Last day of schools, nobody at school.

[Anonymous]

That is right. The promotion ceremony is a ritual, a rite of passage. It isn't about an achievement, it is about the emotions of the end of a phase of childhood.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand this either. My DD had a 5th grade promotion the day before the last day of school and the teachers emailed all parents beforehand to let them know that "parents traditionally sign their child out of school afterwards to a celebratory lunch." But kids are welcome to stay at school of course. Don't get why the school would basically be telling people to take their kids home. MybDD stayed and she said there were probably about 20 kids( out of 100) at school who didn't go home at noon. On a full day of school. Of course there was also "no learning" the next day as well.

This is a different situation than high school kids, or even 4th graders. Parents presumably took the day off of work to come to the 5th grade promotion. Most parents DO want to do something with their kid after the promotion since they are off anyway and want to make the day fun and special for their kid - a celebratory lunch afterwards sounds perfect.
The school was acknowledging what most of the parents would do anyway.

What is a 5th grade promotion? I mean honestly, they all go to middle school. This everyone gets a trophy generation. PreK graduation, K graduation, 5th grade graduation, 8th grade graduation, Freshman Final day, Junior Day, Senior Day, Senior graduation. Stop treating kids like every grade they complete deserves a freaking ceremony.

Why are you so bitter about it?
This was not this year, but DD attended a relatively small elementary school by MCPS standards. She and many of her friends had been together since kindergarten. they loved their school and their teachers. Yes, they were all going to middle school. But a couple were moving away, a few were going to magnets. And they knew that there would be a couple hundred other kids in the 6th grade that none of them knew. New school, bigger school, bigger kids, big changes, yes sure everybody grows up. You can say suck it up and deal. Or you can say that ten and eleven year olds have emotions. As adults, it is helpful to give them a context and a method to process those emotions. At DD's promotion ceremony, each student was handed a carnation by the principal. That student was then given the opportunity to give that carnation to anyone the student chose as a way to thank the person for all their support. Some kids gave the flower to a parent, some to a sibling, and many gave them to teachers or administrators. Every child except one gave a short statement of their favorite memory or thanked their loved ones. When one little boy was too overcome with emotion and was crying, his friends cheered him on so that he could get the words out. These kids loved each other. That ceremony was not about everyone getting a trophy. Humans have rituals for a reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a teacher in NYC and grew up in NYC public schools. All kids here go on the last day because that's when we give out report cards. Don't come, you don't get it. (Well- I assume they get mauled- but am not sure). Last day is a half day and no learning takes place. Various activities depending on the teacher. Students with yearbooks sign yearbooks.

Get mauled? I knew NYC sucked.

LOL

[Anonymous]

And you must be the same parents who is counting the days until school starts....in July.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand this either. My DD had a 5th grade promotion the day before the last day of school and the teachers emailed all parents beforehand to let them know that "parents traditionally sign their child out of school afterwards to a celebratory lunch." But kids are welcome to stay at school of course. Don't get why the school would basically be telling people to take their kids home. MybDD stayed and she said there were probably about 20 kids( out of 100) at school who didn't go home at noon. On a full day of school. Of course there was also "no learning" the next day as well.

This is a different situation than high school kids, or even 4th graders. Parents presumably took the day off of work to come to the 5th grade promotion. Most parents DO want to do something with their kid after the promotion since they are off anyway and want to make the day fun and special for their kid - a celebratory lunch afterwards sounds perfect.
The school was acknowledging what most of the parents would do anyway.

What is a 5th grade promotion? I mean honestly, they all go to middle school. This everyone gets a trophy generation. PreK graduation, K graduation, 5th grade graduation, 8th grade graduation, Freshman Final day, Junior Day, Senior Day, Senior graduation. Stop treating kids like every grade they complete deserves a freaking ceremony.

Why are you so bitter about it?
This was not this year, but DD attended a relatively small elementary school by MCPS standards. She and many of her friends had been together since kindergarten. they loved their school and their teachers. Yes, they were all going to middle school. But a couple were moving away, a few were going to magnets. And they knew that there would be a couple hundred other kids in the 6th grade that none of them knew. New school, bigger school, bigger kids, big changes, yes sure everybody grows up. You can say suck it up and deal. Or you can say that ten and eleven year olds have emotions. As adults, it is helpful to give them a context and a method to process those emotions. At DD's promotion ceremony, each student was handed a carnation by the principal. That student was then given the opportunity to give that carnation to anyone the student chose as a way to thank the person for all their support. Some kids gave the flower to a parent, some to a sibling, and many gave them to teachers or administrators. Every child except one gave a short statement of their favorite memory or thanked their loved ones. When one little boy was too overcome with emotion and was crying, his friends cheered him on so that he could get the words out. These kids loved each other. That ceremony was not about everyone getting a trophy. Humans have rituals for a reason.

Jesus lady, your long post on emotions about 5th grade just proved the PP's point. LOL

[Anonymous]

It really is no surprise after all these years in this area that there are so many posts on DCUM by people who can't make any friends, have miserable marriages, and kids with no social skills. But hey, everybody is rich and going to an ivy so that is all that matters, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand this either. My DD had a 5th grade promotion the day before the last day of school and the teachers emailed all parents beforehand to let them know that "parents traditionally sign their child out of school afterwards to a celebratory lunch." But kids are welcome to stay at school of course. Don't get why the school would basically be telling people to take their kids home. MybDD stayed and she said there were probably about 20 kids( out of 100) at school who didn't go home at noon. On a full day of school. Of course there was also "no learning" the next day as well.

This is a different situation than high school kids, or even 4th graders. Parents presumably took the day off of work to come to the 5th grade promotion. Most parents DO want to do something with their kid after the promotion since they are off anyway and want to make the day fun and special for their kid - a celebratory lunch afterwards sounds perfect.
The school was acknowledging what most of the parents would do anyway.

What is a 5th grade promotion? I mean honestly, they all go to middle school. This everyone gets a trophy generation. PreK graduation, K graduation, 5th grade graduation, 8th grade graduation, Freshman Final day, Junior Day, Senior Day, Senior graduation. Stop treating kids like every grade they complete deserves a freaking ceremony.

Why are you so bitter about it?
This was not this year, but DD attended a relatively small elementary school by MCPS standards. She and many of her friends had been together since kindergarten. they loved their school and their teachers. Yes, they were all going to middle school. But a couple were moving away, a few were going to magnets. And they knew that there would be a couple hundred other kids in the 6th grade that none of them knew. New school, bigger school, bigger kids, big changes, yes sure everybody grows up. You can say suck it up and deal. Or you can say that ten and eleven year olds have emotions. As adults, it is helpful to give them a context and a method to process those emotions. At DD's promotion ceremony, each student was handed a carnation by the principal. That student was then given the opportunity to give that carnation to anyone the student chose as a way to thank the person for all their support. Some kids gave the flower to a parent, some to a sibling, and many gave them to teachers or administrators. Every child except one gave a short statement of their favorite memory or thanked their loved ones. When one little boy was too overcome with emotion and was crying, his friends cheered him on so that he could get the words out. These kids loved each other. That ceremony was not about everyone getting a trophy. Humans have rituals for a reason.

Jesus lady, your long post on emotions about 5th grade just proved the PP's point. LOL

+1