More recess for FCPS?

[Anonymous]

Virginia also does not follow common core and has no SOL test till 3rd grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Virginia also does not follow common core and has no SOL test till 3rd grade.

Kindergartners get plenty of tests. DRA tests, iready tests, etc. Lots of pressure on teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Virginia also does not follow common core and has no SOL test till 3rd grade.

Kindergartners get plenty of tests. DRA tests, iready tests, etc. Lots of pressure on teachers.

That is self imposed. Virginia law doesn't even require kindergarten attendance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Virginia also does not follow common core and has no SOL test till 3rd grade.

Kindergartners get plenty of tests. DRA tests, iready tests, etc. Lots of pressure on teachers.

That is self imposed. Virginia law doesn't even require kindergarten attendance.

VA has a compulsory school age of 5.

[Anonymous]

You don't have to notify the locality till age 6 and even then, you don't have to enroll in kindergarten.

[Anonymous]

Based on the push against kindergarten testing and push for more recess, I think it makes sense to go back to half day kindergarten for non-title 1 schools. It would save the county probably around $25 million.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don't have to notify the locality till age 6 and even then, you don't have to enroll in kindergarten.

In Virginia, school attendance is compulsory starting at age 5. At age 5, school can be either preschool or kindergarten. At age 6, school can be either kindergarten or 1st grade. Virginia also allows homeschooling, but there are still notification requirements.

https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title22.1/chapter14/section22.1-254/

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/families/private_home/index.shtml

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - sorry to post and run. I was specifically referring to the bill that said that schools can count recess as instructional time. It was something a group called Virginians for Recess (or something like that) lobbied really hard for. My child is starting Kindergarten in September, so I'm not very familiar with the school system at all - but I have read that although recess time varies across school, it is still pretty limited.

Someone above mentioned that FCPS was unlikely to increase recess time without advocacy -- how does one get involved in this stuff at the district level?

Why don't you figure out how much recess your school has and how teachers, parents, and the principal feel about it first. Go to a PTA meeting and bring up the issue and see what the feedback is. I can't tell you how annoying it is as a parent in FCPS to watch parents of rising kindergarteners who know nothing about the school system advocate for something based on heresy. We all have busy lives and it's unproductive to spend time educating people that want to make a point before knowing enough information on a subject. If this is an issue, parents of actual students with experience will be bringing up issues. Many people around here have 2-5 kids and will have a child that is both a rising kindergarten and one who has already gone through FCPS to some degree.

I don't find it annoying all. Many parents are so busy they really don't advocate even if they believe in an issue. And it's pretty common knowledge that recess is limited in Ffx schools. I appreciate that parents want to work toward change now so their kids can actually benefit from the change. Kindergarten kids are arguably the most in need of increases in recess...

Are you kidding? There are around 187,000 students in FCPS. It's the 10th largest school system in the country. We're not in some rural area. If there is an issue, there will be parents that show up to advocate. We don't need preschool parents to show up and advocate for things within FCPS who haven't even bothered to get any actual data. And parents who are happy with the current system shouldn't have to take off time from their own days to refute baseless claims.

How do you suggest parents get data without asking questions? I am asking questions here so that I can become a more informed parent once my child starts elementary school. I don't understand why you're being such a jerk.

You say you want a certain amount of recess and want to advocate for that, but you don't even know how much recess they have at your school or whether it is even an issue among parents there. You admit you know very little about the school system. I'm not being a jerk. I'm saying find out whether it is an issue at your school first and how other parents, teachers, and administration feel about the issue. Find out what may be eliminated if they do increase recess and be sure you're ok with that elimination as well as the other students and parents. Don't just show up at a hearing and advocate for something you know little about.

Go back and read what I wrote. When did I say "I want to go to a hearing to advocate for X minutes of recess"?? I was merely wondering (in response to something someone else wrote, mind you) what the vehicle for advocacy is. I never said anything specific about wanting to go ahead and do it now, in fact, I specified that my child isn't even in the system yet. If you had said "there are board meetings that you should attend to become more informed once your kid starts school" that would have been a much more valuable message to me than just starting to rant about how you hate uninformed parents who don't even have kids in school yet. So yes, you're being a jerk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Virginia also does not follow common core and has no SOL test till 3rd grade.

This is true. But, if you think the testing pressure in schools does not filter down to K--you are sadly mistaken. Why else would they have what used to be first grade curriculum in K these days?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - sorry to post and run. I was specifically referring to the bill that said that schools can count recess as instructional time. It was something a group called Virginians for Recess (or something like that) lobbied really hard for. My child is starting Kindergarten in September, so I'm not very familiar with the school system at all - but I have read that although recess time varies across school, it is still pretty limited.

Someone above mentioned that FCPS was unlikely to increase recess time without advocacy -- how does one get involved in this stuff at the district level?

Why don't you figure out how much recess your school has and how teachers, parents, and the principal feel about it first. Go to a PTA meeting and bring up the issue and see what the feedback is. I can't tell you how annoying it is as a parent in FCPS to watch parents of rising kindergarteners who know nothing about the school system advocate for something based on heresy. We all have busy lives and it's unproductive to spend time educating people that want to make a point before knowing enough information on a subject. If this is an issue, parents of actual students with experience will be bringing up issues. Many people around here have 2-5 kids and will have a child that is both a rising kindergarten and one who has already gone through FCPS to some degree.

I don't find it annoying all. Many parents are so busy they really don't advocate even if they believe in an issue. And it's pretty common knowledge that recess is limited in Ffx schools. I appreciate that parents want to work toward change now so their kids can actually benefit from the change. Kindergarten kids are arguably the most in need of increases in recess...

Are you kidding? There are around 187,000 students in FCPS. It's the 10th largest school system in the country. We're not in some rural area. If there is an issue, there will be parents that show up to advocate. We don't need preschool parents to show up and advocate for things within FCPS who haven't even bothered to get any actual data. And parents who are happy with the current system shouldn't have to take off time from their own days to refute baseless claims.

How do you suggest parents get data without asking questions? I am asking questions here so that I can become a more informed parent once my child starts elementary school. I don't understand why you're being such a jerk.

You say you want a certain amount of recess and want to advocate for that, but you don't even know how much recess they have at your school or whether it is even an issue among parents there. You admit you know very little about the school system. I'm not being a jerk. I'm saying find out whether it is an issue at your school first and how other parents, teachers, and administration feel about the issue. Find out what may be eliminated if they do increase recess and be sure you're ok with that elimination as well as the other students and parents. Don't just show up at a hearing and advocate for something you know little about.

Go back and read what I wrote. When did I say "I want to go to a hearing to advocate for X minutes of recess"?? I was merely wondering (in response to something someone else wrote, mind you) what the vehicle for advocacy is. I never said anything specific about wanting to go ahead and do it now, in fact, I specified that my child isn't even in the system yet. If you had said "there are board meetings that you should attend to become more informed once your kid starts school" that would have been a much more valuable message to me than just starting to rant about how you hate uninformed parents who don't even have kids in school yet. So yes, you're being a jerk.

Is this not your wording?
Someone above mentioned that FCPS was unlikely to increase recess time without advocacy -- how does one get involved in this stuff at the district level

There are no school board meetings to learn more about recess other than through advocacy. You need to talk directly to your school board member, PTA, and principal which is what I suggested you do first to get all the facts before advocacy. Not being a jerk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - sorry to post and run. I was specifically referring to the bill that said that schools can count recess as instructional time. It was something a group called Virginians for Recess (or something like that) lobbied really hard for. My child is starting Kindergarten in September, so I'm not very familiar with the school system at all - but I have read that although recess time varies across school, it is still pretty limited.

Someone above mentioned that FCPS was unlikely to increase recess time without advocacy -- how does one get involved in this stuff at the district level?

Why don't you figure out how much recess your school has and how teachers, parents, and the principal feel about it first. Go to a PTA meeting and bring up the issue and see what the feedback is. I can't tell you how annoying it is as a parent in FCPS to watch parents of rising kindergarteners who know nothing about the school system advocate for something based on heresy. We all have busy lives and it's unproductive to spend time educating people that want to make a point before knowing enough information on a subject. If this is an issue, parents of actual students with experience will be bringing up issues. Many people around here have 2-5 kids and will have a child that is both a rising kindergarten and one who has already gone through FCPS to some degree.

I don't find it annoying all. Many parents are so busy they really don't advocate even if they believe in an issue. And it's pretty common knowledge that recess is limited in Ffx schools. I appreciate that parents want to work toward change now so their kids can actually benefit from the change. Kindergarten kids are arguably the most in need of increases in recess...

Are you kidding? There are around 187,000 students in FCPS. It's the 10th largest school system in the country. We're not in some rural area. If there is an issue, there will be parents that show up to advocate. We don't need preschool parents to show up and advocate for things within FCPS who haven't even bothered to get any actual data. And parents who are happy with the current system shouldn't have to take off time from their own days to refute baseless claims.

How do you suggest parents get data without asking questions? I am asking questions here so that I can become a more informed parent once my child starts elementary school. I don't understand why you're being such a jerk.

You say you want a certain amount of recess and want to advocate for that, but you don't even know how much recess they have at your school or whether it is even an issue among parents there. You admit you know very little about the school system. I'm not being a jerk. I'm saying find out whether it is an issue at your school first and how other parents, teachers, and administration feel about the issue. Find out what may be eliminated if they do increase recess and be sure you're ok with that elimination as well as the other students and parents. Don't just show up at a hearing and advocate for something you know little about.

Go back and read what I wrote. When did I say "I want to go to a hearing to advocate for X minutes of recess"?? I was merely wondering (in response to something someone else wrote, mind you) what the vehicle for advocacy is. I never said anything specific about wanting to go ahead and do it now, in fact, I specified that my child isn't even in the system yet. If you had said "there are board meetings that you should attend to become more informed once your kid starts school" that would have been a much more valuable message to me than just starting to rant about how you hate uninformed parents who don't even have kids in school yet. So yes, you're being a jerk.

Is this not your wording?
Someone above mentioned that FCPS was unlikely to increase recess time without advocacy -- how does one get involved in this stuff at the district level

There are no school board meetings to learn more about recess other than through advocacy. You need to talk directly to your school board member, PTA, and principal which is what I suggested you do first to get all the facts before advocacy. Not being a jerk.

That's exactly what I wrote and you clearly misunderstood my intent.

[Anonymous]

I responded to what you wrote.

You asked how to get involved in advocacy at a district level. District level = fcps = school board decision maker on district level issues.

You asked how does one get involved in advocacy = you getting involved now.

You stated: Someone above mentioned that FCPS was unlikely to increase recess time without advocacy = showed your desire to change recess within FCPS by x number of minutes.