Fairfax County General :
Fairfax Underground
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
FCPS New Bloated Administrative Structure
Posted by:
Same Old Story
()
Date: June 26, 2014 10:17AM
FCPS paid millions of dollar for an efficiency study. One of the recommendations was to flatten the administrative hiearchy at Gatehouse. Now here comes a series of announcemnts about the new structure, replete with new positions -- 1 assistant superintendent for region leadership support, 5 regional assistant superintendents, 5 executive principals, and 5 executive principals for school improvement. Previously, FCSP only had 8 cluster assistant superintendents.
1. How is expansion to 16 administrators more efficient than 8? Double-down on the dead weight at Gatehouse.
2. Why do we need an "Executive Principal" and and an "Assistant Superintendet" for each Region?
3. Why do we need an "Executive Principal" and and an "Executive Principal for School Improvement" for each Region? Is not this duplicative? Should this be combined into one position?
FCPS is continuing the tradition of recycling and promoting incompetent school principals to administrative roles at Gatehouse where they contribute nothing to school operations and academic performance but oversee the production of busy-work studies, surveys, and data collection.
Karen Garza, you are just another empty suit drinking the kool-aid. Meanwhile, class sizes are getting larger and larger. Little wonder that 40% of FCPS salary budget is spent on non-teacher positions.
I can't believe it unless I read it with my own eyes -- what do these people do....besides assess, collaborate, advocate, and support -- all BS verbs for do-nothing jobs.
"The executive principals will support the regional assistant superintendents in providing leadership, direction, support, counseling, coaching and assistance to principals. In addition, the executive principals will act as an advocate for assigned schools engaging the community in the development of individual school programs while responding to parent and community groups’ issues and concerns.
The executive principals for school improvement will support the regional assistant superintendents in assessing school needs and effectiveness while collaborating with administrators to develop, plan, and coordinate objectives for school improvement plans and facilitating innovation to improve instructional practices for improved student achievement."
1. How is expansion to 16 administrators more efficient than 8? Double-down on the dead weight at Gatehouse.
2. Why do we need an "Executive Principal" and and an "Assistant Superintendet" for each Region?
3. Why do we need an "Executive Principal" and and an "Executive Principal for School Improvement" for each Region? Is not this duplicative? Should this be combined into one position?
FCPS is continuing the tradition of recycling and promoting incompetent school principals to administrative roles at Gatehouse where they contribute nothing to school operations and academic performance but oversee the production of busy-work studies, surveys, and data collection.
Karen Garza, you are just another empty suit drinking the kool-aid. Meanwhile, class sizes are getting larger and larger. Little wonder that 40% of FCPS salary budget is spent on non-teacher positions.
I can't believe it unless I read it with my own eyes -- what do these people do....besides assess, collaborate, advocate, and support -- all BS verbs for do-nothing jobs.
"The executive principals will support the regional assistant superintendents in providing leadership, direction, support, counseling, coaching and assistance to principals. In addition, the executive principals will act as an advocate for assigned schools engaging the community in the development of individual school programs while responding to parent and community groups’ issues and concerns.
The executive principals for school improvement will support the regional assistant superintendents in assessing school needs and effectiveness while collaborating with administrators to develop, plan, and coordinate objectives for school improvement plans and facilitating innovation to improve instructional practices for improved student achievement."
Re: FCPS New Bloated Administrative Structure
Posted by:
3y34h
()
Date: June 26, 2014 10:18AM
I remember the efficiency report but can't find the link. Can you post it please? I think it will enhance your point in this thread.
Re: FCPS New Bloated Administrative Structure
Posted by:
Fairfax Taxpayer
()
Date: June 26, 2014 10:31AM
The educational establishment (grad schools, administrators, unions) are in a great position. It gets to assess and recommend how many high-paying administrative jobs schools systems have. Then its members are the ones who get those high-paying jobs. It's as if the employees at a Walmart store could assess how many high-paying management jobs the store should have, knowing that they would be filled by the employees. Well, of course they are going to find that a lot were necessary.
Re: FCPS New Bloated Administrative Structure
Posted by:
Nonsense Admns
()
Date: June 26, 2014 10:44AM
Yup! And look at this week attendance records to prove how efficient our school system is.
Pathetic School Board!
Pathetic School Board!
Re: FCPS New Bloated Administrative Structure
Posted by:
Sarah Smiles
()
Date: June 26, 2014 10:46AM
The really sad tale is that these new "executive principals" and "assistant superintendents" are former schools principals that fall into two camps.
(1) Outstanding principals with excellent leadership and vision. Their highest and best value-use is at the schools and in the educational community with teachers and students, not at some dry desk job at Gatehouse where they push paper and collect data.
(2) Incompetent principals (usually former P.E teachers on the fast-track career path) who do not belong in schools unless they are there to sell computer equipment or roll out the basketballs. However, it is better to promote them up and out than retain them as morale suffers and school performance languishes.
Everyone in FCPS knows who is in (1) and who is in (2)
(1) Outstanding principals with excellent leadership and vision. Their highest and best value-use is at the schools and in the educational community with teachers and students, not at some dry desk job at Gatehouse where they push paper and collect data.
(2) Incompetent principals (usually former P.E teachers on the fast-track career path) who do not belong in schools unless they are there to sell computer equipment or roll out the basketballs. However, it is better to promote them up and out than retain them as morale suffers and school performance languishes.
Everyone in FCPS knows who is in (1) and who is in (2)
Re: FCPS New Bloated Administrative Structure
Posted by:
ask and you shall receive
()
Date: June 26, 2014 11:06AM
Garza left Texas and landed on the Golden Goose.
A fairly rich County that has a brainwashed population that believes the rhetoric that if they don't get everything they ask for, their kids will be idiots and not get into the college of their choice. Until the taxpayers call for some audits and some oversight, the madness will continue. When the swarms of illegal immigrant children make their way here from the border soon, they will have to adopt new strategies or face reality.
A fairly rich County that has a brainwashed population that believes the rhetoric that if they don't get everything they ask for, their kids will be idiots and not get into the college of their choice. Until the taxpayers call for some audits and some oversight, the madness will continue. When the swarms of illegal immigrant children make their way here from the border soon, they will have to adopt new strategies or face reality.
Re: FCPS New Bloated Administrative Structure
Posted by:
Curmudgeon
()
Date: June 26, 2014 11:43AM
so tired of these goddamm threads. all of you are missing the point, which is that everyone is right.
1. taxpayers are correct that the administration is bloated and needs drastic cutting
2. taxpayers are also correct that too many teachers are jaded, uncaring, and should be replaced. all year long i hear bitching from teachers about how we "teach to the test" and can't do actual teaching anymore. yet for the last month straight my child watched disney movies every single day. ok that's an exaggeration -- they watched a pixar movie once.
3. teachers are correct that too many parents are overbearing helicopter morons.
4. parents are correct that actual teaching is drastically underfunded. you can't put 30 first graders in a room and expect them to actually learn anything. that's just a straight up abdication of the responsibility to educate children.
5. the wingnuts are right that way too goddamn much money is being spent on ESL and other services for illegals.
6. lefties are right that there's way too goddamn little time spent on health issues including nutrition and sex ed. this just costs us money down the road when the inevitable problems arise.
everybody's right. but everybody is pointing fingers at each other and blame-shifting. i'm not perfect either, and i'm guilty of one of the items on the above list at times. but this takes an all hands on deck solution -- can't just look for a "magic fix" because it doesn't exist.
1. taxpayers are correct that the administration is bloated and needs drastic cutting
2. taxpayers are also correct that too many teachers are jaded, uncaring, and should be replaced. all year long i hear bitching from teachers about how we "teach to the test" and can't do actual teaching anymore. yet for the last month straight my child watched disney movies every single day. ok that's an exaggeration -- they watched a pixar movie once.
3. teachers are correct that too many parents are overbearing helicopter morons.
4. parents are correct that actual teaching is drastically underfunded. you can't put 30 first graders in a room and expect them to actually learn anything. that's just a straight up abdication of the responsibility to educate children.
5. the wingnuts are right that way too goddamn much money is being spent on ESL and other services for illegals.
6. lefties are right that there's way too goddamn little time spent on health issues including nutrition and sex ed. this just costs us money down the road when the inevitable problems arise.
everybody's right. but everybody is pointing fingers at each other and blame-shifting. i'm not perfect either, and i'm guilty of one of the items on the above list at times. but this takes an all hands on deck solution -- can't just look for a "magic fix" because it doesn't exist.
Re: FCPS New Bloated Administrative Structure
Posted by:
yes
()
Date: June 26, 2014 12:15PM
Number 1 and number 2 are related. All of the higher government mandates give the administration rationale to add more administrators (to keep track of all the data and the reporting and to "coach" teachers on how to raise the scores). This in turn causes the teachers to become more and more jaded by the high stakes testing atmosphere (upon which 40% of their evaluation is based now). Number 4 could be included as a factor that is related to numbers 1 and 2 as well. The focus is all political and not on the students (where it should be). This just gets more and more demoralizing for the teachers. Where (and when) will it end?
Re: FCPS New Bloated Administrative Structure
Posted by:
25* class sizes are terrible
()
Date: June 26, 2014 11:19PM
Bloated administration demonstrates arrogance regarding taxpayer funding, but even worse is the related problem of ever-growing class sizes.
Student learning is being put last on the list of this school system's areas of focus. No teacher can effectively meet the needs of nearly 30 kids.
The leadership knows this and apparently doesn't care.
Easier to blame the county for not squeezing even more out of other county priorities than to look at cutting administrative costs to keep class sizes manageable for teachers.
This is shameful.
Student learning is being put last on the list of this school system's areas of focus. No teacher can effectively meet the needs of nearly 30 kids.
The leadership knows this and apparently doesn't care.
Easier to blame the county for not squeezing even more out of other county priorities than to look at cutting administrative costs to keep class sizes manageable for teachers.
This is shameful.
Re: FCPS New Bloated Administrative Structure
Posted by:
3457689760983987465678932
()
Date: June 27, 2014 08:10AM
Cross-reference the thread on the Principal slush fund/parking pass money.
Are they holding classes out at Lansdowne now? I doubt it.
Are they holding classes out at Lansdowne now? I doubt it.
Re: FCPS New Bloated Administrative Structure
Posted by:
Open season on fucktards
()
Date: June 27, 2014 08:20AM
People who use the word "bloated" should be taken out and shot. Summary execution. It's the only way to deal with the contaminated.
Re: FCPS New Bloated Administrative Structure
Posted by:
34567890987654323456789
()
Date: June 27, 2014 08:38AM
it also looks like there are remote classes being offered in Las Vegas.
Re: FCPS New Bloated Administrative Structure
Posted by:
RydelllRoad
()
Date: June 27, 2014 08:44AM
Curmudgeon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> so tired of these goddamm threads. all of you are
> missing the point, which is that everyone is
> right.
>
> 1. taxpayers are correct that the administration
> is bloated and needs drastic cutting
> 2. taxpayers are also correct that too many
> teachers are jaded, uncaring, and should be
> replaced. all year long i hear bitching from
> teachers about how we "teach to the test" and
> can't do actual teaching anymore. yet for the
> last month straight my child watched disney movies
> every single day. ok that's an exaggeration --
> they watched a pixar movie once.
> 3. teachers are correct that too many parents are
> overbearing helicopter morons.
> 4. parents are correct that actual teaching is
> drastically underfunded. you can't put 30 first
> graders in a room and expect them to actually
> learn anything. that's just a straight up
> abdication of the responsibility to educate
> children.
> 5. the wingnuts are right that way too goddamn
> much money is being spent on ESL and other
> services for illegals.
> 6. lefties are right that there's way too goddamn
> little time spent on health issues including
> nutrition and sex ed. this just costs us money
> down the road when the inevitable problems arise.
>
> everybody's right. but everybody is pointing
> fingers at each other and blame-shifting. i'm not
> perfect either, and i'm guilty of one of the items
> on the above list at times. but this takes an all
> hands on deck solution -- can't just look for a
> "magic fix" because it doesn't exist.
Best post on FCPS in several years. You are 100% dead on correct on every point (except not so much on No. 6 - not a big issue in FCPS). As a parent I am sick about how teachers are treated by overbearing parents, burdensome Gatehouse bureaucracy and disgruntled taxpayers. As a disgruntled taxpayer I am sick about the lack of proper spending priorities and sense of entitlement to taxpayer money by those whose paychecks come from the taxpayer.
I despise all the games both sides play to paint each other as evil villains and it is tiresome to see everyone takes sides as waring tribes. We need more reasonable people - such as this teacher:
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/news/2014/feb/12/letter-fully-fund-our-schools/
-------------------------------------------------------
> so tired of these goddamm threads. all of you are
> missing the point, which is that everyone is
> right.
>
> 1. taxpayers are correct that the administration
> is bloated and needs drastic cutting
> 2. taxpayers are also correct that too many
> teachers are jaded, uncaring, and should be
> replaced. all year long i hear bitching from
> teachers about how we "teach to the test" and
> can't do actual teaching anymore. yet for the
> last month straight my child watched disney movies
> every single day. ok that's an exaggeration --
> they watched a pixar movie once.
> 3. teachers are correct that too many parents are
> overbearing helicopter morons.
> 4. parents are correct that actual teaching is
> drastically underfunded. you can't put 30 first
> graders in a room and expect them to actually
> learn anything. that's just a straight up
> abdication of the responsibility to educate
> children.
> 5. the wingnuts are right that way too goddamn
> much money is being spent on ESL and other
> services for illegals.
> 6. lefties are right that there's way too goddamn
> little time spent on health issues including
> nutrition and sex ed. this just costs us money
> down the road when the inevitable problems arise.
>
> everybody's right. but everybody is pointing
> fingers at each other and blame-shifting. i'm not
> perfect either, and i'm guilty of one of the items
> on the above list at times. but this takes an all
> hands on deck solution -- can't just look for a
> "magic fix" because it doesn't exist.
Best post on FCPS in several years. You are 100% dead on correct on every point (except not so much on No. 6 - not a big issue in FCPS). As a parent I am sick about how teachers are treated by overbearing parents, burdensome Gatehouse bureaucracy and disgruntled taxpayers. As a disgruntled taxpayer I am sick about the lack of proper spending priorities and sense of entitlement to taxpayer money by those whose paychecks come from the taxpayer.
I despise all the games both sides play to paint each other as evil villains and it is tiresome to see everyone takes sides as waring tribes. We need more reasonable people - such as this teacher:
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/news/2014/feb/12/letter-fully-fund-our-schools/
Re: FCPS New Bloated Administrative Structure
Posted by:
Sounds like a plan
()
Date: June 27, 2014 09:28AM
Open season on fucktards Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> People who use the word "bloated" should be taken
> out and shot. Summary execution. It's the only
> way to deal with the contaminated.
You may well be right, but can we line up the people who dorkusly use the word "unsustainable" as well?
-------------------------------------------------------
> People who use the word "bloated" should be taken
> out and shot. Summary execution. It's the only
> way to deal with the contaminated.
You may well be right, but can we line up the people who dorkusly use the word "unsustainable" as well?
Re: FCPS New Bloated Administrative Structure
Posted by:
point of clarification
()
Date: June 27, 2014 01:26PM
Actually, there are only 2 Executive principals for school improvement, not 5
Re: FCPS New Bloated Administrative Structure
Posted by:
FCPS Spokesman
()
Date: June 27, 2014 02:14PM
Same Old Story Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> FCPS paid millions of dollar for an efficiency
> study. One of the recommendations was to flatten
> the administrative hiearchy at Gatehouse. Now
> here comes a series of announcemnts about the new
> structure, replete with new positions -- 1
> assistant superintendent for region leadership
> support, 5 regional assistant superintendents, 5
> executive principals, and 5 executive principals
> for school improvement. Previously, FCSP only had
> 8 cluster assistant superintendents.
>
> 1. How is expansion to 16 administrators more
> efficient than 8? Double-down on the dead weight
> at Gatehouse.
>
> 2. Why do we need an "Executive Principal" and
> and an "Assistant Superintendet" for each Region?
>
> 3. Why do we need an "Executive Principal" and
> and an "Executive Principal for School
> Improvement" for each Region? Is not this
> duplicative? Should this be combined into one
> position?
>
> FCPS is continuing the tradition of recycling and
> promoting incompetent school principals to
> administrative roles at Gatehouse where they
> contribute nothing to school operations and
> academic performance but oversee the production of
> busy-work studies, surveys, and data collection.
>
> Karen Garza, you are just another empty suit
> drinking the kool-aid. Meanwhile, class sizes are
> getting larger and larger. Little wonder that 40%
> of FCPS salary budget is spent on non-teacher
> positions.
>
> I can't believe it unless I read it with my own
> eyes -- what do these people do....besides assess,
> collaborate, advocate, and support -- all BS verbs
> for do-nothing jobs.
>
> "The executive principals will support the
> regional assistant superintendents in providing
> leadership, direction, support, counseling,
> coaching and assistance to principals. In
> addition, the executive principals will act as an
> advocate for assigned schools engaging the
> community in the development of individual school
> programs while responding to parent and community
> groups’ issues and concerns.
>
> The executive principals for school improvement
> will support the regional assistant
> superintendents in assessing school needs and
> effectiveness while collaborating with
> administrators to develop, plan, and coordinate
> objectives for school improvement plans and
> facilitating innovation to improve instructional
> practices for improved student achievement."
STFU and pay your taxes asshat. You work for us. And don't forget, it's all about the kids!
-------------------------------------------------------
> FCPS paid millions of dollar for an efficiency
> study. One of the recommendations was to flatten
> the administrative hiearchy at Gatehouse. Now
> here comes a series of announcemnts about the new
> structure, replete with new positions -- 1
> assistant superintendent for region leadership
> support, 5 regional assistant superintendents, 5
> executive principals, and 5 executive principals
> for school improvement. Previously, FCSP only had
> 8 cluster assistant superintendents.
>
> 1. How is expansion to 16 administrators more
> efficient than 8? Double-down on the dead weight
> at Gatehouse.
>
> 2. Why do we need an "Executive Principal" and
> and an "Assistant Superintendet" for each Region?
>
> 3. Why do we need an "Executive Principal" and
> and an "Executive Principal for School
> Improvement" for each Region? Is not this
> duplicative? Should this be combined into one
> position?
>
> FCPS is continuing the tradition of recycling and
> promoting incompetent school principals to
> administrative roles at Gatehouse where they
> contribute nothing to school operations and
> academic performance but oversee the production of
> busy-work studies, surveys, and data collection.
>
> Karen Garza, you are just another empty suit
> drinking the kool-aid. Meanwhile, class sizes are
> getting larger and larger. Little wonder that 40%
> of FCPS salary budget is spent on non-teacher
> positions.
>
> I can't believe it unless I read it with my own
> eyes -- what do these people do....besides assess,
> collaborate, advocate, and support -- all BS verbs
> for do-nothing jobs.
>
> "The executive principals will support the
> regional assistant superintendents in providing
> leadership, direction, support, counseling,
> coaching and assistance to principals. In
> addition, the executive principals will act as an
> advocate for assigned schools engaging the
> community in the development of individual school
> programs while responding to parent and community
> groups’ issues and concerns.
>
> The executive principals for school improvement
> will support the regional assistant
> superintendents in assessing school needs and
> effectiveness while collaborating with
> administrators to develop, plan, and coordinate
> objectives for school improvement plans and
> facilitating innovation to improve instructional
> practices for improved student achievement."
STFU and pay your taxes asshat. You work for us. And don't forget, it's all about the kids!
Re: FCPS New Bloated Administrative Structure
Posted by:
GCM Downslide
()
Date: June 27, 2014 05:18PM
Sarah Smiles Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The really sad tale is that these new "executive
> principals" and "assistant superintendents" are
> former schools principals that fall into two
> camps.
>
> (1) Outstanding principals with excellent
> leadership and vision. Their highest and best
> value-use is at the schools and in the educational
> community with teachers and students, not at some
> dry desk job at Gatehouse where they push paper
> and collect data.
>
> (2) Incompetent principals (usually former P.E
> teachers on the fast-track career path) who do not
> belong in schools unless they are there to sell
> computer equipment or roll out the basketballs.
> However, it is better to promote them up and out
> than retain them as morale suffers and school
> performance languishes.
>
> Everyone in FCPS knows who is in (1) and who is in
> (2)
So you're putting the Marshall principal in (1) and the WSHS principal in (2). Most people think Marshall will go downhill fast now. None of the other administrators there get much respect.
-------------------------------------------------------
> The really sad tale is that these new "executive
> principals" and "assistant superintendents" are
> former schools principals that fall into two
> camps.
>
> (1) Outstanding principals with excellent
> leadership and vision. Their highest and best
> value-use is at the schools and in the educational
> community with teachers and students, not at some
> dry desk job at Gatehouse where they push paper
> and collect data.
>
> (2) Incompetent principals (usually former P.E
> teachers on the fast-track career path) who do not
> belong in schools unless they are there to sell
> computer equipment or roll out the basketballs.
> However, it is better to promote them up and out
> than retain them as morale suffers and school
> performance languishes.
>
> Everyone in FCPS knows who is in (1) and who is in
> (2)
So you're putting the Marshall principal in (1) and the WSHS principal in (2). Most people think Marshall will go downhill fast now. None of the other administrators there get much respect.
Re: FCPS New Bloated Administrative Structure
Posted by:
value
()
Date: June 27, 2014 10:34PM
and the new meal tax is supposed to pay for this mess?
how much did it cost to open school this week?
how much will it cost to delay the start time?
how much was the Disney training?
how much did it cost to open school this week?
how much will it cost to delay the start time?
how much was the Disney training?
Re: FCPS New Bloated Administrative Structure
Posted by:
such a downer
()
Date: June 29, 2014 10:48AM
Sarah Smiles Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The really sad tale is that these new "executive
> principals" and "assistant superintendents" are
> former schools principals that fall into two
> camps.
>
> (1) Outstanding principals with excellent
> leadership and vision. Their highest and best
> value-use is at the schools and in the educational
> community with teachers and students, not at some
> dry desk job at Gatehouse where they push paper
> and collect data.
>
> (2) Incompetent principals (usually former P.E
> teachers on the fast-track career path) who do not
> belong in schools unless they are there to sell
> computer equipment or roll out the basketballs.
> However, it is better to promote them up and out
> than retain them as morale suffers and school
> performance languishes.
>
> Everyone in FCPS knows who is in (1) and who is in
> (2)
You forgot (3):
(3) Principals who are incompetent AND are going to be subpoenaed in a sex solicitation case and who need a bigger title to show that they are really credible.
Promoting someone after a year and a half as a high school principal (in order to be the boss of other principals who have MUCH MORE TIME in the job) is a slap in the face to the other principals who are working hard. FCPS continues to demoralize its staff.
-------------------------------------------------------
> The really sad tale is that these new "executive
> principals" and "assistant superintendents" are
> former schools principals that fall into two
> camps.
>
> (1) Outstanding principals with excellent
> leadership and vision. Their highest and best
> value-use is at the schools and in the educational
> community with teachers and students, not at some
> dry desk job at Gatehouse where they push paper
> and collect data.
>
> (2) Incompetent principals (usually former P.E
> teachers on the fast-track career path) who do not
> belong in schools unless they are there to sell
> computer equipment or roll out the basketballs.
> However, it is better to promote them up and out
> than retain them as morale suffers and school
> performance languishes.
>
> Everyone in FCPS knows who is in (1) and who is in
> (2)
You forgot (3):
(3) Principals who are incompetent AND are going to be subpoenaed in a sex solicitation case and who need a bigger title to show that they are really credible.
Promoting someone after a year and a half as a high school principal (in order to be the boss of other principals who have MUCH MORE TIME in the job) is a slap in the face to the other principals who are working hard. FCPS continues to demoralize its staff.
Re: FCPS New Bloated Administrative Structure
Posted by:
NkhDh
()
Date: June 29, 2014 05:13PM
when i was in school there was not an office of work order and work checks (principal did all)
---------------------
i can see they hire so many bullshit workers and do so many bullshit jobs using mexicans
of course they need to hire a mexican secretary that specializing in handling all the bullshit work
sure.
when i was in school there was no such office and only one school secretary
---------------------
i can see they hire so many bullshit workers and do so many bullshit jobs using mexicans
of course they need to hire a mexican secretary that specializing in handling all the bullshit work
sure.
when i was in school there was no such office and only one school secretary