Recent suicides at Langley HS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One change that would help reduce the stress. Limit all kids to only 2 AP classes.

These are only kids. Be responsible adults and put an upper limit on the workload. Lots of other tangible improvements that can be done but this simple limit seems to me to be core problem at Langley.

Stress does not equal depression. Or are we not talking about the thread subject anymore?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is sad anywhere, anytime, anyhow. We all look and desire answers. The sad thing is, there is probably not an answer.

I agree how sad this is. However, I think there is an answer to this madness. But indeed it's not an answer we want to deal with, or even acknowledge. These students were suffering from pain and loneliness, and had no one to turn to for help. At least not the way they saw it.

I don't believe we should sweep this under the rug (as a community), and 'get on' with our lives. The families obviously need to do what they need to do, but so does everyone else. We should feel compelled to learn what might be happening here, and make some changes. Business as usual will result in more consequences. If we don't heed to this wake-up call, there will be more heartache, not less. Let's not allow these lives to be lost in vein. There are still many more HS students who need support, and I don't mean more meds thrown at them. These kids are too smart for that. They want the issues addressed. We need to reach out and listen to what's going on here.

What here would offend anyone?

[Anonymous]

I note that people are quick to say it was depression but keep denying that the atmosphere of the school contributed. I have heard quite a number of parents complain about the way this school is run. Not a healthy atmosphere the administration needs to do more than stage a pep rally prayer vigil and think harder about how teens are being affected by the policies and unfairness of the school. Two suicides in one week sends a pretty strong message

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I note that people are quick to say it was depression but keep denying that the atmosphere of the school contributed. I have heard quite a number of parents complain about the way this school is run. Not a healthy atmosphere the administration needs to do more than stage a pep rally prayer vigil and think harder about how teens are being affected by the policies and unfairness of the school. Two suicides in one week sends a pretty strong message

You can have very valid reasons for being depressed.

[Anonymous]

I was talking with my cousin from out of state the other day and she asked "how is the girl who was thinking of suicide doing?" T here are three that I know of who are seriously considering ending their lives and showing significant symptoms. Three in one small circle? FCPS is doing something wrong. I pray theses three will be all right. But it certainly wont be from help they received from the culture at FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One change that would help reduce the stress. Limit all kids to only 2 AP classes.

These are only kids. Be responsible adults and put an upper limit on the workload. Lots of other tangible improvements that can be done but this simple limit seems to me to be core problem at Langley.

My kid was surprised to find out from the educational consultant we hired that AP classes are only important if you want college credit for that class, or you are hell-bent on attending an Ivy. He also said that the reason Langley students (and other high ranking schools) "need" so many APs is the quota systems, which punish students from high-ranking schools. He advised my kid to only take APs in subject that truly interested her since she is not interested in Ivy, despite her high GPA.

I agree. There are plenty - PLENTY - of great colleges out there, and the best college for any kid is the one that fits them academically, socially, and environmentally. Pursuing prestigious colleges for higher level degrees makes more sense, especially in competitive fields.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was talking with my cousin from out of state the other day and she asked "how is the girl who was thinking of suicide doing?" T here are three that I know of who are seriously considering ending their lives and showing significant symptoms. Three in one small circle? FCPS is doing something wrong. I pray theses three will be all right. But it certainly wont be from help they received from the culture at FCPS.

What are you doing to help them? If you have information that these kids are seriously considering ending their lives, this is your wake up call to talk to their parents or a counselor who can help them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One change that would help reduce the stress. Limit all kids to only 2 AP classes.

These are only kids. Be responsible adults and put an upper limit on the workload. Lots of other tangible improvements that can be done but this simple limit seems to me to be core problem at Langley.

My kid was surprised to find out from the educational consultant we hired that AP classes are only important if you want college credit for that class, or you are hell-bent on attending an Ivy. He also said that the reason Langley students (and other high ranking schools) "need" so many APs is the quota systems, which punish students from high-ranking schools. He advised my kid to only take APs in subject that truly interested her since she is not interested in Ivy, despite her high GPA.

I agree. There are plenty - PLENTY - of great colleges out there, and the best college for any kid is the one that fits them academically, socially, and environmentally. Pursuing prestigious colleges for higher level degrees makes more sense, especially in competitive fields.

Was this a tutor or a specialized consultant? How old was your child at the time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was talking with my cousin from out of state the other day and she asked "how is the girl who was thinking of suicide doing?" T here are three that I know of who are seriously considering ending their lives and showing significant symptoms. Three in one small circle? FCPS is doing something wrong. I pray theses three will be all right. But it certainly wont be from help they received from the culture at FCPS.

What are you doing to help them? If you have information that these kids are seriously considering ending their lives, this is your wake up call to talk to their parents or a counselor who can help them.

Duh. The families know. Not a wake up call for me. A wake up call for the school. Why so many feel this extreme?

[Anonymous]

The adults need to set limits.

Kids should be limited to 2 AP courses a year. And they should get rid of adding grade bumps for AP/Honors courses. Then the AP classes will be used of what they were intended, learning college level information and kids that are truly interested in AP classes will take them, it will not be the parents trying to game the GPA system.

Aren't the adults supposed to set the limits for our children????

Why do we continue to allow the school system to let kids be pushed to take these overloaded schedules due to peer pressure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was talking with my cousin from out of state the other day and she asked "how is the girl who was thinking of suicide doing?" T here are three that I know of who are seriously considering ending their lives and showing significant symptoms. Three in one small circle? FCPS is doing something wrong. I pray theses three will be all right. But it certainly wont be from help they received from the culture at FCPS.

What are you doing to help them? If you have information that these kids are seriously considering ending their lives, this is your wake up call to talk to their parents or a counselor who can help them.

AND/OR

Stop ignoring the source of the depression,

And begin to deal with the real stuff.

Is that really so radical?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The adults need to set limits.

Kids should be limited to 2 AP courses a year. And they should get rid of adding grade bumps for AP/Honors courses. Then the AP classes will be used of what they were intended, learning college level information and kids that are truly interested in AP classes will take them, it will not be the parents trying to game the GPA system.

Aren't the adults supposed to set the limits for our children????

Why do we continue to allow the school system to let kids be pushed to take these overloaded schedules due to peer pressure.

Excellent advice for LHS and FC school board.

[Anonymous]

Morons blame the school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Morons blame the school

Et tu?

[Anonymous]

Sick people on here trying to take cheap shots at the best school in the area. Has anyone stopped and gathered the facts? The issues had nothing to do with the school. Nice try trolls.