Pros
During my time at KIPP DC Valor I had high hopes for actually helping students grow academically and socially. Some parts of curriculum and DEI is great. As a first year lead teacher I was paired with a veteran teacher. Sometimes there will be food incentives to keep moral high.
Cons
When I first started working at Valor alot of Teachers and a senior admin left the school and that was concerning to me. The staff culture and students are toxic. Very Cliquish and Teachers/Admin will blame you and throw you under the bus in front of students/colleagues. Students are very rude and uncivilized and some Parents are just as bad. There are a few good apples in between. Student behavior is barely addressed. They write a reflection (most students write I didnt break any rules and blame the teacher). Students who bully, threaten teachers and fight other students dont receive proper punishment instead they are sent home for two days and come back and do the same thing. Also Teachers dont get proper breaks instead they have to eat inside the classroom with their students during Covid and have to walk their middle school students down the hallways like kindergartners during transition periods. The hours are too long for staff and students. They have meaningless 20 min filler class period where most teachers hate teaching this course called IXL which most students dont take seriously. Students are allowed to talk and behave in a manner which takes up alot of time in most teachers days. Staff meetings are every week morning and afternoon and mostly about how the teachers need to be reset instead of the students. Employee wellness isnt taken into account most Mental Health Wellness days are meetings instead of actual wellness day. It’s frustrating coming to work everyday because management doesn’t communicate well especially when a teacher is out they send a coverage plan automatically signing you up for coverage without your input because a sub is running late. Team culture is cliquish as well most teachers/admin spend their time gossiping about one another all the while trying to be a “village and we get better together”. This school has been the most chaotic and toxic workplace Ive ever been to.
