ACPS outdoor recess, indoor lunch/gym?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If this is the standard for equity, then why not just end recess for all kids as some schools have better playgrounds? Libraries - well some schools are better, so no libraries for all. It is insane. Completely irrational to not just let schools use their facilities for outdoor lunch.

With the dual pandemics affecting ACPS - COVID and systemic racism - the district is showing it is equally horrible at addressing both.

This 100% percent. There are already many ways the elementary and middle schools are not equitable. New buildings vs old moldy buildings; amazing playgrounds vs sh*t playgrounds; spacious cafeterias vs crap cafeterias; has an auditorium vs doesn't have an auditorium; HVAC systems that suck vs HVAC systems that don't suck. One specific example: why is Lyles-Crouch allowed to teach an alternative and far superior elementary curriculum? If ACPS was truly interested in equity, they'd either allow all schools to implement it or tell LC they can't. It's all just bullsh*t if no one has an answer for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this is the standard for equity, then why not just end recess for all kids as some schools have better playgrounds? Libraries - well some schools are better, so no libraries for all. It is insane. Completely irrational to not just let schools use their facilities for outdoor lunch.

With the dual pandemics affecting ACPS - COVID and systemic racism - the district is showing it is equally horrible at addressing both.

This 100% percent. There are already many ways the elementary and middle schools are not equitable. New buildings vs old moldy buildings; amazing playgrounds vs sh*t playgrounds; spacious cafeterias vs crap cafeterias; has an auditorium vs doesn't have an auditorium; HVAC systems that suck vs HVAC systems that don't suck. One specific example: why is Lyles-Crouch allowed to teach an alternative and far superior elementary curriculum? If ACPS was truly interested in equity, they'd either allow all schools to implement it or tell LC they can't. It's all just bullsh*t if no one has an answer for that.

On second thought, "allow" is too weak, beacuse it shouldn't be up to the individual school, since clearly (based on their arguments about outdoor lunch) these things cannot be left up to the individual schools. I should have said "require." They should either require all elementary schools to implement this alternative curriculum to tell LC they can't. The latter would be a travesty, b/c it's a fantastic curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know why people can’t understand that PE is an actual class with curriculum. Kids are fatter and more out of shape than ever. The long term effect from obesity is much greater than the chances of a child getting seriously ill from Covid

I wasn’t implying that gym isn’t a real class. Just that it has a curriculum that could happen more safely outside. Since recess is already active and outside, it stands to reason that gym could as well.

I'm a PE teacher (not ACPS) and part of why I don't teach outside is because recess is out there all day long and my school only has a small field space. I'm competing with recess noise/distractions plus normal outside distractions (hello school on a flight path- ever try to teach K outside with an airplane going overhead every 10 minutes?!) But for real, I will take them outside when I can but its not reasonable or realistic to be outside all day/every day.

Your school has recess all day long? Most schools only have recess between say 11 am and 1-2 pm. Your early and late PE classes could certainly be entirely held outside.

Actually recess begins around 9:30 and goes until about 2:20 at my school (PK and K have 2 recesses plus 30 minutes each for all the other grades.) There might be 10-15 minutes here or there that have no kids outside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know why people can’t understand that PE is an actual class with curriculum. Kids are fatter and more out of shape than ever. The long term effect from obesity is much greater than the chances of a child getting seriously ill from Covid

I wasn’t implying that gym isn’t a real class. Just that it has a curriculum that could happen more safely outside. Since recess is already active and outside, it stands to reason that gym could as well.

I'm a PE teacher (not ACPS) and part of why I don't teach outside is because recess is out there all day long and my school only has a small field space. I'm competing with recess noise/distractions plus normal outside distractions (hello school on a flight path- ever try to teach K outside with an airplane going overhead every 10 minutes?!) But for real, I will take them outside when I can but its not reasonable or realistic to be outside all day/every day.

Your school has recess all day long? Most schools only have recess between say 11 am and 1-2 pm. Your early and late PE classes could certainly be entirely held outside.

Actually recess begins around 9:30 and goes until about 2:20 at my school (PK and K have 2 recesses plus 30 minutes each for all the other grades.) There might be 10-15 minutes here or there that have no kids outside.

What time does school start and end? Which schools do not have any space when recess is out?

[Anonymous]

We should be doing as much outside as possible. Especially since it is nice out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I'm a PE teacher (not ACPS) and part of why I don't teach outside is because recess is out there all day long and my school only has a small field space. I'm competing with recess noise/distractions plus normal outside distractions (hello school on a flight path- ever try to teach K outside with an airplane going overhead every 10 minutes?!) But for real, I will take them outside when I can but its not reasonable or realistic to be outside all day/every day.

I am not doubting you personally. But, my child goes to GWMS. There is an outdoor track and a soccer field right behind the school. Yet, my son has been indoors for every PE class so far, including, for many, sitting and doing health-related readings and answering questions on a computer. He gets plenty of exercise elsewhere, but seriously?

My kid goes to GWMS as well, I totally agree with you, why PE is not PE, but a sitting class? I also don't understand it why middle school students don't get outdoor recess/break? They are indoor almost 7 hours straight, which is super unhealthy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'm a PE teacher (not ACPS) and part of why I don't teach outside is because recess is out there all day long and my school only has a small field space. I'm competing with recess noise/distractions plus normal outside distractions (hello school on a flight path- ever try to teach K outside with an airplane going overhead every 10 minutes?!) But for real, I will take them outside when I can but its not reasonable or realistic to be outside all day/every day.

I am not doubting you personally. But, my child goes to GWMS. There is an outdoor track and a soccer field right behind the school. Yet, my son has been indoors for every PE class so far, including, for many, sitting and doing health-related readings and answering questions on a computer. He gets plenty of exercise elsewhere, but seriously?

My kid goes to GWMS as well, I totally agree with you, why PE is not PE, but a sitting class? I also don't understand it why middle school students don't get outdoor recess/break? They are indoor almost 7 hours straight, which is super unhealthy.

I had hoped the pandemic would create an opportunity to really reconsider the current educational model of kids sitting indoors for 7 hours like they are mini office worker bees and robots, but alas…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this is the standard for equity, then why not just end recess for all kids as some schools have better playgrounds? Libraries - well some schools are better, so no libraries for all. It is insane. Completely irrational to not just let schools use their facilities for outdoor lunch.

With the dual pandemics affecting ACPS - COVID and systemic racism - the district is showing it is equally horrible at addressing both.

This 100% percent. There are already many ways the elementary and middle schools are not equitable. New buildings vs old moldy buildings; amazing playgrounds vs sh*t playgrounds; spacious cafeterias vs crap cafeterias; has an auditorium vs doesn't have an auditorium; HVAC systems that suck vs HVAC systems that don't suck. One specific example: why is Lyles-Crouch allowed to teach an alternative and far superior elementary curriculum? If ACPS was truly interested in equity, they'd either allow all schools to implement it or tell LC they can't. It's all just bullsh*t if no one has an answer for that.

On second thought, "allow" is too weak, beacuse it shouldn't be up to the individual school, since clearly (based on their arguments about outdoor lunch) these things cannot be left up to the individual schools. I should have said "require." They should either require all elementary schools to implement this alternative curriculum to tell LC they can't. The latter would be a travesty, b/c it's a fantastic curriculum.

What is Lyles-crouch's curriculum?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'm a PE teacher (not ACPS) and part of why I don't teach outside is because recess is out there all day long and my school only has a small field space. I'm competing with recess noise/distractions plus normal outside distractions (hello school on a flight path- ever try to teach K outside with an airplane going overhead every 10 minutes?!) But for real, I will take them outside when I can but its not reasonable or realistic to be outside all day/every day.

I am not doubting you personally. But, my child goes to GWMS. There is an outdoor track and a soccer field right behind the school. Yet, my son has been indoors for every PE class so far, including, for many, sitting and doing health-related readings and answering questions on a computer. He gets plenty of exercise elsewhere, but seriously?

My kid goes to GWMS as well, I totally agree with you, why PE is not PE, but a sitting class? I also don't understand it why middle school students don't get outdoor recess/break? They are indoor almost 7 hours straight, which is super unhealthy.

+1 I had 50 minutes of recess at my middle school when I was growing up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this is the standard for equity, then why not just end recess for all kids as some schools have better playgrounds? Libraries - well some schools are better, so no libraries for all. It is insane. Completely irrational to not just let schools use their facilities for outdoor lunch.

With the dual pandemics affecting ACPS - COVID and systemic racism - the district is showing it is equally horrible at addressing both.

This 100% percent. There are already many ways the elementary and middle schools are not equitable. New buildings vs old moldy buildings; amazing playgrounds vs sh*t playgrounds; spacious cafeterias vs crap cafeterias; has an auditorium vs doesn't have an auditorium; HVAC systems that suck vs HVAC systems that don't suck. One specific example: why is Lyles-Crouch allowed to teach an alternative and far superior elementary curriculum? If ACPS was truly interested in equity, they'd either allow all schools to implement it or tell LC they can't. It's all just bullsh*t if no one has an answer for that.

On second thought, "allow" is too weak, beacuse it shouldn't be up to the individual school, since clearly (based on their arguments about outdoor lunch) these things cannot be left up to the individual schools. I should have said "require." They should either require all elementary schools to implement this alternative curriculum to tell LC they can't. The latter would be a travesty, b/c it's a fantastic curriculum.

What is Lyles-crouch's curriculum?

It's the Core Knowledge curriclulum, which is content based rather than empty nonsense "skills-based" learning.

"LCTA's educational philosophy and curriculum are unique within the Alexandria City Public School system. Our school is certified as a Core Knowledge School, and is one of only eight Core Knowledge Schools who have attained the highest level of academic rigor and assessment to be deemed a Core Knowledge School of Distinction.

The Core Knowledge teaching model builds upon core learning concepts (reading and math) through an integrated and creative learning approach. Students study the arts, science and social studies thematically and learn specific knowledge in each subject area that increases in complexity year by year. Our multi-cultural curriculum incorporates both world and American history, and then further reinforces learning and understanding through corresponding art and music instruction. Some of the Core Knowledge Sequence topics include Native American Cultures (kindergarten), Early Civilizations - Mayan, Incan, Aztec (second grade) and The Middle Ages - Europe, China and Africa (fourth grade). A detailed grade-by-grade Core Knowledge Sequence brochure is available in the front office."

[Anonymous]

that is really not equitable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:that is really not equitable.

+1. They should dumb down the curriculum so it’s just as bad as at other schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:that is really not equitable.

Ask them about it the next time you're in a meeting in which they talk about equity. Unless you can afford to live in South Old Town, you're sh*t out of luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:that is really not equitable.

Ask them about it the next time you're in a meeting in which they talk about equity. Unless you can afford to live in South Old Town, you're sh*t out of luck.

Please don’t because the ACPS thing to do is to deprive this subgroup of students of an educational approach that works in the name of equity (and even though Lyles Crouch is almost 46 percent non white - https://www.acps.k12.va.us/domain/977 and probably there is a large white student group within the school boundaries that are in private school).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:that is really not equitable.

Ask them about it the next time you're in a meeting in which they talk about equity. Unless you can afford to live in South Old Town, you're sh*t out of luck.

Please don’t because the ACPS thing to do is to deprive this subgroup of students of an educational approach that works in the name of equity (and even though Lyles Crouch is almost 46 percent non white - https://www.acps.k12.va.us/domain/977 and probably there is a large white student group within the school boundaries that are in private school).

OK, but what's the FARMS rate? VDOE classifies only ~20% of the school's student population as economically disadvantaged. And what about the "subgroups" at every OTHER elementary school--aren't they also entitled to this educational approach that works? Why not implement this curriculum district-wide in the name of equity?