APS - elementary boys out of control?

[Anonymous]

Is anyone else hearing from their kids that some classmates (mostly boys) are out of control? We are in APS, DD is 3rd grade and is constantly telling me that lunchtime is a zoo. Like throwing food, running around, pouring drinks in others’ tables. This has been going on since September. I thought the school would get it under control by now (she says it’s a handful of the same boys), but it’s November and nothing seems to have changed. She’s not prone to exaggeration, and the class newsletter is repeatedly asking parents to speak to their kids about appropriate behavior (which clearly is not working). Is this just par for the course after a year off? It feels like the administration is being lazy; DD hates lunchtime which is new (at least compared to 1st grade), but I don’t want to raise the issue if I’m being unreasonable

[Anonymous]

No, not at all. What school is this? I cannot imagine the principal letting that happen at our school. Respect is a common theme.

[Anonymous]

Yes. I’m tired of hearing about “readjustment to school.”

[Anonymous]

No. Not at our school. Your principal needs to get a handle.

[Anonymous]

Same issues in ACPS. Lots of boys misbehaving. The kids are feral after missing the structure of school for over a year.

[Anonymous]

Not at our APS school, from what I hear from my kids.

[Anonymous]

Our ES had a handful of boys who would spend a lot of time sitting in the office pre-COVID. Their behavior never got better and their parents didn’t seem to care. There were no consequences at home. They have since moved on to middle school and I feel sorry for those students who were impacted by that behavior.

[Anonymous]

Tough to say whether it's par for the course after a year "off" because ... when was there another year "off"?

[Anonymous]

I think the people who say "not their school" have kids that aren't reporting things. The kids aren't alright. Kids are struggling but it is not just boys. It isn't that kids are just misbehaving it is that a lot of them are 2 grades behind socially so you have 4th graders who are socially 2nd graders when it comes to how they act. This isn't all of them of course, but you can imagine that it creates some bad dynamics.

I think principals are doing what they can but the truth is kids need more mental health support than school budgets are capable of giving them (and it is nearly impossible to find a private provider right now).

[Anonymous]

This may be true, but I also think it’s a cop out. I have 2 elementary boys. They are both kind, respectful and would never behave that way even at their craziest. Neither would their friends. 95 percent of their class is the same. So why does the 5 percent (or less) get to ruin it for everyone? It seems like “the pandemic was so hard” is the new “boys will be boys”. Throw up your hands and shake your head. I call BS.

[Anonymous]

My first grader reports that three boys in her class of 24 rotate between the naughty chair and the principal’ s office. Infractions are mostly minor, like running when they should walk, but they have escalated to hitting each other.

I have no reference to know if that’s a normal amount of craziness, but I think the teacher runs a pretty tight ship.

[Anonymous]

I haven't heard about anything like this from my 3rd grader or her teachers or other parents. I hear over and over how happy the kids are to be back. Completely thrilled to go to school every day.

I do hear about big gaps in writing, math and reading skills. Some kids were homeschooled and are way ahead. Others weren't engaged during the pandemic and are more than a year behind. I also heard about one kid who is getting moved back to 2nd grade, which is highly unusual for November of 3rd grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My first grader reports that three boys in her class of 24 rotate between the naughty chair and the principal’ s office. Infractions are mostly minor, like running when they should walk, but they have escalated to hitting each other.

I have no reference to know if that’s a normal amount of craziness, but I think the teacher runs a pretty tight ship.

Maybe the teacher should be picking their battles better. Naughty chair for running instead of walking? Equating all infractions minimizes all infractions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This may be true, but I also think it’s a cop out. I have 2 elementary boys. They are both kind, respectful and would never behave that way even at their craziest. Neither would their friends. 95 percent of their class is the same. So why does the 5 percent (or less) get to ruin it for everyone? It seems like “the pandemic was so hard” is the new “boys will be boys”. Throw up your hands and shake your head. I call BS.

Agree

[Anonymous]

It isn't just boys. We have girls getting in fist fights on our elementary school playground.

But anyway, I don't think it is "bad" kids. I think the kids just forgot how to play and interact with each other. The kids are overly rude/snappish to each other (at a level I Haven't seen before). My kid' tutor said she is having to teach her 5th graders how to talk to each other.

I guess I am just saying it is not just bad behavior but kids struggling with how to interact socially again.