Why no single platform?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m not going to read all 6 pages but here is the answer:

MCPS wanted to use one platform: MyMCPS classroom. But lots of teachers who have been using Google classroom for years pushed back, and their union pushed back, so now they have a choice between the two.

MCPS had the opportunity to ensure two years ago that teachers were trained on MyMCPS and insist it be used. But they didn’t want to pay for the training so they told teachers to do what worked. Google Classroom worked. This opportunity existed again LAST SUMMER, but MCPS decided it wasn’t worth the money to train the entire teaching staff since MyMCPS will be abandoned this summer.

Tell the whole truth, PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not going to read all 6 pages but here is the answer:

MCPS wanted to use one platform: MyMCPS classroom. But lots of teachers who have been using Google classroom for years pushed back, and their union pushed back, so now they have a choice between the two.

And what a glorious mess this has become because MCPS gave tecahers the final say. Can I, as a parent, choose to opt-out of this holy mess without my kids being penalized?

I'm feeling the same way. I did notice in one of MCPS emails they said they are working out how quarter 4 grading will work. I'm hoping it will be flexible enough that we can stop worrying about this. We are doing the best we can but I am afraid we are missing things, etc.

I’ll say it gently because I know we’re all stressed, but these are first world problems. Many, many kids are not logging on at all for a variety of reasons: language, lack of connectivity and information, poverty, lack of parental guidance. MCPS is not going to wholesale fail everyone. But if your main frustration is that there are too many platforms, just do your best. You have a computer, you have wifi, and you know how to log in. You and your child are winning. This will not go on their permanent record. Just try, and try to be calm for your child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not going to read all 6 pages but here is the answer:

MCPS wanted to use one platform: MyMCPS classroom. But lots of teachers who have been using Google classroom for years pushed back, and their union pushed back, so now they have a choice between the two.

And what a glorious mess this has become because MCPS gave tecahers the final say. Can I, as a parent, choose to opt-out of this holy mess without my kids being penalized?

I'm feeling the same way. I did notice in one of MCPS emails they said they are working out how quarter 4 grading will work. I'm hoping it will be flexible enough that we can stop worrying about this. We are doing the best we can but I am afraid we are missing things, etc.

I’ll say it gently because I know we’re all stressed, but these are first world problems. Many, many kids are not logging on at all for a variety of reasons: language, lack of connectivity and information, poverty, lack of parental guidance. MCPS is not going to wholesale fail everyone. But if your main frustration is that there are too many platforms, just do your best. You have a computer, you have wifi, and you know how to log in. You and your child are winning. This will not go on their permanent record. Just try, and try to be calm for your child.

As the PP - thanks. I am stressed. I'm a single mom - with a SN kid and having a lot of difficulties figuring out all the assignments. My dad is in hospital and we can't even go in and see him. I feel he is approaching end of life and I'm just so sad. Plus attempting to actually do my job. Maybe I should take the MCPS stuff less seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not going to read all 6 pages but here is the answer:

MCPS wanted to use one platform: MyMCPS classroom. But lots of teachers who have been using Google classroom for years pushed back, and their union pushed back, so now they have a choice between the two.

MCPS had the opportunity to ensure two years ago that teachers were trained on MyMCPS and insist it be used. But they didn’t want to pay for the training so they told teachers to do what worked. Google Classroom worked. This opportunity existed again LAST SUMMER, but MCPS decided it wasn’t worth the money to train the entire teaching staff since MyMCPS will be abandoned this summer.

Tell the whole truth, PP.

So you’re saying that two years ago MCPS could have solved all this if only they had anticipated a global pandemic? MyMCPS may be a better platform for distance learning, but no one anticipated needing so much distance learning.

[Anonymous]

We live in a suburb of Washington DC. Yes, MCPS should have anticipated and planned for a long term closure. That is undeniable. They chose to spend limited funds on other priorities. That is the reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We live in a suburb of Washington DC. Yes, MCPS should have anticipated and planned for a long term closure. That is undeniable. They chose to spend limited funds on other priorities. That is the reality.

Why, exactly?

With all of the many, many needs MCPS has to try to address, this should have been their priority?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We live in a suburb of Washington DC. Yes, MCPS should have anticipated and planned for a long term closure. That is undeniable. They chose to spend limited funds on other priorities. That is the reality.

PP here - in spite of that, I think MCPS is doing a great job overall. But in the future we need to learn from this and streamline so we are ready the next time. And of course, many of those “other priorities” were at the direction of the BOE. The budget will take a huge hit over this and we can probably expect that some kids will move away while others move here. We need to think very carefully about what we are spending money on here in Montgomery County.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in a suburb of Washington DC. Yes, MCPS should have anticipated and planned for a long term closure. That is undeniable. They chose to spend limited funds on other priorities. That is the reality.

Why, exactly?

With all of the many, many needs MCPS has to try to address, this should have been their priority?

Because the experts have been predicting a pandemic for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in a suburb of Washington DC. Yes, MCPS should have anticipated and planned for a long term closure. That is undeniable. They chose to spend limited funds on other priorities. That is the reality.

Why, exactly?

With all of the many, many needs MCPS has to try to address, this should have been their priority?

Because the experts have been predicting a pandemic for years.

They should have designed all of their systems so to prioritize utility in case something possibly happened at some point in the future? Versus prioritizing utility for actual, current, immediate use? That doesn't make sense, and DCUM would have screamed its head off.

Q: Why is the system this way?
A: Because experts predict that there will be a pandemic at some point in the future.
Q: But I need to use it right now...

Imagine.

[Anonymous]

I am amazed at how the two platform supporters can’t admit that possibly, just possibly, that was a bad decision.

[Anonymous]

There is grace in admitting something was a bad idea, apologizing, and moving forward.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is grace in admitting something was a bad idea, apologizing, and moving forward.

Hilarious!! You must be new to MCPS.

MCPS stood by the useless Curriculum 2.0 for years before being forced to admit it was a bad idea thanks to the JH audit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in a suburb of Washington DC. Yes, MCPS should have anticipated and planned for a long term closure. That is undeniable. They chose to spend limited funds on other priorities. That is the reality.

PP here - in spite of that, I think MCPS is doing a great job overall. But in the future we need to learn from this and streamline so we are ready the next time. And of course, many of those “other priorities” were at the direction of the BOE. The budget will take a huge hit over this and we can probably expect that some kids will move away while others move here. We need to think very carefully about what we are spending money on here in Montgomery County.

If the economy tanks, a lot of kids currently in private school will move to MCPS, so enrollment will increase.

Meanwhile, there won't be any money to build new schools, so schools in affluent parts of the county will get even more overcrowded - unless MCPS does the boundary changes which the current affluent parents are currently (or at least were, before the pandemic) vehemently opposing even the possible idea of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in a suburb of Washington DC. Yes, MCPS should have anticipated and planned for a long term closure. That is undeniable. They chose to spend limited funds on other priorities. That is the reality.

PP here - in spite of that, I think MCPS is doing a great job overall. But in the future we need to learn from this and streamline so we are ready the next time. And of course, many of those “other priorities” were at the direction of the BOE. The budget will take a huge hit over this and we can probably expect that some kids will move away while others move here. We need to think very carefully about what we are spending money on here in Montgomery County.

Nah.

Montgomery County voters think we have a limitless amount of money and can spend as much as we want for as long as we want as long as it makes us ‘feel good’.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not going to read all 6 pages but here is the answer:

MCPS wanted to use one platform: MyMCPS classroom. But lots of teachers who have been using Google classroom for years pushed back, and their union pushed back, so now they have a choice between the two.

And what a glorious mess this has become because MCPS gave tecahers the final say. Can I, as a parent, choose to opt-out of this holy mess without my kids being penalized?

I'm feeling the same way. I did notice in one of MCPS emails they said they are working out how quarter 4 grading will work. I'm hoping it will be flexible enough that we can stop worrying about this. We are doing the best we can but I am afraid we are missing things, etc.

I’ll say it gently because I know we’re all stressed, but these are first world problems. Many, many kids are not logging on at all for a variety of reasons: language, lack of connectivity and information, poverty, lack of parental guidance. MCPS is not going to wholesale fail everyone. But if your main frustration is that there are too many platforms, just do your best. You have a computer, you have wifi, and you know how to log in. You and your child are winning. This will not go on their permanent record. Just try, and try to be calm for your child.

As the PP - thanks. I am stressed. I'm a single mom - with a SN kid and having a lot of difficulties figuring out all the assignments. My dad is in hospital and we can't even go in and see him. I feel he is approaching end of life and I'm just so sad. Plus attempting to actually do my job. Maybe I should take the MCPS stuff less seriously.

DP

Definitely take the MCPS stuff less seriously. Try to make sure your kid is doing most of the work and move along. It’s truly not that important.

I do disagree with the PP who seems to imply that simply because your kid has access to a computer and WiFi, she is ‘winning’?

No, we all have our own challenges and your challenges are no ‘less’ than someone else’s. Hang in there and I hope things get better for your dad and you.