Literacy enrichment experiences 2025-26

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So so glad we got into the CES. Currently diving deep on writing and Greek Gods.

Enjoy it while you have it. I am sure that the ES programs will be diminished, and dismantled shortly thereafter, in the way that the school district is changing the high school magnet programs this year, and the middle school programs next year.

[Anonymous]

I know it's early, but I'm disappointed so far. My daughter hates school but loves reading and writing outside of school, and I'd heard great things about the ELC curriculum so have been hopeful that this would finally be the year where she'd enjoy and be engaged in one of her classes (she's in a cohorted class at her school so should get the maximum amount of supplementary activities that MCPS is offering.) But so far she says it's just as boring as last year, and just grumbles about having to do "even more ELA" during the FIT block. Crossing my fingers that there will be some more enjoyable stuff coming soon...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No info from my kid or the school. I’m pretty pissed. Their friend at a CES is already reading their first novel.

Find out what novel and have your kid read it too. Work with your kid on asking and discussing questions..yes it's more work for you but this is mcps...work is on parents in addition to parents' other job(s)

And honestly this isn’t that much work. I’ve been doing this with my kid since I was reading books to them. We do it after most of the books they read. It’s a great way to connect, keep them reading and introduce perspective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is week TWO people, week 2.

Umm what week do you think that things should pick up? My kids in MS and HS are already into graded assignments, my one MS magnet kid knew last week what initial book they were reading and is supposed to be thorough Chapter 7/8 by end of this week. Compacted math is off and rolling. So why would enriched instruction, particular for those already centrally identified not be the same?

[Anonymous]

I haven't seen anything from the school beyond a CKLA info sheet that came home in their folder.

[Anonymous]

If your child had ELC last year and is stuck with the new curriculum this year for 5th, please ask them what they think and communicate loudly about their feedback. I have one of those “loves to learn, loves to write” kids you would think a school would love but this year they hate ELA so far. It’s nothing like the meaningful projects they did last year

[Anonymous]

We have Back to School Night this week, any suggestions on what to ask the enriched literacy teacher? (Cohorted model at our school)

I'm particularly curious to hear about what some of the most-liked projects/readings/components were for last year's ELC 4th graders so I can ask specifically whether any of those are expected to be included this year as add-ons-- hoping to give my bored/annoyed kid some hope that there might be some fun and engaging stuff coming up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have Back to School Night this week, any suggestions on what to ask the enriched literacy teacher? (Cohorted model at our school)

I'm particularly curious to hear about what some of the most-liked projects/readings/components were for last year's ELC 4th graders so I can ask specifically whether any of those are expected to be included this year as add-ons-- hoping to give my bored/annoyed kid some hope that there might be some fun and engaging stuff coming up.

Longer form writing, meaningful discussion about significant texts, actual literary analysis. My child described the “assessment” they had to take after their most recent reading assignment and it was poorly designed and based purely on the content of assignment. It sounds worse than what my younger child is experiencing in CKLA, honestly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have Back to School Night this week, any suggestions on what to ask the enriched literacy teacher? (Cohorted model at our school)

I'm particularly curious to hear about what some of the most-liked projects/readings/components were for last year's ELC 4th graders so I can ask specifically whether any of those are expected to be included this year as add-ons-- hoping to give my bored/annoyed kid some hope that there might be some fun and engaging stuff coming up.

Longer form writing, meaningful discussion about significant texts, actual literary analysis. My child described the “assessment” they had to take after their most recent reading assignment and it was poorly designed and based purely on the content of assignment. It sounds worse than what my younger child is experiencing in CKLA, honestly.

Does every school offer this (and have an enriched literacy teacher?) My kid is at a fairly small ES and I've heard about none of this. Perhaps my kid wasn't cohorted for this, but has strong MAP-R tests so I doubt it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have Back to School Night this week, any suggestions on what to ask the enriched literacy teacher? (Cohorted model at our school)

I'm particularly curious to hear about what some of the most-liked projects/readings/components were for last year's ELC 4th graders so I can ask specifically whether any of those are expected to be included this year as add-ons-- hoping to give my bored/annoyed kid some hope that there might be some fun and engaging stuff coming up.

Longer form writing, meaningful discussion about significant texts, actual literary analysis. My child described the “assessment” they had to take after their most recent reading assignment and it was poorly designed and based purely on the content of assignment. It sounds worse than what my younger child is experiencing in CKLA, honestly.

Does every school offer this (and have an enriched literacy teacher?) My kid is at a fairly small ES and I've heard about none of this. Perhaps my kid wasn't cohorted for this, but has strong MAP-R tests so I doubt it.

I don’t think they necessarily do if there are not enough students who qualified to make a full class. However, at our school, the ELC class was bigger than the average class size, so pulling them out actually made for smaller instructional sizes for the other classes. But this year it’s a totally different experience so far. Still waiting for the actual books they said they will read during WIN time (and even information on when WIN time will start).

[Anonymous]

So it sounds like the Model 1 cohorted 4th grade class is supposed to get one extra unit, Treasure Island. Although it sounds like there is not specific guidance about how to move faster to fit it in-- the teacher seemed a bit stressed about that.

Also I guess there will be novel studies during the FIT block, starting next week. I believe the first book is Hello Universe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I haven't seen anything from the school beyond a CKLA info sheet that came home in their folder.

Same! It came home yesterday. We still never were informed about what model that school chose (without any family input) for enrichment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So it sounds like the Model 1 cohorted 4th grade class is supposed to get one extra unit, Treasure Island. Although it sounds like there is not specific guidance about how to move faster to fit it in-- the teacher seemed a bit stressed about that.

Also I guess there will be novel studies during the FIT block, starting next week. I believe the first book is Hello Universe.

Is this for all schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have Back to School Night this week, any suggestions on what to ask the enriched literacy teacher? (Cohorted model at our school)

I'm particularly curious to hear about what some of the most-liked projects/readings/components were for last year's ELC 4th graders so I can ask specifically whether any of those are expected to be included this year as add-ons-- hoping to give my bored/annoyed kid some hope that there might be some fun and engaging stuff coming up.

Longer form writing, meaningful discussion about significant texts, actual literary analysis. My child described the “assessment” they had to take after their most recent reading assignment and it was poorly designed and based purely on the content of assignment. It sounds worse than what my younger child is experiencing in CKLA, honestly.

Does every school offer this (and have an enriched literacy teacher?) My kid is at a fairly small ES and I've heard about none of this. Perhaps my kid wasn't cohorted for this, but has strong MAP-R tests so I doubt it.

No. Most schools selected Model 2, which is not cohorted. Teachers are supposed to provide enrichment while also meeting the needs of kids who are below grade level. It's a recipe for failure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So it sounds like the Model 1 cohorted 4th grade class is supposed to get one extra unit, Treasure Island. Although it sounds like there is not specific guidance about how to move faster to fit it in-- the teacher seemed a bit stressed about that.

Also I guess there will be novel studies during the FIT block, starting next week. I believe the first book is Hello Universe.

There is a different pacing calendar for Model 1 schools. It skips all the pausing points, so that is probably what is stressing out the teacher. If a kid falls behind, there isn't really a way to catch back up.