log in or whose parents choose not to have them participate will have excused absences and work completed on virtual learning days will not be collected until a few days after returning to school to account for any difficulties.

Realistically, the vast majority of teachers are going to use the virtual learning option to review concepts already taught in class or to provide lessons that are both enriching and fun. Virtual learning is not meant to be the end all be all. It is simply meant to provide some continuity of learning while also avoiding the need to make up days missed due to snow. Teachers, parents, and students should simply embrace it for what it is and make it as simple as possible. If I were an elementary school teacher, I believe I would create a snow day packet of learning materials (review of key concepts) to be taken home early in the year. On virtual snow days, I would only reference that packet while meeting with them virtually. I'd go over the instructions for the day and then have them work on the paper packet. I would also give kids and parents advance warning in case they weren't able to log on. For example, kids would know that on Virtual Day 1, Lesson 1 in the packet should be completed and handed in no later than, say, one week after a return to school.

Or we could use the make-up days that were already identified in the calendar to address this exact situation while providing a full day of instruction. Why did you think they were there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:closed, not virtual?

No virtual. Teachers didn’t want virtual. Code red

That is incorrect. It’s not a virtual day because MCPS is not yet prepared for virtual learning - schools were told they had until 1/26 to prepare plans so some don’t have those together yet, not all students bring Chromebooks home daily so not everyone has a device to work on, schools that use carts to charge chromebooks have chargers to send home with kids…it’s a lot of things, but teachers did not make this decision.

I'm glad we waited until the middle of winter to have schools prepare plans. Wouldn't want to get ahead of the game.

Exactly. Who could foresee that there would be snow before February?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS should correct today's decision not to go virtual by:

1) Making 1/29 an early release day for students. This counts as a full make-up day and provides 2.5 hours of grading/planning time for teachers.
2) Make an announcement that all inclement weather days going forward will be virtual in order to avoid the need to make up more snow days. Therefore, both students and teachers should be prepared by ensuring that necessary technology is taken home on a daily basis.

Remember, students who cannot log in or whose parents choose not to have them participate will have excused absences and work completed on virtual learning days will not be collected until a few days after returning to school to account for any difficulties.

Realistically, the vast majority of teachers are going to use the virtual learning option to review concepts already taught in class or to provide lessons that are both enriching and fun. Virtual learning is not meant to be the end all be all. It is simply meant to provide some continuity of learning while also avoiding the need to make up days missed due to snow. Teachers, parents, and students should simply embrace it for what it is and make it as simple as possible. If I were an elementary school teacher, I believe I would create a snow day packet of learning materials (review of key concepts) to be taken home early in the year. On virtual snow days, I would only reference that packet while meeting with them virtually. I'd go over the instructions for the day and then have them work on the paper packet. I would also give kids and parents advance warning in case they weren't able to log on. For example, kids would know that on Virtual Day 1, Lesson 1 in the packet should be completed and handed in no later than, say, one week after a return to school.

Who are you?! This is what leadership looks like.

I'm simply an MCPS teacher who believes that the Code Purple is a better option than the traditional snow day option being currently implemented.

Yes, it was obvious you're a teacher trying to get out of a day of work, rather than a parent with kids in elementary school. Your contract acknowledges there could be a need for make up days. And now we're going to use them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was pretty much expecting a closure tomorrow, but do get a chuckle over the admin offices giving themselves a day off for a 1-2 inch snow forecast. Watch it go bust overnight and get even less.

That decision means that extended-day programs can't open as they normally would for snow. So irritating that they are doing this to give the principals/other admin the day off rather than actually thinking about what working families might need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS should correct today's decision not to go virtual by:

1) Making 1/29 an early release day for students. This counts as a full make-up day and provides 2.5 hours of grading/planning time for teachers.
2) Make an announcement that all inclement weather days going forward will be virtual in order to avoid the need to make up more snow days. Therefore, both students and teachers should be prepared by ensuring that necessary technology is taken home on a daily basis.

Remember, students who cannot log in or whose parents choose not to have them participate will have excused absences and work completed on virtual learning days will not be collected until a few days after returning to school to account for any difficulties.

Realistically, the vast majority of teachers are going to use the virtual learning option to review concepts already taught in class or to provide lessons that are both enriching and fun. Virtual learning is not meant to be the end all be all. It is simply meant to provide some continuity of learning while also avoiding the need to make up days missed due to snow. Teachers, parents, and students should simply embrace it for what it is and make it as simple as possible. If I were an elementary school teacher, I believe I would create a snow day packet of learning materials (review of key concepts) to be taken home early in the year. On virtual snow days, I would only reference that packet while meeting with them virtually. I'd go over the instructions for the day and then have them work on the paper packet. I would also give kids and parents advance warning in case they weren't able to log on. For example, kids would know that on Virtual Day 1, Lesson 1 in the packet should be completed and handed in no later than, say, one week after a return to school.

Or we could use the make-up days that were already identified in the calendar to address this exact situation while providing a full day of instruction. Why did you think they were there?

Wait till you find out other counties have asynchronous days built into the regular 180 day calendars. So many schools across the country have one half day a week. I really don’t understand how you think one make up days is going to be some magical thing that changes everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:closed, not virtual?

No virtual. Teachers didn’t want virtual. Code red

That is incorrect. It’s not a virtual day because MCPS is not yet prepared for virtual learning - schools were told they had until 1/26 to prepare plans so some don’t have those together yet, not all students bring Chromebooks home daily so not everyone has a device to work on, schools that use carts to charge chromebooks have chargers to send home with kids…it’s a lot of things, but teachers did not make this decision.

I'm glad we waited until the middle of winter to have schools prepare plans. Wouldn't want to get ahead of the game.

Exactly. Who could foresee that there would be snow before February?

If only the district was aware this could happen and identified days in the school calendar to use for make-up instruction!

oh wait...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS should correct today's decision not to go virtual by:

1) Making 1/29 an early release day for students. This counts as a full make-up day and provides 2.5 hours of grading/planning time for teachers.
2) Make an announcement that all inclement weather days going forward will be virtual in order to avoid the need to make up more snow days. Therefore, both students and teachers should be prepared by ensuring that necessary technology is taken home on a daily basis.

Remember, students who cannot log in or whose parents choose not to have them participate will have excused absences and work completed on virtual learning days will not be collected until a few days after returning to school to account for any difficulties.

Realistically, the vast majority of teachers are going to use the virtual learning option to review concepts already taught in class or to provide lessons that are both enriching and fun. Virtual learning is not meant to be the end all be all. It is simply meant to provide some continuity of learning while also avoiding the need to make up days missed due to snow. Teachers, parents, and students should simply embrace it for what it is and make it as simple as possible. If I were an elementary school teacher, I believe I would create a snow day packet of learning materials (review of key concepts) to be taken home early in the year. On virtual snow days, I would only reference that packet while meeting with them virtually. I'd go over the instructions for the day and then have them work on the paper packet. I would also give kids and parents advance warning in case they weren't able to log on. For example, kids would know that on Virtual Day 1, Lesson 1 in the packet should be completed and handed in no later than, say, one week after a return to school.

Who are you?! This is what leadership looks like.

I'm simply an MCPS teacher who believes that the Code Purple is a better option than the traditional snow day option being currently implemented.

Yes, it was obvious you're a teacher trying to get out of a day of work, rather than a parent with kids in elementary school. Your contract acknowledges there could be a need for make up days. And now we're going to use them.

So you want daycare. Got it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS should correct today's decision not to go virtual by:

1) Making 1/29 an early release day for students. This counts as a full make-up day and provides 2.5 hours of grading/planning time for teachers.
2) Make an announcement that all inclement weather days going forward will be virtual in order to avoid the need to make up more snow days. Therefore, both students and teachers should be prepared by ensuring that necessary technology is taken home on a daily basis.

Remember, students who cannot log in or whose parents choose not to have them participate will have excused absences and work completed on virtual learning days will not be collected until a few days after returning to school to account for any difficulties.

Realistically, the vast majority of teachers are going to use the virtual learning option to review concepts already taught in class or to provide lessons that are both enriching and fun. Virtual learning is not meant to be the end all be all. It is simply meant to provide some continuity of learning while also avoiding the need to make up days missed due to snow. Teachers, parents, and students should simply embrace it for what it is and make it as simple as possible. If I were an elementary school teacher, I believe I would create a snow day packet of learning materials (review of key concepts) to be taken home early in the year. On virtual snow days, I would only reference that packet while meeting with them virtually. I'd go over the instructions for the day and then have them work on the paper packet. I would also give kids and parents advance warning in case they weren't able to log on. For example, kids would know that on Virtual Day 1, Lesson 1 in the packet should be completed and handed in no later than, say, one week after a return to school.

Or we could use the make-up days that were already identified in the calendar to address this exact situation while providing a full day of instruction. Why did you think they were there?

The problem is that MCPS always makes excuses NOT to use the make up days listed on the calendar. Instead they ask the state to waive the days, and when the state refuses, they must tack them on to the end of the school year. Those days are actually less meaningful, in my opinion, than a few virtual review days in the winter. By the time they are made up in June, the majority of students have mentally checked out and many have physically left for vacation. If MCPS would automatically implement the make-up days as they occur, that would also be a great option. For example, tomorrow is the first snow day that needs to be made up, so we could automatically make it up on Monday, 1/29, the next make-up day on the calendar. But this will not happen because MCPS will make an excuse as to why that's a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS should correct today's decision not to go virtual by:

1) Making 1/29 an early release day for students. This counts as a full make-up day and provides 2.5 hours of grading/planning time for teachers.
2) Make an announcement that all inclement weather days going forward will be virtual in order to avoid the need to make up more snow days. Therefore, both students and teachers should be prepared by ensuring that necessary technology is taken home on a daily basis.

Remember, students who cannot log in or whose parents choose not to have them participate will have excused absences and work completed on virtual learning days will not be collected until a few days after returning to school to account for any difficulties.

Realistically, the vast majority of teachers are going to use the virtual learning option to review concepts already taught in class or to provide lessons that are both enriching and fun. Virtual learning is not meant to be the end all be all. It is simply meant to provide some continuity of learning while also avoiding the need to make up days missed due to snow. Teachers, parents, and students should simply embrace it for what it is and make it as simple as possible. If I were an elementary school teacher, I believe I would create a snow day packet of learning materials (review of key concepts) to be taken home early in the year. On virtual snow days, I would only reference that packet while meeting with them virtually. I'd go over the instructions for the day and then have them work on the paper packet. I would also give kids and parents advance warning in case they weren't able to log on. For example, kids would know that on Virtual Day 1, Lesson 1 in the packet should be completed and handed in no later than, say, one week after a return to school.

Or we could use the make-up days that were already identified in the calendar to address this exact situation while providing a full day of instruction. Why did you think they were there?

Wait till you find out other counties have asynchronous days built into the regular 180 day calendars. So many schools across the country have one half day a week. I really don’t understand how you think one make up days is going to be some magical thing that changes everything.

It's cute you think it would just be one day. If districts are allowed to do this, they're going to get rid of instructional days in their calendars knowing they can just count BS virtual days against the 180 day requirement.

Sorry, you're going to have to do your job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS should correct today's decision not to go virtual by:

1) Making 1/29 an early release day for students. This counts as a full make-up day and provides 2.5 hours of grading/planning time for teachers.
2) Make an announcement that all inclement weather days going forward will be virtual in order to avoid the need to make up more snow days. Therefore, both students and teachers should be prepared by ensuring that necessary technology is taken home on a daily basis.

Remember, students who cannot log in or whose parents choose not to have them participate will have excused absences and work completed on virtual learning days will not be collected until a few days after returning to school to account for any difficulties.

Realistically, the vast majority of teachers are going to use the virtual learning option to review concepts already taught in class or to provide lessons that are both enriching and fun. Virtual learning is not meant to be the end all be all. It is simply meant to provide some continuity of learning while also avoiding the need to make up days missed due to snow. Teachers, parents, and students should simply embrace it for what it is and make it as simple as possible. If I were an elementary school teacher, I believe I would create a snow day packet of learning materials (review of key concepts) to be taken home early in the year. On virtual snow days, I would only reference that packet while meeting with them virtually. I'd go over the instructions for the day and then have them work on the paper packet. I would also give kids and parents advance warning in case they weren't able to log on. For example, kids would know that on Virtual Day 1, Lesson 1 in the packet should be completed and handed in no later than, say, one week after a return to school.

Who are you?! This is what leadership looks like.

I'm simply an MCPS teacher who believes that the Code Purple is a better option than the traditional snow day option being currently implemented.

Yes, it was obvious you're a teacher trying to get out of a day of work, rather than a parent with kids in elementary school. Your contract acknowledges there could be a need for make up days. And now we're going to use them.

What are you even going on about? You sound absolutely vile. It was a lovely compromise to keep the learning moving, especially for those who need it/want it.