OP, you need to get a tutor and work extensively with the school. Yes, your kid is way behind. It is an unfortunate reality. I think they won't counsel out if you show progress but it is going to be hard.

Anonymous wrote:OP here - there was no admissions test or essay. There were teacher references, which he had. But he was out of school for over a year with a pathetic excuse for "virtual" which included mainly slide shows, youtube, and no real teacher or teaching. He had good grades before that. I was well aware that his skills were poor after a year out of school, but I thought he would be ok since he was always at the top of his class before covid. But the privates weren't out of school at all and are shocked at his levels.

Really don’t think a kid with A’s and B’s is one that was at the top of his class at FCPS..especially if he wasn’t in AAP. Don’t think they’ll counsel you out yet but they’ll lay out a plan and if he doesn’t meet expectations they may want him to repeat or let you know they don’t think it’s a good fit.

When is his birthday? If it is spring or summer and he wasn’t redshirted then ask to see if he can be moved into 7th grade.

I smell a troll.

OP if your child is willing to put in the work and you are willing to hire tutors, etc, I don't think they'll kick you out, but you are in for a tough year or two as they get caught up.

OP here - there was no admissions test or essay. There were teacher references, which he had. But he was out of school for over a year with a pathetic excuse for "virtual" which included mainly slide shows, youtube, and no real teacher or teaching. He had good grades before that. I was well aware that his skills were poor after a year out of school, but I thought he would be ok since he was always at the top of his class before covid. But the privates weren't out of school at all and are shocked at his levels.

This feels insincere to me: an 8th grader who can’t spell a 3-letter word yet handled the writing admissions essays and the SSAT to be admitted to 8th grade, generally a year with few openings. If his writing was so bad, certainly you learned that during the application process?

Somehow, a lot of his peers in his public school can do those things.

Who wrote his admissions essay?

How did you not know that he couldn't "write a paragraph, spell three-syllable words, or use basic punctuation and capitalization" before now? This is basic parenting.

Did you know he couldnt do these things before?

Did he have to take an admissions test or placement test prior to being admitted?

What's your kid's attitude? Is he willing to put in the time?

Hard to say? Which school?

It's our first year in a private, 8th grade. However, our son was completely unprepared and is failing everything. Apparently his "world class" education from FCPS was somewhat lacking. He can't write a paragraph, spell three-syllable words, use basic punctuation and capitalization, do enough research to write a short report, take notes, or efficiently study for tests. The school has given us a learning specialist, a counselor, and an accommodation plan (although the only "disability" he has is a public school education and a missing year where he had "virtual"). He was a good student before - A's and B's only. They have called us into a meeting next week to talk about his lack of progress. Should I be worried?