HS Back to School Night: Very low attendance

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In ES, yes, it's a priority. In MS, maybe with a 6th grader or if you are new to the school. After that, not worth the time. My kids get good grades, stay on top of their schoolwork, etc. Why exactly do I need to show up?

Agree.
My senior has always done really well. She picks her own classes and advocates for herself regularly, and has no special needs. There is no need for me to go.

Even if you believe that to be true, the high school is made up of more than just seniors. And not all seniors are as self-sufficient and responsible as your daughter. I had a senior DS and I had to engage teachers on more than one occasion last year during his senior year to help them get him together. Senioritis is a headache for parents and teachers for a reason.

High school is full of rough and bumpy transitions from freshman through junior year, and parents and teachers have to work together to guide their kids through that, hence, BTSN as a way to connect parents and teachers.

I am PP and I haven’t gone since 7th grade. So not just because she’s a senior.

Ok. Your child is special, self-sufficient, fully independent, and doesn't need your support in school so you don't need to go to any Back to School Nights. Great. Round of applause for you.

Can the rest of us still have Back to School Night now? Thanks.

Who said you couldn’t have it? I’m saying most parents don’t need to go on the HS level, which is probably why attendance is so low.

Why so confrontational?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Sherwood?

Yep.

This was an administration fail. They have the capability to announce this via Twitter, Instagram, email, and they did not.

But they’re quick to post that Dr. McKnight‘s there today. So clearly they know how to use these tools.

For transparency sake, I quoted myself a couple of times here. This is the first I’ve heard of back to school night at Sherwood. No other SHS parents I know were aware that btsn was yesterday. My DS is my youngest, and I have gone to every single btsn, they usually sent out the dates in multiple ways.

Who is responsible for sharing school information? Like I pointed out, Dr. McKnights visit to the school is immediately shared on the Instagram page.

BTSN was in the last two weekly newsletters.

Fair enough, I just went through and read the newsletter again, I missed it. It’s in the upper left-hand corner. In previous years they have done a much better job of publicizing it. They sent standalone emails, promoted it on social media, and mentioned it in the email, not just the attached PDF newsletter.

What’s done is done, but I hope that in future years they go back to how they did it before.

[Anonymous]

I don't know what OP is talking about. At DC's school it was really crowded but DC is at one of the aforementioned Bethesda HS.

[Anonymous]

Wasn't Sherwood ranked really low in the most recent HS rankings?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know what OP is talking about. At DC's school it was really crowded but DC is at one of the aforementioned Bethesda HS.

Obv. you attend a deferent high school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wasn't Sherwood ranked really low in the most recent HS rankings?

I go to a lower ranked HS (regularly disparaged here), and BTSN is jam packed.

[Anonymous]

Churchill had great attendance last night!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m not going with Covid. They should have a virtual option.

Just go with a mask. There were a good number of masked parents at our BTSN last night. This is what masks are for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wasn't Sherwood ranked really low in the most recent HS rankings?

I go to a lower ranked HS (regularly disparaged here), and BTSN is jam packed.

Yup. Same here. BTSN was jam packed, so it sounds like Sherwood's lackluster attendance was a combination of poor communication and probably happening too early in the school year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not going with Covid. They should have a virtual option.

Just go with a mask. There were a good number of masked parents at our BTSN last night. This is what masks are for.

That’s really crummy to go when you have Covid. It makes it very unsafe for those of us at risk. That’s why I don’t go.

[Anonymous]

If people have noticed low attendance at Sherwood and noticed consistently high attendance at Bethesda high schools, well, is anyone surprised? Upper middle class parents of the DC area are very invested in their kids' education, because their own socio-professional success depended on their own education. Yes, there are exceptions to this rule! But in general, it's true. End of story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not going with Covid. They should have a virtual option.

Just go with a mask. There were a good number of masked parents at our BTSN last night. This is what masks are for.

I took that post to mean “I’m not attending a crowded event while covid is in the picture because I don’t want to get covid. Why can’t it be virtual so I don’t have to be exposed to hundreds of strangers?” I’m not sure the poster has covid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not going with Covid. They should have a virtual option.

Just go with a mask. There were a good number of masked parents at our BTSN last night. This is what masks are for.

I took that post to mean “I’m not attending a crowded event while covid is in the picture because I don’t want to get covid. Why can’t it be virtual so I don’t have to be exposed to hundreds of strangers?” I’m not sure the poster has covid.

They can wear a mask to try to prevent catching it. I doubt all the mask wearers have Covid. And, unfortunately, I doubt everyone with Covid was wearing one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
If people have noticed low attendance at Sherwood and noticed consistently high attendance at Bethesda high schools, well, is anyone surprised? Upper middle class parents of the DC area are very invested in their kids' education, because their own socio-professional success depended on their own education. Yes, there are exceptions to this rule! But in general, it's true. End of story.

I don't think attendance at BTSN in high school is a good indicator of parental investment in education.

[Anonymous]

We went to our child's BTSN but I do think they should have allowed parents to join in virtually. They are capable of doing that but on the other hand this covid wave came on fast so maybe they didn't have time to pivot.