Ukrainian American here. While I recognize that their education was fragmented last year, I have a few questions:

1) How is their English?

2) What math and science have they already completed?

Particularly in STEM, Ukrainian pupils are far ahead of their American peers. Repeating 8th grade might be the correct choice, but it is worth really looking at whether a middle school can meet his academic needs.

BUT, if you look at that and the family still decides to enroll both boys in 8th grade, this feels like something that you can go over the head of whomever answered the phone.

Schasti i Slava Ukraina!

Anonymous wrote:I believe it is up to parents to hold back and schools to push forward. If someone can have a conversation to the effect of the details you describe above, it would be hard to insist he go forward into 9th grade. He will still legally be the right age (under 21) in 12th grade so it should not really be a problem, perhaps just one person keeping to a certain bureaucracy.

Be nice, but go over the person's head. The request sounds very legitimate. In ES we had an immigrant repeat their overseas grade with a July birthday because of language barrier. Seems more important at high school level

Anonymous wrote:I would look at a CYO program or other recreation league for the basketball issue. Don’t let that be the driver here.

CYO only works if you’re Catholic

I would look at a CYO program or other recreation league for the basketball issue. Don’t let that be the driver here.

OP do you have any documentation of either his physical or emotional immaturity ? A doctor's note, a psychologists diagnosis? I'm afraid you will find yourself making a tough decision between getting enrolled before Winter Sports deadline or appealing the decision.
Your best bet may be to appeal the decision but enroll them both in a rec league.
Wish I had a better answer for you.

I believe it is up to parents to hold back and schools to push forward. If someone can have a conversation to the effect of the details you describe above, it would be hard to insist he go forward into 9th grade. He will still legally be the right age (under 21) in 12th grade so it should not really be a problem, perhaps just one person keeping to a certain bureaucracy.

OP in many MCPS schools, competition to make the basketball team is very stiff and players double on the best local leagues. Ask the AD to be up front with you about their odds of making the team and about league options.

Does anyone have knowledge or experience of holding back a new student in MoCo? My family is helping a Ukrainian refugee family resettle in the area, and they want to enroll their boys - aged 13 and 14 - in 8th grade together. The international office for Moco public schools is saying that the 14 year old must start high school even though
1. His last year was extremely fragmented; he was living in several different European countries taking classes over Zoom.
2. He was born August 15 and has missed the cutoff by a matter of days.
3. He is physically (and perhaps a tad socially) immature.
4. It would be much less traumatic for him and his brother to be in school together.
I was under the impression that parents have some say in whether they choose to hold back their children. Apparently there’s a new policy because of COVID, but surely an exception can be made, especially given everything this family has been through? We’re trying to get these boys in school as quickly as possible, and we’re hearing that an appeal is not guaranteed and will hold up both boys’ enrollment. *Side note, they’re huge basketball fanatics and are desperate to try out for the basketball team. We reached out to the school’s Athletic Director last week, and he said that they must be enrolled by December 5 in order to try out. He said no exception can be made. With the holiday and Monday’s closure, we’re already backed up a few days).
Any suggestions would be so appreciated.