Anonymous
Post 01/06/2022 09:33     Subject: Re:ACPS virtual Monday
Totally agree. Not sure if he’s at GWMS but I found homework absolutely excessive there for our kids, and that was before block scheduling, which hopefully makes it a little better. My kids had hours of homework every night, even in 6th grade. Good luck to your kiddo!


He is, and that is helpful to know. He has a mild disability, but is in honors classes, and I was questioning whether it was something about his disability causing this. It is good to know that the work is taking other kids a long time too.

Anonymous
Post 01/05/2022 19:32     Subject: Re:ACPS virtual Monday
Interesting that tomorrow ACPS is closed for in person and virtual teaching, but having a virtual workday for teachers. So, is it officially a snow day? Are they revisiting the concept of virtual under the circumstances? Who knows! I was actually expecting in person with a two hour delay. Friday will obviously be closed for in person with the next blast of snow.
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2022 16:31     Subject: Re:ACPS virtual Monday
Anonymous wrote:

I agree for elementary kids, and for kids that lost internet or power, this sucks. However, my son is in middle school and the time has been great for him to work on two big long term projects he has due in late January. However, it seems unfair because other kids without power and internet are deprived of that catch up opportunity.


That’s great he’s working on projects, but that still doesn’t make these instructional teaching days if you really think about it. They are snow days, plain and simple.


No, it doesn't make them instructional days, but IMO, he has too much home/independent work for a seventh grader, so I'd rather he have this time to do it, rather than be in school all day and then have to do it. I didn't have this much work when I was in high school (at a math and science magnet high school in another state).


Totally agree. Not sure if he’s at GWMS but I found homework absolutely excessive there for our kids, and that was before block scheduling, which hopefully makes it a little better. My kids had hours of homework every night, even in 6th grade. Good luck to your kiddo!
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2022 16:30     Subject: Re:ACPS virtual Monday
Anonymous wrote:

I agree for elementary kids, and for kids that lost internet or power, this sucks. However, my son is in middle school and the time has been great for him to work on two big long term projects he has due in late January. However, it seems unfair because other kids without power and internet are deprived of that catch up opportunity.


That’s great he’s working on projects, but that still doesn’t make these instructional teaching days if you really think about it. They are snow days, plain and simple.


No, it doesn't make them instructional days, but IMO, he has too much home/independent work for a seventh grader, so I'd rather he have this time to do it, rather than be in school all day and then have to do it. I didn't have this much work when I was in high school (at a math and science magnet high school in another state).


Unless these projects are for a world language or math class for which he is receiving high school credit, they don't matter much.
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2022 15:43     Subject: Re:ACPS virtual Monday

I agree for elementary kids, and for kids that lost internet or power, this sucks. However, my son is in middle school and the time has been great for him to work on two big long term projects he has due in late January. However, it seems unfair because other kids without power and internet are deprived of that catch up opportunity.


That’s great he’s working on projects, but that still doesn’t make these instructional teaching days if you really think about it. They are snow days, plain and simple.


No, it doesn't make them instructional days, but IMO, he has too much home/independent work for a seventh grader, so I'd rather he have this time to do it, rather than be in school all day and then have to do it. I didn't have this much work when I was in high school (at a math and science magnet high school in another state).
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2022 14:44     Subject: Re:ACPS virtual Monday
Anonymous wrote:
ACPS teacher here. Less than half of my students have even logged into Canvas this week. Many had no power and/or internet today. I’m not allowed to teach new content and I can’t assign required work (because I’m not allowed to give grades). These are not legitimate school days, yet they’ll count toward the annual total.


Thank you for calling this out. As a parent, I’m actually horrified ACPS is getting instructional credit for these meaningless “virtual learning” days. Seems like gaming the system while other schools in our area see these days for what they are, non-school snow days. I’m sure it just creates more hassle and busy work for teachers too, many of whom are also home caring for their own kids.


Another ACPS teacher here and I agree with both of the above. These are not real school days, they are next to meaningless, causing anxiety to many students who are without internet due to storm, and create excess hassle for everyone.


I agree for elementary kids, and for kids that lost internet or power, this sucks. However, my son is in middle school and the time has been great for him to work on two big long term projects he has due in late January. However, it seems unfair because other kids without power and internet are deprived of that catch up opportunity.


That’s great he’s working on projects, but that still doesn’t make these instructional teaching days if you really think about it. They are snow days, plain and simple.
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2022 12:29     Subject: Re:ACPS virtual Monday
ACPS teacher here. Less than half of my students have even logged into Canvas this week. Many had no power and/or internet today. I’m not allowed to teach new content and I can’t assign required work (because I’m not allowed to give grades). These are not legitimate school days, yet they’ll count toward the annual total.


Thank you for calling this out. As a parent, I’m actually horrified ACPS is getting instructional credit for these meaningless “virtual learning” days. Seems like gaming the system while other schools in our area see these days for what they are, non-school snow days. I’m sure it just creates more hassle and busy work for teachers too, many of whom are also home caring for their own kids.


Another ACPS teacher here and I agree with both of the above. These are not real school days, they are next to meaningless, causing anxiety to many students who are without internet due to storm, and create excess hassle for everyone.


I agree for elementary kids, and for kids that lost internet or power, this sucks. However, my son is in middle school and the time has been great for him to work on two big long term projects he has due in late January. However, it seems unfair because other kids without power and internet are deprived of that catch up opportunity.
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2022 10:16     Subject: ACPS virtual Monday
Anonymous wrote:Is there a way to complain to VDOE? This doesn’t pass the smell test. I am really sick of Hutching’s shenanigans.


I don’t know if it’s worth complaining to the VA Department of Education but someone in another thread pointed out the new legislation that was signed into law in Virginia prohibits virtual instruction from counting towards the minimum annual required teaching days. Here’s that language and a link to the bill. Is anyone with knowledge advising ACPS?

I don’t see how these virtual snow days would count. Parents and teachers should start asking for an answer to how ACPS thinks it is getting around this new law.

“Each school board shall offer in-person instruction to each student enrolled in the local school division in a public elementary and secondary school for at least the minimum number of required instructional hours and to each student enrolled in the local school division in a public school-based early childhood care and education program for the entirety of the instructional time provided pursuant to such program.”

https://legiscan.com/VA/text/SB1303/2021/X1
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2022 01:22     Subject: ACPS virtual Monday
Is there a way to complain to VDOE? This doesn’t pass the smell test. I am really sick of Hutching’s shenanigans.
Anonymous
Post 01/04/2022 22:09     Subject: Re:ACPS virtual Monday
ACPS is a constant embarrassment. Let’s see if the newly sworn in school board holds ACPS leadership accountable.
Anonymous
Post 01/04/2022 22:07     Subject: ACPS virtual Monday
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:ACPS teacher here. Less than half of my students have even logged into Canvas this week. Many had no power and/or internet today. I’m not allowed to teach new content and I can’t assign required work (because I’m not allowed to give grades). These are not legitimate school days, yet they’ll count toward the annual total.


Thank you for calling this out. As a parent, I’m actually horrified ACPS is getting instructional credit for these meaningless “virtual learning” days. Seems like gaming the system while other schools in our area see these days for what they are, non-school snow days. I’m sure it just creates more hassle and busy work for teachers too, many of whom are also home caring for their own kids.


Another ACPS teacher here and I agree with both of the above. These are not real school days, they are next to meaningless, causing anxiety to many students who are without internet due to storm, and create excess hassle for everyone.
Anonymous
Post 01/04/2022 21:56     Subject: ACPS virtual Monday
Anonymous wrote:ACPS teacher here. Less than half of my students have even logged into Canvas this week. Many had no power and/or internet today. I’m not allowed to teach new content and I can’t assign required work (because I’m not allowed to give grades). These are not legitimate school days, yet they’ll count toward the annual total.


Thank you for calling this out. As a parent, I’m actually horrified ACPS is getting instructional credit for these meaningless “virtual learning” days. Seems like gaming the system while other schools in our area see these days for what they are, non-school snow days. I’m sure it just creates more hassle and busy work for teachers too, many of whom are also home caring for their own kids.
Anonymous
Post 01/04/2022 21:15     Subject: ACPS virtual Monday
ACPS teacher here. Less than half of my students have even logged into Canvas this week. Many had no power and/or internet today. I’m not allowed to teach new content and I can’t assign required work (because I’m not allowed to give grades). These are not legitimate school days, yet they’ll count toward the annual total.
Anonymous
Post 01/04/2022 18:35     Subject: Re:ACPS virtual Monday
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Would you rather the kids go to school an extra day in June? Or lose a day of Spring Break? Because those are the alternatives. Take this and be happy. Adding on days to the end of the year doesn't do anyone any good.


There are built in snow days. They wouldn’t have to make these days up.


Right. That’s what snow days are for! Regardless of who’s to blame for the internet outage, it’s disingenuous for the school system to act like there was a legitimate day of virtual education when there was such a widespread outage. Also no other jurisdiction in our area is trying to pretend with these faux virtual days. They are using snow days, as provided for in their calendars.