Reply to S/O - Avoid Focus School

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Wealthier school communities get weekly teacher emails??
WHAT THE WHAT?[/quote]

W parent here and we I get between 2-5 email weekly from his teacher, most general and some specific. Another couple a month form the room parents and class social organizer. We do have large classes though that have only gotten bigger as the year drags on, 4 additional kids have been added. I have always wondered, are there as many after school enrichment classes at focus schools. The list of STEM, art, sports and extracurricular classes such as acting, dance and magic classes which take the kids up to 4:45 to assist with work timing hosted by the school is impressive. I assume those are county wide but curious. The PTA resources are obviously going to be different but that seems to help the school budget more than a tanagible benefit per kid.

If anybody has a question about a non-focus supposedly wealthy school and would like an honest answer fell free. I have been curious what it would have been like if we had stayed in Takoma Park. I am curious have they handle the gap between ESOL and English kids.  [/quote]

I'd be interested in knowing more about patent participation.  Are there are wide variety of parents who volunteer or do you find it to be the same group of parents in each class?  We are at a Focus school and (understandably) it's the parents that are more middle class who can take off work to go on field trips or help with class parties.  There are about 1/3 of the parents in any given class that I have never met because they are unable to/choose not to attend school events.  I wonder if you get more widespread parent participation at a wealthier school.  [/quote]

I'm a teacher who works in a Focus school whose child attends a by-comparison wealthier school (non W). I can only compare these two schools but here are the major differences that I see:

[b]Focus school:[/b]
very few parent volunteers although parents are very welcome to volunteer in whatever capacity they choose. There are a few who have standing weekly volunteer schedules, but they are mostly K parents. 
You tend to see the same parents over and over at school events even though events are planned at different times of day to allow more people to attend (some before school, some in the afternoons & some in the evenings)
PTA is small but does as much as they can with the resources they have. Frequent fundraisers which are sparsely attended, and the majority of attendees are school staff. PTA is very hard working and organized. 
Very little parent response to requests to send in materials for class parties or projects. Most end up being completely teacher funded. 
Some classes may have zero parents volunteer to chaperone field trips. Other school staff are pulled from their regular duties to go on field trips
Teachers spend their own money to buy anything besides the basic supplies that must be ordered from the warehouse at the end of each year for the following year. If a new classroom is added after the order is made then everyone on staff is asked to contribute some of their supplies so that the new teacher has supplies. 
Any "extra" events like Muffins for Moms/Donuts for Dads are planned by school staff. Some years PTA has money to buy food for it and others the staff are asked to cater it. 
Staff are frequently asked to donate money or items for things like raffle prizes for PBIS
No "extra" subscriptions to programs that aren't provided by the county. My friend at a wealthier school gives me her login info. 
Teachers spend a lot of extra hours laminating/cutting/copying/making bulletin boards/making class resources etc.
Maybe one assembly from an outside vendor per year

[b]
Comparatively wealthier non-Focus school:[/b]
so many parent volunteers to chaperone field trips that teachers pull names out of a hat so that non-chosen parents can't get upset
extremely large and active PTA with sub-committees--"many hands make light work" 
many large and well-attended PTA sponsored events with extras like a DJ 
PTA gifts teachers with extra money to spend on non-essentials
PTA can buy staff subscriptions to programs like Read Naturally, Reading A-Z & BrainPop Jr. 
well-attended "extra" events like Grandparents Day that are planned by PTA committees
room parents who plan and implement class parties 
class parties and projects are 100% funded by parent donations
super fast parent response to teacher supply requests---if the teacher emails that they are running low on tissues then immediately parents respond that they'll send some in tomorrow
a rotation of parent volunteers to do tasks like: cut out laminating, staple packets, take down/put up bulletin board paper, make copies, make sight word key rings etc. 
parent volunteers to help at lunch and recess
lots of assemblies throughout the year

As I said, this is a sample size of two schools. The comparatively wealthier school isn't in an area of MoCo that's popular with DCUM. These two schools are 4 miles from each other. Not all Focus schools are created equally and a lot depends on the principal. The principal at the school where I work is really only concerned about data and making sure that they look good to their boss. Very self-promoting and not tuned in to the day to day operations. Not really a forward thinker either and doesn't try to think outside the box. Doesn't see how providing students with more experiences like assemblies can help them make connections to what they're learning in class. The principal also stopped all events that aren't directly related to academics, like Field Day. Kids need an opportunity to have fun and see staff in a different light. It helps build relationships and helps kids associate school with things besides just academics. I think the school could make huge strides with a different leader. But that's not either here nor there...

I think there are a lot of benefits to Focus schools and the reduced class size in the primary grades is great. Students learn best when teachers are in a good mood. Teachers at my kid's school are in a good mood because they're supported by admin, parents and the community. I can't say the same for teachers at the school where I work. The stress is higher and teachers are asked to give more and more of their time, money and energy.  I wouldn't say to avoid Focus schools--like you would for anything, do your research on the specific school. Go to the school and sense the vibe. Do kids and staff look happy or tense when they're walking in the hallway? For me that would be the most important factor.

[/quote]

This is spot on and accurately reflects my experiences as well. I wonder if we work at the same school, actually.[/quote]

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