I understand you're overwhelmed.

First of all, kids in MoCo Kindergarten are NOT expected to be able to read and write. If you are zoned for a school where parents are high income and all that comes with it, sure, many kids will be doing that. But it's not expected and it's not all kids.

Second of all - segregation. I'm not sure what the demographics of your home school are, but it's unlikely to be totally segregated, as you say.

Electing to attend private school is all just going to upset you more because 1.) the parents have more money, which means they have been doing preschool and/or tutoring on a larger scale, which means their kids are probably even further along re: academics. Also 2.) the self-selection of private school is just going to cause it to be more "segregated" are you say.

Take a breath. Your kids will be FINE.

Anonymous wrote:OP, you are absolutely right. Sorry the PPs are so narrow-minded. They have drunk the kool aid.

Another parent who totally agrees with you.

OP, I'm confused - what is this "PS" you're referring to? Public school or preschool? And why are you preemptively complaining about elementary schools when your kids are not yet elementary aged?

I have 2 kids in MCPS (elementary and middle school) and neither one came into K reading and writing, nor did anyone expect that. And yet my second grader is now writing short essays that have a more coherent structure than some of the grad students I teach. And my 7th grader is learning Chinese and his course descriptions are way beyond anything I did in HS AP classes a billion years ago. My kids are not advanced or gifted, and they don't love school. But they have had great teachers and have made diverse sets of friends.

Please OP, find something else to fill your time. There are good things and bad things about all our area public school systems, but there is really no point in a vague, uninformed rant.

Anonymous wrote:We sent our first to private and it was horrible. The school was too academic and not appropriate at all. He ended up hating school and we switched to public. It's FCPS. Sure, they have issues but have been better than the private and we sent out our children to public K from the start. It's a balance of learning and play in K.

We sent our kid to an academic school for preschool. And, he loved it so much he stayed for a few years before preschool. You picked the wrong school

I only have one suggestion for the OP and it's SSRIs.

We sent our first to private and it was horrible. The school was too academic and not appropriate at all. He ended up hating school and we switched to public. It's FCPS. Sure, they have issues but have been better than the private and we sent out our children to public K from the start. It's a balance of learning and play in K.

Do you really think the private schools won't be MORE segregated?

So much misinformation! There's already enough to dislike without making stuff up. My kids learned to read and write more than their names in kindergarten. It's fine. Diversity can be a challenge unless you seek it out, but it's not better in private! Good luck.

Anonymous wrote:5yo's aren't expected to fully read and write when they walk into K.

True. I'm not sure where OP read that. OP you can look up the curriculum standards by grade for MCPS. They are all published online. Nothing about reading and writing when they walk in the door of K.

Most schools are highly integrated. There are some pockets of most white and Asian, but that's Bethesda Potomac area. Don't live there. For true integration, look at Rockville, Gaithersburg, Germantown, much of Silver Spring.

I agree with you OP. It can feel overwhelming. I live in a diverse area, but it does feel like most of our area schools are segregated. We decided on Montessori. There are options and you and your family will find a good fit.

OP, you are absolutely right. Sorry the PPs are so narrow-minded. They have drunk the kool aid.

5yo's aren't expected to fully read and write when they walk into K.

I second the first PP. And, btw, private schools are even more academic. I don't really think kinders/1st graders should be "playing" the whole school day, but if that's your expectation you will be mightily disappointed no matter what school you go with!

In Kindergarten they learn to read, write, follow rules, socialize, share and participate. Plus some singing and art and recess.

Oh my... maybe you should homeschool or keep your kid back a year if they are not ready for academics and need play. There have always been tests and standards. That is how schools get funding. K is very easy. Work with your kid a few minutes a day and they will be fine.

I apologize in advance for my mini-rant.

From what I am reading in the news, and speaking with parents and teachers, I am REALLY concerned about sending my DCs to public school when K hits. I have always supported PS and people who send their kids there. In a perfect world, I believe all schools should be PS. But thats not reality. And the more I read and hear about this extreme focus on testing...its stressing me out.

I was reading the other day that 5 year olds where I am (MoCo) are now expected to fully read and write walking in the door. WTH did this happen and why are 5 y/o held to this expectation? Kinders and 1st graders should be PLAYING, not writing book reports. Why are we pushing more testing and standards on k-5? It seems teachers are discouraged from teaching creatively. When do kids get to cultivate thoughts instead of managing to standardized tests?

And fucking segregation. Do the schools in this area have to be either brown and black or white and yellow? Wealthy or poor? Are we that messed up that we can't live near people of different races, backgrounds and class?

Is this the present and future for us? Segregation, and producing PARCC/standardized test/SAT robots? If it is, then I'm not sure I want to be part of it. This is what my kids have to look forward to? Just feeling really down about this stuff.