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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I feel like one big factor that doesn’t help and that FCPS can’t control is the ability for so many other professions to work from home at least part time now. It’s hard to sign up for a job that has none of that flexibility when others around you are in sweatpants on Zoom. Never mind the low pay and extra aggravation. I know teaching is a calling, but at some point those quality of life factors start to weigh more heavily. This issue obviously isn’t specific to FCPS but being in a high COL area with bad traffic and crazy parents just adds to the challenges.

COVID changed the working world and attitudes toward work. We are going to see fewer people interested in going into teaching because of it. [/quote]

Agree with you 100%. And I wonder at what point the pressure to staff schools becomes so critical that flexibility is offered to retain/attract staff. For example, 4 slightly longer school days per week instead of 5, and students focus on asynchronous work on the 5th. Or early release Friday at noon every week when teachers can go home (or stay) to focus on the many hours of grading, planning, copying, parent meetings, etc. many of which are usually reserved for the weekend. Work has changed and the model of “work in front of student all week with no time for all the other minutiae of your job until the system runs you into the ground” can’t possibly continue.

If there’s no money for significant compensation changes, benefits in the form of work life balance and others need to be considered. [/quote]

Haha, if we went to a 4 day school week, vacancies in FCPS schools would cease to exists, as every teacher in the metro area would flock here and principals would be knee deep in the resumes of the best and brightest. For that reason it will likely not happen, because it makes sense, it is the future, and a bunch of wealthy parents who don’t like their kids will throw fits that they have to see them for another day.

On a more serious note, check out some articles on school divisions that have gone to 4 day weeks. The school communities (after some initial growing pains) are experiencing much success. [/quote]

If they would actually give the kids packets and work to do on the asynchronous day AND pay lower wage help to staff babysitting duty for all ES (if you want to keep your kid home fine but otherwise it’s free and available for all kids) then a 4 day week could be ok. But the reality is most jobs are 5 days a week and so school needs to be too. [/quote]

AP teacher here. My job requires 7 days a week. I average 14 hours of work a weekend, and usually do an additional 3-4 each night. Where are these 5-day teaching jobs? It certainly isn’t reaching an advanced high school course! I’m refusing to teach it next year, just like several of my colleagues. It is becoming hard to find teachers willing to take on this additional load with no extra compensation in pay or TIME.

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