Six year old FCPS student found wandering in Centreville

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know anything about this. Very disturbing:

https://fcpdnews.wordpress.com/2016/06/09/child-who-wandered-from-school-found-by-motorist/

[Anonymous]

Yes, it happened at London Towne. Parents got an email about it. Apparently the child walked off the playground sometime between recess/transitioning inside.

[Anonymous]

To add, I personally don't like that they have the kindergarteners at recess with the older kids. It's too many kids out there at once and it makes the little ones harder to keep track of. Thank God this child was ok.

[Anonymous]

This also just happened in a McLean school. Like last month. In kindergarten. This is not okay!

[Anonymous]

Honestly, it could probably happen in a lot of schools. Schools have a ton of students and most of them have playgrounds that open out into the neighborhood. Kids are allowed to walk through the schools. The ratio of teachers to kids is ridiculous. It's kind of amazing it hasn't happened more often. Though, most kids who are neurotypical know not to wander off by school age

[Anonymous]

There are just too many kids in each class. It does not surprise me that teachers are having trouble keeping track, but his is completely unacceptable.

[Anonymous]

Happens in MCPS as well. A student with special needs from Woodlin ES in Silver Spring was found last year wandering the streets. The many portables on the playground impede the view of the playground supervisors. Woodlin has been on the waiting list for an addition for years.

[Anonymous]

114 students on our playground. 4 teachers. Even with us spread out watching the students play it would not be difficult for one to wander off.

[Anonymous]

I always wondered why the school playgrounds are not fenced in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:114 students on our playground. 4 teachers. Even with us spread out watching the students play it would not be difficult for one to wander off.

At our school, the teachers chat with each other so there is truly minimal supervision

[Anonymous]

Happened at a PWC school too. Kid just wandered off.

[Anonymous]

There are just too many kids in each class. It does not surprise me that teachers are having trouble keeping track, but his is completely unacceptable.

Yes, it is unacceptable. However, it is not due to the number of kids in class. Back in the day, I had a class of 34 first graders. While I think that is unacceptable to have that many, you don't lose kids. Even when there are a lot of them. Someone was not doing their job--or several someones.

On the other hand, I don't think I would expect this to happen at this time of year. Certainly, at the beginning of the year, kids may try to leave (I never had one that did), but this is odd.

[Anonymous]

How far did she get and how long before she was discovered missing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Happens in MCPS as well. A student with special needs from Woodlin ES in Silver Spring was found last year wandering the streets. The many portables on the playground impede the view of the playground supervisors. Woodlin has been on the waiting list for an addition for years.

Hmmm, I wonder where the zillions of dollars in taxes collected in moco go ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How far did she get and how long before she was discovered missing?

Well, read the article and Google the distance from the school and where the child was found.

From the email we got, though, it doesn't sound like it was that long before the teachers realized the child wasn't there. However, it sounds like time was spent attempting to locate the child at the playground/school first.