Emotional needs of our students

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you have personal experience with both schools?

I have experience with both schools. Why do you ask?

Because people who are commenting on this are simply speculating unless you have dealt with the situations directly. That might mean your conclusions are different, but that's ok as long as your conclusions are based on personal experience with two schools themselves.

[Anonymous]

Maybe the reason Langley has more stressed kids than Cooper is that these are the kids who went over to Longfellow for the AAP program. Longfellow is full of stressed kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one wants to admit their family needs help with serious issues.

You know, grief demands an answer but sometimes there just isn't one. Think about that for awhile before assuming there is always, always a concrete reason behind these tragedies.

This is certainly true. What's more is that there are teenagers (including ones we're alluding to on this thread) who are well known to be "at risk" and families are dealing with their kid's issues. Some of these kids still lose their battle to depression. It's very sad (and has absolutely zero to do with a family failing to "admit" to "serious issues").

You may speak only for yourself if that is indeed true. And yes, there is almost never only one cause of depression. I hope we can all agree on at least that.

I have no idea the point you're trying to make -- I'm the only person who knows of a teen who lost a battle with depression even though his family worked to deal with "serious issues"? Because that's certainly not true. I don't even know if I agree that "there is almost never only one cause of depression." Seems we just don't know (which doesn't keep us from speculating).

[Anonymous]

Couldn't it be nearly universally true that kids who experience stress do so more in high school than middle school? I don't agree that general "conclusions" can be drawn because my kid attended 2 particular schools. The only thing I can "conclude" is how my own kid dealt with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A spinoff from the suicide thread.

Some questions that may help start this.

Our kids are students with lots of demands. How are they handling those demands?

Who should be helping them learn to manage this for themselves and when does it start?

Is FCPS really a pressure cooker across the board or is the world our kids growing up in that much harder regardless of where they attend?

Getting rid of TJ and the message the existence of that school sends would be a good start.

While getting rid of TJ, get rid of UVA as well since you clearly do not want good educational institutions. Why stop there, get rid of all top public high schools in the area and the country as well. Happy now?

Can you explain to me why the kids at school A must have a GPA and test scores much higher than kids at school B, in order to be accepted to UVA?

What does that have to do with meeting the emotional needs of our students?

It's because the kids in these schools can't "even" get into UVA. That is the message they receive, they can't "even" get into the state school that 20 years ago was our safety school. That causes stress.

Agree that there is more stress now. But UVA has been a good school for years...in fact, probably had a better reputation in the past. Anyway, to my knowledge, it's only ever been a safety school for Ivy (or the like)-bound kids, not a whole cohort of honors kids at XYZ high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Couldn't it be nearly universally true that kids who experience stress do so more in high school than middle school? I don't agree that general "conclusions" can be drawn because my kid attended 2 particular schools. The only thing I can "conclude" is how my own kid dealt with it.

You can tell based on administration's policies and responses

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Couldn't it be nearly universally true that kids who experience stress do so more in high school than middle school? I don't agree that general "conclusions" can be drawn because my kid attended 2 particular schools. The only thing I can "conclude" is how my own kid dealt with it.

You can tell based on administration's policies and responses

I disagree. I'm sorry the high school was so tough for you and your daughter. It was great for 2 of my kids. Another 2 of my kids went to independent schools. All 4 loved their high school experiences. Your personal experience is just one data point. It does not extrapolate the way you want it to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

“In the McLean and Langley Pyramid if you don't go to college, don't get into a ‘good’ college, you are seen as a let down to your school, your family and your community,” said Melissa Sporn, a mental health professional and SCC board member. “As a result I am routinely seeing patients in my practice who are overstressed, overworked and overwhelmed. Many of these students deal with these pressures by self-medicating with drugs and alcohol, cutting and/or engaging in other negative behaviors.”

It's the parents and kids who create the stress--not the school.

Thanks, Mr. Langley. You must be right. What do you suggest?

The school can do a ton to negate the influence from parents. The kids WANT relief from the stress. The fact that Cooper doesn't have these issues, and it suddenly blossoms in Langley is telling. The whole culture changes, and it's the same damn kids! The principal at Cooper, however, does NOT put up with the crap the parents throw at her. She stops it at the door. She has the kids own their own education, i.e teaches them how to take responsibility. That needs to be continued at Langley.

Good comment.

[Anonymous]

It's ludicrous to blame teen stress on the high school because the teen didn't experience stress during middle school. Come on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's ludicrous to blame teen stress on the high school because the teen didn't experience stress during middle school. Come on.

It's not only one source. Come on.

[Anonymous]

And, if the school didn't put emphasis on college preparation and the kids didn't get in, what would this board be about then?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's ludicrous to blame teen stress on the high school because the teen didn't experience stress during middle school. Come on.

It's not only one source. Come on.

Tell that to the "loved Cooper, Langley stressed us out (and was the source of every problem we had), moved to Bullis, life is grand (except for affirmative action)" poster. If you don't know her, you haven't read any thread directly or tangentially related to FCPS in the last year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Couldn't it be nearly universally true that kids who experience stress do so more in high school than middle school? I don't agree that general "conclusions" can be drawn because my kid attended 2 particular schools. The only thing I can "conclude" is how my own kid dealt with it.

+100

[Anonymous]

I find it sad and frustrating that a common response to student stress at langley is that my kids loved it so there is nothing that can be done. This lack of empathy is pervasive in great falls and mclean. And the kids are just like their parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's ludicrous to blame teen stress on the high school because the teen didn't experience stress during middle school. Come on.

It's not only one source. Come on.

Tell that to the "loved Cooper, Langley stressed us out (and was the source of every problem we had), moved to Bullis, life is grand (except for affirmative action)" poster. If you don't know her, you haven't read any thread directly or tangentially related to FCPS in the last year.

Would you please shut up, you Bullis Bully?