DCPS 5th graders' last day of school?

[Anonymous]

Just learned from a friend that their school's 5th graders' last day is Friday June 12, and they just don't go to school at all the last week (June 15, 17, 18).

I was a little surprised, and wondering how common that was.

[Anonymous]

This is how our WotP elementary always did it. They weren’t official days off, and if your kid came they wouldn’t be unsupervised. But they did a promotion ceremony a few days before the official last day and the 5th graders were not expected to return after that. Our middle school did something similar for 8th graders and of course 12th graders have an official last day of school and officially graduate before the end of school for everyone else. I’m pretty sure they’ve been doing it like that for decades.

[Anonymous]

It seems crazy to me that a district that is allegedly so focused on student attendance would allow, or at least turn a blind eye to, all their 5th graders missing the last three days of school. Do fifth grade parents just budget in those 3 days as part of their 4 unexcused absences before the school gets serious and demands an attendance meeting?

(High school seniors I understand, and that seems pretty standard everywhere).

Also, I know that last week of school is basically useless, particularly when it's just a standalone Monday, but a formal clap-out and admission that no 5th graders are expected to be at school for three days is wild.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems crazy to me that a district that is allegedly so focused on student attendance would allow, or at least turn a blind eye to, all their 5th graders missing the last three days of school. Do fifth grade parents just budget in those 3 days as part of their 4 unexcused absences before the school gets serious and demands an attendance meeting?

(High school seniors I understand, and that seems pretty standard everywhere).

Also, I know that last week of school is basically useless, particularly when it's just a standalone Monday, but a formal clap-out and admission that no 5th graders are expected to be at school for three days is wild.

I think they just don’t take attendance those days and everyone is marked present.

[Anonymous]

Our kids went to school. In 5th and 8th. They weren’t the only ones. Kids had fun together

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems crazy to me that a district that is allegedly so focused on student attendance would allow, or at least turn a blind eye to, all their 5th graders missing the last three days of school. Do fifth grade parents just budget in those 3 days as part of their 4 unexcused absences before the school gets serious and demands an attendance meeting?

(High school seniors I understand, and that seems pretty standard everywhere).

Also, I know that last week of school is basically useless, particularly when it's just a standalone Monday, but a formal clap-out and admission that no 5th graders are expected to be at school for three days is wild.

This is how it always is and, honestly, my experience is that DCPS elementary and middle schools totally phone it in after CAPE testing. So, the last month of school is mostly a waste. Yes and this is with all the lip service about attendance.

[Anonymous]

The official party line at our elementary school is that all kids and all grades have the same last day.

The unofficial tradition is that fifth graders can, but aren’t expected to, come in after the promotion ceremony.

[Anonymous]

The last week they teach nothing. If you have something better than a fun time at school for your kid - go for it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The last week they teach nothing. ...

Right, and I know a lot of families peace out for that last week and start their vacation early. But that is much different than "we as a school are sending out official communications saying we do not expect a single 5th grader to show their face that week (but we'll keep them alive if they do)".

But I guess I'm learning everyone else thinks this is fine and normal (or all the responders are Janney parents), so OK.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The official party line at our elementary school is that all kids and all grades have the same last day.

The unofficial tradition is that fifth graders can, but aren’t expected to, come in after the promotion ceremony.

Same at our school. Teachers cannot tell families that students don’t have to come to school after 5th grade promotion, but unofficially, they are more than happy to have fewer students. Last year my kid went to school and spent her days helping take down displays and cleaning up before summer. She had a blast!

[Anonymous]

Which school is this? DS is WOTP
(Hearst) and I haven’t seen anything official. He’s had a rough go this year and I don’t want him to be alone?

[Anonymous]

At our school, 5th graders that wanted or needed to come to school after promotion would be assigned to younger classes to "help" or would work with the 5th grade teachers to pack up classrooms, etc. It was well-organized and the students thought it was fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our kids went to school. In 5th and 8th. They weren’t the only ones. Kids had fun together

Same here - kids at DCPS schools on Capitol Hill, and our kids kept going through the last day in 5th. True, not a ton of learning happening, but their friends were there - they had fun, and better than just sitting around at home. Most people we know planned travel or camps after the school year ended. Why add an additional week of summer camp costs?
This year may be a bit different, bc they added in extra days b/c of the snow, and the school is closed Tuesday for election day -- may make more kids skip out earlier?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Which school is this? DS is WOTP (Hearst) and I haven’t seen anything official.

OP here, the original school was Janney. I'm a Hearst parent too, but of a younger grade. I keep meaning to ask 5th grade parents at dropoff (because again, it seems wild to me, and honestly the 5th grade parents I know seem like they would NOT be OK with this), but I'm beginning to suspect this is just a Janney thing.

Sorry your son is having a tough year