SELT letter

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Your child was likely in the second or third wave of invites after kids in the first wave said no. At my school, we sent out the first invites out before the SOL, then automatically added anyone who failed an SOL to the next wave, but also left it up to the discretion of the teachers to decide whether the poor SOL score was a fluke. Not all the teachers followed that instruction, which left many parents feeling like you are.


Exactly. It's the same all over. My school invites the first round. Many decline. After that it doesn't take long before they are inviting students who really don't need SELT. They keep inviting until all slots are filled.

This sounds like a post for the "how to save money in FCPS" thread.

I made that post and I agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish my DD is offered SELT.It's free education offered by certified teachers! I literally asked her teacher for SELT, but her teacher said she was not qualified.?

SELT at our school last year was just four hours of play/games with a tiny bit of instruction mixed in. I could (and should) have kept my DC home and given instruction myself in half the time. They need to cut out the games and make the most of the time given to really bring the kids up to speed.

Wish I had seen this before I enrolled DD. She was invited in June and we forfeited camp money assuming it was an academic review program with the benefits of a much smaller class size. With all the budget issues in the county, I thought it must be excellent or it would be on the chopping block. Instead, it's as you described and my daughter would rather be at a real camp with her BFF. I could have just done a workbook 15 minutes a night. Hope it's better at other schools, otherwise what is the point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish my DD is offered SELT.It's free education offered by certified teachers! I literally asked her teacher for SELT, but her teacher said she was not qualified.?

SELT at our school last year was just four hours of play/games with a tiny bit of instruction mixed in. I could (and should) have kept my DC home and given instruction myself in half the time. They need to cut out the games and make the most of the time given to really bring the kids up to speed.

Wish I had seen this before I enrolled DD. She was invited in June and we forfeited camp money assuming it was an academic review program with the benefits of a much smaller class size. With all the budget issues in the county, I thought it must be excellent or it would be on the chopping block. Instead, it's as you described and my daughter would rather be at a real camp with her BFF. I could have just done a workbook 15 minutes a night. Hope it's better at other schools, otherwise what is the point?

I could've written your post this time last year. We also forfeited camp money (and a fun camp) so our DD could go to SELT. Like you, we thought it must be a great program that would really enforce key concepts for her. I was so disgusted with this silly, lazy attempt to make it appear they were actually working hard with the kids. It's like they were just going through the motions, do a few worksheets, play a bunch of games, have a snack, goof off, go home. What an incredible waste, especially considering they pay the teachers extra for this nonsense and pay for buses too! Why didn't they offer extra help throughout the year, instead? We declined SELT this year in favor of a great camp and some extra work at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish my DD is offered SELT.It's free education offered by certified teachers! I literally asked her teacher for SELT, but her teacher said she was not qualified.?

SELT at our school last year was just four hours of play/games with a tiny bit of instruction mixed in. I could (and should) have kept my DC home and given instruction myself in half the time. They need to cut out the games and make the most of the time given to really bring the kids up to speed.

Wish I had seen this before I enrolled DD. She was invited in June and we forfeited camp money assuming it was an academic review program with the benefits of a much smaller class size. With all the budget issues in the county, I thought it must be excellent or it would be on the chopping block. Instead, it's as you described and my daughter would rather be at a real camp with her BFF. I could have just done a workbook 15 minutes a night. Hope it's better at other schools, otherwise what is the point?

I could've written your post this time last year. We also forfeited camp money (and a fun camp) so our DD could go to SELT. Like you, we thought it must be a great program that would really enforce key concepts for her. I was so disgusted with this silly, lazy attempt to make it appear they were actually working hard with the kids. It's like they were just going through the motions, do a few worksheets, play a bunch of games, have a snack, goof off, go home. What an incredible waste, especially considering they pay the teachers extra for this nonsense and pay for buses too! Why didn't they offer extra help throughout the year, instead? We declined SELT this year in favor of a great camp and some extra work at home.

Where can I look up how much taxpayer money goes to fund this program and what criteria the are schools must follow to ensure there is appropriate review and remediation going on?

[Anonymous]

Just answered my own question. One of the proposed cuts is to reduce SELT funding. How about improving the program so it is actually cost effective? If they can't regulate it, then cut it rather than cutting speced services during the school year.

[Anonymous]

How long are the kids there each day? I guess parents should need to ask the teachers whether or not their child needs to be there if they receive an invite. How ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

SELT...at least at our school...has enabled our DC not to fall back in reading levels and math skills over the summer due to DC's learning disability. DC is working with teachers and reading specialists that were working with DC during the school year. For our child it has helped significantly the past two summers, and we already see that it will again this summer.

Our child needs to be there and our child is helped by this program!

[Anonymous]

At our school, all the SELT teachers were trained with the AAP curriculums and units of study. They're all getting remediation AND great instruction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At our school, all the SELT teachers were trained with the AAP curriculums and units of study. They're all getting remediation AND great instruction.

If that were the case at our school, maybe it would have been worthwhile. Sadly, all the kids did was pitch a tent in the classroom, bring some books in there, eat s'mores, and do a few worksheets. No thanks.

[Anonymous]

SELT...at least at our school...has enabled our DC not to fall back in reading levels and math skills over the summer due to DC's learning disability. DC is working with teachers and reading specialists that were working with DC during the school year. For our child it has helped significantly the past two summers, and we already see that it will again this summer.

Our child needs to be there and our child is helped by this program!

10:52 back again...Since no one seems to be mentioning which school... I will...we are at Freedom Hill.

[Anonymous]

Why would SELT teachers be taught AAP material? That makes no sense. This is a program for remediation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would SELT teachers be taught AAP material? That makes no sense. This is a program for remediation.

A child can be behind in one area and on target in another area. AAP material can be adapted for those students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would SELT teachers be taught AAP material? That makes no sense. This is a program for remediation.

I agree with you. It doesn't matter if kids are on target or even gifted in 1 area. It should be taught be top notch SN teachers. Some people become AAP teachers because they don't have the patience for a regular classroom or the talent and skill needed to reach the more challenging kids. There are kids with SN in AAP, but less of a range.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

SELT...at least at our school...has enabled our DC not to fall back in reading levels and math skills over the summer due to DC's learning disability. DC is working with teachers and reading specialists that were working with DC during the school year. For our child it has helped significantly the past two summers, and we already see that it will again this summer.

Our child needs to be there and our child is helped by this program!

10:52 back again...Since no one seems to be mentioning which school... I will...we are at Freedom Hill.

Did you complain? If so, what was the response?

.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish my DD is offered SELT.It's free education offered by certified teachers! I literally asked her teacher for SELT, but her teacher said she was not qualified.?

SELT at our school last year was just four hours of play/games with a tiny bit of instruction mixed in. I could (and should) have kept my DC home and given instruction myself in half the time. They need to cut out the games and make the most of the time given to really bring the kids up to speed.

Wish I had seen this before I enrolled DD. She was invited in June and we forfeited camp money assuming it was an academic review program with the benefits of a much smaller class size. With all the budget issues in the county, I thought it must be excellent or it would be on the chopping block. Instead, it's as you described and my daughter would rather be at a real camp with her BFF. I could have just done a workbook 15 minutes a night. Hope it's better at other schools, otherwise what is the point?

I could've written your post this time last year. We also forfeited camp money (and a fun camp) so our DD could go to SELT. Like you, we thought it must be a great program that would really enforce key concepts for her. I was so disgusted with this silly, lazy attempt to make it appear they were actually working hard with the kids. It's like they were just going through the motions, do a few worksheets, play a bunch of games, have a snack, goof off, go home. What an incredible waste, especially considering they pay the teachers extra for this nonsense and pay for buses too! Why didn't they offer extra help throughout the year, instead? We declined SELT this year in favor of a great camp and some extra work at home.

Where can I look up how much taxpayer money goes to fund this program and what criteria the are schools must follow to ensure there is appropriate review and remediation going on?

Don't worry, it will not be around next year. It is one of the first things that will be jettisoned and last added back. In the last real budget shortfall summer school (with the exception of ESY) was cancelled.