What should kids be learning in K and 1st Grade in MCPS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP- teacher here at a top Bethesda school. Go on any school website and view daily schedules and the curriculum is available online. Movement breaks are entirely dependent on the teacher, grade and makeup of a class, so don’t expect someone to answer this question for you. Many schools offer after school clubs, but only immersion schools offer foreign language as part of the curriculum. Maybe spend sometime doing research instead of getting spoon fed here?

+1. Especially since multiple people have said basically this said thing and some even provided information on where to look things up. The principal already told you what specials there are and how often they meet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here

1: What would my kids learn in K and 1st grade in MCPS in math, science, English, soxial studies?
2: What specials are there and how often do they go?
3: What do they do in music (chorus? recorder?)
4. Is there the option to take a foreign language after school?
5: How often do they go on movement breaks??
6: Are any sports taught during PE?

1) suggest looking up the refrigerator curriculum for MP1 and MP2 for K and 1
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/refrigerator/
2) ES has 4 specials, each once/week - art, music, PE, and library
3) In K and 1 they learn some instruments like the xylophone, learn how to read music, and do a lot of singing. Recorder is in 3rd and there is an option starting in 4th for weekly instrumental music on top of regular music class. My kids love music in MCPS — both regular class and instrumental in upper ES (and middle school - which you have not asked about).
4) I think both RHES and CCES offer Spanish enrichment courses, though we don’t do after school activities outside of aftercare. (Also fYI - if you live closer to CCES you can send RHES kids to aftercare there).

PTAs run the enrichment cfocities so I would reach out to them wuth questions.
5) this probably varies by teacher me grade. It is definitely academic and movement is not the priority.
6) My kids like PE but don’t talk about the specifics. I would not count on learning how to play sports well; they will learn some basics, but most kids who care do they after school or on the weekends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your kids go to private they will miss out on being part of the neighborhood community, building neighborhood friends, and feeling connected to the community the way they would if they were in public. They may get a better education, but your failure to invest in your local school weakens public education for everyone. Engaged parents who are actively involved in public schools and invest in them with advocacy, time, resources, and volunteerism make them better for all children. Also, your 30 grand each year is a sunk cost. I promise your kids will want that money later for a down payment for a house, grad school, or to pay for their wedding.

I don’t love MCPS and as a former teacher at a local independent school I can tell you Norwood is a great school, but I will keep my kids in public schools because I believe in public education. If you are someone who says they want strong public education, you have to send your kids there and invest in the local schools.

Not trying to be difficult, but as an engaged parent of a preschooler, what opportunities exist to engage at public school? The PTA at our local school only meets in person twice a year and I’m hearing a lot of decisions happen at the district level. There actually doesn’t seem to be a ton of opportunity to contribute.

Our PTA meets monthly. I’m on a PTA subcommittee and we meet regularly and work on various issues. You can also get involved with the larger MCCPTA. I volunteer at recess and lunch, at classroom parties, the book fair, school grounds clean up, winter art show, coat drive, Girl Scouts, and other family events specific to our school. Our school has many events around the year for families and parents run all sorts of programs from gardening activities to food drives. We have an international night, annual school picnic, skate night, etc. My kids have many neighborhood friends. We know our neighbors. My older child is starting to roam the neighborhood and many parents know her and she has many houses she could stop at if she has any type of issue. There is a real community feeling at our school and in the parent community, and my DH who went to private loves it because he missed out on that growing up.

Your school and neighborhood sound ideal. Which school are you at, may I ask?

This was not me, but everything listed in this post is available to parents at our elementary school - Wood Acres. This may be a Wood Acres parent or there may be a few schools with these types of opportunities!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your kids go to private they will miss out on being part of the neighborhood community, building neighborhood friends, and feeling connected to the community the way they would if they were in public. They may get a better education, but your failure to invest in your local school weakens public education for everyone. Engaged parents who are actively involved in public schools and invest in them with advocacy, time, resources, and volunteerism make them better for all children. Also, your 30 grand each year is a sunk cost. I promise your kids will want that money later for a down payment for a house, grad school, or to pay for their wedding.

I don’t love MCPS and as a former teacher at a local independent school I can tell you Norwood is a great school, but I will keep my kids in public schools because I believe in public education. If you are someone who says they want strong public education, you have to send your kids there and invest in the local schools.

Not trying to be difficult, but as an engaged parent of a preschooler, what opportunities exist to engage at public school? The PTA at our local school only meets in person twice a year and I’m hearing a lot of decisions happen at the district level. There actually doesn’t seem to be a ton of opportunity to contribute.

Our PTA meets monthly. I’m on a PTA subcommittee and we meet regularly and work on various issues. You can also get involved with the larger MCCPTA. I volunteer at recess and lunch, at classroom parties, the book fair, school grounds clean up, winter art show, coat drive, Girl Scouts, and other family events specific to our school. Our school has many events around the year for families and parents run all sorts of programs from gardening activities to food drives. We have an international night, annual school picnic, skate night, etc. My kids have many neighborhood friends. We know our neighbors. My older child is starting to roam the neighborhood and many parents know her and she has many houses she could stop at if she has any type of issue. There is a real community feeling at our school and in the parent community, and my DH who went to private loves it because he missed out on that growing up.

Your school and neighborhood sound ideal. Which school are you at, may I ask?

This was not me, but everything listed in this post is available to parents at our elementary school - Wood Acres. This may be a Wood Acres parent or there may be a few schools with these types of opportunities!

Kensington Parkwood

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here

1: What would my kids learn in K and 1st grade in MCPS in math, science, English, soxial studies?
2: What specials are there and how often do they go?
3: What do they do in music (chorus? recorder?)
4. Is there the option to take a foreign language after school?
5: How often do they go on movement breaks??
6: Are any sports taught during PE?

1) suggest looking up the refrigerator curriculum for MP1 and MP2 for K and 1
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/refrigerator/
2) ES has 4 specials, each once/week - art, music, PE, and library
3) In K and 1 they learn some instruments like the xylophone, learn how to read music, and do a lot of singing. Recorder is in 3rd and there is an option starting in 4th for weekly instrumental music on top of regular music class. My kids love music in MCPS — both regular class and instrumental in upper ES (and middle school - which you have not asked about).
4) I think both RHES and CCES offer Spanish enrichment courses, though we don’t do after school activities outside of aftercare. (Also fYI - if you live closer to CCES you can send RHES kids to aftercare there).

PTAs run the enrichment cfocities so I would reach out to them wuth questions.
5) this probably varies by teacher me grade. It is definitely academic and movement is not the priority.
6) My kids like PE but don’t talk about the specifics. I would not count on learning how to play sports well; they will learn some basics, but most kids who care do they after school or on the weekends.

OP here. Thanks!