Virtual Learning - Why Not MCPS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s no longer true that every student has a Chromebook. Some schools returned to the cart model because parents complained about 1:1.

Every kid in middle and high school has a chromebook all the time.

My middle schooler does not have a Chromebook.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did the teacher's union vote against it? I thought they needed time to switch to virtual.

MCPS should take the upcoming summer to devise a plan for virtual for days like today. BOE, are you there, it's us concerned families?

The plan is obvious: don't do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s no longer true that every student has a Chromebook. Some schools returned to the cart model because parents complained about 1:1.

Every kid in middle and high school has a chromebook all the time.

My kids (bcc cluster) certainly do. I read that Pyle MS moved away to having carts so kids only get Chromebooks when they need them which is not as often, but even if that’s the case, there are enough laptops for every student and central office should have had the foresight to tell schools to distribute them on Thursday and Friday considering every news outlet predicted a major storm.

You must be at Westland. Silver Creek uses the cart model.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How can so many other school systems implement virtual learning when there are long-predicted prolonged absences.

Every student has a Chromebook.

Is it ideal? No.

Will there be complete equitable participation? No.

Will it prevent school from going well into the summer? Yes.

I just don’t get it.

Because virtual learning was a disaster. Because many 3rd and forth graders (and older ones too) will be providing child care for their young siblings and unable will be unable login. Because some families have a family of 4 or 6 or more in a one bed room apartment, and there's no way for virtual learning to take place.

Stop using others as talking points. Many seemed to make it work just fine. Why couldn't you?

"Many" don't have kids with special needs whose IEPs specify supports and services that won't be provided through virtual school, synchronously or asynchronously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s no longer true that every student has a Chromebook. Some schools returned to the cart model because parents complained about 1:1.

Every kid in middle and high school has a chromebook all the time.

My kids (bcc cluster) certainly do. I read that Pyle MS moved away to having carts so kids only get Chromebooks when they need them which is not as often, but even if that’s the case, there are enough laptops for every student and central office should have had the foresight to tell schools to distribute them on Thursday and Friday considering every news outlet predicted a major storm.

You must be at Westland. Silver Creek uses the cart model.

The storm was predicted for a week. silver creek could have taken the computers off the cart and sent them home. My MS kid has been using his to do IXL and a few of his teachers posted assignments today due 2 days after school is back in session (whenever that is.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s no longer true that every student has a Chromebook. Some schools returned to the cart model because parents complained about 1:1.

Every kid in middle and high school has a chromebook all the time.

My kids (bcc cluster) certainly do. I read that Pyle MS moved away to having carts so kids only get Chromebooks when they need them which is not as often, but even if that’s the case, there are enough laptops for every student and central office should have had the foresight to tell schools to distribute them on Thursday and Friday considering every news outlet predicted a major storm.

You must be at Westland. Silver Creek uses the cart model.

The storm was predicted for a week. silver creek could have taken the computers off the cart and sent them home. My MS kid has been using his to do IXL and a few of his teachers posted assignments today due 2 days after school is back in session (whenever that is.)

If they have a cart model, they probably don't have enough to give a Chromebook to each kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCPS had asynchronous learning assignments today. DCPS is back to school tomorrow on a two hour delay.

MCPS is just not well managed.

Does DCPS have better academic outcomes than MCPS? No.

So the fact that they do asynchronous learning assignments is no feather in their cap.

Also, MCPS did an asynchronous day last year and it was a disaster. Most kids didn't do the asynchronous work they were assigned on that day.

My kids did the work, why didn't yours?

+1. What was your evidence that the asynchronous work was a “disaster?”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s no longer true that every student has a Chromebook. Some schools returned to the cart model because parents complained about 1:1.

Every kid in middle and high school has a chromebook all the time.

My kids (bcc cluster) certainly do. I read that Pyle MS moved away to having carts so kids only get Chromebooks when they need them which is not as often, but even if that’s the case, there are enough laptops for every student and central office should have had the foresight to tell schools to distribute them on Thursday and Friday considering every news outlet predicted a major storm.

You must be at Westland. Silver Creek uses the cart model.

The storm was predicted for a week. silver creek could have taken the computers off the cart and sent them home. My MS kid has been using his to do IXL and a few of his teachers posted assignments today due 2 days after school is back in session (whenever that is.)

If they have a cart model, they probably don't have enough to give a Chromebook to each kid.

That’s not how the cart model works. There is enough for each kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We may not have virtual learning as a back up plan or enough extra days built into the school calendar to account for snow, and we might go into late June, but at least we get the superintendent’s snow day videos…

+1. Yes, and if I watch Taylor’s snow day video again, maybe I will feel better about my kids not getting 180 days of education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How can so many other school systems implement virtual learning when there are long-predicted prolonged absences.

Every student has a Chromebook.

Is it ideal? No.

Will there be complete equitable participation? No.

Will it prevent school from going well into the summer? Yes.

I just don’t get it.

What? No, every student does not have a Chromebook. Neither of mine does. Do you I
mean that every HS kid has a Chromebook? That is different.

HS kids have Chromebooks, MS kids have Chromebooks. 4th and 5th graders have Chromebooks assigned even though they don’t bring them back and forth the way older kids do.

k-3 teachers could send asynchronous assignments to parents for younger kids the way they did during parts of the Covid period.


If central office has planned better, they could have made sure all kids went home with Chromebooks on the Friday before the storm.

This, younger teachers could send home a packet or assign pages in the workbook - email parents about the assignments. MS and HS can email/put on canvas. Some of our teachers are.

Yes a few of my kids’ MS teachers started to put assignments up today although they were careful to phrase them as voluntary and due a few days after school starts up again in person. I felt like they knew they were supposed to be “code red” but were trying to be quiet about assignments because they knew their kids are getting so far behind schedule on what they need to cover in the curriculum.

These sound like good teachers.

Honestly, with one exception, I’ve been so impressed with all my kids’ MCPS teachers. They have all been very experienced and most seem to care so much about their kids.

But MCPS administration seems to make it very hard for them to do their job well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCPS had asynchronous learning assignments today. DCPS is back to school tomorrow on a two hour delay.

MCPS is just not well managed.

Does DCPS have better academic outcomes than MCPS? No.

So the fact that they do asynchronous learning assignments is no feather in their cap.

Also, MCPS did an asynchronous day last year and it was a disaster. Most kids didn't do the asynchronous work they were assigned on that day.

DP. Plus the state doesn't allow asynchronous days to count toward the 180, so that wouldn't help MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone with high schoolers can scream all you want, but virtual doesn't work for younger elementary kids. They don't have chromebooks. They don't have textbooks. Lessons aren't available to parents.

You’re adorable. My high schooler was actually a 3rd grader when the pandemic started and we used our own devices in the beginning. They didn’t issue Chromebooks and teachers didn’t know how to set up documents so we were printing out worksheets emailed by the central office, scanning them in and uploading them. Now teachers at least know how to set this stuff up and your kids definitely know how to use zoom.

My kids have never used zoom. And my son certainly isn't going to sit at a laptop without a paraeducator.

They don't have textbooks. We don't even get lessons for how to do the homework they send home now, nor do the teachers respond to questions about how to it (other than saying to just skip it). Virtual would be a disaster if they tried to cover anything new.

None of our kids had used zoom before the pandemic. They learned because they had to, and no, no one sent a paraeducator to our houses to teach them.

Every single kid in MCPS did virtual learning for a year. It’s not a big flex to do it for a few snow days as an imperfect alternative to having no educational opportunities at all.

The alternative isn't "no educational opportunities"! It's using the make-up days in the calendar.

There’s only 1 snow day in the MCPS calendar. What would those makeup days be?

Would they be in end June and would MCPS send out that same email that says “we know families already made plans during these days and no instruction will be going on during these days.”

My kids attended all 3 June makeup days last week and they watched videos and did teacher assigned puzzle worksheets.

I assume pp was referring to 3/20 and 4/15.

Who agreed to use 3/20 and 4/15? Last year they just tacked on days at end June.

Anyway MCPS needs to make up 4 snow days already and we haven’t even finished January. Whomever put only 1 snow day into the school year should be fired for incompetence

So far they only have to make up 2. Monday was already a day off, and Tuesday was the built in day. Wed & Th need to be made up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCPS had asynchronous learning assignments today. DCPS is back to school tomorrow on a two hour delay.

MCPS is just not well managed.

Does DCPS have better academic outcomes than MCPS? No.

So the fact that they do asynchronous learning assignments is no feather in their cap.

Also, MCPS did an asynchronous day last year and it was a disaster. Most kids didn't do the asynchronous work they were assigned on that day.

DP. Plus the state doesn't allow asynchronous days to count toward the 180, so that wouldn't help MCPS.

It might you know, actually help the students learn their assigned curriculum to be able to progress on it while school is closed for a week. Because that’s supposed to be the outcome of an education-to learn the material.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone with high schoolers can scream all you want, but virtual doesn't work for younger elementary kids. They don't have chromebooks. They don't have textbooks. Lessons aren't available to parents.

You’re adorable. My high schooler was actually a 3rd grader when the pandemic started and we used our own devices in the beginning. They didn’t issue Chromebooks and teachers didn’t know how to set up documents so we were printing out worksheets emailed by the central office, scanning them in and uploading them. Now teachers at least know how to set this stuff up and your kids definitely know how to use zoom.

My kids have never used zoom. And my son certainly isn't going to sit at a laptop without a paraeducator.

They don't have textbooks. We don't even get lessons for how to do the homework they send home now, nor do the teachers respond to questions about how to it (other than saying to just skip it). Virtual would be a disaster if they tried to cover anything new.

None of our kids had used zoom before the pandemic. They learned because they had to, and no, no one sent a paraeducator to our houses to teach them.

Every single kid in MCPS did virtual learning for a year. It’s not a big flex to do it for a few snow days as an imperfect alternative to having no educational opportunities at all.

The alternative isn't "no educational opportunities"! It's using the make-up days in the calendar.

There’s only 1 snow day in the MCPS calendar. What would those makeup days be?

Would they be in end June and would MCPS send out that same email that says “we know families already made plans during these days and no instruction will be going on during these days.”

My kids attended all 3 June makeup days last week and they watched videos and did teacher assigned puzzle worksheets.

I assume pp was referring to 3/20 and 4/15.

Who agreed to use 3/20 and 4/15? Last year they just tacked on days at end June.

Anyway MCPS needs to make up 4 snow days already and we haven’t even finished January. Whomever put only 1 snow day into the school year should be fired for incompetence

So far they only have to make up 2. Monday was already a day off, and Tuesday was the built in day. Wed & Th need to be made up.

I doubt they will use 3/20 and 4/15. They’ll add the useless days in June again. And data suggests that we will have more snow days than just the 3 this week. We haven’t even finished January yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s no longer true that every student has a Chromebook. Some schools returned to the cart model because parents complained about 1:1.

Every kid in middle and high school has a chromebook all the time.

My kids (bcc cluster) certainly do. I read that Pyle MS moved away to having carts so kids only get Chromebooks when they need them which is not as often, but even if that’s the case, there are enough laptops for every student and central office should have had the foresight to tell schools to distribute them on Thursday and Friday considering every news outlet predicted a major storm.

You must be at Westland. Silver Creek uses the cart model.

The storm was predicted for a week. silver creek could have taken the computers off the cart and sent them home. My MS kid has been using his to do IXL and a few of his teachers posted assignments today due 2 days after school is back in session (whenever that is.)

If MCPS wanted to do virtual, they would have had to come up with a plan, presented it at the BOE, provided an opportunity to have public comment, and then the BOE would have needed to vote to adopt it. It could not be asynchronous; only synchronous instruction counts. These are all state requirements. MCPS did not of these. So no, Silver Creek and other schools could not have simply sent students home with Chromebooks. MUCH more planning would have had to go into it.