Transition day August 25th

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://moco360.media/2024/12/06/mcps-approves-20252026-calendar/

I mentioned this to my HS student and they said, “So we’re supposed to do multiple pep rallies, student panels, and early mornings on the first week of school? Yeah, no. I’ma be off on that Monday.”

Can’t wait to hear in the spring and summer what our HS has planned for this.

The part the really stands out for me is in this article is where it notes " Superintendent Thomas Taylor noted the transition day was his idea; he’d incorporated such a day into academic calendars when he worked for other districts. Taylor said providing transportation creates more equity for students who may not have a way to get to their schools for other orientation events."

Did Taylor not understand or consider that MCPS already had something in place that was working for many, including already providing transportation. Did the group just not consider how they could enhance what was already there? I'm with the SMOB in wanting to know which secondary schools were/were not already doing the Thursday transition day. Is there anywhere we can view the results of the initial community feedback about the transition day?

Maybe he correctly saw the current system isn't working well for many people. Leaving it up to individual schools to decide whether to do the right thing is not what is best for kids.

Then just mandate it for the Thursday that everyone else was already doing it on. Problem solved.

+1. I don't understand why they couldn't just do this across the board, and add on kindergarten and 3rd grades at the few schools that begin with that grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://moco360.media/2024/12/06/mcps-approves-20252026-calendar/

I mentioned this to my HS student and they said, “So we’re supposed to do multiple pep rallies, student panels, and early mornings on the first week of school? Yeah, no. I’ma be off on that Monday.”

Can’t wait to hear in the spring and summer what our HS has planned for this.

The part the really stands out for me is in this article is where it notes " Superintendent Thomas Taylor noted the transition day was his idea; he’d incorporated such a day into academic calendars when he worked for other districts. Taylor said providing transportation creates more equity for students who may not have a way to get to their schools for other orientation events."

Did Taylor not understand or consider that MCPS already had something in place that was working for many, including already providing transportation. Did the group just not consider how they could enhance what was already there? I'm with the SMOB in wanting to know which secondary schools were/were not already doing the Thursday transition day. Is there anywhere we can view the results of the initial community feedback about the transition day?

Maybe he correctly saw the current system isn't working well for many people. Leaving it up to individual schools to decide whether to do the right thing is not what is best for kids.

Then just mandate it for the Thursday that everyone else was already doing it on. Problem solved.

+1. I don't understand why they couldn't just do this across the board, and add on kindergarten and 3rd grades at the few schools that begin with that grade.

I didn't even know that some schools are only 3-5 and presumably K-2 they must have many classes per grade level to only have 3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://moco360.media/2024/12/06/mcps-approves-20252026-calendar/

I mentioned this to my HS student and they said, “So we’re supposed to do multiple pep rallies, student panels, and early mornings on the first week of school? Yeah, no. I’ma be off on that Monday.”

Can’t wait to hear in the spring and summer what our HS has planned for this.

The part the really stands out for me is in this article is where it notes " Superintendent Thomas Taylor noted the transition day was his idea; he’d incorporated such a day into academic calendars when he worked for other districts. Taylor said providing transportation creates more equity for students who may not have a way to get to their schools for other orientation events."

Did Taylor not understand or consider that MCPS already had something in place that was working for many, including already providing transportation. Did the group just not consider how they could enhance what was already there? I'm with the SMOB in wanting to know which secondary schools were/were not already doing the Thursday transition day. Is there anywhere we can view the results of the initial community feedback about the transition day?

Maybe he correctly saw the current system isn't working well for many people. Leaving it up to individual schools to decide whether to do the right thing is not what is best for kids.

Then just mandate it for the Thursday that everyone else was already doing it on. Problem solved.

+1. I don't understand why they couldn't just do this across the board, and add on kindergarten and 3rd grades at the few schools that begin with that grade.

I work in an elementary school so I’m not sure how HS/MS handle it but the contract requires 5 days of pre-service before school starts. It would create an imbalance if k and 3rd grade teachers had to be ready to teach on Thursday of preservice but no one else did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://moco360.media/2024/12/06/mcps-approves-20252026-calendar/

I mentioned this to my HS student and they said, “So we’re supposed to do multiple pep rallies, student panels, and early mornings on the first week of school? Yeah, no. I’ma be off on that Monday.”

Can’t wait to hear in the spring and summer what our HS has planned for this.

The part the really stands out for me is in this article is where it notes " Superintendent Thomas Taylor noted the transition day was his idea; he’d incorporated such a day into academic calendars when he worked for other districts. Taylor said providing transportation creates more equity for students who may not have a way to get to their schools for other orientation events."

Did Taylor not understand or consider that MCPS already had something in place that was working for many, including already providing transportation. Did the group just not consider how they could enhance what was already there? I'm with the SMOB in wanting to know which secondary schools were/were not already doing the Thursday transition day. Is there anywhere we can view the results of the initial community feedback about the transition day?

Maybe he correctly saw the current system isn't working well for many people. Leaving it up to individual schools to decide whether to do the right thing is not what is best for kids.

Then just mandate it for the Thursday that everyone else was already doing it on. Problem solved.

+1. I don't understand why they couldn't just do this across the board, and add on kindergarten and 3rd grades at the few schools that begin with that grade.

I work in an elementary school so I’m not sure how HS/MS handle it but the contract requires 5 days of pre-service before school starts. It would create an imbalance if k and 3rd grade teachers had to be ready to teach on Thursday of preservice but no one else did.

It’s a transition day. It’s non instructional

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The SMOB proposed that schools should invite parents to send their kids from any grade that day. They could still participate in the activities even though they wouldn't be new to the school. Staff said they are going to have a committee formed to iron out these kind of specifics of how transition day will work by March.

Except that would defeat the purpose of it being a transition day. At which point it should go back to just being a transition/orientation half day for secondary schools. Many of which were already doing this the Thursday before school opened.[/quote

All secondary schools were doing it the Thurs before school started.

This transition day is unnecessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://moco360.media/2024/12/06/mcps-approves-20252026-calendar/

I mentioned this to my HS student and they said, “So we’re supposed to do multiple pep rallies, student panels, and early mornings on the first week of school? Yeah, no. I’ma be off on that Monday.”

Can’t wait to hear in the spring and summer what our HS has planned for this.

The part the really stands out for me is in this article is where it notes " Superintendent Thomas Taylor noted the transition day was his idea; he’d incorporated such a day into academic calendars when he worked for other districts. Taylor said providing transportation creates more equity for students who may not have a way to get to their schools for other orientation events."

Did Taylor not understand or consider that MCPS already had something in place that was working for many, including already providing transportation. Did the group just not consider how they could enhance what was already there? I'm with the SMOB in wanting to know which secondary schools were/were not already doing the Thursday transition day. Is there anywhere we can view the results of the initial community feedback about the transition day?

Maybe he correctly saw the current system isn't working well for many people. Leaving it up to individual schools to decide whether to do the right thing is not what is best for kids.

Then just mandate it for the Thursday that everyone else was already doing it on. Problem solved.

+1. I don't understand why they couldn't just do this across the board, and add on kindergarten and 3rd grades at the few schools that begin with that grade.

I didn't even know that some schools are only 3-5 and presumably K-2 they must have many classes per grade level to only have 3.

There were 8 kindergarten classes when my kid was at Rosemary Hills, which is a PK-2 school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://moco360.media/2024/12/06/mcps-approves-20252026-calendar/

I mentioned this to my HS student and they said, “So we’re supposed to do multiple pep rallies, student panels, and early mornings on the first week of school? Yeah, no. I’ma be off on that Monday.”

Can’t wait to hear in the spring and summer what our HS has planned for this.

The part the really stands out for me is in this article is where it notes " Superintendent Thomas Taylor noted the transition day was his idea; he’d incorporated such a day into academic calendars when he worked for other districts. Taylor said providing transportation creates more equity for students who may not have a way to get to their schools for other orientation events."

Did Taylor not understand or consider that MCPS already had something in place that was working for many, including already providing transportation. Did the group just not consider how they could enhance what was already there? I'm with the SMOB in wanting to know which secondary schools were/were not already doing the Thursday transition day. Is there anywhere we can view the results of the initial community feedback about the transition day?

Maybe he correctly saw the current system isn't working well for many people. Leaving it up to individual schools to decide whether to do the right thing is not what is best for kids.

Then just mandate it for the Thursday that everyone else was already doing it on. Problem solved.

+1. I don't understand why they couldn't just do this across the board, and add on kindergarten and 3rd grades at the few schools that begin with that grade.

I work in an elementary school so I’m not sure how HS/MS handle it but the contract requires 5 days of pre-service before school starts. It would create an imbalance if k and 3rd grade teachers had to be ready to teach on Thursday of preservice but no one else did.

It’s a transition day. It’s non instructional

And they can def do it because they are requiring secondary schools to offer it already.

[Anonymous]

Do teachers want this transition day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://moco360.media/2024/12/06/mcps-approves-20252026-calendar/

I mentioned this to my HS student and they said, “So we’re supposed to do multiple pep rallies, student panels, and early mornings on the first week of school? Yeah, no. I’ma be off on that Monday.”

Can’t wait to hear in the spring and summer what our HS has planned for this.

The part the really stands out for me is in this article is where it notes " Superintendent Thomas Taylor noted the transition day was his idea; he’d incorporated such a day into academic calendars when he worked for other districts. Taylor said providing transportation creates more equity for students who may not have a way to get to their schools for other orientation events."

Did Taylor not understand or consider that MCPS already had something in place that was working for many, including already providing transportation. Did the group just not consider how they could enhance what was already there? I'm with the SMOB in wanting to know which secondary schools were/were not already doing the Thursday transition day. Is there anywhere we can view the results of the initial community feedback about the transition day?

Maybe he correctly saw the current system isn't working well for many people. Leaving it up to individual schools to decide whether to do the right thing is not what is best for kids.

It’s not up to individual schools now. All secondary schools offered a half-day the Thursday before school started for new students. All EA had a one-hour event to meet the teacher before school started. This was one of the things MCPS seemed to be doing well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://moco360.media/2024/12/06/mcps-approves-20252026-calendar/

I mentioned this to my HS student and they said, “So we’re supposed to do multiple pep rallies, student panels, and early mornings on the first week of school? Yeah, no. I’ma be off on that Monday.”

Can’t wait to hear in the spring and summer what our HS has planned for this.

The part the really stands out for me is in this article is where it notes " Superintendent Thomas Taylor noted the transition day was his idea; he’d incorporated such a day into academic calendars when he worked for other districts. Taylor said providing transportation creates more equity for students who may not have a way to get to their schools for other orientation events."

Did Taylor not understand or consider that MCPS already had something in place that was working for many, including already providing transportation. Did the group just not consider how they could enhance what was already there? I'm with the SMOB in wanting to know which secondary schools were/were not already doing the Thursday transition day. Is there anywhere we can view the results of the initial community feedback about the transition day?

Maybe he correctly saw the current system isn't working well for many people. Leaving it up to individual schools to decide whether to do the right thing is not what is best for kids.

Then just mandate it for the Thursday that everyone else was already doing it on. Problem solved.

+1. I don't understand why they couldn't just do this across the board, and add on kindergarten and 3rd grades at the few schools that begin with that grade.

I didn't even know that some schools are only 3-5 and presumably K-2 they must have many classes per grade level to only have 3.

NCC is 3-5 and has 3 classes per grade level. It’s just a small school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do teachers want this transition day?

Tsk tsk, no one ever cares what the teachers think.

Is there any evidence to support that this transition day will be beneficial?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do teachers want this transition day?

I don’t teach in MCPS, but I have taught in other schools that had this and didn’t. The benefit to having freshmen who have already found their way around the building and met a few people is significant, so yes, I would want this.

I will also point out for all the parents who claim that their kid can’t get SSL hours because their life is uniquely hard, this is an opportunity for kids to ride the school bus to their own school and get a whole day full of hours.

[Anonymous]

Mcps teacher and parent here- I do NOT want this on any level. Husband is also mcps teacher. My incoming kindergartner will have school and my older child will not have school for the transition day. What on earth am I supposed to do with my older child for that one day? There are no camps open for one day. We don’t have family who can watch my child. I am left with no choice but tor one of us to call out the very first week of school to be home for childcare, leaving one of our classes with a substitute that day. We could have new students who will attend for transition and they won’t even meet their teacher because we’ll be home with our older child. All this hassle and I’m not even sure that it’s worth it for my incoming kindergartener. It’s actually unfair to the kindergarten teachers in my building who have to be fully ready that day while others don’t. So frustrating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The SMOB proposed that schools should invite parents to send their kids from any grade that day. They could still participate in the activities even though they wouldn't be new to the school. Staff said they are going to have a committee formed to iron out these kind of specifics of how transition day will work by March.

Except that would defeat the purpose of it being a transition day. At which point it should go back to just being a transition/orientation half day for secondary schools. Many of which were already doing this the Thursday before school opened.

+1 Exactly. I like the idea of a required transition day. All of DD's schools did that and it was really helpful.

+1 My child started K this year and I was not impressed that:

- Some elementary schools offered a day for incoming K students to visit the school in the spring, and others (including ours) didn't
- The "Open House" the Thursday in August before school was for all students and was super chaotic and not particularly helpful

We have friends out of state and their schools actually let incoming K students visit the school on multiple days in the Spring before they start. In one of the MCPS schools that did do a Spring orientation for incoming K students, they got to participate in a lesson with a teacher. I didn't go to MCPS until high school but when I did, in the late 90s there was a transition day for 9th grade.

This is doable and good for students and families. Lately, MCPS has been very combative towards parents and families. I haven't gotten the sense CO GAF about kids. They just want to do whatever is easier for them. It sounds like Taylor is challenging this attitude and I hope he succeeds.

Everyone from parents, to teachers, to CO is asking why does this need to be a whole day, and why does it need to move to Monday? The reason MCPS was trying to stop the K orientations in the Spring is because it required currently enrolled K students only to be off a day or two so that the K teachers could focus on incoming students. This impacted families. The only other alternatives proposed where a) use an existing non-instructional day as the K orientation days, which then takes away from that day being for teachers or b) do it after school hours which again impacted teachers. So its not the CO does GAF about kids, its that they are trying to balance everyone's needs.

Which is why the orientation half-day on the Thursday prior to school made sense logistically.

Other school districts manage things like spring orientation for K students just fine. From an educational perspective, the gains from doing a spring orientation in terms of supporting this critical transition are much greater than what the current K students learn in one day. But you idiots just throw up your hands and say it's too hard! Wahhhh.

All of this whining is testament to why MCPS is in decline.

What educational benefit comes from a bunch of K students going to school for one day with no other students??? Seriously it’s just a long playdate with their classmates. And if it’s soo beneficial why can’t they do it on the Thursday before school starts?

Also, MCPS managed spring orientation also, but they were responding to community concerns that have continually been brought up.

Sorry you don't understand early childhood. For a kid it is the difference between spending the summer anticipating going into a building they've never seen before with no idea what it will be like, to having some frame of reference. Previewing transitions is not some wacky thing that someone made up, it's a real thing that really helps little kids. Btw, MCPS can't just claim they are "responding to community concerns" every time they make a terrible decision. Learn to be the grownup in the room, FFS.

Again what is the educational benefit? Kids are going to anticipate going to school regardless if they’ve seen the school months earlier, days before, or not at all. Neither example will change how a kids learns their ABC’s or numbers.

When little kids are stressed, they don't learn as well, and they're more likely to be disruptive which interferes with other kids' learning as well. Giving kindergarteners as smooth a transition as possible, making them more likely to have positive feelings about school and positive relationships with their teachers, absolutely has an educational benefit. I have no opinion on whether a full-day Monday transition day is the best way to do that, but there is a legitimate educational benefit to doing the transition well.

There is little to no learning going on in K for the entire first week of school. It’s about learning rules, routines, getting to know the other kids, teachers seeing if there are any immediate issues they see.

The transition day isn't about making the first week of school easier and more successful for kindergarteners. It’s about making the whole year easier and more successful for kindergarteners.

So now one day of transition is going to make the whole school year better but the entire first week of transition doesn’t do that??? Why not just give K a separate school.

Exactly- it won’t. It will be chaotic for kindergarten especially. No patrols to monitor the kindergarteners on the buses on their first day. Throw a bunch of children new to school in a bus alone with no aide and no patrols to help sounds like a disaster. Nevermind behavior issues, they won’t know which stop to get off in the afternoons either. During the school day they’ll be the only ones eating in the cafeteria or playing at recess only to be hit with 500 or sometimes 800 more students the very next day. How confusing for five year olds. This decision is definitely being driven by people who don’t understand small children

[Anonymous]

No one I know has any idea why this was made into a full day and who it really helps. If they wanted the K students to have a transition day then just add them to the half day that already existed. If they were concerned about childcare for the entire day, then just work with the childcare providers to begin one day early to include the afternoon of the transition day.

It’s like they were searching for a problem with the current transition 1/2 day.