Westland principal tells eighth graders not to come back all this week?

[Anonymous]

Is this allowed? I get that graduation happened, but they are still school days.

[Anonymous]

Not at Westland but at my kids' previous school in MCPS, my kids originally weren't planning on attending school on the last week of school a couple of years ago because they said the school said it was okay to do so.

We were originally kind of adamant about them going. But then after hearing what they were doing during the beginning of the week, I think mainly helping clean up the classrooms, watching a movie, etc, we just let them stay at home the rest of the week.

Their current school in MCPS has activities planned up until tomorrow. So we're more inclined to send our kids to school this week.


So I think it's allowed. And if you're concerned that the principal is not allowing 8th graders to return for the week, I'm sure they'll still let them go to school and they'll find something to do if they show up.

[Anonymous]

Didn’t 8th graders have their promotion ceremony already? Why would they go to school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Didn’t 8th graders have their promotion ceremony already? Why would they go to school?

Ideally because they're 8th graders and not HS graduates who are done with MCPS.

And they're ideally supposed to be getting 180 days of instruction, or however many they're getting this year with the snow day waivers.

And maybe not at Westland but maybe some of them count on the school for meals or have nothing to do at home during the day. True they're 8th graders and older now. But families probably didn't plan for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Didn’t 8th graders have their promotion ceremony already? Why would they go to school?

Because kids are supposed to get 180 days of schooling and there’s still a ton 8th graders can learn?

I also received a message from one of my kid’s middle school teachers telling me attendance was no longer being taken after graduation. I know attendance drops in the last few days of the school year but was pretty shocked they were encouraging lack of attendance so openly.

[Anonymous]

Same with mcps 5th graders after their elementary promotion ceremony.

[Anonymous]

This is common for most (if not all) middle schools. 8th grade instruction ends after promotion. Students are always welcome to come to school - and some do - but it is very common for many to be released. As a former teacher, we would love to keep things going but after the grueling spring testing for 8th graders and then final projects, they are done. They are still kids, not little robots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn’t 8th graders have their promotion ceremony already? Why would they go to school?

Ideally because they're 8th graders and not HS graduates who are done with MCPS.

And they're ideally supposed to be getting 180 days of instruction, or however many they're getting this year with the snow day waivers.

And maybe not at Westland but maybe some of them count on the school for meals or have nothing to do at home during the day. True they're 8th graders and older now. But families probably didn't plan for it.

Unfortunately, many 8th graders will come just to run around and act out. Not all, but there is a "We graduated and can't get into trouble" attitude. No matter how many times you explain it is not a graduation and they can still get into trouble, they just don't care anymore. Some kids are great, but the school year does have to come to end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is common for most (if not all) middle schools. 8th grade instruction ends after promotion. Students are always welcome to come to school - and some do - but it is very common for many to be released. As a former teacher, we would love to keep things going but after the grueling spring testing for 8th graders and then final projects, they are done. They are still kids, not little robots.

Because they’re not little robots, it would have been nice for students to do some projects with teachers that inspire their love of learning for the subject rather than linking directly to a test score. My elementary school kid did fun STEM projects today while my middle school kid was told to…stay home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn’t 8th graders have their promotion ceremony already? Why would they go to school?

Ideally because they're 8th graders and not HS graduates who are done with MCPS.

And they're ideally supposed to be getting 180 days of instruction, or however many they're getting this year with the snow day waivers.

And maybe not at Westland but maybe some of them count on the school for meals or have nothing to do at home during the day. True they're 8th graders and older now. But families probably didn't plan for it.

Unfortunately, many 8th graders will come just to run around and act out. Not all, but there is a "We graduated and can't get into trouble" attitude. No matter how many times you explain it is not a graduation and they can still get into trouble, they just don't care anymore. Some kids are great, but the school year does have to come to end.

That’s ridiculous. Kids who don’t have disciplinary issues aren’t going to magically misbehave because they have been passed onto 9th grade. This is just an excuse for the teachers who choose to be lazy not to teach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn’t 8th graders have their promotion ceremony already? Why would they go to school?

Ideally because they're 8th graders and not HS graduates who are done with MCPS.

And they're ideally supposed to be getting 180 days of instruction, or however many they're getting this year with the snow day waivers.

And maybe not at Westland but maybe some of them count on the school for meals or have nothing to do at home during the day. True they're 8th graders and older now. But families probably didn't plan for it.

Unfortunately, many 8th graders will come just to run around and act out. Not all, but there is a "We graduated and can't get into trouble" attitude. No matter how many times you explain it is not a graduation and they can still get into trouble, they just don't care anymore. Some kids are great, but the school year does have to come to end.

That’s ridiculous. Kids who don’t have disciplinary issues aren’t going to magically misbehave because they have been passed onto 9th grade. This is just an excuse for the teachers who choose to be lazy not to teach.

WOW!!!!

Haha. You are so (Jeff will ban me so just use your imagination with what I think of you). You are also not someone who has been in a middle school during this time of year.


What a stupidly funny comment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is common for most (if not all) middle schools. 8th grade instruction ends after promotion. Students are always welcome to come to school - and some do - but it is very common for many to be released. As a former teacher, we would love to keep things going but after the grueling spring testing for 8th graders and then final projects, they are done. They are still kids, not little robots.

Because they’re not little robots, it would have been nice for students to do some projects with teachers that inspire their love of learning for the subject rather than linking directly to a test score. My elementary school kid did fun STEM projects today while my middle school kid was told to…stay home.

Agree! This would be an awesome time to do things like.... Integrate cooking into a chemistry lesson. Spend time outside and learn something about nature for biology. Read and create comics for a combined English and art class. Build LEGO robots. All the STEM things with the wow factor, like Elephant Toothpaste.

Invite professionals in to talk about a day in the life of a

Judge
Lawyer
Baker
Journalist
Mechanic
Retail manager
Psychologist
Landscaper
Actor
Researcher
Accountant
Grocery worker
Child care professional
Entrepreneur
Farmer
Etc etc etc especially random careers people might not have heard of.

[Anonymous]

Sorry -pp here. I meant to type that you have never been in a school this time of year. You comment just really incensed me. How dare you speak of teachers this way. A pox upon your house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn’t 8th graders have their promotion ceremony already? Why would they go to school?

Ideally because they're 8th graders and not HS graduates who are done with MCPS.

And they're ideally supposed to be getting 180 days of instruction, or however many they're getting this year with the snow day waivers.

And maybe not at Westland but maybe some of them count on the school for meals or have nothing to do at home during the day. True they're 8th graders and older now. But families probably didn't plan for it.

Unfortunately, many 8th graders will come just to run around and act out. Not all, but there is a "We graduated and can't get into trouble" attitude. No matter how many times you explain it is not a graduation and they can still get into trouble, they just don't care anymore. Some kids are great, but the school year does have to come to end.

That’s ridiculous. Kids who don’t have disciplinary issues aren’t going to magically misbehave because they have been passed onto 9th grade. This is just an excuse for the teachers who choose to be lazy not to teach.

Parents are begging the school to take their 8th grader (who already graduated) for two more days, and *teachers* are the lazy ones in this situation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is common for most (if not all) middle schools. 8th grade instruction ends after promotion. Students are always welcome to come to school - and some do - but it is very common for many to be released. As a former teacher, we would love to keep things going but after the grueling spring testing for 8th graders and then final projects, they are done. They are still kids, not little robots.

Because they’re not little robots, it would have been nice for students to do some projects with teachers that inspire their love of learning for the subject rather than linking directly to a test score. My elementary school kid did fun STEM projects today while my middle school kid was told to…stay home.

Agree! This would be an awesome time to do things like.... Integrate cooking into a chemistry lesson. Spend time outside and learn something about nature for biology. Read and create comics for a combined English and art class. Build LEGO robots. All the STEM things with the wow factor, like Elephant Toothpaste.

Invite professionals in to talk about a day in the life of a

Judge
Lawyer
Baker
Journalist
Mechanic
Retail manager
Psychologist
Landscaper
Actor
Researcher
Accountant
Grocery worker
Child care professional
Entrepreneur
Farmer
Etc etc etc especially random careers people might not have heard of.

Another genius here. Career day was already done. Let them be kids. If you hate it, then talk to the administrators! I’m sure they will absolutely love your genius ideas. 🙄