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

[RoxMonster]

We don't get paid; the building is open all summer. We just can't go in the day or two around when they wax our rooms.

I live 50 min away from school and it being unpaid, I don't go in ahead of time. We have two inservice days before students come with chunks of time to ourselves, and I will get the room ready during that time. We can leave all our stuff on the walls, etc., so it's really just putting my desk back together. I redid my bulletin boards before I left in May.

[hulley]

Aug 5, 2017 21:54:53 GMT -5 UMaineTeach said:

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.

Thanks! I'll need it. I don't think I can handle it, either. Lol. I'm happy to put in time when it'll benefit my students but I truly don't think this does. I'd rather have that time to plan lessons, clean the classroom, organize my library, etc.

We are also not allowed to go buy lunch. We must pack a lunch to "provide opportunities for lunchtime meetings".

[Deleted]

We get maybe one day total of actual paid time to set up. It's spread out over the week we go back. A couple hours here and there to work in your room. That being said, we can get into the building all summer. Usually they wait until the beginning of August to wax classrooms which is basically crunch time and stressful. This year though, they waxed classrooms right after school got out. I have already been in twice last week setting some things up and cleaning/organizing. We just can't get in this week because they're waxing the hallways. I still have some things I want to do next week before we officially go back. I am hoping to have all classroom set up done that week so I can focus on lesson planning and all the little things that come with the beginning of the year.

[njw]

Technically, we aren't supposed to go in before our PD day's start, which is ridiculous. Our school is really easy going though. As long as the floors are done, we can come and go as we please pretty much. Secretaries go back on Monday, so I'll probably head back then too. Just a couple hours a day.  So that's about 2 weeks prior to start.

[RoxMonster]

Aug 6, 2017 6:42:14 GMT -5 hulley said:

Aug 5, 2017 21:54:53 GMT -5 UMaineTeach said:

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

Thanks! I'll need it. I don't think I can handle it, either. Lol. I'm happy to put in time when it'll benefit my students but I truly don't think this does. I'd rather have that time to plan lessons, clean the classroom, organize my library, etc.

We are also not allowed to go buy lunch. We must pack a lunch to "provide opportunities for lunchtime meetings".

The only awesome part about SIP and PD days is we get a full hour for lunch, and we get to go out and eat at the Mexican restaurant next door!

[klassygoosey]

Maybe like half a day, or 2 hours. My students do all room set up (8th graders get to select the setup).

[artgirl823]

Aug 6, 2017 6:42:14 GMT -5 hulley said:

We are also not allowed to go buy lunch. We must pack a lunch to "provide opportunities for lunchtime meetings".

OMG that's ridiculous.

[artgirl823]

Officially, we get like two hours the day before school starts.

Unofficially, the building is open the week before and as long as your room has been waxed, it's ok to start setting up. But we don't get keys until the day before school starts, so while I try to set up bulletin boards and things early, it's risky to bring in too much personal stuff. 

[katfco]

Aug 6, 2017 6:42:14 GMT -5 hulley said:

Aug 5, 2017 21:54:53 GMT -5 UMaineTeach said:

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

Thanks! I'll need it. I don't think I can handle it, either. Lol. I'm happy to put in time when it'll benefit my students but I truly don't think this does. I'd rather have that time to plan lessons, clean the classroom, organize my library, etc.

We are also not allowed to go buy lunch. We must pack a lunch to "provide opportunities for lunchtime meetings".

That's ridiculous. What exactly do they do with all the PD time?

How does the union allow them to not allow you to have a lunch break?

[hulley]

Aug 16, 2017 16:34:43 GMT -5 katfco said:

Aug 6, 2017 6:42:14 GMT -5 hulley said:

Thanks! I'll need it. I don't think I can handle it, either. Lol. I'm happy to put in time when it'll benefit my students but I truly don't think this does. I'd rather have that time to plan lessons, clean the classroom, organize my library, etc.

We are also not allowed to go buy lunch. We must pack a lunch to "provide opportunities for lunchtime meetings".

That's ridiculous. What exactly do they do with all the PD time?

How does the union allow them to not allow you to have a lunch break?

We don't have a union. Believe me, I miss it.
The PD time so far has been 2-3 hours of meetings in the morning, and 4 hours of classroom time with smaller meetings interspersed throughout the afternoon. I still don't know what subjects I'm responsible for this year, so I can't plan. I've been volunteering to help onboard the new people. I've also scrubbed my room from top to bottom because the building maintenance didn't do anything to the rooms over the summer. One more week and my kiddos will be back!