School flexibility for sports in Arlington

[Anonymous]

I know some high intensity sports can get you out of the PE requirement at a certain level, but it doesn't excuse you from actual hours in the building.

[Anonymous]

Realistically - what would happen if you just pull her out early on the necessary days. I seriously doubt they will send truancy cops after you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP- I can give you my perspective because I was a competitive figure skater myself (many years ago). I didn't go that far in singles, but I was on a national championship synchronized skating team in college. I went to public schools in the imdwest. My parents told me they could afford private high school, or figure skating but not both. We never considered home-schooling because I frankly wasn't talented enough to need complete freedom from school hours it at that point.

I think it's ridiculous that public schools are so inflexible for highly competitive students. For example my public high school in the late 1990's would not waive or moderate the 1 year PE requirement for me although I was doing competitive figure skating daily for multiple hours, along with weights, dance etc. I was an IB Honors student as well. There should be some middle ground to incoroporate high-level sports, outside of complete home-schooling. Some districts in the country allow for half-day or some online classes, but not sure about this area or Arlington County. A number of competitive figure skaters nationwide do full-time "online school" which you might want to look into. This is different from home-schooling because you have remote teachers online. I believe the most competitive skaters in Colorado Springs, for example, do this.

I would say to first talk to any families at your rink who are in Arlington County schools to see what they know. Then talk to your principal if there is a reason for specific absences, IE, can we leave 20 minutes early so she can get to a private lesson with her coach (which is not available at a later time)- but be prepared to explain, why he/she could miss something without an academic impact. (This becomes easier in middle/high school when you have potentially open/free-floating periods). Elementary is trickier. By high school I was able to arrive late and leave early (30-40 minutes on both sides) for practices, without any negative impact to my honors classes, requirements etc. It helped that I had an ally in the front office who also had a daughter who skated. But to work around high school hours, even arriving late, I would have to do 5-7am morning sessions, get to school by 8am or so. Then leave school at 1:30 (instead of 2:20) to make a 2pm start for afternoon sessions.

Big picture on figure skating- I would be careful about pushing your daughter/son at this age. I saw so many kids burn out by early high school after spending most of their childhood skating. In my opinion, keeping it light/loose in elementary is better and they can ramp up as they get to be 11/12 assuming it is their own motivation, and not yours. Now obviously there are some prodigies who are truly excelling in elementary, but it's sort of the exception. The two groups of kids I saw in skating, were 1) kids who spent elementary and middle school in skating and burned out in early high school, or 2) those who started later in elementary and early middle school who continued strong through high school and even college. Just keep in mind that staying in for the long-run is kind of rare.

Thank you. Good ideas. I will keep my expectations low. It is upsetting how much schools focus on a s acomódate football and soccer but remain inflexible on sports outside of school. But oh well. 5 AM practice it is.

For what it’s worth, I would never push my daughter to skate. She is absurdly stubborn and it’s a fight to push her to do chores. I couldn’t imagine pushing her to do wake up at 5 to skate. It’s just what she wants to do. I can’t believe how much dedication figure skaters have to have. You guys are very impressive!

Not in elementary school they don't. You're doing your daughter a disservice by thinking that it would be OK for her to miss several hours of elementary school per week. In the future, a good, solid education will be the most valuable thing she takes away from this time in her life. Yes, let her skate, but not at the expense of going to school.

[Anonymous]

You would rather regularly pull her out early instead of getting up early?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Realistically - what would happen if you just pull her out early on the necessary days. I seriously doubt they will send truancy cops after you.

They could fail her on every test and in-class assignment she missed as a result of leaving early. The school has zero obligation to let you make up stuff you missed with an unexcused absence, so the teacher doesn’t even have to help her catch up on missed instruction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On a related topic, our kid is on a SuperY soccer team that got invited to play in a national tournament Florida in December. They would miss some school. Is that an excused absence in Arlington?

no. why would it be?

[Anonymous]

I find it interesting that the default response seems to be: "No, why would the school work with you on sport-related absences?"

Maybe because schools aren't prisons? And parents are able to see how their kids are doing and work with schools on flexibility (IF the child is excelling and not struggling)? No one is suggesting the school do extra work other than possibly send homework, lists home... Sure it wouldn't be fair to ask for special tutoring or extra attention for absences, but if a child is excelling and the parent willing to put in extra work to make sure things are tracking...why not allow for exceptions in some circumstances?

This is just common sense- and this is why so many parents end up home-schooling, because of these attitudes of unflexibility. The market is speaking, in terms of people fleeing public schools for private or home-school. Not this is this the main reason, but it's part of it. Public schools would be wise to think of how to bring people in, not push them away, such as with part-day options for home-schoolers, or approved flexible options for elite athletes or gifted kids. (Granted Arlington public certainly has the opposite problem of too many students, not too few - but in other parts of the country, people are exiting public schools...)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it interesting that the default response seems to be: "No, why would the school work with you on sport-related absences?"

Maybe because schools aren't prisons? And parents are able to see how their kids are doing and work with schools on flexibility (IF the child is excelling and not struggling)? No one is suggesting the school do extra work other than possibly send homework, lists home... Sure it wouldn't be fair to ask for special tutoring or extra attention for absences, but if a child is excelling and the parent willing to put in extra work to make sure things are tracking...why not allow for exceptions in some circumstances?

This is just common sense- and this is why so many parents end up home-schooling, because of these attitudes of unflexibility. The market is speaking, in terms of people fleeing public schools for private or home-school. Not this is this the main reason, but it's part of it. Public schools would be wise to think of how to bring people in, not push them away, such as with part-day options for home-schoolers, or approved flexible options for elite athletes or gifted kids. (Granted Arlington public certainly has the opposite problem of too many students, not too few - but in other parts of the country, people are exiting public schools...)

OP asked about having her dd leave school a "couple of hours early" for a "few days a week". That is a huge amount of time and would require alot of coordination from the teacher for just one child. I don't think many people would consider that fair to either the teacher or the other kids in the class to divert the teacher's resources that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it interesting that the default response seems to be: "No, why would the school work with you on sport-related absences?"

Maybe because schools aren't prisons? And parents are able to see how their kids are doing and work with schools on flexibility (IF the child is excelling and not struggling)? No one is suggesting the school do extra work other than possibly send homework, lists home... Sure it wouldn't be fair to ask for special tutoring or extra attention for absences, but if a child is excelling and the parent willing to put in extra work to make sure things are tracking...why not allow for exceptions in some circumstances?

This is just common sense- and this is why so many parents end up home-schooling, because of these attitudes of unflexibility. The market is speaking, in terms of people fleeing public schools for private or home-school. Not this is this the main reason, but it's part of it. Public schools would be wise to think of how to bring people in, not push them away, such as with part-day options for home-schoolers, or approved flexible options for elite athletes or gifted kids. (Granted Arlington public certainly has the opposite problem of too many students, not too few - but in other parts of the country, people are exiting public schools...)

It sounds to me like you have no idea how an elementary school classroom works. And, yes, that would be a lot of extra work for a teacher, particularly one with a class of 25-30 students, many of whom probably have their own extra needs that are more relevant to an education than accommodating a mom who doesn't want to schedule her DD's extracurriculars around the school schedule.

[Anonymous]

Skating is a money sink and a self esteem drain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it interesting that the default response seems to be: "No, why would the school work with you on sport-related absences?"

Maybe because schools aren't prisons? And parents are able to see how their kids are doing and work with schools on flexibility (IF the child is excelling and not struggling)? No one is suggesting the school do extra work other than possibly send homework, lists home... Sure it wouldn't be fair to ask for special tutoring or extra attention for absences, but if a child is excelling and the parent willing to put in extra work to make sure things are tracking...why not allow for exceptions in some circumstances?

This is just common sense- and this is why so many parents end up home-schooling, because of these attitudes of unflexibility. The market is speaking, in terms of people fleeing public schools for private or home-school. Not this is this the main reason, but it's part of it. Public schools would be wise to think of how to bring people in, not push them away, such as with part-day options for home-schoolers, or approved flexible options for elite athletes or gifted kids. (Granted Arlington public certainly has the opposite problem of too many students, not too few - but in other parts of the country, people are exiting public schools...)

It sounds to me like you have no idea how an elementary school classroom works. And, yes, that would be a lot of extra work for a teacher, particularly one with a class of 25-30 students, many of whom probably have their own extra needs that are more relevant to an education than accommodating a mom who doesn't want to schedule her DD's extracurriculars around the school schedule.

I don't know enough to dispute that this would involve a lot of extra work for the teacher and school. I do have an issue with the characterization of "a mom who doesn't want to schedule her DD's extracurriculars around the school schedule." As was pointed out earlier in this thread, there is very little ice time available after school gets out (perhaps as little as none). The mom is not making the determination that she can't schedule after school, its simply not a possibility.

[Anonymous]

Reminds me of one of the kids in DD's (former, private) school, who aspires to be an Olympic swimmer. She has demonstrated the chops for it, at a young age. She apparently trains where Katie Ledecky does (or did), which is in MD, while living in VA. Her schedule involves getting up at O'DarkThirty, being driven to MD for workout and swim practice, which is from 5:00 - 7:00 AM, getting to school by 8:30 AM, and basically going home, homework, having an early dinner, and asleep by 6:00 PM.

At no time have they requested that the school make accommodations for her. The parents did choose a school with a schedule that would work with her weird swim schedule, however.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it interesting that the default response seems to be: "No, why would the school work with you on sport-related absences?"

Maybe because schools aren't prisons? And parents are able to see how their kids are doing and work with schools on flexibility (IF the child is excelling and not struggling)? No one is suggesting the school do extra work other than possibly send homework, lists home... Sure it wouldn't be fair to ask for special tutoring or extra attention for absences, but if a child is excelling and the parent willing to put in extra work to make sure things are tracking...why not allow for exceptions in some circumstances?

This is just common sense- and this is why so many parents end up home-schooling, because of these attitudes of unflexibility. The market is speaking, in terms of people fleeing public schools for private or home-school. Not this is this the main reason, but it's part of it. Public schools would be wise to think of how to bring people in, not push them away, such as with part-day options for home-schoolers, or approved flexible options for elite athletes or gifted kids. (Granted Arlington public certainly has the opposite problem of too many students, not too few - but in other parts of the country, people are exiting public schools...)

It sounds to me like you have no idea how an elementary school classroom works. And, yes, that would be a lot of extra work for a teacher, particularly one with a class of 25-30 students, many of whom probably have their own extra needs that are more relevant to an education than accommodating a mom who doesn't want to schedule her DD's extracurriculars around the school schedule.

I don't know enough to dispute that this would involve a lot of extra work for the teacher and school. I do have an issue with the characterization of "a mom who doesn't want to schedule her DD's extracurriculars around the school schedule." As was pointed out earlier in this thread, there is very little ice time available after school gets out (perhaps as little as none). The mom is not making the determination that she can't schedule after school, its simply not a possibility.

Look above - mom says DD will have to practice at 5am now if she can't get out of school hours early "several times a week." That's how it works - I grew up in SoCal where lots of kids had swim practice very early in the morning so we could attend school all day. That schedule taught me good time management and the self-discipline to work toward my goals, and my education didn't suffer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it interesting that the default response seems to be: "No, why would the school work with you on sport-related absences?"

Maybe because schools aren't prisons? And parents are able to see how their kids are doing and work with schools on flexibility (IF the child is excelling and not struggling)? No one is suggesting the school do extra work other than possibly send homework, lists home... Sure it wouldn't be fair to ask for special tutoring or extra attention for absences, but if a child is excelling and the parent willing to put in extra work to make sure things are tracking...why not allow for exceptions in some circumstances?

This is just common sense- and this is why so many parents end up home-schooling, because of these attitudes of unflexibility. The market is speaking, in terms of people fleeing public schools for private or home-school. Not this is this the main reason, but it's part of it. Public schools would be wise to think of how to bring people in, not push them away, such as with part-day options for home-schoolers, or approved flexible options for elite athletes or gifted kids. (Granted Arlington public certainly has the opposite problem of too many students, not too few - but in other parts of the country, people are exiting public schools...)

It sounds to me like you have no idea how an elementary school classroom works. And, yes, that would be a lot of extra work for a teacher, particularly one with a class of 25-30 students, many of whom probably have their own extra needs that are more relevant to an education than accommodating a mom who doesn't want to schedule her DD's extracurriculars around the school schedule.

I don't know enough to dispute that this would involve a lot of extra work for the teacher and school. I do have an issue with the characterization of "a mom who doesn't want to schedule her DD's extracurriculars around the school schedule." As was pointed out earlier in this thread, there is very little ice time available after school gets out (perhaps as little as none). The mom is not making the determination that she can't schedule after school, its simply not a possibility.

How about instead of spouting off and criticizing the schools when you "don't know enough to dispute that this would involve a lot of extra work for the teacher and school," you sit and think for a moment about how this would work in practice. If the kid's class does math in the last couple of hours of the day, how do you think it's going to work when the kid is missing 50% of the class's math sessions? Do you think she's going to pass math if she misses half of the tests? OP says she doesn't want to homeschool her kid, but she effectively would have to in all of the subjects her child misses for skating. Do you really think the classroom teacher should have to reconfigure the class routine every couple of days to make sure OP's kid doesn't miss too much of one subject? The whole school should have to switch around specials every couple of weeks to make sure she doesn't miss too many sessions of those? What if one class has a student who leaves two hours early 2-3 days per week for their sport, and another who arrives two hours late 2-3 days per week for theirs, what do those classes do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it interesting that the default response seems to be: "No, why would the school work with you on sport-related absences?"

Maybe because schools aren't prisons? And parents are able to see how their kids are doing and work with schools on flexibility (IF the child is excelling and not struggling)? No one is suggesting the school do extra work other than possibly send homework, lists home... Sure it wouldn't be fair to ask for special tutoring or extra attention for absences, but if a child is excelling and the parent willing to put in extra work to make sure things are tracking...why not allow for exceptions in some circumstances?

This is just common sense- and this is why so many parents end up home-schooling, because of these attitudes of unflexibility. The market is speaking, in terms of people fleeing public schools for private or home-school. Not this is this the main reason, but it's part of it. Public schools would be wise to think of how to bring people in, not push them away, such as with part-day options for home-schoolers, or approved flexible options for elite athletes or gifted kids. (Granted Arlington public certainly has the opposite problem of too many students, not too few - but in other parts of the country, people are exiting public schools...)

It sounds to me like you have no idea how an elementary school classroom works. And, yes, that would be a lot of extra work for a teacher, particularly one with a class of 25-30 students, many of whom probably have their own extra needs that are more relevant to an education than accommodating a mom who doesn't want to schedule her DD's extracurriculars around the school schedule.

I don't know enough to dispute that this would involve a lot of extra work for the teacher and school. I do have an issue with the characterization of "a mom who doesn't want to schedule her DD's extracurriculars around the school schedule." As was pointed out earlier in this thread, there is very little ice time available after school gets out (perhaps as little as none). The mom is not making the determination that she can't schedule after school, its simply not a possibility.

How about instead of spouting off and criticizing the schools when you "don't know enough to dispute that this would involve a lot of extra work for the teacher and school," you sit and think for a moment about how this would work in practice. If the kid's class does math in the last couple of hours of the day, how do you think it's going to work when the kid is missing 50% of the class's math sessions? Do you think she's going to pass math if she misses half of the tests? OP says she doesn't want to homeschool her kid, but she effectively would have to in all of the subjects her child misses for skating. Do you really think the classroom teacher should have to reconfigure the class routine every couple of days to make sure OP's kid doesn't miss too much of one subject? The whole school should have to switch around specials every couple of weeks to make sure she doesn't miss too many sessions of those? What if one class has a student who leaves two hours early 2-3 days per week for their sport, and another who arrives two hours late 2-3 days per week for theirs, what do those classes do?

Two things: First, I didn't criticize the schools. I said explicitly that it might be too much work for the school to accomodate. I was merely defending the mom, who is not considering this approach on a whim.

Second, if leaving early every day means the kid is going to miss math every day, that would be a problem. But what if the part of school she was going to miss was PE, music, and art. Do those have some importance? Of course. But missing them regularly would not be the same as missing, for example, math.