End of Year - Elementary

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My ES kid had two tests and two quizzes this week. They're still doing Benchmark and math extensions daily. They've had a few treats, but it's been mostly business as usual.

I don't expect much to get done next week other than fun and cleaning up.

Same in my third grader's AAP class. Not in my Kindergartener's class, but it's Kindergarten. Though then they sent home the last 2 units of Benchmark with lesson plans to do daily for 6 weeks on our own. Ok...sure...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

how little attention span kids have those final days.

It use to be -- The Last Day
Not weeks. Not weeks of no teaching
The last day, yes

THIS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Elementary wait until middle school and HS.

My HS kids has had nothing to do for weeks. Already took AP exams and most finals were completed in class outside of the scheduled final exam times. On top of that they have half days. Then the school tells us it is still important to show up and attendance mattes when all they do is stare at their phones all day. I've let my kid skip the last 2 days. Over it at this point

I mean i kind of understand when kids are in electives and taking actual tests that they need to be spaced out a bit. Back in the day we didnt have more than 2 per day where I'm from. So some days were shorter and filled w study hall etc. But this seems a bit much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mine has been working on a million projects for every single class - elementary school. I wish she was doing less!

Our "projects" are time capsules!!! Nothing educational

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone think that changing the ending dates would mean the last two weeks (or two days or whatever) would be more meaningful or educational? I believe that the movie/cleanup/etc status is a function of it being the end, not its place on the calendar.

That's part of the problem though. Being average. Teach and learn until the end. Whenever that may be.

[Anonymous]

My ES kid seems busier than ever. They performed a musical today and have field day and a math tournament next week. Seems like a productive way to end the year to me.

[Anonymous]

My 3rd grader says they were working on their last Benchmark unit up until today. I think there is at least one that the teacher is going to send home for the summer. Definitely nothing going on next week though. In hindsight, we should have gone on vacation next week.

My 6th grader has been done since last week, but that's a different story. We've also been told not to bother with sending 6th graders into school next week by the teachers!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Elementary wait until middle school and HS.

My HS kids has had nothing to do for weeks. Already took AP exams and most finals were completed in class outside of the scheduled final exam times. On top of that they have half days. Then the school tells us it is still important to show up and attendance mattes when all they do is stare at their phones all day. I've let my kid skip the last 2 days. Over it at this point

This is hilarious because the reason HS parents cited for wanting to start before Labor Day was so that their children would have plenty of time to prepare for AP tests and now HS parents are STILL complaining that there's too much time after those same AP tests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My ES kid seems busier than ever. They performed a musical today and have field day and a math tournament next week. Seems like a productive way to end the year to me.

Mind me asking which ES? I'm impressed. This isn't our experience

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It has come to my attention that basically kids do NOTHING the last two weeks of school. My 2nd grader came home a few days ago and said "no more phonics and math!" My kinder was furious that they WATCHED A MOVIE in gym class!?

At these early ages, there is literally nothing to lose by continuing to reinforce actual academics every.single.day. This does not have to be mutually exclusive with an end of year party for two hours.

This combined with the laughable 2025-2026 schedule with like two additional days off after Memorial Day, two days off the week after Spring Break - WTAF is going on with FCPS?!

6th grade teacher here. We had activities and lessons planned all week except today which was Field Day. Next week is helping clean/organize and a few other fun events but I don’t know one teacher who wasn’t teaching this week or doing academic enrichment. This seems to vary from school to school but our principal has this expectation that we are not showing movies and doing academic stuff with fun stuff weaved in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 3rd grader says they were working on their last Benchmark unit up until today. I think there is at least one that the teacher is going to send home for the summer. Definitely nothing going on next week though. In hindsight, we should have gone on vacation next week.

My 6th grader has been done since last week, but that's a different story. We've also been told not to bother with sending 6th graders into school next week by the teachers!!

What?? As s 6th grade teacher, I find that appalling. We have some fun activities planned for them and their moving up ceremony and party is next week.

[Anonymous]

Adding in. School was like this for me as a student in ES. All the fun activities were the last few weeks.

[Anonymous]

The reason it’s like this is bc teachers want to get their classroom cleaned/packed up before the kids leave. They need the kids to help or to at least be calm/quiet so they can do all the last minute end of the year crap admin has them doing. If they literally taught until the last day, they’d be there for days after the kids leave cleaning/packing up the room. And that’s not in their contract. Please cut them some slack.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LCPS offered a schedule that ended the week of Memorial Day but it wasn't picked. I think for some households, they rather have them in school longer than pay for summer camps/child care.

i AM ONE OF THEM

YOU ARE?>

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The reason it’s like this is bc teachers want to get their classroom cleaned/packed up before the kids leave. They need the kids to help or to at least be calm/quiet so they can do all the last minute end of the year crap admin has them doing. If they literally taught until the last day, they’d be there for days after the kids leave cleaning/packing up the room. And that’s not in their contract. Please cut them some slack.

Is this a serious response??? Soooo it's not in their contract to come in for ONE day or stay late so our kids, who are entitled to education, need to do their teachers jobs?? This can't be serious. We pay taxes. We are entitled to their education on ALL school days.