MCPS Standards for Extracurricula Activities - Elementary School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, realize that the art, music, and PE teachers are seeing every classroom in every grade each week - more than once a week just isn’t possible. I will say that when children are in the upper grades music can become a twice a week option - fourth and fifth graders at my child’s school have the option to add chorus and instrumental music to their day.

True - even 3x week. My 5th grader has music, band and chorus so is getting some musical instruction through school 3x per week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the biggest problem is how they handle recess. The principal gets to decide and some (or many) constantly cancel recess. Indoor recess means staying at your desk playing a board game or maybe doing crafts.

The kids are kept inside in 40 degree and sometimes higher weather. This is an almost no FARMS school. No kid is without a coat and there are extra coats in the office in case anyone forgot one.
The para educators don't want to go outside and the principal goes along with it. The kids are kept inside if its not longer rainy but the ground may be muddy because the janitor doesn't want to clean up the mess. My K was in a private school and 2nd grader was in public school down the road. K was constantly able to have outdoor recess while my 2nd grader seldom got to go outside.

Speak for yourself, kids bundle up and go out unless its heavy rain or snow. They go out in light, light rain. They are outside unless there is a wind chill factor in the winter as well. Woodlin ES--Silver Spring

[Anonymous]

MCPS elementary schools have PE only one a week. It sucks. And school lets out so late (DS gets off his school bus after 4:00) it is very hard to schedule after school sports activities. I believe Middle School has PE 4 -5 times per week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, realize that the art, music, and PE teachers are seeing every classroom in every grade each week - more than once a week just isn’t possible. I will say that when children are in the upper grades music can become a twice a week option - fourth and fifth graders at my child’s school have the option to add chorus and instrumental music to their day.

This is silly. I had PE at least 3x per week in elementary school. It can be done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the biggest problem is how they handle recess. The principal gets to decide and some (or many) constantly cancel recess. Indoor recess means staying at your desk playing a board game or maybe doing crafts.

The kids are kept inside in 40 degree and sometimes higher weather. This is an almost no FARMS school. No kid is without a coat and there are extra coats in the office in case anyone forgot one.
The para educators don't want to go outside and the principal goes along with it. The kids are kept inside if its not longer rainy but the ground may be muddy because the janitor doesn't want to clean up the mess. My K was in a private school and 2nd grader was in public school down the road. K was constantly able to have outdoor recess while my 2nd grader seldom got to go outside.

Then complain!
The cutoff is supposed to be 32 degrees. If you know they are inside and its 40 you need to say something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS elementary schools have PE only one a week. It sucks. And school lets out so late (DS gets off his school bus after 4:00) it is very hard to schedule after school sports activities. I believe Middle School has PE 4 -5 times per week.

No, it is not! What are you talking about? Almost every kid in my DC's class is signed up for either soccer, or baseball, or basketball.

[Anonymous]

We have everything once a week ( MCPS Farms school) and recess once a day.

I get to school 20 mins early so DD can play and run around, and I ( or the sitter) let her play for 20 mins after school as well. There is a core group of kids./parents that do this. There are ways to get your kids exercise without signing up for activities

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS elementary schools have PE only one a week. It sucks. And school lets out so late (DS gets off his school bus after 4:00) it is very hard to schedule after school sports activities. I believe Middle School has PE 4 -5 times per week.

No, it is not! What are you talking about? Almost every kid in my DC's class is signed up for either soccer, or baseball, or basketball.

We have sports in the evenings and other activities almost every day. Not hard if your child is off the bus at 4. Come home, snack, homework, sports, finish homework if have some left. Simple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, realize that the art, music, and PE teachers are seeing every classroom in every grade each week - more than once a week just isn’t possible. I will say that when children are in the upper grades music can become a twice a week option - fourth and fifth graders at my child’s school have the option to add chorus and instrumental music to their day.

This is silly. I had PE at least 3x per week in elementary school. It can be done.

When you were in ES, no one worried if you were not reading in Kindergarten.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our daughter is starting kindergarten next year and we're exploring MCPS as an option. We visited our local elementary school and they shared students only go to PE, music, and art only once a week; to the library/media room every other week. This schedule seems extremely limited, especially for PE.

Is this standard across other MCPS elementary schools?

Thanks in advance.

Correct, mcps has the national minimum for ES Pe class: 30 minutes a week.

Dcps has triple that, plus pk, plus aides in lower grades, plus Spanish in ES, plus art/ music/ 2x a week. And actual designated daily science and math.

I think at least back in 2011 when Md signed up for common core federal funds, they extended reading and math blocks and cut other things. Plus the schools are all over capacitated so no room for more gym or lunch or lab or real recess. Too many bodies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, realize that the art, music, and PE teachers are seeing every classroom in every grade each week - more than once a week just isn’t possible. I will say that when children are in the upper grades music can become a twice a week option - fourth and fifth graders at my child’s school have the option to add chorus and instrumental music to their day.

This is silly. I had PE at least 3x per week in elementary school. It can be done.

When you were in ES, no one worried if you were not reading in Kindergarten.

Half the county is reading in English at age 4,5,6 and reading at grade levels 2-4 levels higher than their age on a DRA national scale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS elementary schools have PE only one a week. It sucks. And school lets out so late (DS gets off his school bus after 4:00) it is very hard to schedule after school sports activities. I believe Middle School has PE 4 -5 times per week.

No, it is not! What are you talking about? Almost every kid in my DC's class is signed up for either soccer, or baseball, or basketball.

DP

Depends on your kids’ school.

We’re at a Tier 2 school that dismissed at 3:50. My kid gets off the bus at 4:20. By the time we walk home, it’s close to 4:30. Snack, and some down time. It’s a long day and tough to add on additional activities.

Slightly easier if you kid gets dismissed earlier at one of the Tier 1 schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have everything once a week ( MCPS Farms school) and recess once a day.

I get to school 20 mins early so DD can play and run around, and I ( or the sitter) let her play for 20 mins after school as well. There is a core group of kids./parents that do this. There are ways to get your kids exercise without signing up for activities

Not all schools allow this

We have beforecare and aftercare at our ES. They are the only ones allowed to use the playgrounds before/after school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, realize that the art, music, and PE teachers are seeing every classroom in every grade each week - more than once a week just isn’t possible. I will say that when children are in the upper grades music can become a twice a week option - fourth and fifth graders at my child’s school have the option to add chorus and instrumental music to their day.

This is silly. I had PE at least 3x per week in elementary school. It can be done.

Not anymore.

Schools are overcrowded and understaffed. We have one PE teacher and one aide for 800 kids at our ES. And only one gym. No way they can schedule more than once per week PE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS elementary schools have PE only one a week. It sucks. And school lets out so late (DS gets off his school bus after 4:00) it is very hard to schedule after school sports activities. I believe Middle School has PE 4 -5 times per week.

Yes. MS has PE every day. But once a week for ES. Seems backwards! Tough I guess the MSers need to run around and blow off steam also.

Plus, indoor recess in ES is the pits. Not enough staff so they combine two classes of kids into one crammed room with one recess aide. Often the kids watch a video or play on Chromebooks. Teachers, students and staff hate when it rains and they are stuck with indoor recess.