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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?

Agreed. Im a para now but can't be forever. It's demoralizing seeing the sign posted in the mailroom with the dates teachers get paid for and the days we don't get paid for. And yes the temp paras get screwed even more. And somehow central office workers keep getting gifted extra days off? Please. Those of us actually working in schools are exhausted.

Seriously. Paras have only had one or two full paycheck since school started and often have to cover for the teachers who are absent because of the sub shortage problem. Central office and admin are so out of touch with the multiple challenges faced every dah because we are short staffed. As another PP pointed out, designating the 23rd as a paid day off for central office employees (many still teleworking from home) gives them additional personal days to use (ironic because as teachers and paras, we are not allowed to use our personal leave because of the coverage issues).

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Agreed. Im a para now but can't be forever. It's demoralizing seeing the sign posted in the mailroom with the dates teachers get paid for and the days we don't get paid for. And yes the temp paras get screwed even more. And somehow central office workers keep getting gifted extra days off? Please. Those of us actually working in schools are exhausted.

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Anonymous wrote:I still don’t understand how it costs MORE to let employees stay home yesterday than it would to have them come to their workplace and be unproductive there? I’d think there would actually be some savings because less energy was used.

If a group is still unproductive at the office, we have too many employees and a good number should be fired. I can't believe that your expectations are that people should come to the office and be paid to do nothing.

How do you know these people do nothing? You haven't proven that at all. You've simply made this assumption because it suits your worldview which isn't helpful.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I still don’t understand how it costs MORE to let employees stay home yesterday than it would to have them come to their workplace and be unproductive there? I’d think there would actually be some savings because less energy was used.

If a group is still unproductive at the office, we have too many employees and a good number should be fired. I can't believe that your expectations are that people should come to the office and be paid to do nothing.

Anonymous wrote:I still don’t understand how it costs MORE to let employees stay home yesterday than it would to have them come to their workplace and be unproductive there? I’d think there would actually be some savings because less energy was used.

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Anonymous wrote:You do realize MCPS school based staff don’t get paid for these days off, right? Their pay is stretched over the day, but it isn’t a compensated day.

But... but... they keep telling us that they are professionals. You know, the kind that get a salary? So yes, it's compensated.

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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?[/quote]

This is bizarre as you try to gaslight people who are concerned about both education for children and the use of taxpayer funds. It absolutely is appropriate for all citizens to weigh in when they see waste and wasted opportunities.