Community Day at APS middle school

[Anonymous]

Is this APS-wide or just my kids' school. Emails from the principal and PTA principal have explained that today is Community Day because some children "have not had the opportunity to develop [communication, problem solving and conflict resolution skills]". The principal describes it as a day to "pause and reset".

What am I missing? This is likely my privilege speaking as our family has fared overall fairly well during the pandemic, but did these kinds of days happen pre-Covid? Or am I missing something really big here that's happened at the school? The idea that 12yr olds haven't had the opportunity to develop problem solving skills or conflict resolution feels bizarre and factually false to me.

If it's needed, I suppose this is good, but it seems strange or opaque.

[Anonymous]

I think its just your school, or my sixth grader isn't aware/hasn't told me about it. They had something similar at the beginning of the year at our middle school (DHMS), it was "Phoenix Con" or something. I think that most kids have lost a lot of their social skills in the pandemic, good to see the administration trying to address it.

[Anonymous]

Not APS wide.

[Anonymous]

Is this Kenmore?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this Kenmore?

Swanson and it’s today not yesterday.

[Anonymous]

I think it's appropriate.

[Anonymous]

It’s needed. Across the board, not just at your MS. Kids have regressed socially. Many have been quite isolated during the pandemic, and the skills they would have learned and or previously had need to be retaught/shored up. The last 2 years have been really hard for everyone, even those from privilege (likely less so, but still). They can’t really address learning loss without first addressing mental health and school-wide social issues that have become impediments to learning.

[Anonymous]

Waiting to hear what my 7th grader tells me after school. We were talking this morning and all I could say was that apparently some classmates have never been taught that sexual assault or felonious destruction of school property are wrong, so they need to take time out of the school day to teach some basic lessons.

Anyone else hear that someone flooded the boys locker room and it leaked into the cafeteria, possibly damaging some very expensive exercise mats?
WTF people? Parent. Your. Children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s needed. Across the board, not just at your MS. Kids have regressed socially. Many have been quite isolated during the pandemic, and the skills they would have learned and or previously had need to be retaught/shored up. The last 2 years have been really hard for everyone, even those from privilege (likely less so, but still). They can’t really address learning loss without first addressing mental health and school-wide social issues that have become impediments to learning.

Definitely not just middle school. I know it’s been hard. I know there’s social regression. I know there’s been trauma. But OMFG, not pooping in the urinals is something that should not need “a reminder.” A schoolwide community day isn’t going to stop this extreme bad behavior.

[Anonymous]

Swanson had issues precovid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Waiting to hear what my 7th grader tells me after school. We were talking this morning and all I could say was that apparently some classmates have never been taught that sexual assault or felonious destruction of school property are wrong, so they need to take time out of the school day to teach some basic lessons.

Anyone else hear that someone flooded the boys locker room and it leaked into the cafeteria, possibly damaging some very expensive exercise mats?
WTF people? Parent. Your. Children.

A TikTok challenge caused this. The school warned parents by email about this earlier in the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Waiting to hear what my 7th grader tells me after school. We were talking this morning and all I could say was that apparently some classmates have never been taught that sexual assault or felonious destruction of school property are wrong, so they need to take time out of the school day to teach some basic lessons.

Anyone else hear that someone flooded the boys locker room and it leaked into the cafeteria, possibly damaging some very expensive exercise mats?
WTF people? Parent. Your. Children.

A TikTok challenge caused this. The school warned parents by email about this earlier in the year.

I'm the PP and stand by my statement in that case. WTF. Parent. Your. Children.
Tweens do not need iPhones and social media accounts.

[Anonymous]

I talked to some MS teachers that are saying the behaviour they are seeing is worse than before COVID, especially with regard to name calling/cursing/threatening other students. There's always been pranks and general pre-teen disrespect, but it is going above that. They said its clear from overhearing conversations that kids had access to internet content/streaming services with very little supervision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s needed. Across the board, not just at your MS. Kids have regressed socially. Many have been quite isolated during the pandemic, and the skills they would have learned and or previously had need to be retaught/shored up. The last 2 years have been really hard for everyone, even those from privilege (likely less so, but still). They can’t really address learning loss without first addressing mental health and school-wide social issues that have become impediments to learning.

Definitely not just middle school. I know it’s been hard. I know there’s social regression. I know there’s been trauma. But OMFG, not pooping in the urinals is something that should not need “a reminder.” A schoolwide community day isn’t going to stop this extreme bad behavior.

They really need to get OK with expulsion. Schools have become way too soft.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this Kenmore?

Swanson and it’s today not yesterday.

Well it wasn’t just Swanson because our email from the principal said none of those things.

I think as a concept on an early release day, it’s a good to cover some more social-emotional skills.