Our fcps posts the lists at open house.

"Responsibilities involving time in excess of 7 1/2 hours per day or 8 hours per day if assigned to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and extended-day schools may be scheduled by the principal or program manager. Such duties shall normally relate to, but are not limited to, pupil transportation, faculty meetings, student-related activities, and parent conferences. A teacher's primary responsibility shall be to teach, and, whenever feasible, the assignment of nonteaching duties to teachers should be limited."

FCPS administrator and parent here. There are no "contract hours." Teachers have a 7.5 hour work day. The above quote is directly from the regs.

I heard about the home visits from a colleague and then talked with the principal there. We're going to try it at our school in a few weeks. Yes, a "Welcome Walk" or other home visit event would be a school-based decision and yes, there may be teachers that wouldn't be able to do the home visits. It probably wouldn't work or might need some adjustments at an AAP center or immersion school where kids come from a wider area. But if it's part of the culture of the school and, teachers see the immense value in it, they're excited to do it. I'm planning to feed them dinner (not pizza) and adjust their start time the next day. In the end, it's a win-win for everyone and starts the year off on the right foot for everyone. A friendly welcome at the start goes a long way in establishing a positive working relationship with students and families.

I think they like to do it as close as possible to the open house to try to prevent parents from begging for teacher/room changes.

What time at night do they do these visits?

My DH is an AP with FCPS and I asked him about this. He said it would definitely have to be a school based decision. He couldn't require it of staff if it was after 3:30, and if a couple couldn't make it they wouldn't be able to do it. He has staff members who drive from Loudoun and near Falmouth and he wouldn't want them to wait around or drive back and forth if it was in the evening. The exception is Back To School Night, which they try to have as early as possible in the evening. It also wouldn't be feasible for schools with AAP or immersion since they draw from all over the county. He knows of some schools that take bus rides through the neighborhoods at the beginning of the year. There might be some liability issues in requiring teachers to use their own cars to visit homes off of contract hours.

I think it's a great idea and would be really exciting to meet the teacher in a non-classroom way. Just a nice way to break the ice... but I can see how it would only work in a neighborhood where everyone lives very close to the school. It probably wouldn't work in our neighborhood where the teacher would have to drive to several different subdivisions (and beyond for kids who are pupil-placing into our school).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ours posts on the front doors at 4pm on Wed. Then that evening all of the teachers go out into the neighborhood and make a quick visit to each child's home. It's called "The Welcome Walk." we love it. On Friday there's a short open house in the morning where you can drop off your supplies and see the classroom.

Where I work, Open House is always on Thursday. I'd prefer Friday. I don't always have the room "ready" for Thurs.

That's interesting that they visit each child's home in the evening. I think I would be unavailable that night.

The teachers have been doing it for almost 10 years at Hollin Meadows. They talk about it being one of the best school events. Luckily I don't have to worry about you ever teaching my kids there. With your piss-poor attitude, they wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole.

Seriously though...what if you were busy that night? I bet there would be pressure to do it even if you weren't able to do so.

Parents know about it well in advance. We get letters, email and KIT reminders. Many of us have cookies and treats waiting. It's a way for everyone to connect and start the year off on a positive note. My kids love looking out the window and seeing who comes to the door. It's great to see the teachers driving around the neighborhood.

The cynicism here is quite disturbing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ours posts on the front doors at 4pm on Wed. Then that evening all of the teachers go out into the neighborhood and make a quick visit to each child's home. It's called "The Welcome Walk." we love it. On Friday there's a short open house in the morning where you can drop off your supplies and see the classroom.

Where I work, Open House is always on Thursday. I'd prefer Friday. I don't always have the room "ready" for Thurs.

That's interesting that they visit each child's home in the evening. I think I would be unavailable that night.

The teachers have been doing it for almost 10 years at Hollin Meadows. They talk about it being one of the best school events. Luckily I don't have to worry about you ever teaching my kids there. With your piss-poor attitude, they wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole.

I can't decide if they do this because they actually care or because they are nosy. It seems really, really forward to go knocking on all 25-ish kid's doors uninvited.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ours posts on the front doors at 4pm on Wed. Then that evening all of the teachers go out into the neighborhood and make a quick visit to each child's home. It's called "The Welcome Walk." we love it. On Friday there's a short open house in the morning where you can drop off your supplies and see the classroom.

Where I work, Open House is always on Thursday. I'd prefer Friday. I don't always have the room "ready" for Thurs.

That's interesting that they visit each child's home in the evening. I think I would be unavailable that night.

The teachers have been doing it for almost 10 years at Hollin Meadows. They talk about it being one of the best school events. Luckily I don't have to worry about you ever teaching my kids there. With your piss-poor attitude, they wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole.

Anonymous wrote:Ours posts on the front doors at 4pm on Wed. Then that evening all of the teachers go out into the neighborhood and make a quick visit to each child's home. It's called "The Welcome Walk." we love it. On Friday there's a short open house in the morning where you can drop off your supplies and see the classroom.

Where I work, Open House is always on Thursday. I'd prefer Friday. I don't always have the room "ready" for Thurs.

That's interesting that they visit each child's home in the evening. I think I would be unavailable that night.

Ours posts on the front doors at 4pm on Wed. Then that evening all of the teachers go out into the neighborhood and make a quick visit to each child's home. It's called "The Welcome Walk." we love it. On Friday there's a short open house in the morning where you can drop off your supplies and see the classroom.

It varies by school. Ours posts the class lists on the front doors at 4pm on the Wed before school starts. Open House is held from 2:30-4 on Thursday.

Up until a year or two ago we waited until Open House to find out. Our school now mails the info. We get it a day or two before the Open House, which is the Thursday before school starts.

Check your school website or call the office. Ours are posted at exactly 12:00 on the Wed. before school starts. The open house is Thurs. before school starts. They don't mail this info. If you can't make those dates, you just wait until the first day and find out then.

When are these sent out?