Transition day August 25th

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The SMOB proposed that schools should invite parents to send their kids from any grade that day. They could still participate in the activities even though they wouldn't be new to the school. Staff said they are going to have a committee formed to iron out these kind of specifics of how transition day will work by March.

That makes no sense. What would be the point of that then?
DC's high school has always has a "transition day" that 9th graders, new students in any grade, and kids in other special populations are invited to attend. If the school was overrun with everyone who wanted to come it would not give the new students any opportunity to acclimate to the building and meet the teachers in a quiet and orderly way.

I think it's a given that the transition day will be neither quiet nor orderly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Again, I still do not understand: If this "transition day" is for K, 6 and 9, new transfer students or special education students, what is the guidance for all of the teachers and students for whom that DOES NOT apply to? Stay home?

It's just not a school day for them. I don't know why you don't understand. The elementary schools in our area always have a day the week before school when K students and parents can come visit. Assuming it's the same for MS and HS. Don't yours?

Correct. That's what I have experienced.

So if this new transition day is just the same thing we've always been doing, what was the point of making it an official part of the MCPS calendar and making it a non-instructional day?

Because Taylor's previous school systems have done it that way and he liked it.

Doesn't seem like that rationale is persuading either the board or the community of its value.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The SMOB proposed that schools should invite parents to send their kids from any grade that day. They could still participate in the activities even though they wouldn't be new to the school. Staff said they are going to have a committee formed to iron out these kind of specifics of how transition day will work by March.

Except that would defeat the purpose of it being a transition day. At which point it should go back to just being a transition/orientation half day for secondary schools. Many of which were already doing this the Thursday before school opened.

+1 Exactly. I like the idea of a required transition day. All of DD's schools did that and it was really helpful.

+1 My child started K this year and I was not impressed that:

- Some elementary schools offered a day for incoming K students to visit the school in the spring, and others (including ours) didn't
- The "Open House" the Thursday in August before school was for all students and was super chaotic and not particularly helpful

We have friends out of state and their schools actually let incoming K students visit the school on multiple days in the Spring before they start. In one of the MCPS schools that did do a Spring orientation for incoming K students, they got to participate in a lesson with a teacher. I didn't go to MCPS until high school but when I did, in the late 90s there was a transition day for 9th grade.

This is doable and good for students and families. Lately, MCPS has been very combative towards parents and families. I haven't gotten the sense CO GAF about kids. They just want to do whatever is easier for them. It sounds like Taylor is challenging this attitude and I hope he succeeds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Again, I still do not understand: If this "transition day" is for K, 6 and 9, new transfer students or special education students, what is the guidance for all of the teachers and students for whom that DOES NOT apply to? Stay home?

It's just not a school day for them. I don't know why you don't understand. The elementary schools in our area always have a day the week before school when K students and parents can come visit. Assuming it's the same for MS and HS. Don't yours?

Correct. That's what I have experienced.

So if this new transition day is just the same thing we've always been doing, what was the point of making it an official part of the MCPS calendar and making it a non-instructional day?

Because Taylor's previous school systems have done it that way and he liked it.

Doesn't seem like that rationale is persuading either the board or the community of its value.

Maybe not the community, but the board voted to approve it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Again, I still do not understand: If this "transition day" is for K, 6 and 9, new transfer students or special education students, what is the guidance for all of the teachers and students for whom that DOES NOT apply to? Stay home?

It's just not a school day for them. I don't know why you don't understand. The elementary schools in our area always have a day the week before school when K students and parents can come visit. Assuming it's the same for MS and HS. Don't yours?

Correct. That's what I have experienced.

So if this new transition day is just the same thing we've always been doing, what was the point of making it an official part of the MCPS calendar and making it a non-instructional day?

Because Taylor's previous school systems have done it that way and he liked it.

Doesn't seem like that rationale is persuading either the board or the community of its value.

Maybe not the community, but the board voted to approve it.

If you watched the board meeting, several board members asked and remained confused about the purpose, and asked what the transition day was replacing given the long-established orientation activities that have happened the Thursday before the first day of school, and cited the major confusion about the full day vs half-day nature of the transition day.

Again, the rationale and reason for this transition day has been poorly articulated and communicated, which is why it's not going over very well with both the board and the community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Again, I still do not understand: If this "transition day" is for K, 6 and 9, new transfer students or special education students, what is the guidance for all of the teachers and students for whom that DOES NOT apply to? Stay home?

It's just not a school day for them. I don't know why you don't understand. The elementary schools in our area always have a day the week before school when K students and parents can come visit. Assuming it's the same for MS and HS. Don't yours?

Correct. That's what I have experienced.

So if this new transition day is just the same thing we've always been doing, what was the point of making it an official part of the MCPS calendar and making it a non-instructional day?

Because Taylor's previous school systems have done it that way and he liked it.

Doesn't seem like that rationale is persuading either the board or the community of its value.

Maybe not the community, but the board voted to approve it.

If you watched the board meeting, several board members asked and remained confused about the purpose, and asked what the transition day was replacing given the long-established orientation activities that have happened the Thursday before the first day of school, and cited the major confusion about the full day vs half-day nature of the transition day.

Again, the rationale and reason for this transition day has been poorly articulated and communicated, which is why it's not going over very well with both the board and the community.

Yes, but either the full board or the policy management committee could have asked for a calendar without a transition day, yet they never did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Again, I still do not understand: If this "transition day" is for K, 6 and 9, new transfer students or special education students, what is the guidance for all of the teachers and students for whom that DOES NOT apply to? Stay home?

It's just not a school day for them. I don't know why you don't understand. The elementary schools in our area always have a day the week before school when K students and parents can come visit. Assuming it's the same for MS and HS. Don't yours?

Correct. That's what I have experienced.

So if this new transition day is just the same thing we've always been doing, what was the point of making it an official part of the MCPS calendar and making it a non-instructional day?

Because Taylor's previous school systems have done it that way and he liked it.

Doesn't seem like that rationale is persuading either the board or the community of its value.

Maybe not the community, but the board voted to approve it.

If you watched the board meeting, several board members asked and remained confused about the purpose, and asked what the transition day was replacing given the long-established orientation activities that have happened the Thursday before the first day of school, and cited the major confusion about the full day vs half-day nature of the transition day.

Again, the rationale and reason for this transition day has been poorly articulated and communicated, which is why it's not going over very well with both the board and the community.

Yes, but either the full board or the policy management committee could have asked for a calendar without a transition day, yet they never did.

That true. But they passed it with the mandate (and hope) that the details they were asking for would be fleshed out after the calendar was passed.

Personally, I don't think it's a good idea to pass something without those details, but it seems like that is not uncommon in public education.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know why everyone is making a big deal of this. It seems extraordinarily straightforward what the purpose is. It makes sense to acclimate/orient new students with fewer people in the building and on a day that everyone is likely to be back in town and available.

Yes, some parents of kids in grades 1-5 will need to figure out one day of childcare if they do not have regular coverage. Hint: students in grades 10-12 are off, as are most private school students. Gymnastics places or other types sometimes offer day off camps, as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Again, I still do not understand: If this "transition day" is for K, 6 and 9, new transfer students or special education students, what is the guidance for all of the teachers and students for whom that DOES NOT apply to? Stay home?

It's just not a school day for them. I don't know why you don't understand. The elementary schools in our area always have a day the week before school when K students and parents can come visit. Assuming it's the same for MS and HS. Don't yours?

Correct. That's what I have experienced.

So if this new transition day is just the same thing we've always been doing, what was the point of making it an official part of the MCPS calendar and making it a non-instructional day?

Because Taylor's previous school systems have done it that way and he liked it.

Doesn't seem like that rationale is persuading either the board or the community of its value.

Maybe not the community, but the board voted to approve it.

If you watched the board meeting, several board members asked and remained confused about the purpose, and asked what the transition day was replacing given the long-established orientation activities that have happened the Thursday before the first day of school, and cited the major confusion about the full day vs half-day nature of the transition day.

Again, the rationale and reason for this transition day has been poorly articulated and communicated, which is why it's not going over very well with both the board and the community.

Yes, but either the full board or the policy management committee could have asked for a calendar without a transition day, yet they never did.

The point that is confusing everyone is that a transition half-day already existed for secondary schools. It occurred the Thursday before school started and buses ran to all the MS/HS. If you want to include the K'ers, okay fine, but now you're just increasing time and cost for a bunch of kids who don't switch classes often and for whom traditionally the entire first week of school is essentially a transition time. And doing so at a time when you're supposed to be trying to find ways to save money and put to other things like Special Education.

And even if we say, yes let's include the K'ers, what the heck is everyone doing ALL DAY long. What are the 1st-5th grade teachers doing? What are the majority of 7th-8th grade teachers doing? How about the teachers who teach mostly 10th-12th graders?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know why everyone is making a big deal of this. It seems extraordinarily straightforward what the purpose is. It makes sense to acclimate/orient new students with fewer people in the building and on a day that everyone is likely to be back in town and available.

Yes, some parents of kids in grades 1-5 will need to figure out one day of childcare if they do not have regular coverage. Hint: students in grades 10-12 are off, as are most private school students. Gymnastics places or other types sometimes offer day off camps, as well.

If you don't get why everyone is confused and making a big deal, than I think you lack comprehension skills. People have articulated both in this thread and in meetings why this isn't landing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Again, I still do not understand: If this "transition day" is for K, 6 and 9, new transfer students or special education students, what is the guidance for all of the teachers and students for whom that DOES NOT apply to? Stay home?

It's just not a school day for them. I don't know why you don't understand. The elementary schools in our area always have a day the week before school when K students and parents can come visit. Assuming it's the same for MS and HS. Don't yours?

Correct. That's what I have experienced.

So if this new transition day is just the same thing we've always been doing, what was the point of making it an official part of the MCPS calendar and making it a non-instructional day?

Because Taylor's previous school systems have done it that way and he liked it.

Doesn't seem like that rationale is persuading either the board or the community of its value.

Maybe not the community, but the board voted to approve it.

If you watched the board meeting, several board members asked and remained confused about the purpose, and asked what the transition day was replacing given the long-established orientation activities that have happened the Thursday before the first day of school, and cited the major confusion about the full day vs half-day nature of the transition day.

Again, the rationale and reason for this transition day has been poorly articulated and communicated, which is why it's not going over very well with both the board and the community.

Yes, but either the full board or the policy management committee could have asked for a calendar without a transition day, yet they never did.

The point that is confusing everyone is that a transition half-day already existed for secondary schools. It occurred the Thursday before school started and buses ran to all the MS/HS. If you want to include the K'ers, okay fine, but now you're just increasing time and cost for a bunch of kids who don't switch classes often and for whom traditionally the entire first week of school is essentially a transition time. And doing so at a time when you're supposed to be trying to find ways to save money and put to other things like Special Education.

And even if we say, yes let's include the K'ers, what the heck is everyone doing ALL DAY long. What are the 1st-5th grade teachers doing? What are the majority of 7th-8th grade teachers doing? How about the teachers who teach mostly 10th-12th graders?

Thank you. Until all of these fundamental points are addressed, I'm not understanding why MCPS is moving forward with this transition day idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The SMOB proposed that schools should invite parents to send their kids from any grade that day. They could still participate in the activities even though they wouldn't be new to the school. Staff said they are going to have a committee formed to iron out these kind of specifics of how transition day will work by March.

Except that would defeat the purpose of it being a transition day. At which point it should go back to just being a transition/orientation half day for secondary schools. Many of which were already doing this the Thursday before school opened.

+1 Exactly. I like the idea of a required transition day. All of DD's schools did that and it was really helpful.

+1 My child started K this year and I was not impressed that:

- Some elementary schools offered a day for incoming K students to visit the school in the spring, and others (including ours) didn't
- The "Open House" the Thursday in August before school was for all students and was super chaotic and not particularly helpful

We have friends out of state and their schools actually let incoming K students visit the school on multiple days in the Spring before they start. In one of the MCPS schools that did do a Spring orientation for incoming K students, they got to participate in a lesson with a teacher. I didn't go to MCPS until high school but when I did, in the late 90s there was a transition day for 9th grade.

This is doable and good for students and families. Lately, MCPS has been very combative towards parents and families. I haven't gotten the sense CO GAF about kids. They just want to do whatever is easier for them. It sounds like Taylor is challenging this attitude and I hope he succeeds.

Everyone from parents, to teachers, to CO is asking why does this need to be a whole day, and why does it need to move to Monday? The reason MCPS was trying to stop the K orientations in the Spring is because it required currently enrolled K students only to be off a day or two so that the K teachers could focus on incoming students. This impacted families. The only other alternatives proposed where a) use an existing non-instructional day as the K orientation days, which then takes away from that day being for teachers or b) do it after school hours which again impacted teachers. So its not the CO does GAF about kids, its that they are trying to balance everyone's needs.

Which is why the orientation half-day on the Thursday prior to school made sense logistically.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Again, I still do not understand: If this "transition day" is for K, 6 and 9, new transfer students or special education students, what is the guidance for all of the teachers and students for whom that DOES NOT apply to? Stay home?

It's just not a school day for them. I don't know why you don't understand. The elementary schools in our area always have a day the week before school when K students and parents can come visit. Assuming it's the same for MS and HS. Don't yours?

Correct. That's what I have experienced.

So if this new transition day is just the same thing we've always been doing, what was the point of making it an official part of the MCPS calendar and making it a non-instructional day?

Because Taylor's previous school systems have done it that way and he liked it.

Doesn't seem like that rationale is persuading either the board or the community of its value.

Maybe not the community, but the board voted to approve it.

If you watched the board meeting, several board members asked and remained confused about the purpose, and asked what the transition day was replacing given the long-established orientation activities that have happened the Thursday before the first day of school, and cited the major confusion about the full day vs half-day nature of the transition day.

Again, the rationale and reason for this transition day has been poorly articulated and communicated, which is why it's not going over very well with both the board and the community.

If they are going to do it they should wait until 2026-27 when the calendar is back to normal. As for what to do that day you are not one of those transition students most likely the same you'd do on any of the holidays that school is closed except any you celebrate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The SMOB proposed that schools should invite parents to send their kids from any grade that day. They could still participate in the activities even though they wouldn't be new to the school. Staff said they are going to have a committee formed to iron out these kind of specifics of how transition day will work by March.

Except that would defeat the purpose of it being a transition day. At which point it should go back to just being a transition/orientation half day for secondary schools. Many of which were already doing this the Thursday before school opened.

+1 Exactly. I like the idea of a required transition day. All of DD's schools did that and it was really helpful.

+1 My child started K this year and I was not impressed that:

- Some elementary schools offered a day for incoming K students to visit the school in the spring, and others (including ours) didn't
- The "Open House" the Thursday in August before school was for all students and was super chaotic and not particularly helpful

We have friends out of state and their schools actually let incoming K students visit the school on multiple days in the Spring before they start. In one of the MCPS schools that did do a Spring orientation for incoming K students, they got to participate in a lesson with a teacher. I didn't go to MCPS until high school but when I did, in the late 90s there was a transition day for 9th grade.

This is doable and good for students and families. Lately, MCPS has been very combative towards parents and families. I haven't gotten the sense CO GAF about kids. They just want to do whatever is easier for them. It sounds like Taylor is challenging this attitude and I hope he succeeds.

Everyone from parents, to teachers, to CO is asking why does this need to be a whole day, and why does it need to move to Monday? The reason MCPS was trying to stop the K orientations in the Spring is because it required currently enrolled K students only to be off a day or two so that the K teachers could focus on incoming students. This impacted families. The only other alternatives proposed where a) use an existing non-instructional day as the K orientation days, which then takes away from that day being for teachers or b) do it after school hours which again impacted teachers. So its not the CO does GAF about kids, its that they are trying to balance everyone's needs.

Which is why the orientation half-day on the Thursday prior to school made sense logistically.

Other school districts manage things like spring orientation for K students just fine. From an educational perspective, the gains from doing a spring orientation in terms of supporting this critical transition are much greater than what the current K students learn in one day. But you idiots just throw up your hands and say it's too hard! Wahhhh.

All of this whining is testament to why MCPS is in decline.

[Anonymous]

Personally I hated that the first week back to school was 5 days. My young kids will benefit from a shorter first week.