No MCPS Kindergarten Orientation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So why are they ending it? This has been a long standing MCPS tradition. I always thought the main purpose was to get kids enrolled. Secondary was to introduce kids and and parents to building and teachers. It was also an opportunity to get families signed up for kindergarten playdates, give out PTA information, build the community. My kid's ES is a focus school. It is much easier to disseminate information in person, and we could get start collecting contact information. Admin and PTA had Spanish speaking folks there to answer questions in Spanish. We always had very positive feedback from families about the Kindergarten orientation. I think MCPS should keep it.

I thought so too. I remember bringing all of the paperwork to the spring whatever-it-was-called for next year's kindergartners. But my youngest is a high school senior, so that was a while ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kindergarten orientation was a total waste of time. They gave my kid a couple of "tests" and that was about it. Pointless, at least for the kids.

So maybe it was an opportunity for the teachers to learn about your child and how to meet their needs, and get a chance to see your sparkling personality.

They used to do a quick battery on the kids to see their levels with regards to counting, alphabet, sight words, dexterity with writing, scissors, and the like. Let them balance the classes better in the fall.

[Anonymous]

As the parent of an incoming K student I think this is a mistake. These transitions can be really hard for some kids. I think ours will do okay (she had a really tough time with transitions in the past but we are working on it) but we were looking forward to the opportunity to go inside with her, meet the teacher and see the room to help her feel more confident.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As the parent of an incoming K student I think this is a mistake. These transitions can be really hard for some kids. I think ours will do okay (she had a really tough time with transitions in the past but we are working on it) but we were looking forward to the opportunity to go inside with her, meet the teacher and see the room to help her feel more confident.

You will have a chance to do that before school starts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As the parent of an incoming K student I think this is a mistake. These transitions can be really hard for some kids. I think ours will do okay (she had a really tough time with transitions in the past but we are working on it) but we were looking forward to the opportunity to go inside with her, meet the teacher and see the room to help her feel more confident.

You will have a chance to do that before school starts.

There will be an opportunity in the summer? I am confused. I saw something about no orientation during the school year or the summer.

[Anonymous]

Pre covid it was 2-3 days long and the kids couldn’t come to school. I understand why they stopped it. Former ES teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:K orientation was nice to give PK kids who are nervous about starting school a chance to meet the teachers, but it was not essential from that perspective—and it meant that K students had to miss a couple of days of school, which is certainly disruptive.

Did teachers find K orientation useful for creating balanced classes? That would be a good reason to keep it in place.

Why would K students miss "a couple days" of school? How long do you think orientation was?

Last year it was two days long.

My kid started kindergarten in MCPS this year. Orientation was 2 hours. I think you chose between two days. Where was it two days long?

But presumably the current kindergartners weren't there those two days? They had to be gone for two days for each incoming kindergartner to get 2 hours in the classroom.

They were in the gym. Why would you think they'd have to keep the kids home for a 1 hour orientation?

The kindergarten teachers plan and run K orientation. Who do you think is responsible for the class? Nobody which is why classes are canceled for it each year

[Anonymous]

Long time mcps k teacher.

Orientation: Historically, 1-3 days in the spring. The number of days depends on how many families are expected. During this time, parents fill out registration paperwork and provide valuable information about their child. The children get a “sneak peak” of a classroom and get to engage in activities with the k teachers.
My team always found it valuable and informative. We would use the information we gathered to make some decisions regarding grouping kids into classes. It’s not perfect, but it was something.
Current K students were home during these days as we can’t do both. I’m sure the achievement gap isn’t going to be eliminated by adding these days back, but who knows.
My team thinks eliminating it is a mistake (and also suspect this is a way for mcps to lowball k allocations this spring, see budget crisis).
K Orientation does not happen over the summer because teachers would have to be paid extra to attend.

K Open House: Occurs the week before school. Kids get to meet their teacher and see their classroom.

[Anonymous]

Our elementary has "open houses" for K parents scheduled in the spring. However regarding orientation the school newsletter states, "To support budgeting and concerns regarding enrolled kindergarten students not attending schools during Kindergarten Orientation days, our district has informed schools that Kindergarten Orientation days will not occur during the school year or during the summer."

So that suggests to me incoming K students will not have any opportunity to see the classroom or meet the teacher with their parents before the first day of school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As the parent of an incoming K student I think this is a mistake. These transitions can be really hard for some kids. I think ours will do okay (she had a really tough time with transitions in the past but we are working on it) but we were looking forward to the opportunity to go inside with her, meet the teacher and see the room to help her feel more confident.

You wouldn't meet your child's teacher during this orientation. You'd meet *a* kindergarten teacher. Teacher assignments aren't usually sent to parents until the week before school starts. You'll get to meet the teacher at the open house that is usually scheduled the thursday or friday before school starts. Having been to both, I think the open house is more important than the orientation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our elementary has "open houses" for K parents scheduled in the spring. However regarding orientation the school newsletter states, "To support budgeting and concerns regarding enrolled kindergarten students not attending schools during Kindergarten Orientation days, our district has informed schools that Kindergarten Orientation days will not occur during the school year or during the summer."

So that suggests to me incoming K students will not have any opportunity to see the classroom or meet the teacher with their parents before the first day of school.

The open house immediately before the school year starts is for ALL grades, not just kindergarteners.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Long time mcps k teacher.

Orientation: Historically, 1-3 days in the spring. The number of days depends on how many families are expected. During this time, parents fill out registration paperwork and provide valuable information about their child. The children get a “sneak peak” of a classroom and get to engage in activities with the k teachers.
My team always found it valuable and informative. We would use the information we gathered to make some decisions regarding grouping kids into classes. It’s not perfect, but it was something.
Current K students were home during these days as we can’t do both. I’m sure the achievement gap isn’t going to be eliminated by adding these days back, but who knows.
My team thinks eliminating it is a mistake (and also suspect this is a way for mcps to lowball k allocations this spring, see budget crisis).
K Orientation does not happen over the summer because teachers would have to be paid extra to attend.

K Open House: Occurs the week before school. Kids get to meet their teacher and see their classroom.

At our school, it used to be that kindergarten classes were fluid the first couple days of school and kids got shuffled around depending on some rapid assessments and class dynamics. This practice went away during the pandemic and never returned but the kindergarten teachers seemed to find it valuable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Long time mcps k teacher.

Orientation: Historically, 1-3 days in the spring. The number of days depends on how many families are expected. During this time, parents fill out registration paperwork and provide valuable information about their child. The children get a “sneak peak” of a classroom and get to engage in activities with the k teachers.
My team always found it valuable and informative. We would use the information we gathered to make some decisions regarding grouping kids into classes. It’s not perfect, but it was something.
Current K students were home during these days as we can’t do both. I’m sure the achievement gap isn’t going to be eliminated by adding these days back, but who knows.
My team thinks eliminating it is a mistake (and also suspect this is a way for mcps to lowball k allocations this spring, see budget crisis).
K Orientation does not happen over the summer because teachers would have to be paid extra to attend.

K Open House: Occurs the week before school. Kids get to meet their teacher and see their classroom.

Do kindergartners go in that day?

At our school last year, incoming kindergarteners had a choice between two one-hour blocks for orientation. They were quick to get us out after an hour because they said they needed to bring the students back. But everyone here is saying kindergarteners don't go in those days. If not, what is happening the rest of the day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As the parent of an incoming K student I think this is a mistake. These transitions can be really hard for some kids. I think ours will do okay (she had a really tough time with transitions in the past but we are working on it) but we were looking forward to the opportunity to go inside with her, meet the teacher and see the room to help her feel more confident.

You will have a chance to do that before school starts.

There will be an opportunity in the summer? I am confused. I saw something about no orientation during the school year or the summer.

There is an open house before school starts for all students — typically, the Thursday or Friday before the first day of school. Families have an hour to go to the school, meet the teacher, see the classroom, etc. that is not being eliminated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Long time mcps k teacher.

Orientation: Historically, 1-3 days in the spring. The number of days depends on how many families are expected. During this time, parents fill out registration paperwork and provide valuable information about their child. The children get a “sneak peak” of a classroom and get to engage in activities with the k teachers.
My team always found it valuable and informative. We would use the information we gathered to make some decisions regarding grouping kids into classes. It’s not perfect, but it was something.
Current K students were home during these days as we can’t do both. I’m sure the achievement gap isn’t going to be eliminated by adding these days back, but who knows.
My team thinks eliminating it is a mistake (and also suspect this is a way for mcps to lowball k allocations this spring, see budget crisis).
K Orientation does not happen over the summer because teachers would have to be paid extra to attend.

K Open House: Occurs the week before school. Kids get to meet their teacher and see their classroom.

At our school, it used to be that kindergarten classes were fluid the first couple days of school and kids got shuffled around depending on some rapid assessments and class dynamics. This practice went away during the pandemic and never returned but the kindergarten teachers seemed to find it valuable.

This makes a lot of sense to do, and I hope schools will go back to it, especially with the elimination of K orientation. Schools could say the first week of school is “orientation” and send home class assignments the Friday after school starts, with new call asses beginning in full after Labor Day.