APS Retake Policy change announced

[Anonymous]

Yep, this is why everyone in public schools has a 4.0 or better. There are no retakes in privates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I liked the policy. My senior failed 2 calculus tests initially, went over the mistakes with his teacher, studied again with a better knowledge, and got As. He wouldn't have mastered the content without the opportunity.

+1. This is the stated aim of the policy. Understand completely what the negatives are, and especially why it's unpopular with some teachers. It's the changing of it halfway through a school year that should not be allowed. There are kids, mine included, who made a decision to stay in a class instead of dropping it, partly because of this policy - in fact it was his teacher who pointed it out and encouraged him to stay. That decision impacts the entire school year. Fine if you want to change this - can definitely see pros and cons. But what other policy has APS ever approved in June for the following school year and then changed halfway through?

I agree. I feel like they just quickly gave up and gutted the policy. It wasn’t perfect but it was working to some extent. I feel like they should have implement some tweaks- required kids to prove they had handed in all assignments and completed a study guide BEFORE the first test to make sure
People were not completely gaming the system. Of course the first 5 months of the policy were going to be a ton of work for teachers- so cancel all faculty meetings or cancel some PD and let people have grading time. Acknowledge the intense effort by teachers while still honoring the policy that was truly benefiting a good portion of kids.

I also think this is a mental health issue. Kids used this policy more a safety net in theory than in practice. Now it has been removed and kids who thought they would have it all year do not. Aps says it’s for reduced stress and a focus on mental health with the no movement Mondays and Fridays. But in reality they are paying lip service to that while quickly giving up on a promise. I have had students in aps for 12 years and I can’t think of a policy that could negatively affect students academically being implemented mid year with one days notice? Correct me if I am wrong?

Also for anyone who says there are no re-takes and do overs in real life- Dr. Duran just gave himself a do over. Shouldn’t we let kids have the same privilege.

YES! This x 100!

My straight A student studies for each test, but sometimes they falter. Knowing there is a chance for a retake removes some of the stress. No teacher for my kid gives a repeat test or just lets them take them willy-nilly. Each teacher requires all assigmnents be turned in, remediation work turned in and the student signs up for a specific time (usually 1 or 2 times available and that's it). Mine took a retake right at the end for high grade because they might as well. They already had an A, but knowing the retake safety net was going away caused them to try to make the Q2 grade higher. If a kid learns from remediating, I don't see the problem. But, like said above, an 80 is not proficient.

God are we raising such weak kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have middle schoolers, but don't kids have cumulative final exams? It's that enough of a reason for a kid who got a B on a test to go back and figure out what they did wrong and learn that material?

No, finals generally don't seem to be cumulative anymore.

They do at the high school level BUT many teachers and syllabi waive the final exam if a student maintains an A in class. Can you really blame a kid for re-taking to get an A when the teachers own syllabus incentivizes the A. Teachers set the standard and now they are upset with it??

We have not found this to be the case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I liked the policy. My senior failed 2 calculus tests initially, went over the mistakes with his teacher, studied again with a better knowledge, and got As. He wouldn't have mastered the content without the opportunity.

+1. This is the stated aim of the policy. Understand completely what the negatives are, and especially why it's unpopular with some teachers. It's the changing of it halfway through a school year that should not be allowed. There are kids, mine included, who made a decision to stay in a class instead of dropping it, partly because of this policy - in fact it was his teacher who pointed it out and encouraged him to stay. That decision impacts the entire school year. Fine if you want to change this - can definitely see pros and cons. But what other policy has APS ever approved in June for the following school year and then changed halfway through?

I agree. I feel like they just quickly gave up and gutted the policy. It wasn’t perfect but it was working to some extent. I feel like they should have implement some tweaks- required kids to prove they had handed in all assignments and completed a study guide BEFORE the first test to make sure
People were not completely gaming the system. Of course the first 5 months of the policy were going to be a ton of work for teachers- so cancel all faculty meetings or cancel some PD and let people have grading time. Acknowledge the intense effort by teachers while still honoring the policy that was truly benefiting a good portion of kids.

I also think this is a mental health issue. Kids used this policy more a safety net in theory than in practice. Now it has been removed and kids who thought they would have it all year do not. Aps says it’s for reduced stress and a focus on mental health with the no movement Mondays and Fridays. But in reality they are paying lip service to that while quickly giving up on a promise. I have had students in aps for 12 years and I can’t think of a policy that could negatively affect students academically being implemented mid year with one days notice? Correct me if I am wrong?

Also for anyone who says there are no re-takes and do overs in real life- Dr. Duran just gave himself a do over. Shouldn’t we let kids have the same privilege.

What are "no movement Mondays and Fridays?"
There was more than one day's notice of the policy change, btw. It was short-notice; but it's been more than one day. It doesn't take effect until tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I liked the policy. My senior failed 2 calculus tests initially, went over the mistakes with his teacher, studied again with a better knowledge, and got As. He wouldn't have mastered the content without the opportunity.

+1. This is the stated aim of the policy. Understand completely what the negatives are, and especially why it's unpopular with some teachers. It's the changing of it halfway through a school year that should not be allowed. There are kids, mine included, who made a decision to stay in a class instead of dropping it, partly because of this policy - in fact it was his teacher who pointed it out and encouraged him to stay. That decision impacts the entire school year. Fine if you want to change this - can definitely see pros and cons. But what other policy has APS ever approved in June for the following school year and then changed halfway through?

I agree. I feel like they just quickly gave up and gutted the policy. It wasn’t perfect but it was working to some extent. I feel like they should have implement some tweaks- required kids to prove they had handed in all assignments and completed a study guide BEFORE the first test to make sure
People were not completely gaming the system. Of course the first 5 months of the policy were going to be a ton of work for teachers- so cancel all faculty meetings or cancel some PD and let people have grading time. Acknowledge the intense effort by teachers while still honoring the policy that was truly benefiting a good portion of kids.

I also think this is a mental health issue. Kids used this policy more a safety net in theory than in practice. Now it has been removed and kids who thought they would have it all year do not. Aps says it’s for reduced stress and a focus on mental health with the no movement Mondays and Fridays. But in reality they are paying lip service to that while quickly giving up on a promise. I have had students in aps for 12 years and I can’t think of a policy that could negatively affect students academically being implemented mid year with one days notice? Correct me if I am wrong?

Also for anyone who says there are no re-takes and do overs in real life- Dr. Duran just gave himself a do over. Shouldn’t we let kids have the same privilege.

YES! This x 100!

My straight A student studies for each test, but sometimes they falter. Knowing there is a chance for a retake removes some of the stress. No teacher for my kid gives a repeat test or just lets them take them willy-nilly. Each teacher requires all assigmnents be turned in, remediation work turned in and the student signs up for a specific time (usually 1 or 2 times available and that's it). Mine took a retake right at the end for high grade because they might as well. They already had an A, but knowing the retake safety net was going away caused them to try to make the Q2 grade higher. If a kid learns from remediating, I don't see the problem. But, like said above, an 80 is not proficient.

This is just unnecessary perfectionism and is not the intended target of the original policy.
80 is "proficient." A "B" is above average and and "A" would indicate greater proficiency, if not mastery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I liked the policy. My senior failed 2 calculus tests initially, went over the mistakes with his teacher, studied again with a better knowledge, and got As. He wouldn't have mastered the content without the opportunity.

+1. This is the stated aim of the policy. Understand completely what the negatives are, and especially why it's unpopular with some teachers. It's the changing of it halfway through a school year that should not be allowed. There are kids, mine included, who made a decision to stay in a class instead of dropping it, partly because of this policy - in fact it was his teacher who pointed it out and encouraged him to stay. That decision impacts the entire school year. Fine if you want to change this - can definitely see pros and cons. But what other policy has APS ever approved in June for the following school year and then changed halfway through?

Your kid can still retake to get a B.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I liked the policy. My senior failed 2 calculus tests initially, went over the mistakes with his teacher, studied again with a better knowledge, and got As. He wouldn't have mastered the content without the opportunity.

+1. This is the stated aim of the policy. Understand completely what the negatives are, and especially why it's unpopular with some teachers. It's the changing of it halfway through a school year that should not be allowed. There are kids, mine included, who made a decision to stay in a class instead of dropping it, partly because of this policy - in fact it was his teacher who pointed it out and encouraged him to stay. That decision impacts the entire school year. Fine if you want to change this - can definitely see pros and cons. But what other policy has APS ever approved in June for the following school year and then changed halfway through?

It's been our experience that the slower learning kids are taking up the vast majority of class time and office hours for teachers even in so-called intensified classes in ms/hs because of the terrible APS gifted/push-in policy. (As the principal of one hs program told me when I expressed my concern about the high variance of ability in gifted classes, "more than half our students are identified as gifted.")

Thus more difficult material is glanced over in class right before the test so kids cannot properly prepare for math/science tests. The retake afforded them the opportunity to know what they should have been taught so they could study properly.

Sooo many excuses. Just handout As to everyone at APS and be done. That’s all parents care about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I liked the policy. My senior failed 2 calculus tests initially, went over the mistakes with his teacher, studied again with a better knowledge, and got As. He wouldn't have mastered the content without the opportunity.

+1. This is the stated aim of the policy. Understand completely what the negatives are, and especially why it's unpopular with some teachers. It's the changing of it halfway through a school year that should not be allowed. There are kids, mine included, who made a decision to stay in a class instead of dropping it, partly because of this policy - in fact it was his teacher who pointed it out and encouraged him to stay. That decision impacts the entire school year. Fine if you want to change this - can definitely see pros and cons. But what other policy has APS ever approved in June for the following school year and then changed halfway through?

I agree. I feel like they just quickly gave up and gutted the policy. It wasn’t perfect but it was working to some extent. I feel like they should have implement some tweaks- required kids to prove they had handed in all assignments and completed a study guide BEFORE the first test to make sure
People were not completely gaming the system. Of course the first 5 months of the policy were going to be a ton of work for teachers- so cancel all faculty meetings or cancel some PD and let people have grading time. Acknowledge the intense effort by teachers while still honoring the policy that was truly benefiting a good portion of kids.

I also think this is a mental health issue. Kids used this policy more a safety net in theory than in practice. Now it has been removed and kids who thought they would have it all year do not. Aps says it’s for reduced stress and a focus on mental health with the no movement Mondays and Fridays. But in reality they are paying lip service to that while quickly giving up on a promise. I have had students in aps for 12 years and I can’t think of a policy that could negatively affect students academically being implemented mid year with one days notice? Correct me if I am wrong?

Also for anyone who says there are no re-takes and do overs in real life- Dr. Duran just gave himself a do over. Shouldn’t we let kids have the same privilege.

What are "no movement Mondays and Fridays?"
There was more than one day's notice of the policy change, btw. It was short-notice; but it's been more than one day. It doesn't take effect until tomorrow.

They sent the email out on Thursday afternoon to the greater community. The students had one day of school- Friday. And it takes effect Tuesday, after only one school day.

No movement Mondays and Fridays are days during advisory that students aren’t allowed to move to other teachers to get help. Everyone has to stay in their assigned advisory (warrior period, generals period, etc) so they can do mental health exercises that the students have widely criticized. While mental health activities can be good- when they are lead by teachers with varying skill at mental health services, they can be a bit hokey. Also kids have said it just increases stress to not be able to use that time effectively.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yep, this is why everyone in public schools has a 4.0 or better. There are no retakes in privates.

If you think “everyone” in public school gets all A’s, you are seriously out of touch.

[Anonymous]

It’s a MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE for kids not to be able to retake to a 90? Arlington parents have lost all credibility. So, an A for everyone who wants one? Good lord. Glad my kids are elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I liked the policy. My senior failed 2 calculus tests initially, went over the mistakes with his teacher, studied again with a better knowledge, and got As. He wouldn't have mastered the content without the opportunity.

+1. This is the stated aim of the policy. Understand completely what the negatives are, and especially why it's unpopular with some teachers. It's the changing of it halfway through a school year that should not be allowed. There are kids, mine included, who made a decision to stay in a class instead of dropping it, partly because of this policy - in fact it was his teacher who pointed it out and encouraged him to stay. That decision impacts the entire school year. Fine if you want to change this - can definitely see pros and cons. But what other policy has APS ever approved in June for the following school year and then changed halfway through?

I agree. I feel like they just quickly gave up and gutted the policy. It wasn’t perfect but it was working to some extent. I feel like they should have implement some tweaks- required kids to prove they had handed in all assignments and completed a study guide BEFORE the first test to make sure
People were not completely gaming the system. Of course the first 5 months of the policy were going to be a ton of work for teachers- so cancel all faculty meetings or cancel some PD and let people have grading time. Acknowledge the intense effort by teachers while still honoring the policy that was truly benefiting a good portion of kids.

I also think this is a mental health issue. Kids used this policy more a safety net in theory than in practice. Now it has been removed and kids who thought they would have it all year do not. Aps says it’s for reduced stress and a focus on mental health with the no movement Mondays and Fridays. But in reality they are paying lip service to that while quickly giving up on a promise. I have had students in aps for 12 years and I can’t think of a policy that could negatively affect students academically being implemented mid year with one days notice? Correct me if I am wrong?

Also for anyone who says there are no re-takes and do overs in real life- Dr. Duran just gave himself a do over. Shouldn’t we let kids have the same privilege.

What are "no movement Mondays and Fridays?"
There was more than one day's notice of the policy change, btw. It was short-notice; but it's been more than one day. It doesn't take effect until tomorrow.

They sent the email out on Thursday afternoon to the greater community. The students had one day of school- Friday. And it takes effect Tuesday, after only one school day.

No movement Mondays and Fridays are days during advisory that students aren’t allowed to move to other teachers to get help. Everyone has to stay in their assigned advisory (warrior period, generals period, etc) so they can do mental health exercises that the students have widely criticized. While mental health activities can be good- when they are lead by teachers with varying skill at mental health services, they can be a bit hokey. Also kids have said it just increases stress to not be able to use that time effectively.

Ah, the Socioemotional Learning and Community Circle days. That's what they're called at WHS and they are Mons and Tues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s a MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE for kids not to be able to retake to a 90? Arlington parents have lost all credibility. So, an A for everyone who wants one? Good lord. Glad my kids are elsewhere.

It is when you have parents/posse that's hyper-focused on it....the pressure is anxiety-producing. And people wonder why there's such a teen mental health problem. The adults are creating the problem and then complaining about schools not fixing it.

[Anonymous]

Yeah. You have kids trying to take multiple summer classes so they have more space in their schedule for more AP classes. They are told that competition is so fierce that there is no room for error. These kids are super stressed.

[Anonymous]

Whatever the problem is, I’m pretty sure the answer isn’t letting everyone retake to an A. That would be the undoing of APS once colleges got wind of it. Embarrassing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whatever the problem is, I’m pretty sure the answer isn’t letting everyone retake to an A. That would be the undoing of APS once colleges got wind of it. Embarrassing.

Many colleges already do know...we heard them joke about the hundreds of valedictorians at some of the NoVA HSs.