SOL screwup

[Anonymous]

So after getting at least a half dozen messages over the last two weeks on both my land line and cell phone about the SOLs, plus I don't know how many text messages and emails, somehow my middle schooler went to school today with a full breakfast in his stomach and his iPad all charged etc. etc. and no one from the school directed him to the testing room, so he just went off to class. It somehow didn't get noticed until 2nd period (9:30), at which point it was way too late to start the test so they told him he would have to do the retake the last week of June. I've been willing to cut the teachers and admins so much slack this whole year, I'm sure it has all been exhausting, but COME ON. I am DONE, the whole SOL thing is so stupid anyhow, there is no way I am going to make him do a "retest" in three weeks to measure how little they covered this year. Filling out the form now.

[Anonymous]

Can't he sign on later this week with the other cohort?

[Anonymous]

He knew he was supposed to take it today? Why didn't he ask his first block teacher where the test was? Or pop into the office and say he didn't know where to go? That's kind of on him...

I mean, sure, sign him out, they're stupid and don't matter especially this year, but why is it the teacher's fault?

[Anonymous]

Do you want it on a silver platter or something? How many students were able to figure out where to go?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you want it on a silver platter or something? How many students were able to figure out where to go?

This is the new Executive Functioning part of the SOLs. This student does not exhibit pass advanced scores. There will be openings at McDonalds.

[Anonymous]

He didn't ask? You said he's in middle school. Why didn't he say anything?

Not entirely sure what happened considering he had the room number for his classes but not the SOL information?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He knew he was supposed to take it today? Why didn't he ask his first block teacher where the test was? Or pop into the office and say he didn't know where to go? That's kind of on him...

I mean, sure, sign him out, they're stupid and don't matter especially this year, but why is it the teacher's fault?

You're really going to blame the kid here?
I'm also a MS parent and my kid was attributed an "unexcused absence from one or more classes" because she WAS taking her SOL and was not in her first period class. Are you going to blame my child for that, too?

[Anonymous]

There's no way my kid who is in the 3rd grade now would get himself to the SOL on his own w/out assistance. Even setting aside his disabilities and even giving him a few years of maturity into middle school, not all kids are at the same place. Would I work with my kid to get him to a place where he can simply ask where the heck to go, yes. Would I solely blame him for not doing that, at this point, probably not. The SOL is supposed to reach all kids and the school has some responsibility to make that happen. I emphasize with teachers, there are clearly too many students in APS classrooms to allow them to reach each student, but surely someone in the admin could have hung signs, made announcements, stationed some aids around to direct kids. It's not unreasonable to expect a community effort when the test results impact the entire community. It's either important to the school or it's not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you want it on a silver platter or something? How many students were able to figure out where to go?

This is the new Executive Functioning part of the SOLs. This student does not exhibit pass advanced scores. There will be openings at McDonalds.

This is the new APS strategy for students who will not pass the SOL. Just don't tell them where to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He knew he was supposed to take it today? Why didn't he ask his first block teacher where the test was? Or pop into the office and say he didn't know where to go? That's kind of on him...

I mean, sure, sign him out, they're stupid and don't matter especially this year, but why is it the teacher's fault?

You're really going to blame the kid here?
I'm also a MS parent and my kid was attributed an "unexcused absence from one or more classes" because she WAS taking her SOL and was not in her first period class. Are you going to blame my child for that, too?

I mean, your scenario is completely the opposite. Everyone did what they were supposed to do, the office just didn’t override the attendance code.

Was the room communicated to the child ahead of time? Emailed to him? Written in a planner? Did they make an announcement for all testing kids to find their location? If none of those things happened, then yeah, school’s fault. If any of those were done though, the kid needs to be able to pipe up and admit he didn’t know where to go.

[Anonymous]

OP....put your big girl pants on and take responsibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's no way my kid who is in the 3rd grade now would get himself to the SOL on his own w/out assistance. Even setting aside his disabilities and even giving him a few years of maturity into middle school, not all kids are at the same place. Would I work with my kid to get him to a place where he can simply ask where the heck to go, yes. Would I solely blame him for not doing that, at this point, probably not. The SOL is supposed to reach all kids and the school has some responsibility to make that happen. I emphasize with teachers, there are clearly too many students in APS classrooms to allow them to reach each student, but surely someone in the admin could have hung signs, made announcements, stationed some aids around to direct kids. It's not unreasonable to expect a community effort when the test results impact the entire community. It's either important to the school or it's not.

Dude, you are a 3rd grade parent. You have no idea what you are talking about to even contribute to this thread about middle schoolers.

[Anonymous]

What school did this happen at? At our APS MS, classes didn't even begin until then anticipated end time for SOLs (although students could continue beyond that if they needed and miss class), and the whole schedule for the day was adjusted to accommodate it. Kids who weren't taking an SOL today weren't even supposed to arrive/log-in until after the anticipated end time.

I am surprised that any school would schedule SOLs in a way that kids necessarily would have to miss classes to take it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP....put your big girl pants on and take responsibility.

Missing the test is on the kid (unless he has executive functioning issues)

The tantrum is on the parent

But who cares about middle school SOLs anyway?

[Anonymous]

OP, don't even bother with some of these people. They will twist themselves up into a pretzel defending incompetence.