Anonymous wrote:Wrestling is also no cut middle school. And a great sport that anyone can learn at that age. Love wrestling!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:if you are concerned with APS budget bloat, especially in the central office- you need to seriously question Mary Kadera's platform of giving advisory councils 'a real voice in planning and decision making.'
I am appalled at how many of the recommendations coming out of the committees for advisory council on teaching and learning involve additional central office staff and budget dollars. e.g. perform an 'equity audit' across the curriculum (social studies advisory committee); add a teacher specialist to the gifted service office (gifted advisory committee); increase math coach from .5 FTE to 1 FTE for all elementary schools (math advisory committee); add a full time outdoor learning classroom coordinator (science advisory committee); develop an SEL coordinator position (student services advisory committee).
https://www.apsva.us/actl/committee-reports/

Those are FTE additions. There are also tons of recommendations for additional mandatory training, which leads to both a budget expense and additional time off of teaching.

I think ACTL plays a valuable role- and you can debate the merits of each of these individual proposals- but I see these proposals, and then I hear the concern about central office bloat, etc. We need school board members who are able to listen and make tough choices- not who blindly accept citizen recommendations (aka give a 'real voice.')

I oppose the Central Office bloat too, but just to clarify, the math coaches aren't part of Central Office. The math coaches are embedded in the elementary schools and do pull-outs with the kids who are struggling. I support adding those FTEs because they are going to be working directly with the students, every day. Also, under the current allocation method, each ES only gets a .5 FTE math coach, regardless of the size of the elementary school. This has really put students at the larger elementary schools at a disadvantage.

I agree that the other examples you gave seem questionable right now, especially in light of the tight budget. Maybe those can get added in a later year when we are in a better financial situation, but they don't seem like priorities now. Although, in fairness to ACI and the subject matter advisory committees, I think a lot of those recommendations have been out there for years, even pre-COVID. So curious that Duran is suddenly listening to them now, in an extremely tight budget year.

Agree. Stop the admin bloat. And there are serious equity concerns with giving parent advisory groups MORE influence! They are made up of the most privileged among us - just take a look who is a member of these committees. You'll recognize a lot of the AEM trolls that do not represent that larger APS community. I am all for math coaches or any staff that works directly in a student facing role. We need more of those as we try to catch these kids up.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:if you are concerned with APS budget bloat, especially in the central office- you need to seriously question Mary Kadera's platform of giving advisory councils 'a real voice in planning and decision making.'
I am appalled at how many of the recommendations coming out of the committees for advisory council on teaching and learning involve additional central office staff and budget dollars. e.g. perform an 'equity audit' across the curriculum (social studies advisory committee); add a teacher specialist to the gifted service office (gifted advisory committee); increase math coach from .5 FTE to 1 FTE for all elementary schools (math advisory committee); add a full time outdoor learning classroom coordinator (science advisory committee); develop an SEL coordinator position (student services advisory committee).
https://www.apsva.us/actl/committee-reports/

Those are FTE additions. There are also tons of recommendations for additional mandatory training, which leads to both a budget expense and additional time off of teaching.

I think ACTL plays a valuable role- and you can debate the merits of each of these individual proposals- but I see these proposals, and then I hear the concern about central office bloat, etc. We need school board members who are able to listen and make tough choices- not who blindly accept citizen recommendations (aka give a 'real voice.')

I oppose the Central Office bloat too, but just to clarify, the math coaches aren't part of Central Office. The math coaches are embedded in the elementary schools and do pull-outs with the kids who are struggling. I support adding those FTEs because they are going to be working directly with the students, every day. Also, under the current allocation method, each ES only gets a .5 FTE math coach, regardless of the size of the elementary school. This has really put students at the larger elementary schools at a disadvantage.

I agree that the other examples you gave seem questionable right now, especially in light of the tight budget. Maybe those can get added in a later year when we are in a better financial situation, but they don't seem like priorities now. Although, in fairness to ACI and the subject matter advisory committees, I think a lot of those recommendations have been out there for years, even pre-COVID. So curious that Duran is suddenly listening to them now, in an extremely tight budget year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have any of you ever been to an APS middle school swim meet? I have! The teams are full of kids who can barely swim. It's beautiful. It really is a no-cut sport and should be kept.

I’m not saying to get rid of swimming. I’m saying it’s place as one of only 3 no cut sports is inadequate. Swimming. Track (running in circle). Frisbee. That’s it.

Anonymous wrote:if you are concerned with APS budget bloat, especially in the central office- you need to seriously question Mary Kadera's platform of giving advisory councils 'a real voice in planning and decision making.'
I am appalled at how many of the recommendations coming out of the committees for advisory council on teaching and learning involve additional central office staff and budget dollars. e.g. perform an 'equity audit' across the curriculum (social studies advisory committee); add a teacher specialist to the gifted service office (gifted advisory committee); increase math coach from .5 FTE to 1 FTE for all elementary schools (math advisory committee); add a full time outdoor learning classroom coordinator (science advisory committee); develop an SEL coordinator position (student services advisory committee).
https://www.apsva.us/actl/committee-reports/

Those are FTE additions. There are also tons of recommendations for additional mandatory training, which leads to both a budget expense and additional time off of teaching.

I think ACTL plays a valuable role- and you can debate the merits of each of these individual proposals- but I see these proposals, and then I hear the concern about central office bloat, etc. We need school board members who are able to listen and make tough choices- not who blindly accept citizen recommendations (aka give a 'real voice.')

Anonymous wrote:Have any of you ever been to an APS middle school swim meet? I have! The teams are full of kids who can barely swim. It's beautiful. It really is a no-cut sport and should be kept.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually there are no cut sports in swimming, diving, and track as well as ultimate. Plus clubs that teachers get money to sponsor. It’s definitely valuable and if you say it’s not it’s because you have no MS kids.

Swimming. DIVING??? Again Unless a kid has had lots of private lessons, they will be floundering in the water.

Sure track. Running kids in a circle. Great.

At Gunston diving was no cut and the rule was "you have to be willing to jump in the water."

Right. But to be able to SWIM well enough to not be terrified to jump in the water, parents have to have already paid for lessons. Where would they have learned to swim well enough to feel safe on 12 ft tank??

They teach you to swim if you join the swim team (also a no cut sport). These aren’t elite sports here. Why not trim down highschool activities and at least offer after school clubs for middle school (if you have to cut the team sports that’s fine, but cutting after school activities altogether is a bad idea).

That must be a joy for a middle schooler, to be learning to swim like a toddler in front of all your classmates.

And I know that was never communicated, that the would teach you to swim. Nothing I saw said anything like that. The elementary swimming lessons are basically anti-drowning learn to tread water, not real swim lessons.

OMG. Take your kid to the pool when they’re little and sign them up for swim lessons. It isn’t that hard.

So just because some parents don’t teach their kids to swim when little, we must abandon swim teams for all? Give me a break.

FFS. My point is swimming was the “no cut” sports but in reality it require prior experience. Schools need more no cut sports like soccer and basketball and volleyballl, where kids can learn to play without the indignity of nearly drowning.

Swimming is an essential skill. You don’t need to know how to do butterfly beautifully, but learning to not drown is critical.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually there are no cut sports in swimming, diving, and track as well as ultimate. Plus clubs that teachers get money to sponsor. It’s definitely valuable and if you say it’s not it’s because you have no MS kids.

Swimming. DIVING??? Again Unless a kid has had lots of private lessons, they will be floundering in the water.

Sure track. Running kids in a circle. Great.

At Gunston diving was no cut and the rule was "you have to be willing to jump in the water."

Right. But to be able to SWIM well enough to not be terrified to jump in the water, parents have to have already paid for lessons. Where would they have learned to swim well enough to feel safe on 12 ft tank??

They teach you to swim if you join the swim team (also a no cut sport). These aren’t elite sports here. Why not trim down highschool activities and at least offer after school clubs for middle school (if you have to cut the team sports that’s fine, but cutting after school activities altogether is a bad idea).

That must be a joy for a middle schooler, to be learning to swim like a toddler in front of all your classmates.

And I know that was never communicated, that the would teach you to swim. Nothing I saw said anything like that. The elementary swimming lessons are basically anti-drowning learn to tread water, not real swim lessons.

OMG. Take your kid to the pool when they’re little and sign them up for swim lessons. It isn’t that hard.

So just because some parents don’t teach their kids to swim when little, we must abandon swim teams for all? Give me a break.

FFS. My point is swimming was the “no cut” sports but in reality it require prior experience. Schools need more no cut sports like soccer and basketball and volleyballl, where kids can learn to play without the indignity of nearly drowning.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually there are no cut sports in swimming, diving, and track as well as ultimate. Plus clubs that teachers get money to sponsor. It’s definitely valuable and if you say it’s not it’s because you have no MS kids.

Swimming. DIVING??? Again Unless a kid has had lots of private lessons, they will be floundering in the water.

Sure track. Running kids in a circle. Great.

At Gunston diving was no cut and the rule was "you have to be willing to jump in the water."

Right. But to be able to SWIM well enough to not be terrified to jump in the water, parents have to have already paid for lessons. Where would they have learned to swim well enough to feel safe on 12 ft tank??

They teach you to swim if you join the swim team (also a no cut sport). These aren’t elite sports here. Why not trim down highschool activities and at least offer after school clubs for middle school (if you have to cut the team sports that’s fine, but cutting after school activities altogether is a bad idea).

That must be a joy for a middle schooler, to be learning to swim like a toddler in front of all your classmates.

And I know that was never communicated, that the would teach you to swim. Nothing I saw said anything like that. The elementary swimming lessons are basically anti-drowning learn to tread water, not real swim lessons.

OMG. Take your kid to the pool when they’re little and sign them up for swim lessons. It isn’t that hard.

So just because some parents don’t teach their kids to swim when little, we must abandon swim teams for all? Give me a break.

This x1000.

I'm sure the equity police will pop in here and say not everyone can do this. Know what I don't care. Sometimes life is not fair. Sorry but it just isn't.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually there are no cut sports in swimming, diving, and track as well as ultimate. Plus clubs that teachers get money to sponsor. It’s definitely valuable and if you say it’s not it’s because you have no MS kids.

Swimming. DIVING??? Again Unless a kid has had lots of private lessons, they will be floundering in the water.

Sure track. Running kids in a circle. Great.

At Gunston diving was no cut and the rule was "you have to be willing to jump in the water."

Right. But to be able to SWIM well enough to not be terrified to jump in the water, parents have to have already paid for lessons. Where would they have learned to swim well enough to feel safe on 12 ft tank??

They teach you to swim if you join the swim team (also a no cut sport). These aren’t elite sports here. Why not trim down highschool activities and at least offer after school clubs for middle school (if you have to cut the team sports that’s fine, but cutting after school activities altogether is a bad idea).

That must be a joy for a middle schooler, to be learning to swim like a toddler in front of all your classmates.

And I know that was never communicated, that the would teach you to swim. Nothing I saw said anything like that. The elementary swimming lessons are basically anti-drowning learn to tread water, not real swim lessons.

OMG. Take your kid to the pool when they’re little and sign them up for swim lessons. It isn’t that hard.

So just because some parents don’t teach their kids to swim when little, we must abandon swim teams for all? Give me a break.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually there are no cut sports in swimming, diving, and track as well as ultimate. Plus clubs that teachers get money to sponsor. It’s definitely valuable and if you say it’s not it’s because you have no MS kids.

Swimming. DIVING??? Again Unless a kid has had lots of private lessons, they will be floundering in the water.

Sure track. Running kids in a circle. Great.

At Gunston diving was no cut and the rule was "you have to be willing to jump in the water."

Right. But to be able to SWIM well enough to not be terrified to jump in the water, parents have to have already paid for lessons. Where would they have learned to swim well enough to feel safe on 12 ft tank??

They teach you to swim if you join the swim team (also a no cut sport). These aren’t elite sports here. Why not trim down highschool activities and at least offer after school clubs for middle school (if you have to cut the team sports that’s fine, but cutting after school activities altogether is a bad idea).

That must be a joy for a middle schooler, to be learning to swim like a toddler in front of all your classmates.

And I know that was never communicated, that the would teach you to swim. Nothing I saw said anything like that. The elementary swimming lessons are basically anti-drowning learn to tread water, not real swim lessons.

OMG. Take your kid to the pool when they’re little and sign them up for swim lessons. It isn’t that hard.

So just because some parents don’t teach their kids to swim when little, we must abandon swim teams for all? Give me a break.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually there are no cut sports in swimming, diving, and track as well as ultimate. Plus clubs that teachers get money to sponsor. It’s definitely valuable and if you say it’s not it’s because you have no MS kids.

Swimming. DIVING??? Again Unless a kid has had lots of private lessons, they will be floundering in the water.

Sure track. Running kids in a circle. Great.

At Gunston diving was no cut and the rule was "you have to be willing to jump in the water."

Right. But to be able to SWIM well enough to not be terrified to jump in the water, parents have to have already paid for lessons. Where would they have learned to swim well enough to feel safe on 12 ft tank??

They teach you to swim if you join the swim team (also a no cut sport). These aren’t elite sports here. Why not trim down highschool activities and at least offer after school clubs for middle school (if you have to cut the team sports that’s fine, but cutting after school activities altogether is a bad idea).

That must be a joy for a middle schooler, to be learning to swim like a toddler in front of all your classmates.

And I know that was never communicated, that the would teach you to swim. Nothing I saw said anything like that. The elementary swimming lessons are basically anti-drowning learn to tread water, not real swim lessons.