Just in case you haven't received a phone call from the WCBOE, Students are getting off yet again for two days worth of "professional days" Monday & Tuesday.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
60 comments:
Teacher's aren't getting off. Students are getting off. Teachers will be reporting to work for full hours both days.
State laws set the total number of student days. Federal laws set requirements for professional service and trainings.
I thought professional days means the teachers work, the students have off?
Somebody please take the car keys, of course professional days mean the teachers work, and based on Md being ranked having the best schools in the nation, they are clearly during a good job! Let's give some credit where credit is due! And no I'm not a teacher, just a resident who thinks there is no story here, other than to recognize the good jobs occurring in Maryland schools.
That's right! At least teachers do get professional days. After this past week it looks like the county accounting office needs a few to balance their books.
Teachers do not get "off" for professional days, but there are no classes and students do not go to school then. This is part of the regular published school schedule -- so no special "phone call from the WCBOE."
Professional and Training days should be during the Summer break. That way Teachers would be earning their pay teaching during the scheduled school year. Training and Professional days conducted during this break would give the Teachers the time to incorporate in their lesson plans what they learn instead of waiting for the next school year. That way they earn their pay instead of sitting around laughing at others while they have to work all summer or get a second job while others need that job as their only souorce of income.
anonymous 8:28, excuse me but I did receive that "special phone call" from the WCBOE and that's why this got posted.
8:30 I am sure that most teachers would love your recommendation. Unfortunately, their contract is based on 190 (or so) days. If you wish for them to do the professional training during those months, I am sure they will say thank you because you would have to pay them more money. No one would work for free in any job.
Thanks for making the recommendation and your support of public education. Great idea!
I am teacher and yes it's two professional days. We work full days so we are earning our pay. To 8:30, you can't possibly a teacher. When you say teachers can plan a lesson in the summer for the next school year. Are you kidding. How do you know that far in advance,what your class makeup and how you will modify your lesson to the needs of all the children in the class? Your idea sounds good, but isnt realistic. And by the way, I laugh at nobody during the summer. I am damn thankful I have a job.
I am a teacher and couldn't care less about anybody's opinion about what I make or the job I do. We all have choices. I made the choice to go to college and become a teacher. Most of the negative comments on this blog come from people who made the choice to live off of my hard work. You're welcome!
These two days have been on the school calendar as being professional days since it was first drafted a year ago. This is not a surprise to anybody.
Why would you get a phone call to let you know about professional days?
I teach in a non-public school, and I have a part-time job two nights a week year round. I love both jobs!
I have understood that teachers can be paid two different ways. They can choose to get paid more per pay period and not get paid over the summer or get paid less per pay period and get a pay check over the summer. Not sure how true this is if someone could clarify.
If schools are so great in the county then why don't they inforce a dress code for students?? Pants of some of the students are at their knees, not a good public image at all. Uniforms should have to be worn in all Wicomico County Schools.
8:30, just because you have a job that does not allow you to have off for two months in the summer, don't be bitter. Teachers work harder in those ten months that they are working with children than most people do in their jobs all year long. Not to mention, because teaching doesn't pay as much as it should, MANY teachers have a second job in the summer, so there aren't a lot of teachers that I know that are "sitting around laughing" at anybody. And Joe, please don't post professional days in quotations as if they really aren't professional days. It is insulting to those teachers that will be at school tomorrow working hard, grading papers, posting grades, going through training sessions and workshops to teach our students. I am not a teacher, but work closely with the education system in another local county and we should all show our teachers the respect they deserve. They have a difficult job, requiring much patience and hard work. Not everyone could be a teacher, so lets not bad mouth those who chose a profession that teaches our children.
everybody here is getn all worked up and ready to argue over the fact of if teachers work or not,and not one person,nor does it even say anywhere on here that teachers get these days off.Yet almost evryone starts out saying that teachers dont do this or teachers dont do that!You people really crack me up, Joe, some of these people just cant wait for you to post a mistake,it seems like as soon as you do,whenever you have done so they are on here just a typing away Joe ur wrong,Joe thats not correct,and Joe you said this about that and Im gona tell on you because you arent right about that.I just think its kinda funny! (: :)
Look, the WCBOE called them "professional days" not me.
Mr. Cannon...
Yes, you are correct. As a teacher, I have the option of getting paid over 10 months or I can elect to have a portion of my pay taken out by the BOE for use over the summer. I do not pay for health insurance over this time since my premium is paid over 10 months. The benefit is that I can have a paycheck over the summer but it does reduce my pay each month. I do have another job over the summer but this is a nice benefit in case I choose not to work.
8:59 - a little arrogant arent' we? How presumptious of you to state that negative comments come from people who live off your hard work. And how do you know this? Calm down a little.
Joe~ what is the purpose of this post? Where were you going with this? Professional days are nothing new in the educational system. I really am curious...not trying to be a smart a**.
What the hell do you mean, what the purpose of this post. Can you read, or not! School is closed Monday and Tuesday, or son't you get that.
I couldn't agree more Joe. Some of the people on here are just plain stupid.
hey joe i got the phone call as well. but thank you for the post as busy as some of us get these days we forget things! keep up the great work!
It's nice to have my girls home for 2 more days :)
Hey Joe, I just looked at your comments for the day and you're over 200 for a Sunday. JT has 3. ROTFLMAO!
anonymous 10:05, come on now. Does that really surprise you.
8:59 you sure are jumping to conclusions. I read this blog every day, several times a day actually, to stay informed. However I do not live off of anyone's tax dollars and I opted to go to college to be a counselor to help all the children that leave the schools with mental and emotional problems caused by judgemental ignorant teachers like you!!
To all the teachers that do a great job and interact with their students..keep up the good work, to the judgmental moron retire!!!
Just remember, the purpose of schools is to educate. It is not a baby sitting service.
Decisions are made in the interest of properly educating students.
Don't like the schedule. The 10-11 calendar is still (I believe) in draft form. Show up to a meeting. Still don't like it, there is private school and home school.
Education not daycare. Those are two entirely different things.
[And yes, parents need to speak up and set some boundaries for the use of this phone system].
What do teachers do during "Professional Days"?
It is a joke. Teachers complain about how hard they work. Day starts at 9 am and ends at 3 PM.
With all of the holidays they work 9 months out of the year.
Teaching is an important job , but the compensation including benefits is way too much.
Goog Lord Teachers in Wicomico are freakin defensive and RUDE! It was just a simple notice. Clearly some of you lack reading comprehension.
Pshhhh 9:29 My kid's teacher makes $75K. What are you talking about?
I work for the Board and I can tell you teachers do nothing professional on their days off and they are not required to be in the schools at all. Just a lot of bull that they are not telling you....
In what county does that teacher make $75K and what level of college does he/she have?
9:29 - if that is true, then your kid's teacher has been teaching for over 16 years and has a doctorate degree. Do you know what the salary for most careers is with that kind of experience and degree? Try at least double!
They call every student's home in the county to remind them of this? I'm sure they get a schedule ahead of time and were probably reminded last week at school. They never had to make those calls when I was in school. Even though it's an automated call, it costs money.
10:38....and she earns every cent of it! At that salary, I am sure she has put in a nice long career.
If you only knew what teachers have to deal with and what they have on them...!! Give them a BREAK!!!
You go Joe! Seems like there are many teachers who are thin skinned.
What is that all about? Can you imagine if one of them was slammed like you always are or like one of our elected officials? Yea, they can stand up in public meetings and slam the elected officials but looks like they can't take their own medicine.
10:38 - probably because your kids teacher has been teaching for over 30+ years. I'd say anyone who's been working in ANY profession for that long deserves a good salary.
Joe, how did you get your number on the WCBOE call list? As a divorced parent of a child in the Wicomico County school system, I haven't been able to get my number on the list. The principal of the school has told me numerous times that because one parent is already listed, they can't plug another name into the system. So, my ex gets all the texts and I can't get any. Are you on a media call list? That would make more sense. Please respond. Thanks!
to 7:09am
This has nothing to do with teachers being thin-skinned. It has everything to do with teachers being tired of judgement by ignorant commenters that have no idea of the reality of teaching.
I'm not sure when parents think teachers check the hundreds of papers, do the lesson plans, make the materials that go with the lessons, call parents for various reasons, etc. It's called every single night. So just put in at least four hours of unpaid overtime for your job every night, and you'll get the picture. Then go to committee meetings, parent conferences, PTA nights, School at McDonalds night, Science night, Math night, all school fundraisers for some more unpaid overtime. Teachers do get about 45 minutes of planning time a day, unless there's a conference scheduled. In 45 minutes, they can check maybe one set of papers from one class. A high school teacher can check maybe 3 out of 130 essays. So when does it all get done? Nights and weekends, unpaid.
here's how i see it, if you are a teacher you chose that career, if you don't like it change it!
you work 9 months out of the year! life is tough but i guess someone has got to do it! you deal with alot of crap but then most people i know get what they deserve! old saying those who can't do.....teach!
I am sure your benefits and retirement plans paid for by my tax dollars, everyone would love to have! so stop your whining and STFU!
11:%6 You'd be suprised at the salaries within the WCBOE.
I am not a teacher! Please anyone who thinks teachers are overpaid, go to your local neighborhood school and volunteer. Alot of children are not taught respect, manners, etc., in their home, so therefore they do not know how to act in a learning or social situation. I always wanted to be a teacher because I was inspired by my first and second grade teacher. As a young mom, I became a teachers aide in Wicomico County so I did not have daycare issues. I saw what was coming down the road. We were just beginning to the drug babies enter the school system with social and medical issues. There is not enough hazard duty pay to make me want to be a teacher in public school.
Wow, it amazes me that people can take a "public service announcement" such as schools are closed and start so many other ranting topics from it. It was an announcement, I thought that it was rhetorical and not really in need of comment.
Joe simply wanted everyone to be aware of the fact that kids were going to be home today. Everyone that posted something negative on this post is a moron. Apparently you can't possibly be happy unless you have something to complain about. Anon 10:57 The teachers are in meetings all day today. Their schedules were handed to them sometime last week. Yes you must work at the board and not actually in a school or you would know that. And to all of you who think you are far superior than those currently at the professional meetings, please feel free to get off your a** from out of in front of your computer and go to school and get a teaching degree. Show us how much better you can do. :)
FYI - Teachers get 14.8 weeks off a year. That includes the Christmas, Thanksgiving, Presidents birthdays, and summer months.
In some jurisdictions their Social Security portion - (7.65%) is picked-up by the locality. So you can add as a bonus to their salaries 7.65% because most ordinary citizens don't enjoy this priviledge.
Also, most Board of Education pay towards advancing their degrees.
I could add alot more - like the legislation that was sponsored by their lobby to exempt all teachers from paying any real estate tax on their own personal properties while raising all others.
From my perspective - they've not got it so bad.
Years ago students went to school 180 days and teachers 184. Then it went to 186 and to the current 190 for teachers. Students still go only 180days. The Board increased the number of days teachers have to attend to pacify critics who said that teachers weren't going to school enough days for the money they were paid. So within a school year teachers now attend 10 more days than students. Five are done at the end of August. The other five are done when the kids are there. Ten professional days are not necessary, but it was an effort to appease the public. Teachers spend a minimum of three hours a night on schoolwork times five days a week is fifteen hours a week. Maybe some of that should count.
10:57, you have diarrhea of the mouth - go to the nearest school to your home and spend the day with the teachers doing grades, preparing lessons for upcoming MSA testing, recieving training on Differentiated Instruction, revisiting 504 and Special Education Plans, planning for 3rd marking term, inputting grades from 2nd markng term, rearranging classrooms to create more space for the constant influx of new students and trying to set up new stations, etc.
By the way, where do you work and what do you do for a living? I'd like to let Delmarva critize you and your profession....it doesn't matter we don't know anything about it, but let us get our bag of stones so we can chunk some your direction as well.
Geeeezzhhh - grow up!
9:55 RIGHT! We chose that career and love, love, love it. We just hate assholes like you always trying to tear us down....and yes we can take the heat like Joe - that's why there are so many post on here commenting against YET ANOTHER negative Wicomico Citizen....maybe if you don't like it, you should MOVE - I hear Haiti has space!
12:33 Teachers also attend summer workshops, teach summer school, rewrite/revamp county curriculum, analyze and create County Benchmarks....and occassionally YES we go to the beach and have quality family time JUST LIKE YOU!
One reason why pupils in Japan perform so well:
Teaching is considered a very respectable career. A teacher is held in high regard.
We should do the same with our teachers here! All you who claim to work so hard and be so successful got there because of the teachers you are bashing now.
2:04, that's why i send my kids to private school, cause of teachers like you! so I pay twice, once for your incompetant a@@ and I pay again to get the teachers I know will teach my child. I pulled my kids out of Bennett years ago when i saw what actually went on in that school! and that's supposed to be one of the better ones in this county! what a joke, teachers who don't want to teach, no desks for the students, no books! and yet we are spending millions upon millions on this failed social experiment! If you actually had to produce children who can think, could you? I have seen enough to know the answer to that already!
I hope all you lovely teachers enjoued your 2 hour lunch today. :) Well deserved.
Thanks Joe for letting us all know that the students don't have school today and tomorrow.
I would like to thank the Teachers for doing what I'm sure is a hard job..trying to help mold other peoples kids into Intelligent young adults. I think you deserve the days off that you get..and higher pay!
Does everyone know there are about a dozen BOE employees working part time and getting full time Health, medical and retirement benefits. That's right working a part time job and getting FULL TIME BENEFITS!!! Where else can you get a part time job and get the best benefits possible. It's true and Mayor Jim Ireton since he is one of the dozen employees of the Board of Education. I bet no one has the nads to speak out about that one.
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