2020-21 "absences" from PK

[Anonymous]

We just received a form letter from DCPS/Ferebee informing us that our child was absent from 124 days of PK3 last year and reminding us of the attendance policy. Truly amazing. We were never offered an in person slot, not even a CARES classroom slot. We stopped attending virtual school after weeks of discussion with the teacher, para, sped teacher, and the family mental health counselor discussing our options. Our kid was having literal meltdowns daily when trying to log into virtual school and clearly just having an intensely negative reaction. We tried for months to make it work, I rearranged my entire work schedule to accommodate it, we worked so hard at it.

The only reason we didn't unenroll is that on the off chance we were offered an in person spot, we would have taken it in a heartbeat. We wound up paying for a part-time PK program in the spring just to get her in some kind of social group learning setting, but it was only 9 hours a week (it was what we could find and afford) and if we'd gotten something from DCPS we would have said yes instantly. Our school only invited back around 60 students across all grades, even in Term 4 and we were not in the group.

The letter does mention that they understand "last year had it's challenges." I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I know this is all they can do to us about this because PK is optional in DC, but it's still just comical.

Anyway, looking forward to the first day of PK4 next week (at a different school) and I hope my kid actually gets to attend public school this year with some regularity. What a joke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We just received a form letter from DCPS/Ferebee informing us that our child was absent from 124 days of PK3 last year and reminding us of the attendance policy. Truly amazing. We were never offered an in person slot, not even a CARES classroom slot. We stopped attending virtual school after weeks of discussion with the teacher, para, sped teacher, and the family mental health counselor discussing our options. Our kid was having literal meltdowns daily when trying to log into virtual school and clearly just having an intensely negative reaction. We tried for months to make it work, I rearranged my entire work schedule to accommodate it, we worked so hard at it.

The only reason we didn't unenroll is that on the off chance we were offered an in person spot, we would have taken it in a heartbeat. We wound up paying for a part-time PK program in the spring just to get her in some kind of social group learning setting, but it was only 9 hours a week (it was what we could find and afford) and if we'd gotten something from DCPS we would have said yes instantly. Our school only invited back around 60 students across all grades, even in Term 4 and we were not in the group.

The letter does mention that they understand "last year had it's challenges." I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I know this is all they can do to us about this because PK is optional in DC, but it's still just comical.

Anyway, looking forward to the first day of PK4 next week (at a different school) and I hope my kid actually gets to attend public school this year with some regularity. What a joke.

I think everyone got that letter? We got one and our kid was only absent 4 times.

[Anonymous]

Hon, it's a form letter. Lots of people got them. You have been "reminded", so consider yourself reminded and go on with your day.

[Anonymous]

Don’t worry, attendance only counts for college admissions Kindergarten and after.

JK, couldn’t resist.

We got the letter, and our student was absent 0 times. This was for high school, and there was *so* much work, what a nightmare. DC had to log on every day.

I don’t regret DL bc of COVID. But I’m hoping this year is better than last, aren’t you?

So please try to not take it the letter personally. I think DCPS is just trying to encourage participation this year, not scold you for last year.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I'm not taking it personally at all. I mostly just find it funny that the school district bothered to track my child's attendance at "virtual preschool" at all. Truly the most meaningless metric for the last year I've ever heard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We just received a form letter from DCPS/Ferebee informing us that our child was absent from 124 days of PK3 last year and reminding us of the attendance policy. Truly amazing. We were never offered an in person slot, not even a CARES classroom slot. We stopped attending virtual school after weeks of discussion with the teacher, para, sped teacher, and the family mental health counselor discussing our options. Our kid was having literal meltdowns daily when trying to log into virtual school and clearly just having an intensely negative reaction. We tried for months to make it work, I rearranged my entire work schedule to accommodate it, we worked so hard at it.

The only reason we didn't unenroll is that on the off chance we were offered an in person spot, we would have taken it in a heartbeat. We wound up paying for a part-time PK program in the spring just to get her in some kind of social group learning setting, but it was only 9 hours a week (it was what we could find and afford) and if we'd gotten something from DCPS we would have said yes instantly. Our school only invited back around 60 students across all grades, even in Term 4 and we were not in the group.

The letter does mention that they understand "last year had it's challenges." I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I know this is all they can do to us about this because PK is optional in DC, but it's still just comical.

Anyway, looking forward to the first day of PK4 next week (at a different school) and I hope my kid actually gets to attend public school this year with some regularity. What a joke.

Sooooo, it sounds like you erroneously kept your kid enrolled, didn’t follow rules, and didn’t have your kid attend classes where you erroneously kept them enrolled. Shame on you. You deserve that and a visit by CPS. 🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just received a form letter from DCPS/Ferebee informing us that our child was absent from 124 days of PK3 last year and reminding us of the attendance policy. Truly amazing. We were never offered an in person slot, not even a CARES classroom slot. We stopped attending virtual school after weeks of discussion with the teacher, para, sped teacher, and the family mental health counselor discussing our options. Our kid was having literal meltdowns daily when trying to log into virtual school and clearly just having an intensely negative reaction. We tried for months to make it work, I rearranged my entire work schedule to accommodate it, we worked so hard at it.

The only reason we didn't unenroll is that on the off chance we were offered an in person spot, we would have taken it in a heartbeat. We wound up paying for a part-time PK program in the spring just to get her in some kind of social group learning setting, but it was only 9 hours a week (it was what we could find and afford) and if we'd gotten something from DCPS we would have said yes instantly. Our school only invited back around 60 students across all grades, even in Term 4 and we were not in the group.

The letter does mention that they understand "last year had it's challenges." I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I know this is all they can do to us about this because PK is optional in DC, but it's still just comical.

Anyway, looking forward to the first day of PK4 next week (at a different school) and I hope my kid actually gets to attend public school this year with some regularity. What a joke.

Sooooo, it sounds like you erroneously kept your kid enrolled, didn’t follow rules, and didn’t have your kid attend classes where you erroneously kept them enrolled. Shame on you. You deserve that and a visit by CPS. 🙄

Lolz wut?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I'm not taking it personally at all. I mostly just find it funny that the school district bothered to track my child's attendance at "virtual preschool" at all. Truly the most meaningless metric for the last year I've ever heard.

I had a kid in DCPS pre-K last year and also pulled her. I instead enrolled her in a fulltime private. BUT I unenrolled her. And get this, I didn’t get that letter! How interesting how that works

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just received a form letter from DCPS/Ferebee informing us that our child was absent from 124 days of PK3 last year and reminding us of the attendance policy. Truly amazing. We were never offered an in person slot, not even a CARES classroom slot. We stopped attending virtual school after weeks of discussion with the teacher, para, sped teacher, and the family mental health counselor discussing our options. Our kid was having literal meltdowns daily when trying to log into virtual school and clearly just having an intensely negative reaction. We tried for months to make it work, I rearranged my entire work schedule to accommodate it, we worked so hard at it.

The only reason we didn't unenroll is that on the off chance we were offered an in person spot, we would have taken it in a heartbeat. We wound up paying for a part-time PK program in the spring just to get her in some kind of social group learning setting, but it was only 9 hours a week (it was what we could find and afford) and if we'd gotten something from DCPS we would have said yes instantly. Our school only invited back around 60 students across all grades, even in Term 4 and we were not in the group.

The letter does mention that they understand "last year had it's challenges." I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I know this is all they can do to us about this because PK is optional in DC, but it's still just comical.

Anyway, looking forward to the first day of PK4 next week (at a different school) and I hope my kid actually gets to attend public school this year with some regularity. What a joke.

Sooooo, it sounds like you erroneously kept your kid enrolled, didn’t follow rules, and didn’t have your kid attend classes where you erroneously kept them enrolled. Shame on you. You deserve that and a visit by CPS. 🙄

Lolz wut?

It’s DC law for truancy, so yes, it supports a report to CPS. One was undoubtedly made because it is required. But likely because it is Pre-K, they won’t do anything. If it happens in K, it’ll be a mandatory visit

[Anonymous]

Why didn’t you just log in like they said to- it was basically one click. I got it and had 1 absence - guess I forgot to click that day!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why didn’t you just log in like they said to- it was basically one click. I got it and had 1 absence - guess I forgot to click that day!

Beat you!!! Just found our letter and we had zero absences! I’m actually surprised! Based on recent posts, i was expected some school error sayings a ridiculous number

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why didn’t you just log in like they said to- it was basically one click. I got it and had 1 absence - guess I forgot to click that day!

Why should I log into a website to get my kid marked as "present" for a school day in which they are not receiving any schooling? Why would this be a good thing to do? What does it prove?

[Anonymous]

You should have unenrolled then

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I'm not taking it personally at all. I mostly just find it funny that the school district bothered to track my child's attendance at "virtual preschool" at all. Truly the most meaningless metric for the last year I've ever heard.

I had a kid in DCPS pre-K last year and also pulled her. I instead enrolled her in a fulltime private. BUT I unenrolled her. And get this, I didn’t get that letter! How interesting how that works

OP here. If we could have found a spot in a full-time private, we also would have unenrolled. We couldn't, in large part because we were trying hard for the first few months to make DCPS work, on the erroneous assumption that they would do whatever they could to reopen school at some point, which they did not. Since we couldn't find a full-time program with an open spot, we didn't want to unenroll.

It's interesting how THAT works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should have unenrolled then

They should have either offered in-person PK or nothing at all. No one should be expected to attend virtual preschool, that's silly.