School Re-Opening

[LowerLevelSeatA]

The NAACP is voicing their frustration with the incompetence of Fayette County Public Schools administration and the school board. I think the Pandemic has brought to light incompetence that has always been existed. Wish it could be fixed by cleaning house with some of those in charge. Also I think the herald leader has written an article on it before, but I think they are over staffed and overpaid. Join our Facebook group “Let them Learn in Fayette”. We will continue to push for a better run system than what we are seeing today. Here’s the NAACP article from yesterday:

https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article246829152.html?fbclid=IwAR1Q1hj5ZdkQ6lcQs2jBeEb3NV6tFQq1L_20rgGJKIPlilYVuRZvJJCDPN4

 

[HymanKaplan]

Also I think the herald leader has written an article on it before, but I think they are over staffed and overpaid.

I think that you are spot on.

The administrator to school/student ratio is sinful.

When things get back to normal, take a drive at lunch, to the board offices, and just peruse the parking lot. Lexus after Lexus, after Mercedes. All in a row...

And FOIA the contracts to outside consultants, to see how many of them have prior ties to Manny.

 

[LowerLevelSeatA]

Hyman-
I know their is a high suspicion Manny has financial ties to the $734,000 Virtual Learning Academy contract that was recently signed. Someone did an open records request on that contract. As part of that open records request, someone asked Fayette County Schools several questions. One question was “is the superintendent and board members shareholders for VLA, and the response was “the district did not have documentation to answer this question”. Sure makes you wonder.

I’m sure there are more conflicts of interest with Fayette County Schools. Seems like smoke is billowing outta 701 E. Main Street. What other areas you think one may find some hidden gems by utilizing FOIA?

 

[HymanKaplan]

chmarcol@gmail.com

 

[Punkin Puss]

The NAACP is voicing their frustration with the incompetence of Fayette County Public Schools administration and the school board. I think the Pandemic has brought to light incompetence that has always been existed. Wish it could be fixed by cleaning house with some of those in charge. Also I think the herald leader has written an article on it before, but I think they are over staffed and overpaid. Join our Facebook group “Let them Learn in Fayette”. We will continue to push for a better run system than what we are seeing today. Here’s the NAACP article from yesterday:

https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article246829152.html?fbclid=IwAR1Q1hj5ZdkQ6lcQs2jBeEb3NV6tFQq1L_20rgGJKIPlilYVuRZvJJCDPN4

All I see in that article is that minority students are disproportionately impacted by virtual learning due to lack of internet access and devices.

"Thursday’s NAACP virtual listening session was not aimed at pushing a return to full in-person learning in the midst of a COVID-19 surge.

Rather, questions from the NAACP surrounded whether students of color are getting equitable services through the at-home learning program"

Which mean more money to IT resources. That still is likely much cheaper than continue building brick and mortar costing near $100 million each.

 

[LowerLevelSeatA]

Punkin-
I didn’t say NAACP wanted kids back in school necessarily..they didn’t voice either way on that. Their argument was kids are not getting services they need due to incompetent Fayette County Schools administration. Whether that be virtual or in person, they want the administration to do their job and the school board to provide accountability when that doesn’t happen. Neither of these have happened for the past 7 months. That is exactly why we are in the position we are today. No plan, and kids not in the buildings.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

What's funny (not really), we just got the property tax bill yesterday. Holy f*ck that's a lot of money going to public schools. They keep them closed much longer and people will stop paying that shit. Especially if they're tacking on another $10k to go private.

Property tax tied to education is one of the more ridiculous tax rackets out there. Maybe the most ridiculous. Property owner pays whether or not they have kids in that school district. They're paying for services they never use.

And every single thing about this distance learning contract should be investigated to the hilt. There is major dirt there, just have to get a peak. At the very least there will be nea connections. The nea was the driving force in these school shutdowns. They have vested interest here somewhere, and it's financial.

The NAACP is voicing their frustration with the incompetence of Fayette County Public Schools administration and the school board. I think the Pandemic has brought to light incompetence that has always been existed. Wish it could be fixed by cleaning house with some of those in charge. Also I think the herald leader has written an article on it before, but I think they are over staffed and overpaid. Join our Facebook group “Let them Learn in Fayette”. We will continue to push for a better run system than what we are seeing today. Here’s the NAACP article from yesterday:

https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article246829152.html?fbclid=IwAR1Q1hj5ZdkQ6lcQs2jBeEb3NV6tFQq1L_20rgGJKIPlilYVuRZvJJCDPN4

This is nothing more than a choreographed song and dance. The nea/kea are huge Andy supporters. They were the catalyst for his win and he rewarded them with giving them power over the state board.

Louisville addressed this complaint years ago by bussing kids around districts. That's a giant issue in and of itself. Lexington now does everything Louisville does in terms of progressive policy.

The plan is already in place imo for fayette co bussing. Andy and co are letting the naacp voice their concern. Now Andy and co will come up with remarkably timely studies that say there is an issue. And bussing will be the solution.

 

[anthonys735]

Good read from the Pediatricians.

Zoom school’s mental health toll on kids

Academic and social development are likely to slip during online learning for many students.

www.apa.org

 

[Booker Noe]

Woodford County is probably going to go virtual from Monday due to being in a red county.

The High School has had 2 in person positives and 3 virtual positives. LOL.

But it will not matter as the red county designation is the deciding factor,

 

[Booker Noe]

Believe it or not despite being in the red the Woodford Superintendent decided to keep in-person going next week. Quoted the actual data for kids attending school and positive cases. A very common sense non-fearmongering approach.

 

[LowerLevelSeatA]

Boone county just did similar move. They had been on hybrid schedule past few months. Went into the red zone this week and released a letter basically saying it’s detrimental to keeps kids home and covid spread is occurring more outside of school than in school. Said on Monday they will be starting 4 days a week in person classes even though in red. Rumor is ANOTHER survey will be coming to Fayette County parents soon 😁. This one will be coming from schools since district has already embarrassed themselves over and over again.

 

[420grover]

I think that you are spot on.

The administrator to school/student ratio is sinful.

When things get back to normal, take a drive at lunch, to the board offices, and just peruse the parking lot. Lexus after Lexus, after Mercedes. All in a row...

And FOIA the contracts to outside consultants, to see how many of them have prior ties to Manny.

A Lexus or Mercedes doesn't really cost any more than a 4wd truck these days.

 

[bbonds]

Welp, we just got a 14 minute video about our options. Lord knows it doesn't matter, as we've already done this 2 other times. However, now that there's a vaccine, maybe it will stick this time.

Good luck everyone.

 

[anthonys735]

Welp, we just got a 14 minute video about our options. Lord knows it doesn't matter, as we've already done this 2 other times. However, now that there's a vaccine, maybe it will stick this time.

Good luck everyone.

Fayette? Link?

 

[wildcat1973]

Jan 26th for us. At this point it’s wait out the fall semester. Phase in the little kids first. And then follow up with the big kids.

I can’t wait for all of this to end. Almost a full year out of the classroom. Unreal.

 

[bbonds]

not sure if it's for all Fayette County. my child attends Rosa Parks, and that is who sent the link out...

I'm sure it will likely be very similar across the board. Here were "our" three options.

1. In person - 5 days - masks will be required and social distancing when allowable. They're expecting 80% to choose this option.
2. Remote - different from last spring and different from the current NTI-2 or whatever. They would be assigned to a "remote" teacher...at least for grades 3-5.
3. Virtual Learning Academy

What sucks, and where I still have questions, is my child's current teacher will be the new "remote" teacher. So I responded to her to determine what that means. I would hate for her to have to meet another new teacher at this point in the year. But I also want her to go back to school. Such a clusterf*ck.

 

[HymanKaplan]

Here is your best option: Keep your kids out of public school.

Do whatever you have to do.

 

[cole854]

Here is your best option: Keep your kids out of public school.

Do whatever you have to do.

Terrible advice.

 

[Booker Noe]

Woodford County High School going virtual the rest of the week not because of Covid positives In the school but too many of the staff were quarantined due to outside of school positives. None of the staff were positive but were contact traced. At least they kept the middle and elementary schools open.

 

[anthonys735]

As long as they're temporary specific school related closures, I get the immediate frustrations, but I don't have a huge amout of negativity towards those decisions. The red zone nonsense is a different story.

Just not opening at all is where I'm furious.

 

[UKBrassowTipIN]

You know biden is going to put a union leader in as secretary of ed. Test scores will continue to plummet but those central offices will continue to grow

 

[Booker Noe]

As long as they're temporary specific school related closures, I get the immediate frustrations, but I don't have a huge amout of negativity towards those decisions. The red zone nonsense is a different story.

Just not opening at all is where I'm furious.

Oh I agree. I think our superintendent has done a pretty good job to try to keep kids in school. Even though the county was red last week he kept schools open because there were actual low cases in the school. He is keeping the other schools open which makes sense. Contact tracing is what shut it down and not positives

 

[anthonys735]

I love America.

 

[CB3UK]

Will I be getting a discount on my Fayette Co school tax payment come January considering how little kids have been in school this year?

Dont get me started on having to pay at all as a property owner with zero kids.

 

[Booker Noe]

Waiting for our Superintendent to announce if in-person school next week is the new waiting to see who UK is going to play in the NCAAT.

Despite being red again and having to shutdown the high school for a few days due to staff quarantine he decided to keep in-person going. He is using data showing there is basically 1 case/week for the last 6 weeks.

 

[anthonys735]

It's spreading a lot of places, but not in schools, or you know that shit would be plastered all over every billboard and live breaking news.

Schools open all over the country and world for months now. Not sure what they're waiting on, tbh.

 

[pretzel__logic]

Boone County shut down again because they have too many teachers in quarantine. I imagine the other districts aren't far behind.

 

[BernieSadori]

My kids are still going each day.

Hope that continues as we haven't had that many cases.

 

[CatsFanGG24]

Will I be getting a discount on my Fayette Co school tax payment come January considering how little kids have been in school this year?

Dont get me started on having to pay at all as a property owner with zero kids.

Could be worse, JCPS threw in a 9.5% tax hike this year.

 

[funKYcat75]

Word around town is about 10-12 percent of parents are not sending kids back in January to FCPS. They’ll do some form of NTI, some will still do VLA, rest at school.

Manny said if we’re orange, we’ll be in school. Red, home.

I think Manny has his evaluation soon. Could be interesting. Some new folks coming onto the Board too. Could be a lot of changes between now and January.

Someone said the district might take the 4/5/6 of January for teacher workdays and classroom prep (no comment) and then kids on Thursday.

6 foot distancing will be impossible.

 

[anthonys735]

Boone County shut down again because they have too many teachers in quarantine. I imagine the other districts aren't far behind.

Apparently it's not quarantine it's teachers calling out because it was presented at 4p that they had 25 or something positives. Then BC released something today saying it was actually only 11 but they have too many absences so they're holding off until Nov 30th.

I'm sure the call out's Starbucks barista and Trader Joes worker are still clocking in each morning.

 

[pretzel__logic]

Wowwwww. That is some nonsense.

Is 25 positives in a healthy population all that concerning, really?

 

[anthonys735]

Wowwwww. That is some nonsense.

Is 25 positives in a healthy population all that concerning, really?

 

[bcw1029]

Will I be getting a discount on my Fayette Co school tax payment come January considering how little kids have been in school this year?

Dont get me started on having to pay at all as a property owner with zero kids.

Yes, this infuriates me as well with no kids.

 

[CatGotMyTongue]

Terrible advice.

I agree with you. Bryan Station HS is the pinnacle

 

[Booker Noe]

Our superintendent had been keeping kids in school but staff quarantine got them in the big schools this upcoming week. He is keeping the elementary schools open. One staff case but too many any quarantine.

 

[anthonys735]

Catholic Schools are starting to waiver. Assuming none will go back after Thanksgiving. Imo, just call it a semester if you're going to do that.

 

[FearThe Blue]

Catholic Schools are starting to waiver. Assuming none will go back after Thanksgiving. Imo, just call it a semester if you're going to do that.

That would be frustrating, at least as it pertains to my daughter’s high school. They are currently doing a hybrid schedule where only half the students are present at a time, so they can maintain distancing. And of course masking is required.

And parents have the option to choose full time online.

 

[KYExtemper]

The issue that is being overlooked by a lot of reopening plans is that there is a lack of substitutes if teachers and staff are quarantined. It's hard enough for a lot of districts when times are good to get substitutes and pre-COVID most substitutes tended to be older or retired teachers. And since this virus affects older people more, it's no surprise that there are sub shortages or a simple lack of substitutes everywhere. So when schools are having teachers ordered into quarantine for exposure (or have this happen to pivot workers like bus drivers of which there is already a shortage of) they can't operate.

And one other thing that gets lost with parental choice is that districts are making teachers do TWO jobs this year because they won't hire staff to only work with virtual kids. So as a teacher, one has to teach in-person AND virtual kids at the same time under a "hybrid" setup. This means that teachers are in front of the classroom but have to have a camera/laptop up so virtual kids can tune in, but then virtual kids can't see the board as well, hear classmates, etc. And good luck policing two sets of students with one set of eyes. I'm guessing that we are going to see a LOT of resignations from teachers roll in around the end of the semester or after this year because there's a lot of discontent.

Schools dropped the ball going into this year because all summer they were planning to come back in person and created all of these policies for that instead of looking at some of the more practical issues that would force a virtual setup at some point anyway. So instead of having good virtual education or systems in place for distance learning they just wasted time.

My guess is that schools won't get back up and going until a vaccine is out there and that might put things at March at the earliest. The winter is going to be bad.

 

[CatGotMyTongue]

not sure if it's for all Fayette County. my child attends Rosa Parks, and that is who sent the link out...

I'm sure it will likely be very similar across the board. Here were "our" three options.

1. In person - 5 days - masks will be required and social distancing when allowable. They're expecting 80% to choose this option.
2. Remote - different from last spring and different from the current NTI-2 or whatever. They would be assigned to a "remote" teacher...at least for grades 3-5.
3. Virtual Learning Academy

What sucks, and where I still have questions, is my child's current teacher will be the new "remote" teacher. So I responded to her to determine what that means. I would hate for her to have to meet another new teacher at this point in the year. But I also want her to go back to school. Such a clusterf*ck.