Swanson - new cohorting system?

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know what is going on with this? DD is starting 7th grade - we haven't gotten anything in the mail about her homeroom teacher, but some of her friends have and they're all listed as being in groups named after various sea creatures.

I have no idea what the deal is...did I miss an email or something? I'm normally pretty good at keeping track but I'm completely at a loss here!

[Anonymous]

My HS student had this at Swanson. I’m surprised it’s “new” bc it’s not new to the school. The Narwhals or Orcas or whatever all had the same group of teachers. It was good for scheduling bc they’d make sure they spread out testing.

[Anonymous]

Swanson always used to do these groupings and I believe only stopped during pandemic and last year? But they were doing them as recently as a couple of years ago.

I agree it's a bit odd they rolled them back out with zero warning.

I think it's a way of having the school feel a bit smaller, allow the kids to get to know other kids in their group a bit better. And probably scheduling.

[Anonymous]

My soon-to-be 8th grader informed me that they stopped this the past two years (because of Covid, they said) and are bringing it back this year. She's bummed because she doesn't have any of her good friends in her group...but c'est la vie, I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My soon-to-be 8th grader informed me that they stopped this the past two years (because of Covid, they said) and are bringing it back this year. She's bummed because she doesn't have any of her good friends in her group...but c'est la vie, I guess.

They do all still have lunch as a grade level and I believe could have some of their electives/math together outside of their cohort? But someone more experienced can comment.

[Anonymous]

OP here - thank you! I didn't realize this wasn't new, since DD was in 6th last year and it wasn't a thing. She's been really stressed out about it (like one PP said, worried none of her friends would be in her group).

Does anyone know how many groups there are per grade? I've heard of 2 for 7th, just wondering what the chances are DD will have at least one friend with her.

[Anonymous]

https://swanson.apsva.us/teams/7th-grade/

3 per grade

[Anonymous]

+1 to OP. My rising 7th grader had a hard year in 6th and is upset to learn none of her friends are in her group. I really wish they'd give schedules in advance. The kids are stressed, and middle school is rough socially, so giving them a heads up that friends may or may not be in the same math or specials by letting them have their schedules this week is one less thing to be surprised by on Monday morning. I'd love to hear from parents of older kids how these cohorts worked out. I can see the theory that it means you have a smaller group of classmates and therefore build relationships. It also runs the risk that you have at smaller schools of not having enough exposure to find your people if for whatever reason you don't really click with this smaller group.

Kids will be fine and adapt, I'm sure. Covid and all the drama at Swanson last year seem to loom large this year and I wish we could give kids as much knowledge as possible to tamp down stress levels.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://swanson.apsva.us/teams/7th-grade/

3 per grade

Thanks! DD has friends in 2/3 which according to Murphy's Law means she will be in the 3rd group, I'm sure. Sigh. --OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:+1 to OP. My rising 7th grader had a hard year in 6th and is upset to learn none of her friends are in her group. I really wish they'd give schedules in advance. The kids are stressed, and middle school is rough socially, so giving them a heads up that friends may or may not be in the same math or specials by letting them have their schedules this week is one less thing to be surprised by on Monday morning. I'd love to hear from parents of older kids how these cohorts worked out. I can see the theory that it means you have a smaller group of classmates and therefore build relationships. It also runs the risk that you have at smaller schools of not having enough exposure to find your people if for whatever reason you don't really click with this smaller group.

Kids will be fine and adapt, I'm sure. Covid and all the drama at Swanson last year seem to loom large this year and I wish we could give kids as much knowledge as possible to tamp down stress levels.

Yeah, my DD is also stressed b/c she heard they have to get gym uniforms and change clothes in the locker room this year. Plus something about sharing lockers and possibly normal backpacks being banned (I really hope this isn't the case as I just bought her a brand new backpack...)

[Anonymous]

I do think the all-grade level lunches help a lot with anxiety. There is no way they will be left in a lurch for what is probably the most stressful social part of the day.

But yes, the lead up to school starting is stressful.

[Anonymous]

My 8th grader is grumpy about this change too, but I don't get what the big deal is. If the whole grade was mixing together like last year, you still might not have ended up in class with your friends either. I remember this change mentioned at the end of last year (maybe at PTA or School Board meeting?) as a way for the Swanson teachers to be able to better focus on addressing the kids who were causing the problems. For example, Taser Kid would have been assigned to a team of teachers who could have come up with a strategy to address his behavior collectively, and maybe it wouldn't have ended with a taser coming to school due to all the missed warning signals. Swanson was chaos last year in the 7th grade, so I am happy for the additional structure.

[Anonymous]

I still haven't gotten anything in the mail about this and my kid is anxious to find out what group they are in. I wish they would just post it to Parent Vue instead of relying on snail mail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I still haven't gotten anything in the mail about this and my kid is anxious to find out what group they are in. I wish they would just post it to Parent Vue instead of relying on snail mail.

This happened to us last year. Call the school. They will tell you over the phone.

I agree it's absurd and also a total waste of money to be mailing them out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Swanson always used to do these groupings and I believe only stopped during pandemic and last year? But they were doing them as recently as a couple of years ago.

I agree it's a bit odd they rolled them back out with zero warning.

I think it's a way of having the school feel a bit smaller, allow the kids to get to know other kids in their group a bit better. And probably scheduling.

Is this something that requires "warning'??