Melanie Meren's FB post about the calendar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Snow days which may or may not occur in February cannot replace needed workdays in April. Sorry not ever happening.

All the contract requires a workday is that they take place on contracted days. Unless teachers want to go without pay on snow days, which seems foolish, there is no reason they cannot replace those days.

But the workday in April is at the end of the 3rd quarter. Isn’t it supposed to be used to catch up on grading? What does an unplanned snow day the first week of the quarter accomplish?

The work day in April is on April 5th, the first day of the fourth quarter. How behind do you think teachers are that they are are still grading on the first day of the next quarter? Whatever planning needed to be done on April 5 could easily be done on “a random day in February.” or perhaps the workday isn’t necessary at all, in which case by all means cancel and hold school.

Sunday April 5th is a Sunday, so I'm not sure why you expect teachers to be working.

Monday April 6th is a teacher workday. This allows them to input grades and other duties that need to happen at the end of a quarter.

+1 PP has no idea how grades work. They are still being finalized the first day of the next quarter as report cards would be coming out within a week or so of the new quarter. Teachers need that time to enter them. A random show day in February won’t help them with that.

The half day provided on March 27 is for precisely that reason. And if snow days were used strategically, no one would be behind in grading on March 27 because Feb 23 was a fully paid teacher work day, and there are only 22 school days between due to holidays.

If you can suggest a way to get my 153 students to turn in the 531 (yes, that number is correct) assignments that currently are missing, so I won't have to use the two hours I have on March 27 to grade work they turn in last minute, I'd love your ideas.

The county won't let me give them zeroes or to refuse to take late work, so the students feel there is no rush to submit missing assignments. They often wait until the last day of the quarter and then submit multiple assignments at once.

Just so you understand:

1. There are currently 531 missing assignments in my class, just from third quarter. They have only had eight graded assignments so far, and there are 531 missing assignments.

2. We still have another summative, an essay-based assessment, next week. That is another 153 items to grade.

3. On March 20 and 23, students are taking a required assessment that has two short responses I have to grade. Add another 153 items to grade.

Did you do that math? --> 531 +153 + 153 = 837 assignments and assessments <--

And if snow days were used strategically, no one would be behind in grading on March 27 because Feb 23 was a fully paid teacher work day, and there are only 22 school days between due to holidays.

You very clearly do not understand the way grading works, especially in middle and high school. How could I have used snow days to grade work that hasn't been submitted? Please explain your twisted logic.

Obviously, I will need March 27's two hours, as well as most of Spring Break, to grade late work and to update grades.

Sorry. The assessment is on March 19 and 23, not March 20.

So you don’t teach in Fairfax? Because the Fairfax handbook is pretty clear guidelines for when a zero can be given.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Snow days which may or may not occur in February cannot replace needed workdays in April. Sorry not ever happening.

All the contract requires a workday is that they take place on contracted days. Unless teachers want to go without pay on snow days, which seems foolish, there is no reason they cannot replace those days.

But the workday in April is at the end of the 3rd quarter. Isn’t it supposed to be used to catch up on grading? What does an unplanned snow day the first week of the quarter accomplish?

The work day in April is on April 5th, the first day of the fourth quarter. How behind do you think teachers are that they are are still grading on the first day of the next quarter? Whatever planning needed to be done on April 5 could easily be done on “a random day in February.” or perhaps the workday isn’t necessary at all, in which case by all means cancel and hold school.

Sunday April 5th is a Sunday, so I'm not sure why you expect teachers to be working.

Monday April 6th is a teacher workday. This allows them to input grades and other duties that need to happen at the end of a quarter.

+1 PP has no idea how grades work. They are still being finalized the first day of the next quarter as report cards would be coming out within a week or so of the new quarter. Teachers need that time to enter them. A random show day in February won’t help them with that.

The half day provided on March 27 is for precisely that reason. And if snow days were used strategically, no one would be behind in grading on March 27 because Feb 23 was a fully paid teacher work day, and there are only 22 school days between due to holidays.

If you can suggest a way to get my 153 students to turn in the 531 (yes, that number is correct) assignments that currently are missing, so I won't have to use the two hours I have on March 27 to grade work they turn in last minute, I'd love your ideas.

The county won't let me give them zeroes or to refuse to take late work, so the students feel there is no rush to submit missing assignments. They often wait until the last day of the quarter and then submit multiple assignments at once.

Just so you understand:

1. There are currently 531 missing assignments in my class, just from third quarter. They have only had eight graded assignments so far, and there are 531 missing assignments.

2. We still have another summative, an essay-based assessment, next week. That is another 153 items to grade.

3. On March 20 and 23, students are taking a required assessment that has two short responses I have to grade. Add another 153 items to grade.

Did you do that math? --> 531 +153 + 153 = 837 assignments and assessments <--

And if snow days were used strategically, no one would be behind in grading on March 27 because Feb 23 was a fully paid teacher work day, and there are only 22 school days between due to holidays.

You very clearly do not understand the way grading works, especially in middle and high school. How could I have used snow days to grade work that hasn't been submitted? Please explain your twisted logic.

Obviously, I will need March 27's two hours, as well as most of Spring Break, to grade late work and to update grades.

Sorry. The assessment is on March 19 and 23, not March 20.

So you don’t teach in Fairfax? Because the Fairfax handbook is pretty clear guidelines for when a zero can be given.

I do teach in Fairfax.

My administration interprets the grading and reporting guidelines as meaning we have to give students "a chance" to turn in the work, which means until the end of the quarter. Even though we hve a rolling gradebook, we can limit late work acceptance atthe end of each quarter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Snow days which may or may not occur in February cannot replace needed workdays in April. Sorry not ever happening.

All the contract requires a workday is that they take place on contracted days. Unless teachers want to go without pay on snow days, which seems foolish, there is no reason they cannot replace those days.

But the workday in April is at the end of the 3rd quarter. Isn’t it supposed to be used to catch up on grading? What does an unplanned snow day the first week of the quarter accomplish?

The work day in April is on April 5th, the first day of the fourth quarter. How behind do you think teachers are that they are are still grading on the first day of the next quarter? Whatever planning needed to be done on April 5 could easily be done on “a random day in February.” or perhaps the workday isn’t necessary at all, in which case by all means cancel and hold school.

Sunday April 5th is a Sunday, so I'm not sure why you expect teachers to be working.

Monday April 6th is a teacher workday. This allows them to input grades and other duties that need to happen at the end of a quarter.

+1 PP has no idea how grades work. They are still being finalized the first day of the next quarter as report cards would be coming out within a week or so of the new quarter. Teachers need that time to enter them. A random show day in February won’t help them with that.

The half day provided on March 27 is for precisely that reason. And if snow days were used strategically, no one would be behind in grading on March 27 because Feb 23 was a fully paid teacher work day, and there are only 22 school days between due to holidays.

If you can suggest a way to get my 153 students to turn in the 531 (yes, that number is correct) assignments that currently are missing, so I won't have to use the two hours I have on March 27 to grade work they turn in last minute, I'd love your ideas.

The county won't let me give them zeroes or to refuse to take late work, so the students feel there is no rush to submit missing assignments. They often wait until the last day of the quarter and then submit multiple assignments at once.

Just so you understand:

1. There are currently 531 missing assignments in my class, just from third quarter. They have only had eight graded assignments so far, and there are 531 missing assignments.

2. We still have another summative, an essay-based assessment, next week. That is another 153 items to grade.

3. On March 20 and 23, students are taking a required assessment that has two short responses I have to grade. Add another 153 items to grade.

Did you do that math? --> 531 +153 + 153 = 837 assignments and assessments <--

And if snow days were used strategically, no one would be behind in grading on March 27 because Feb 23 was a fully paid teacher work day, and there are only 22 school days between due to holidays.

You very clearly do not understand the way grading works, especially in middle and high school. How could I have used snow days to grade work that hasn't been submitted? Please explain your twisted logic.

Obviously, I will need March 27's two hours, as well as most of Spring Break, to grade late work and to update grades.

I’m sorry you’re having a hard time motivating your students. That doesn’t justified a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars to parents so you can catch up.

This is a parenting issue, not a teacher issue with motivation of students.

"So you can catch up"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Snow days which may or may not occur in February cannot replace needed workdays in April. Sorry not ever happening.

All the contract requires a workday is that they take place on contracted days. Unless teachers want to go without pay on snow days, which seems foolish, there is no reason they cannot replace those days.

But the workday in April is at the end of the 3rd quarter. Isn’t it supposed to be used to catch up on grading? What does an unplanned snow day the first week of the quarter accomplish?

The work day in April is on April 5th, the first day of the fourth quarter. How behind do you think teachers are that they are are still grading on the first day of the next quarter? Whatever planning needed to be done on April 5 could easily be done on “a random day in February.” or perhaps the workday isn’t necessary at all, in which case by all means cancel and hold school.

Sunday April 5th is a Sunday, so I'm not sure why you expect teachers to be working.

Monday April 6th is a teacher workday. This allows them to input grades and other duties that need to happen at the end of a quarter.

+1 PP has no idea how grades work. They are still being finalized the first day of the next quarter as report cards would be coming out within a week or so of the new quarter. Teachers need that time to enter them. A random show day in February won’t help them with that.

The half day provided on March 27 is for precisely that reason. And if snow days were used strategically, no one would be behind in grading on March 27 because Feb 23 was a fully paid teacher work day, and there are only 22 school days between due to holidays.

If you can suggest a way to get my 153 students to turn in the 531 (yes, that number is correct) assignments that currently are missing, so I won't have to use the two hours I have on March 27 to grade work they turn in last minute, I'd love your ideas.

The county won't let me give them zeroes or to refuse to take late work, so the students feel there is no rush to submit missing assignments. They often wait until the last day of the quarter and then submit multiple assignments at once.

Just so you understand:

1. There are currently 531 missing assignments in my class, just from third quarter. They have only had eight graded assignments so far, and there are 531 missing assignments.

2. We still have another summative, an essay-based assessment, next week. That is another 153 items to grade.

3. On March 20 and 23, students are taking a required assessment that has two short responses I have to grade. Add another 153 items to grade.

Did you do that math? --> 531 +153 + 153 = 837 assignments and assessments <--

And if snow days were used strategically, no one would be behind in grading on March 27 because Feb 23 was a fully paid teacher work day, and there are only 22 school days between due to holidays.

You very clearly do not understand the way grading works, especially in middle and high school. How could I have used snow days to grade work that hasn't been submitted? Please explain your twisted logic.

Obviously, I will need March 27's two hours, as well as most of Spring Break, to grade late work and to update grades.

Sorry. The assessment is on March 19 and 23, not March 20.

So you don’t teach in Fairfax? Because the Fairfax handbook is pretty clear guidelines for when a zero can be given.

I do teach in Fairfax.

My administration interprets the grading and reporting guidelines as meaning we have to give students "a chance" to turn in the work, which means until the end of the quarter. Even though we hve a rolling gradebook, we can limit late work acceptance atthe end of each quarter.

That is your administration, stop, blaming “the county” when they give guidelines which do allow for zeros and for refusing late work after two weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Snow days which may or may not occur in February cannot replace needed workdays in April. Sorry not ever happening.

All the contract requires a workday is that they take place on contracted days. Unless teachers want to go without pay on snow days, which seems foolish, there is no reason they cannot replace those days.

But the workday in April is at the end of the 3rd quarter. Isn’t it supposed to be used to catch up on grading? What does an unplanned snow day the first week of the quarter accomplish?

The work day in April is on April 5th, the first day of the fourth quarter. How behind do you think teachers are that they are are still grading on the first day of the next quarter? Whatever planning needed to be done on April 5 could easily be done on “a random day in February.” or perhaps the workday isn’t necessary at all, in which case by all means cancel and hold school.

Sunday April 5th is a Sunday, so I'm not sure why you expect teachers to be working.

Monday April 6th is a teacher workday. This allows them to input grades and other duties that need to happen at the end of a quarter.

+1 PP has no idea how grades work. They are still being finalized the first day of the next quarter as report cards would be coming out within a week or so of the new quarter. Teachers need that time to enter them. A random show day in February won’t help them with that.

The half day provided on March 27 is for precisely that reason. And if snow days were used strategically, no one would be behind in grading on March 27 because Feb 23 was a fully paid teacher work day, and there are only 22 school days between due to holidays.

If you can suggest a way to get my 153 students to turn in the 531 (yes, that number is correct) assignments that currently are missing, so I won't have to use the two hours I have on March 27 to grade work they turn in last minute, I'd love your ideas.

The county won't let me give them zeroes or to refuse to take late work, so the students feel there is no rush to submit missing assignments. They often wait until the last day of the quarter and then submit multiple assignments at once.

Just so you understand:

1. There are currently 531 missing assignments in my class, just from third quarter. They have only had eight graded assignments so far, and there are 531 missing assignments.

2. We still have another summative, an essay-based assessment, next week. That is another 153 items to grade.

3. On March 20 and 23, students are taking a required assessment that has two short responses I have to grade. Add another 153 items to grade.

Did you do that math? --> 531 +153 + 153 = 837 assignments and assessments <--

And if snow days were used strategically, no one would be behind in grading on March 27 because Feb 23 was a fully paid teacher work day, and there are only 22 school days between due to holidays.

You very clearly do not understand the way grading works, especially in middle and high school. How could I have used snow days to grade work that hasn't been submitted? Please explain your twisted logic.

Obviously, I will need March 27's two hours, as well as most of Spring Break, to grade late work and to update grades.

I’m sorry you’re having a hard time motivating your students. That doesn’t justified a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars to parents so you can catch up.

This is a parenting issue, not a teacher issue with motivation of students.

"So you can catch up"?

A good teacher can motivate students to perform, and Fairfax doesn’t make you take assignments two weeks late. Yes, there’s always a role for parenting and improving performance, but again is you catching up with hundreds of thousands of dollars to the parent community?

[Anonymous]

The only logical response to some of the previous posters is:

All the regions
Do smilingly revolt, and who resists
Are mock’d for valiant ignorance,
And perish constant fools.

-- Coriolanus, Act III, Scene 1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Snow days which may or may not occur in February cannot replace needed workdays in April. Sorry not ever happening.

All the contract requires a workday is that they take place on contracted days. Unless teachers want to go without pay on snow days, which seems foolish, there is no reason they cannot replace those days.

But the workday in April is at the end of the 3rd quarter. Isn’t it supposed to be used to catch up on grading? What does an unplanned snow day the first week of the quarter accomplish?

The work day in April is on April 5th, the first day of the fourth quarter. How behind do you think teachers are that they are are still grading on the first day of the next quarter? Whatever planning needed to be done on April 5 could easily be done on “a random day in February.” or perhaps the workday isn’t necessary at all, in which case by all means cancel and hold school.

Sunday April 5th is a Sunday, so I'm not sure why you expect teachers to be working.

Monday April 6th is a teacher workday. This allows them to input grades and other duties that need to happen at the end of a quarter.

+1 PP has no idea how grades work. They are still being finalized the first day of the next quarter as report cards would be coming out within a week or so of the new quarter. Teachers need that time to enter them. A random show day in February won’t help them with that.

The half day provided on March 27 is for precisely that reason. And if snow days were used strategically, no one would be behind in grading on March 27 because Feb 23 was a fully paid teacher work day, and there are only 22 school days between due to holidays.

If you can suggest a way to get my 153 students to turn in the 531 (yes, that number is correct) assignments that currently are missing, so I won't have to use the two hours I have on March 27 to grade work they turn in last minute, I'd love your ideas.

The county won't let me give them zeroes or to refuse to take late work, so the students feel there is no rush to submit missing assignments. They often wait until the last day of the quarter and then submit multiple assignments at once.

Just so you understand:

1. There are currently 531 missing assignments in my class, just from third quarter. They have only had eight graded assignments so far, and there are 531 missing assignments.

2. We still have another summative, an essay-based assessment, next week. That is another 153 items to grade.

3. On March 20 and 23, students are taking a required assessment that has two short responses I have to grade. Add another 153 items to grade.

Did you do that math? --> 531 +153 + 153 = 837 assignments and assessments <--

And if snow days were used strategically, no one would be behind in grading on March 27 because Feb 23 was a fully paid teacher work day, and there are only 22 school days between due to holidays.

You very clearly do not understand the way grading works, especially in middle and high school. How could I have used snow days to grade work that hasn't been submitted? Please explain your twisted logic.

Obviously, I will need March 27's two hours, as well as most of Spring Break, to grade late work and to update grades.

+1,000 don’t bother trying to explain it to the idiots. They don’t and will never get it. A workday in February has no bearing on grading in March or April. It’s an asinine suggestion from someone who clearly has never been a teacher.

-former FCPS teacher and now parent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Snow days which may or may not occur in February cannot replace needed workdays in April. Sorry not ever happening.

All the contract requires a workday is that they take place on contracted days. Unless teachers want to go without pay on snow days, which seems foolish, there is no reason they cannot replace those days.

But the workday in April is at the end of the 3rd quarter. Isn’t it supposed to be used to catch up on grading? What does an unplanned snow day the first week of the quarter accomplish?

The work day in April is on April 5th, the first day of the fourth quarter. How behind do you think teachers are that they are are still grading on the first day of the next quarter? Whatever planning needed to be done on April 5 could easily be done on “a random day in February.” or perhaps the workday isn’t necessary at all, in which case by all means cancel and hold school.

Sunday April 5th is a Sunday, so I'm not sure why you expect teachers to be working.

Monday April 6th is a teacher workday. This allows them to input grades and other duties that need to happen at the end of a quarter.

+1 PP has no idea how grades work. They are still being finalized the first day of the next quarter as report cards would be coming out within a week or so of the new quarter. Teachers need that time to enter them. A random show day in February won’t help them with that.

The half day provided on March 27 is for precisely that reason. And if snow days were used strategically, no one would be behind in grading on March 27 because Feb 23 was a fully paid teacher work day, and there are only 22 school days between due to holidays.

If you can suggest a way to get my 153 students to turn in the 531 (yes, that number is correct) assignments that currently are missing, so I won't have to use the two hours I have on March 27 to grade work they turn in last minute, I'd love your ideas.

The county won't let me give them zeroes or to refuse to take late work, so the students feel there is no rush to submit missing assignments. They often wait until the last day of the quarter and then submit multiple assignments at once.

Just so you understand:

1. There are currently 531 missing assignments in my class, just from third quarter. They have only had eight graded assignments so far, and there are 531 missing assignments.

2. We still have another summative, an essay-based assessment, next week. That is another 153 items to grade.

3. On March 20 and 23, students are taking a required assessment that has two short responses I have to grade. Add another 153 items to grade.

Did you do that math? --> 531 +153 + 153 = 837 assignments and assessments <--

And if snow days were used strategically, no one would be behind in grading on March 27 because Feb 23 was a fully paid teacher work day, and there are only 22 school days between due to holidays.

You very clearly do not understand the way grading works, especially in middle and high school. How could I have used snow days to grade work that hasn't been submitted? Please explain your twisted logic.

Obviously, I will need March 27's two hours, as well as most of Spring Break, to grade late work and to update grades.

I’m sorry you’re having a hard time motivating your students. That doesn’t justified a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars to parents so you can catch up.

You are a bonafide idiot.