Reply to MCPS Teachers and Staff: Do awards and spotlight recognitions by BOE and Taylor really help boost morale?

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Reply to "MCPS Teachers and Staff: Do awards and spotlight recognitions by BOE and Taylor really help boost morale?"

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[quote=Anonymous]It looks like Taylor is using the equivalent of the Gold-Star strategy that many elementary school teachers use to reward young kids for good behavior.

Since Taylor has come into office, he's rolled out A LOT of new "award" programs and recognitions. From what I can tell, he's doing a lot of this because he believes offering up more awards is way to boost employee morale.

He's a quick glimpse at some of the many awards and new recognitions Taylor has trotted out since his arrival:

[b]The MCPS "Fire" Ribbon[/b]

[twitter]https://x.com/MCPS/status/2031401006660042943[/twitter]

[twitter]https://x.com/MCPS/status/2028876867902542052[/twitter]

[b]The Celebration Express (think this celebrates various union-led awards)[/b]

[twitter]https://x.com/MCPS/status/2031084708453347427[/twitter]

[twitter]https://x.com/MCPS/status/2031005649010651172[/twitter]

[i]Note: Principal Damon Monteleone does NOT look like he's onboard with the Celebration Express judging by his grimace[/i]

[b]The Unreasonable Hospitality Award[/b]

[twitter]https://x.com/MCPS/status/1988974943535788084[/twitter]

[b]Distinguished Service to Education Awards[/b]

Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mcpsmd/albums/72177720324887054/

Winners Announcement: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/news/mcps-news/2025/05/2025-mcps-teacher-of-the-year/

[i]Honestly, I'm a bit confused on if this is a separate set of awards or merely a ceremony for the already union-endorsed Staff/Teacher of the Year Awards that are part of the #CelebrationExpress[/i]

[i]Note: I only focused on the "awards" MCPS and the BOE seem to own and manage. There are a whole HOST of other awards and recognitions from other associations, state and federal government agencies that also dot the landscape as well. Not to mention all of the BOE officially recognized weeks like "Mental Awareness Week," "National Inclusive Schools Week," etc.[/i]

To be clear: I'm an MCPS parent, not a teacher. And while I know on a human level, most people want to be seen and appreciated for what they do, I can't help but put my critical hat on and feel like this stuff might be empty and performative. But that's just me and I'm not the target audience. So here's my question to MCPS staff and teachers: Is this working?

Do these "Fire" Ribbon spotlights and impromptu visits with MCPS leadership and Board of Education members skinning and grinning for a photo op with you make you feel better about coming to work everyday? Does it make you love your job more or at least hate your job less? Do these spotlights and awards help you to be more tolerant of the systemic inequities, frustrations and barriers?

Do teachers and staff up their game everyday in the hopes of being featured and spotlighted in a social media post as a result of all these recognition opportunities?

If so, I'm glad to hear it. If this motivates MCPS staff to do and be their best, then I'm happy.

If not, are you all telling anyone in the system your true feelings about this stuff?[/quote]

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