How much time do you have in your room before school starts?

[katfco]

How much time do you typically get to set up your room before the school year starts? 
Last year, we had 2 full weeks, and I thought that was typical, but the principal just sent an email saying we get 6 days. Six days, for elementary rooms? That seems really limited 

Is this the norm for others? 

[wildfloweragain]

We typically get 2 weeksish. None of it paid, not a day. But right around Aug 15 we can get in there. Some construction/asbestos abatement summers we got less.

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[erbear]

As much as I want. School is open all summer (though some years, they use my room for summer camp). I don't have to take everything out/down each year though. That sucked.

[jentervention]

Building open - 8/1
Teachers return - 8/16
Teacher workday (classroom) - 8/25
First Day of School - 8/28

[jentervention]

Aug 1, 2017 20:00:06 GMT -5 jentervention said:

Building open - 8/1
Teachers return - 8/16
Teacher workday (classroom) - 8/25
First Day of School - 8/28

Days between 8/16 and 8/25 are PD days.

[Jalapeñomel]

3 days

[UMaineTeach]

Building is always open.
Anytime except the day they wax the room and the day after they wax while it dries. And my room is in the summer school wing, so there will be another 2 days when they wax the hallway and do those rooms.

1/2 a day paid. Maybe.

[nsl]

Summer school ends next Friday, and building services will be frantically cleaning the following week. I think we can get in to our rooms as early as August 21, but professional days don't start until the 23rd. From there we have 10 days until the kids show up, of which I expect we'll get two to work on our rooms, uninterrupted.

As a side note, I really miss my old school this time of year. Most people showed up to do final decorating and planning the Saturday before the first week of school, and it was always a fun day full of food and low-stress collegiality.

[Monica Geller]

We get 1 paid day in our classrooms; 2 days of PD and meetings. Our classrooms are open for a week before school starts though so we can set up.

I usually spend about 10-12 hours unpaid getting my room ready over the course of a week. I like my paid work day to be more "relaxed" since people stop by to chat and catch up. I'd rather be labeling stuff at my desk than unpacking and dirty.

[sarahswim]

They use my room for summer school, so technically it's open all summer. However, the first "official" day that people start heading in to their rooms is today (8/1). We go back for inservice days on 8/18 and 8/21, (yes, that's a Friday for anyone counting), and have time to work during those days. I've basically got my set-up down to a science, so I can get it done in those two days. But working on lessons and curriculum & stuff like that will happen this week, I think.

[court26]

I have to change schools. I had 1.5 days to be completely out of my one school so they could prepare for summer school. 75 boxes (that they moved) and 3 car fulls later and I am STILL waiting to hear if my new room is cleaned out. All 7 elementary schools are being restructured, so the majority of teachers had to move classrooms. What a nightmare! If we don't have summer school in our building, aside from the deep cleaning and waxing, we usually can come and go as long as the building is "open".

[grover]

No paid time.

This year the building and all rooms were cleaned in June (we got out in May) so as of July 3 we have access. I've been in the building twice so far to meet with coworkers, but haven't had time to set up my classroom yet because my infant has been uncooperative after the meetings. Hoping to drag her play mat in on Thursday or Friday this week to get set up. I have trainings next week, but I'd rather not stay late after a full day of boring meetings (especially since it's also the first few days of daycare)

[katfco]

Our building closed all summer long. We got an email today saying it would be open on August 11, giving us 6 days of unpaid time to get our rooms together.

[hymen]

At my school I just left, we are allowed in the building during summer office hours which are Monday-Thursday, 7:30-4:00. We had to take everything down from walls before school ended.

My new district I just started in seems to let us in whenever. I was just there for an hour tonight working on a few things. I don't think teachers need to take everything down either, which is awesome.

[drink227]

We don't get paid to go in. We are in union negotiations right now, so I'm waiting to hear if we are going in voluntarily or not. I usually take about a week or two. But I bring my toddler with me so I could probably do it quicker without her.

I've also moved rooms every single year. I imagine I would be quicker if I already had my stuff in the room.

[The Foozzler]

0 paid.
My school is open all summer and as long as the custodians have finished your room, you are able to go in and set up. We don't need to pack up at the end of the year at all. Just clear off desks and counters.
I stopped in today quickly to drop stuff off but I will wait 2 more weeks before setting up. I typically spend about 4 days setting up.

If you are moving rooms, my principal tries to get coverage so you can pack and start to move in June.

[katfco]

I'm impressed and jealous at how many of you can get into your rooms over the summer. We're required to turn in our keys and can't get in until the custodians are fully done with the rooms. I think they're delayed because we were allegedly getting air conditioning over the summer. If that's what caused the delay, I can't complain too much.

[justkeepswimming]

We don't get any paid time, but the building is typically open to teachers about two weeks before school starts. We just got an email today saying we can get in starting next week. I'm psyched! We have to take everything down in June, and while I can (and have) set everything up in a few days, I love being able to take my time and put in a few hours here and there. Plus, the trunk of my car is full of supplies that I can't wait to drop off.

[katfco]

Aug 1, 2017 21:16:43 GMT -5 drink227 said:

We don't get paid to go in. We are in union negotiations right now, so I'm waiting to hear if we are going in voluntarily or not. I usually take about a week or two. But I bring my toddler with me so I could probably do it quicker without her.

I've also moved rooms every single year. I imagine I would be quicker if I already had my stuff in the room.

We're in negotiations, too, and it's not going well. A coworker just mentioned on Facebook that we're expected to just go by the rules, too, but I can't imagine being ready to teach with just 2 days in the room. 

[hazel]

I will find out tomorrow! I am meeting the principal to get my keys and curriculum materials. I am hoping I can get start within the next 2 weeks. This is my first classroom, so I feel a bit overwhelmed thinking about moving everything in and figuring out how to organize it all.

[nellgirl]

A week or two, all unpaid. I've been in this room for like 7 years and teach grade 5, so not a ton of setup. I also reuse stuff year to year and I'm a minimalist, so it's simple.

[imimahoney]

Our building is open all summer. I'm not sure about the cleaning schedule but I could probably pop in any time for set up. A few years ago I painted my bulletin boards 2 weeks before school started and all of the classrooms were clean. 

We get paid for 2 set up days. I usually head in a day before that, so 3. I would never go in unpaid for much longer than that. 

[stephm0188]

Paid days for teachers? 1. The building is always open though.

I have four days total for library, but it's because I don't see classes the first week of school.

[flamingeaux]

I've had my keys for about a month now, I've been going about once a week or so, to clean and put stuff up. I have a little bit more to put up. Next week we have a bunch of PD in the mornings, and then all afternoon in our classrooms. Then the kids come on Thursday.

[Jalapeñomel]

Aug 1, 2017 21:34:54 GMT -5 katfco said:

I'm impressed and jealous at how many of you can get into your rooms over the summer. We're required to turn in our keys and can't get in until the custodians are fully done with the rooms. I think they're delayed because we were allegedly getting air conditioning over the summer. If that's what caused the delay, I can't complain too much.

Me too. 3 days, two of which are eaten up by PD, is not enough time, even for a HS teacher. And we can't go in weekends either.

[cupcake0214]

We usually can get in two weeks before. This year may be different we have a new superintendent, 256 people were laid off 200 were rehired and 75 people were transferred. Should be an interesting school year.

[hippygirl]

I start PDs on 8/22 and School starts on 8/28. I get 1 day of paid teacher prep. I had to change classrooms this year . I also had to clean out 20+ years of crap that other teachers left behind. The room is a disaster. Im going to need at least 2-3 days of uninterrupted time in my room.

[hulley]

In my old district, we could come in anytime starting August 1st. All unpaid. During workshop days, we got about 4 hours to do classroom setup before the open house the day before school started.

The current district, I report to work Monday 8/7. We have PD from 8-7 through 8/21, and it looks like most days we have 2-3 hours of "free" time where we have to be there but don't have scheduled meetings. I'm sure they will fill that time, though.

[sugarbear]

None? I mean, we are back a week before school starts, but we have meetings all day M-Th. I could spend a day on Friday, but I have my own kids and I am not going to pay a babysitter, so... none.

[UMaineTeach]

Aug 5, 2017 19:32:30 GMT -5 hulley said:

In my old district, we could come in anytime starting August 1st. All unpaid. During workshop days, we got about 4 hours to do classroom setup before the open house the day before school started.

The current district, I report to work Monday 8/7. We have PD from 8-7 through 8/21, and it looks like most days we have 2-3 hours of "free" time where we have to be there but don't have scheduled meetings. I'm sure they will fill that time, though.

I don't think I could handle 11 days of PD. Good luck.