Seniors and families: your MCPS experience

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get involved and stay involved. It’s more important when your kids are older than when they’re in ES.

What should parents be involved in?

The way I stayed/stay involved is mostly volunteering and there are tons of opportunities for that. I also hosted sports teams parties and attended games of sports my kids weren’t even in if the sports were popular and my kids wanted to go.

Been there done that x100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My oldest graduated in '23 and my youngest is in high school now.

What's important is mapping out the high school courses in 8th grade when they have to pick 9th grade courses, so you have a 4 year plan. It can change, of course, but the mental exercise of looking at everything the high school offers and balancing AP courses and their prerequisites so your kid doesn't get 6 APs in one year, is pretty eye-opening. Not to mention that some prerequisites can be waived if you ask. Health courses can be taken in the summer.

I was on the PTA executive board of my kids' elementary for many years. After that, my involvement and volunteering decreased. I did not find that school involvement was important in high school, but my involvement in my teen's life was and is of paramount importance. However adolescents are prickly, so that bond of trust needs to be built before adolescence, and then nurtured throughout.

Ehhh. Six APs are doable because some APs are less intense than others and some teachers are more capable and organized to teach and teach AP level classes without causing unnecessary drama for upperclassmen.

PP you replied to. Sure, but the point is that you need to know that in advance, and not have a kid weigh themselves down with AP Calc BC, AP Phys C, AP English Lit, AP World History, AP Foreign Language and another AP all in one year. Most kids wouldn't like that

To that end, here's a handy dandy graphic to start figuring out which APs are which:

Some schools don't have qualified teachers for certain AP classes. Then they get a long term sub or a series of substitute teachers who don't know the subject. Many students self teach or self study. This last part is a reality in mcps and possibly in other school districts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also do not believe everything you read here. Many/Most kids leave MCPS with a solid education, do well in college, and have successful careers.

?Because they come from families who ensure those things for them or encourage them towards that path? Privileged families?

Most kids do not come from families of privilege. And most do really well. One thing that matters is to stay aware so that you can step in and offer help if your kids need it. That also means that you need to work to have the kind of relationship with your kids so that your kids will come to you if they need something and so that you see the signs if they don’t say something.

As an aside, one of the things I am really loving right now is hearing my DD’s friends’ post HS plans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also do not believe everything you read here. Many/Most kids leave MCPS with a solid education, do well in college, and have successful careers.

?Because they come from families who ensure those things for them or encourage them towards that path? Privileged families?

Most kids do not come from families of privilege. And most do really well. One thing that matters is to stay aware so that you can step in and offer help if your kids need it. That also means that you need to work to have the kind of relationship with your kids so that your kids will come to you if they need something and so that you see the signs if they don’t say something.

As an aside, one of the things I am really loving right now is hearing my DD’s friends’ post HS plans.

I agree. What matters is having parents who prioritize education, families who go to MCPS informational meetings to understand how the system works, and students who hopefully don't have special needs (because even though MCPS supports these kids pretty well, including my own, it does complicate matters).

DCUM loves to dump on MCPS and FCPS because those are the two largest public school systems in the area. But the reality is, they're excellent. You just have to know how to take advantage of what they offer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also do not believe everything you read here. Many/Most kids leave MCPS with a solid education, do well in college, and have successful careers.

?Because they come from families who ensure those things for them or encourage them towards that path? Privileged families?

Most kids do not come from families of privilege. And most do really well. One thing that matters is to stay aware so that you can step in and offer help if your kids need it. That also means that you need to work to have the kind of relationship with your kids so that your kids will come to you if they need something and so that you see the signs if they don’t say something.

As an aside, one of the things I am really loving right now is hearing my DD’s friends’ post HS plans.

Disagree. Even families who have very open relationships and know exactly what's going on can't get "help" as you suggest. The reality is there is a teacher shortage in some subjects, there isn't actual teaching going on during class time, teachers can't keep up with the many tasks required of them and do not have help in the class or outside class time to complete those tasks while managing their other responsibilities or really are not organized and are burnout. Teachers are asked to sponsor clubs, accomodate students. And students have many academic and non academic responsibilities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also do not believe everything you read here. Many/Most kids leave MCPS with a solid education, do well in college, and have successful careers.

Central Office has arrived. Hey, Cram!

Or it could be Donna Redmond-Jones. She's the spin queen.

[Anonymous]

20:21 that's why it says Central Office lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go private.

No

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also do not believe everything you read here. Many/Most kids leave MCPS with a solid education, do well in college, and have successful careers.

?Because they come from families who ensure those things for them or encourage them towards that path? Privileged families?

Most kids do not come from families of privilege. And most do really well. One thing that matters is to stay aware so that you can step in and offer help if your kids need it. That also means that you need to work to have the kind of relationship with your kids so that your kids will come to you if they need something and so that you see the signs if they don’t say something.

As an aside, one of the things I am really loving right now is hearing my DD’s friends’ post HS plans.

Disagree. Even families who have very open relationships and know exactly what's going on can't get "help" as you suggest. The reality is there is a teacher shortage in some subjects, there isn't actual teaching going on during class time, teachers can't keep up with the many tasks required of them and do not have help in the class or outside class time to complete those tasks while managing their other responsibilities or really are not organized and are burnout. Teachers are asked to sponsor clubs, accomodate students. And students have many academic and non academic responsibilities.

No one is disputing this, PP. But a lot of families make it work nevertheless. My husband and I were able to tutor our kids for everything until AP Calc BC. My friend finds online tutors in Arizona or other states that tutor her teen for $30/hr.

I hope you can acknowledge that motivated families get creative, instead of insisting it's 100% doom and gloom.

[Anonymous]

Supplement and get tutors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also do not believe everything you read here. Many/Most kids leave MCPS with a solid education, do well in college, and have successful careers.

?Because they come from families who ensure those things for them or encourage them towards that path? Privileged families?

Most kids do not come from families of privilege. And most do really well. One thing that matters is to stay aware so that you can step in and offer help if your kids need it. That also means that you need to work to have the kind of relationship with your kids so that your kids will come to you if they need something and so that you see the signs if they don’t say something.

As an aside, one of the things I am really loving right now is hearing my DD’s friends’ post HS plans.

Disagree. Even families who have very open relationships and know exactly what's going on can't get "help" as you suggest. The reality is there is a teacher shortage in some subjects, there isn't actual teaching going on during class time, teachers can't keep up with the many tasks required of them and do not have help in the class or outside class time to complete those tasks while managing their other responsibilities or really are not organized and are burnout. Teachers are asked to sponsor clubs, accomodate students. And students have many academic and non academic responsibilities.

No one is disputing this, PP. But a lot of families make it work nevertheless. My husband and I were able to tutor our kids for everything until AP Calc BC. My friend finds online tutors in Arizona or other states that tutor her teen for $30/hr.

I hope you can acknowledge that motivated families get creative, instead of insisting it's 100% doom and gloom.

I pay $8-20 for online tutors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To families who have HS seniors and are leaving mcps this year: what is one piece of advice or wisdom about mcps or in general you want to leave parents of younger students?

Ignore the Private schools are better comments.

MCPS has a great curriculum. Ie Math & Science are heads and tails better than all the privates.
All schools private and public have great teachers, good teachers, mediocore, and bad.
MCPS has a better track record for colleges.
Religious privates spend time on religion if you want that great however it is a one sided view so remember that.
All schools have alcohol and drugs.
Private school kids get tutored just as often as public.
Don't listen to the ND gas lights about publics.
Don't stop reading with them when they go to HS. If they are reading a book read it too. Discuss it with them at dinner or on Sundays any free time. Know what your kid is studying in history or government talk to them. HS is only four years of their life.

Every child is an individual what works for one child may or may not work for another. Know your own child and where they should be placed whether it is public or private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To families who have HS seniors and are leaving mcps this year: what is one piece of advice or wisdom about mcps or in general you want to leave parents of younger students?

Ignore the Private schools are better comments.

MCPS has a great curriculum. Ie Math & Science are heads and tails better than all the privates.
All schools private and public have great teachers, good teachers, mediocore, and bad.
MCPS has a better track record for colleges.
Religious privates spend time on religion if you want that great however it is a one sided view so remember that.
All schools have alcohol and drugs.
Private school kids get tutored just as often as public.
Don't listen to the ND gas lights about publics.
Don't stop reading with them when they go to HS. If they are reading a book read it too. Discuss it with them at dinner or on Sundays any free time. Know what your kid is studying in history or government talk to them. HS is only four years of their life.

Every child is an individual what works for one child may or may not work for another. Know your own child and where they should be placed whether it is public or private.

Ok then, OP only asked for ONE piece...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also do not believe everything you read here. Many/Most kids leave MCPS with a solid education, do well in college, and have successful careers.

Central Office has arrived. Hey, Cram!

Nope. Parent whose kids graduated in the last few years from a neighborhood with mostly public school kids (RM)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also do not believe everything you read here. Many/Most kids leave MCPS with a solid education, do well in college, and have successful careers.

Central Office has arrived. Hey, Cram!

Or it could be Donna Redmond-Jones. She's the spin queen.

No, y'all mommas.