Anonymous
12/23/2022 22:38
Subject: Re:Another day off for MCPS Employees
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Did Dr. McKnight explain the cost associated with her decision to close all MCPS offices? Why have the Board approve a fiscal year calendar when Dr. McKnight keeps adding extra paid days off?
Last year, she closed Central Offices for the whole week between Christmas and New Year’s. Then the return to school in January was a disaster because of the lack of a plan for staff absences due to a spike in COVID.
Listen, I don’t begrudge people days off, but the reason was totally bogus and they should have followed the process to get it approved by the BOE. And it *does* come at a cost.
Anyway, I appreciate that the operations guy sent an email about how the plan will run when we return. Even if the plan is “we don’t have a contingency plan if bus drivers call out but we will be sure to email you that morning that there’s no bus” or “we also don’t have a solution if staff call out but we’ll let you know if so few adults show up that we can’t safely supervise your children let alone teach.”
What cost? You really think people are actually doing much work today? If parents are concerned about spikes after the break, then they need to be more careful. There is NOTHING MCPS can or will do about it. They will put the kids together in a big room or figure it out. NO bus, well, you figure it out.
Anytime you give an employee an extra day off in this fashion, that employee doesn’t need to dip into his bank of vacation days. So each of these people will have a day off, paid, on a different date and will require someone to cover for them or substitute (which costs money and/or productivity). In addition, there are essential mcps employees who do still have to work during a systemwide shut down and those people are paid extra/overtime in this situation (I think), which is an additional budgetary expense. There is a real cost to this decision. I don’t know what the cost is, but it is not zero impact.
Np. I’m a para and 12/23 is a no work no pay day. Between now and Jan 2, I get two paid holidays. The rest are all no work no pay days. Just saying!
Meanwhile, Central Office staff get extra paid days off - just like last year. Those at the top (including Dr. McKnight) keep adding to their perks while the staff at the lower end of the pay scale get unpaid leave. Is it any surprise why MCPS is having trouble filling their paraeducator positions?
Perm paras get paid for 184 duty days and 11 paid holidays. Doesn't matter how they're spread around. It's the temp paras that really get screwed.
Anonymous
12/23/2022 22:05
Subject: Re:Another day off for MCPS Employees
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Did Dr. McKnight explain the cost associated with her decision to close all MCPS offices? Why have the Board approve a fiscal year calendar when Dr. McKnight keeps adding extra paid days off?
Last year, she closed Central Offices for the whole week between Christmas and New Year’s. Then the return to school in January was a disaster because of the lack of a plan for staff absences due to a spike in COVID.
Listen, I don’t begrudge people days off, but the reason was totally bogus and they should have followed the process to get it approved by the BOE. And it *does* come at a cost.
Anyway, I appreciate that the operations guy sent an email about how the plan will run when we return. Even if the plan is “we don’t have a contingency plan if bus drivers call out but we will be sure to email you that morning that there’s no bus” or “we also don’t have a solution if staff call out but we’ll let you know if so few adults show up that we can’t safely supervise your children let alone teach.”
What cost? You really think people are actually doing much work today? If parents are concerned about spikes after the break, then they need to be more careful. There is NOTHING MCPS can or will do about it. They will put the kids together in a big room or figure it out. NO bus, well, you figure it out.
Anytime you give an employee an extra day off in this fashion, that employee doesn’t need to dip into his bank of vacation days. So each of these people will have a day off, paid, on a different date and will require someone to cover for them or substitute (which costs money and/or productivity). In addition, there are essential mcps employees who do still have to work during a systemwide shut down and those people are paid extra/overtime in this situation (I think), which is an additional budgetary expense. There is a real cost to this decision. I don’t know what the cost is, but it is not zero impact.
Np. I’m a para and 12/23 is a no work no pay day. Between now and Jan 2, I get two paid holidays. The rest are all no work no pay days. Just saying!
Meanwhile, Central Office staff get extra paid days off - just like last year. Those at the top (including Dr. McKnight) keep adding to their perks while the staff at the lower end of the pay scale get unpaid leave. Is it any surprise why MCPS is having trouble filling their paraeducator positions?
Anonymous
12/23/2022 21:10
Subject: Re:Another day off for MCPS Employees
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Did Dr. McKnight explain the cost associated with her decision to close all MCPS offices? Why have the Board approve a fiscal year calendar when Dr. McKnight keeps adding extra paid days off?
Last year, she closed Central Offices for the whole week between Christmas and New Year’s. Then the return to school in January was a disaster because of the lack of a plan for staff absences due to a spike in COVID.
Listen, I don’t begrudge people days off, but the reason was totally bogus and they should have followed the process to get it approved by the BOE. And it *does* come at a cost.
Anyway, I appreciate that the operations guy sent an email about how the plan will run when we return. Even if the plan is “we don’t have a contingency plan if bus drivers call out but we will be sure to email you that morning that there’s no bus” or “we also don’t have a solution if staff call out but we’ll let you know if so few adults show up that we can’t safely supervise your children let alone teach.”
What cost? You really think people are actually doing much work today? If parents are concerned about spikes after the break, then they need to be more careful. There is NOTHING MCPS can or will do about it. They will put the kids together in a big room or figure it out. NO bus, well, you figure it out.
Anytime you give an employee an extra day off in this fashion, that employee doesn’t need to dip into his bank of vacation days. So each of these people will have a day off, paid, on a different date and will require someone to cover for them or substitute (which costs money and/or productivity). In addition, there are essential mcps employees who do still have to work during a systemwide shut down and those people are paid extra/overtime in this situation (I think), which is an additional budgetary expense. There is a real cost to this decision. I don’t know what the cost is, but it is not zero impact.
Np. I’m a para and 12/23 is a no work no pay day. Between now and Jan 2, I get two paid holidays. The rest are all no work no pay days. Just saying!
Anonymous
12/23/2022 21:00
Subject: Re:Another day off for MCPS Employees
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Did Dr. McKnight explain the cost associated with her decision to close all MCPS offices? Why have the Board approve a fiscal year calendar when Dr. McKnight keeps adding extra paid days off?
Last year, she closed Central Offices for the whole week between Christmas and New Year’s. Then the return to school in January was a disaster because of the lack of a plan for staff absences due to a spike in COVID.
Listen, I don’t begrudge people days off, but the reason was totally bogus and they should have followed the process to get it approved by the BOE. And it *does* come at a cost.
Anyway, I appreciate that the operations guy sent an email about how the plan will run when we return. Even if the plan is “we don’t have a contingency plan if bus drivers call out but we will be sure to email you that morning that there’s no bus” or “we also don’t have a solution if staff call out but we’ll let you know if so few adults show up that we can’t safely supervise your children let alone teach.”
What cost? You really think people are actually doing much work today? If parents are concerned about spikes after the break, then they need to be more careful. There is NOTHING MCPS can or will do about it. They will put the kids together in a big room or figure it out. NO bus, well, you figure it out.
Anytime you give an employee an extra day off in this fashion, that employee doesn’t need to dip into his bank of vacation days. So each of these people will have a day off, paid, on a different date and will require someone to cover for them or substitute (which costs money and/or productivity). In addition, there are essential mcps employees who do still have to work during a systemwide shut down and those people are paid extra/overtime in this situation (I think), which is an additional budgetary expense. There is a real cost to this decision. I don’t know what the cost is, but it is not zero impact.
So, you would rather pay most Central Office employees to sit and be on DCUM in Rockville all day today? Got it!
Anonymous
12/23/2022 20:56
Subject: Re:Another day off for MCPS Employees
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Did Dr. McKnight explain the cost associated with her decision to close all MCPS offices? Why have the Board approve a fiscal year calendar when Dr. McKnight keeps adding extra paid days off?
Last year, she closed Central Offices for the whole week between Christmas and New Year’s. Then the return to school in January was a disaster because of the lack of a plan for staff absences due to a spike in COVID.
Listen, I don’t begrudge people days off, but the reason was totally bogus and they should have followed the process to get it approved by the BOE. And it *does* come at a cost.
Anyway, I appreciate that the operations guy sent an email about how the plan will run when we return. Even if the plan is “we don’t have a contingency plan if bus drivers call out but we will be sure to email you that morning that there’s no bus” or “we also don’t have a solution if staff call out but we’ll let you know if so few adults show up that we can’t safely supervise your children let alone teach.”
What cost? You really think people are actually doing much work today? If parents are concerned about spikes after the break, then they need to be more careful. There is NOTHING MCPS can or will do about it. They will put the kids together in a big room or figure it out. NO bus, well, you figure it out.
Anytime you give an employee an extra day off in this fashion, that employee doesn’t need to dip into his bank of vacation days. So each of these people will have a day off, paid, on a different date and will require someone to cover for them or substitute (which costs money and/or productivity). In addition, there are essential mcps employees who do still have to work during a systemwide shut down and those people are paid extra/overtime in this situation (I think), which is an additional budgetary expense. There is a real cost to this decision. I don’t know what the cost is, but it is not zero impact.
Anonymous
12/23/2022 18:12
Subject: Another day off for MCPS Employees
If it makes you feel any better, paraeducators did not get paid today and were not allowed to use leave.
Anonymous
12/23/2022 17:53
Subject: Another day off for MCPS Employees
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Why is MCPS offices closed on December 23rd? Seems like a repeat of last year with adding more time off for Central Office.
Because Hogan suddenly made it a state holiday this week.
This is the answer.
Exactly the answer. School was already closed. The announcement for systemwide closure specifically said because of Hogan's State Closure....
MCPS is county government, not state. County offices were open today except for MCPS.
MCPS should have all days off approved by the Board of Education through the normal calendar approval process. Dr. McKnight is wasting tax dollars when employees have paid leave they should be using if they want time off. Monday, December 26th is the approved day off so Central Office will have a four day weekend.
It may have to do with the fact that state does pay some salaries of county employees and/or because it gets a significant amount of state funding. It is gross that the county didn't let off county employees as well but MCPS employees have always been treated better in terms of salary, benefits and time off.
Anonymous
12/23/2022 17:28
Subject: Another day off for MCPS Employees
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Why is MCPS offices closed on December 23rd? Seems like a repeat of last year with adding more time off for Central Office.
Because Hogan suddenly made it a state holiday this week.
This is the answer.
Exactly the answer. School was already closed. The announcement for systemwide closure specifically said because of Hogan's State Closure....
MCPS is county government, not state. County offices were open today except for MCPS.
MCPS should have all days off approved by the Board of Education through the normal calendar approval process. Dr. McKnight is wasting tax dollars when employees have paid leave they should be using if they want time off. Monday, December 26th is the approved day off so Central Office will have a four day weekend.
This harms you how exactly?
Anonymous
12/23/2022 17:24
Subject: Re:Another day off for MCPS Employees
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Did Dr. McKnight explain the cost associated with her decision to close all MCPS offices? Why have the Board approve a fiscal year calendar when Dr. McKnight keeps adding extra paid days off?
Last year, she closed Central Offices for the whole week between Christmas and New Year’s. Then the return to school in January was a disaster because of the lack of a plan for staff absences due to a spike in COVID.
Listen, I don’t begrudge people days off, but the reason was totally bogus and they should have followed the process to get it approved by the BOE. And it *does* come at a cost.
Anyway, I appreciate that the operations guy sent an email about how the plan will run when we return. Even if the plan is “we don’t have a contingency plan if bus drivers call out but we will be sure to email you that morning that there’s no bus” or “we also don’t have a solution if staff call out but we’ll let you know if so few adults show up that we can’t safely supervise your children let alone teach.”
What cost? You really think people are actually doing much work today? If parents are concerned about spikes after the break, then they need to be more careful. There is NOTHING MCPS can or will do about it. They will put the kids together in a big room or figure it out. NO bus, well, you figure it out.
Anonymous
12/23/2022 17:00
Subject: Re:Another day off for MCPS Employees
Anonymous wrote:Did Dr. McKnight explain the cost associated with her decision to close all MCPS offices? Why have the Board approve a fiscal year calendar when Dr. McKnight keeps adding extra paid days off?
Last year, she closed Central Offices for the whole week between Christmas and New Year’s. Then the return to school in January was a disaster because of the lack of a plan for staff absences due to a spike in COVID.
Listen, I don’t begrudge people days off, but the reason was totally bogus and they should have followed the process to get it approved by the BOE. And it *does* come at a cost.
Anyway, I appreciate that the operations guy sent an email about how the plan will run when we return. Even if the plan is “we don’t have a contingency plan if bus drivers call out but we will be sure to email you that morning that there’s no bus” or “we also don’t have a solution if staff call out but we’ll let you know if so few adults show up that we can’t safely supervise your children let alone teach.”
Anonymous
12/23/2022 16:35
Subject: Re:Another day off for MCPS Employees
We always need more issues to go to war over! 
Anonymous
12/23/2022 16:18
Subject: Re:Another day off for MCPS Employees
Anonymous wrote:Did Dr. McKnight explain the cost associated with her decision to close all MCPS offices? Why have the Board approve a fiscal year calendar when Dr. McKnight keeps adding extra paid days off?
Last year, she closed Central Offices for the whole week between Christmas and New Year’s. Then the return to school in January was a disaster because of the lack of a plan for staff absences due to a spike in COVID.
One has nothing to do with the other. The spike was due to families and staff traveling, socializing and not being careful. Since the open at all cost parents demand it be in person there is nothing to do.
Anonymous
12/23/2022 16:17
Subject: Another day off for MCPS Employees
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Why is MCPS offices closed on December 23rd? Seems like a repeat of last year with adding more time off for Central Office.
Because Hogan suddenly made it a state holiday this week.
This is the answer.
Exactly the answer. School was already closed. The announcement for systemwide closure specifically said because of Hogan's State Closure....
MCPS is county government, not state. County offices were open today except for MCPS.
MCPS should have all days off approved by the Board of Education through the normal calendar approval process. Dr. McKnight is wasting tax dollars when employees have paid leave they should be using if they want time off. Monday, December 26th is the approved day off so Central Office will have a four day weekend.
And yet, here you are not working complaining about others.
Anonymous
12/23/2022 16:00
Subject: Another day off for MCPS Employees
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Why is MCPS offices closed on December 23rd? Seems like a repeat of last year with adding more time off for Central Office.
Because Hogan suddenly made it a state holiday this week.
This is the answer.
Exactly the answer. School was already closed. The announcement for systemwide closure specifically said because of Hogan's State Closure....
MCPS is county government, not state. County offices were open today except for MCPS.
MCPS should have all days off approved by the Board of Education through the normal calendar approval process. Dr. McKnight is wasting tax dollars when employees have paid leave they should be using if they want time off. Monday, December 26th is the approved day off so Central Office will have a four day weekend.
Anonymous
12/23/2022 15:22
Subject: Another day off for MCPS Employees
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Why is MCPS offices closed on December 23rd? Seems like a repeat of last year with adding more time off for Central Office.
Because Hogan suddenly made it a state holiday this week.
This is the answer.
Exactly the answer. School was already closed. The announcement for systemwide closure specifically said because of Hogan's State Closure....