It's going to be bumpy. Be patient and kind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Didn't the schools have the whole summer to work on this. The incompetence and laziness is astounding. I'd get fired for this product

As far as I can tell they spent the summer planning for a hybrid solution that wouldn't have worked anyhow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m pretty mad, and I’m usually a calm person. But I’m mad that the school district has had the summer to prepare and seemed to mostly dick around. I’m mad that they are still doing morning meeting with 20 8 year olds on a screen, when it was obviously a colossal failure in the spring. I’m mad that they didn’t consider for a moment breaking the kids into smaller groups and trying to meet outside. I’m mad that my kids don’t read actual books. I’m mad that they are assigned Video lessons. I’m mad that the school district is offering soccer and football teams but not offering outside English or math instruction. I’m mad that I could pay $800 a week to day care workers to do school in person, but my district that gets $25k a kid can’t pull ANY in person learning off in person. Meanwhile, grocery store workers and nurses and almost everyone else who had to earn a living is back to work.

I’ll try to keep it quiet, but I am angry and a lot of my neighbors are too.

$800 a week for a ten month school year is $32,000 for day care without licensed teachers, curriculum, technology, social workers, psychologists, nurses, deans, etc -- all of whom are still employed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn't the schools have the whole summer to work on this. The incompetence and laziness is astounding. I'd get fired for this product

PLEASE do not blame the schools or the teachers. This is district mismanagement at work. DCPS bureaucracy flailing. Still haven't gotten the schedule OR the class list, but I do NOT blame the school.

For all but the most fortunate kids this is going to be a wasted year of education.

[Anonymous]

And -- especially if your family has resources -- give a little so that schools can focus on the kids that need it. If you have computers for your kids, and home internet, and adults still working, and the space for everyone to work from home, that doesn't mean things aren't still hard, but if you can put off that one extra email to the teacher that isn't strictly necessary, then your kid's teacher will have that little bit of extra time to think about how to find resources for kids who don't have everything they need. If you have some cash you can send to funds that are getting school supplies, or helping with technology, or even to a food bank, this is the time to dig in and be kind.

Happy to send money and have done so. And I don't intend to be rude to any teachers, but frankly, even though other kids may be worse off, the kid who I am most responsible for and responsible to first is mine. I let compliance with his 504 plan slack in the spring, but don't intend to delay ensuring compliance if I don't see it this school year. Things are hard, for sure, but the school needs to do this for him.

[Anonymous]

OP, I know you are well intentioned, but you don't get to dictate the lawful behavior of people you don't know. Maybe talk to people you do know in real life with your thoughts and concerns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Like everyone, we are getting ready for the new school year to start next week, and I'm trying to remember that it's going to be so hard for everyone -- teachers, parents, and especially students, and that we only get through this if get through it together, with kindness and patience.

So -- if you are frustrated because the platform isn't working right, or you can't set up the call to work, or your kid's headphones got left on the floor and trod on -- take a breath. It's hard. It's okay if it doesn't go 100% smoothly for the first week.

It's not going to be as good as in-person school. It's just not, and we shouldn't expect it to be. Lower your expectations. It's the best option right now to keep everyone safe. So if you don't understand the instructions of how to log on, or you want more information about the schedule, or you didn't get into the homeroom group you want -- extend some grace to the school staff who didn't sign up for this either, and are working their tails off to figure this out in time.

If your kid has a meltdown in the first week because they can't turn in their homework or the call is super loud, or they just bug off and can't keep still, be kind. Help them out, let them lose it for a moment, help them back to emotional balance. I know my own kid is putting on a brave face for us but he is going to crash out at some point. Give kids a safe space to express big emotion.

And -- especially if your family has resources -- give a little so that schools can focus on the kids that need it. If you have computers for your kids, and home internet, and adults still working, and the space for everyone to work from home, that doesn't mean things aren't still hard, but if you can put off that one extra email to the teacher that isn't strictly necessary, then your kid's teacher will have that little bit of extra time to think about how to find resources for kids who don't have everything they need. If you have some cash you can send to funds that are getting school supplies, or helping with technology, or even to a food bank, this is the time to dig in and be kind.

I disagree with your premise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m pretty mad, and I’m usually a calm person. But I’m mad that the school district has had the summer to prepare and seemed to mostly dick around. I’m mad that they are still doing morning meeting with 20 8 year olds on a screen, when it was obviously a colossal failure in the spring. I’m mad that they didn’t consider for a moment breaking the kids into smaller groups and trying to meet outside. I’m mad that my kids don’t read actual books. I’m mad that they are assigned Video lessons. I’m mad that the school district is offering soccer and football teams but not offering outside English or math instruction. I’m mad that I could pay $800 a week to day care workers to do school in person, but my district that gets $25k a kid can’t pull ANY in person learning off in person. Meanwhile, grocery store workers and nurses and almost everyone else who had to earn a living is back to work.

I’ll try to keep it quiet, but I am angry and a lot of my neighbors are too.

I tried to be patient from March through May, when DCPS truly was in uncharted waters. And I tried to be patient when they ended school three weeks early, ostensibly to plan for the next school year but also lengthening a summer break that already was going to be trying for a lot of families.

But, like PP, I'm now pretty mad.

Mad that they apparently spent the entire summer planning for a hybrid model without once thinking that it would have to be all DL until it was too late. I'm mad that people DC can go inside bars and restaurants without masks but my kid can't go inside her school *with* a mask. Mad that my kid is losing sleep about school starting again when in previous years she would be happy to be going back.

My supply of patience is running thin, to be honest, and all the rah-rah posts in the world aren't going to change this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m pretty mad, and I’m usually a calm person. But I’m mad that the school district has had the summer to prepare and seemed to mostly dick around. I’m mad that they are still doing morning meeting with 20 8 year olds on a screen, when it was obviously a colossal failure in the spring. I’m mad that they didn’t consider for a moment breaking the kids into smaller groups and trying to meet outside. I’m mad that my kids don’t read actual books. I’m mad that they are assigned Video lessons. I’m mad that the school district is offering soccer and football teams but not offering outside English or math instruction. I’m mad that I could pay $800 a week to day care workers to do school in person, but my district that gets $25k a kid can’t pull ANY in person learning off in person. Meanwhile, grocery store workers and nurses and almost everyone else who had to earn a living is back to work.

I’ll try to keep it quiet, but I am angry and a lot of my neighbors are too.

This! I'm mad that as a parent- I'm the one who has to cover and compensate for all the other societal/governmental/school failings in this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And -- especially if your family has resources -- give a little so that schools can focus on the kids that need it.

Give a little? Are you kidding me? Parents are working double duty now to cover for everyone else's failings. We now have 2 full-time jobs (our job and home schooling). We are paying extra for home computer supplies, extra childcare, extra everything. It's so very easy for school personnel to demand remote learning, when they get paid 100% no matter what, right?
As PP said, please stop with the Rah Rah posts, and come up with creative solutions to get our kids back in school where they belong.

[Anonymous]

I have no idea what OP is trying to accomplish with this little pep talk, but he/she can save her lectures for herself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have no idea what OP is trying to accomplish with this little pep talk, but he/she can save her lectures for herself.

Agreed. DCPS has not been upfront about anything. We ended the school year weeks early to allow DCPS the time to prepare for the fall. We were told yesterday my child’s high school schedule would be up today. Closing in on 5 and still nothing. This is just nuts. If DCPS was communicating honestly I’d have more patience and understanding but all they’ve done is keep us in the dark and pretend that nothing bad is happening. It’s today The Emperor’s New Clothes. Am I really supposed to play along? That’s crazy talk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn't the schools have the whole summer to work on this. The incompetence and laziness is astounding. I'd get fired for this product

PLEASE do not blame the schools or the teachers. This is district mismanagement at work. DCPS bureaucracy flailing. Still haven't gotten the schedule OR the class list, but I do NOT blame the school.

Doesn’t your school/principal create the class lists. That’s not a Central Office task. Why not be miffed at the school?

[Anonymous]

I found the homework helpful last year to stay engaged as I was working during their school sessions and was not involved at all.

This was for fourth and fifth grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn't the schools have the whole summer to work on this. The incompetence and laziness is astounding. I'd get fired for this product

PLEASE do not blame the schools or the teachers. This is district mismanagement at work. DCPS bureaucracy flailing. Still haven't gotten the schedule OR the class list, but I do NOT blame the school.

Doesn’t your school/principal create the class lists. That’s not a Central Office task. Why not be miffed at the school?

Agree, this one is a school issue. We got ours last week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I found the homework helpful last year to stay engaged as I was working during their school sessions and was not involved at all.

This was for fourth and fifth grades.

Okayyyyyy....