Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is this you:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1061627.page

What did your PTA say? What did the front office say?

OP here - no that post was not me even though in my head that is exactly how I'm sounding and what I'm thinking. Hahahaha!

HA - it was ME. I'm the OG. I finally got an email from the school for a playdate but when I emailed back (the principal was the PoC), she's like "you'll hear more from the PTA". So I still don't know when in August we'll get more info and, frankly, I have multiple work trips already scheduled so it really is frustrating how short notice they give. I've gotten nothing from the PTA at all.

But the more and more I'm reading about "no homework" and reduced expectations (SOL?) the more I'm trying to get the heck out of NoVA to afford private school. Good luck to you!

Oh yeah, you definitely scream “I’ll do well in a less intense area”.

Shhh -- do not discourage her. OP, if you're pushing for homework for kindergartners and can't imagine how your kid will make friends without summer playdates, you would definitely be happier elsewhere.

I assume Pp meant the entire elementary years no homework policy most APS schools follow. It’s about equity since many kids don’t have stable home environments to do homework (or care for siblings etc), so all work must take place during school day.

SOLs are what drive accreditation so that’s what schools focus on; it’s not like an elementary school principal will get accolades or a bonus if all of their elementary graduates end up at the Ivy League. No one is tracking outcomes at that end of the spectrum.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is this you:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1061627.page

What did your PTA say? What did the front office say?

OP here - no that post was not me even though in my head that is exactly how I'm sounding and what I'm thinking. Hahahaha!

HA - it was ME. I'm the OG. I finally got an email from the school for a playdate but when I emailed back (the principal was the PoC), she's like "you'll hear more from the PTA". So I still don't know when in August we'll get more info and, frankly, I have multiple work trips already scheduled so it really is frustrating how short notice they give. I've gotten nothing from the PTA at all.

But the more and more I'm reading about "no homework" and reduced expectations (SOL?) the more I'm trying to get the heck out of NoVA to afford private school. Good luck to you!

Oh yeah, you definitely scream “I’ll do well in a less intense area”.

Shhh -- do not discourage her. OP, if you're pushing for homework for kindergartners and can't imagine how your kid will make friends without summer playdates, you would definitely be happier elsewhere.

Anonymous wrote:Being told about meetups or other events rather last minute is an ongoing problem. Parents with a lot of time demands, because of jobs or kid’s special needs or anything, want to be involved but can’t when the notice about things comes with less than a week’s warning. I think the issue is that lots of young teachers and also PTA moms who are often SAHMs with some free time have a really different relationship to scheduling.

100%

Being told about meetups or other events rather last minute is an ongoing problem. Parents with a lot of time demands, because of jobs or kid’s special needs or anything, want to be involved but can’t when the notice about things comes with less than a week’s warning. I think the issue is that lots of young teachers and also PTA moms who are often SAHMs with some free time have a really different relationship to scheduling.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is this you:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1061627.page

What did your PTA say? What did the front office say?

OP here - no that post was not me even though in my head that is exactly how I'm sounding and what I'm thinking. Hahahaha!

HA - it was ME. I'm the OG. I finally got an email from the school for a playdate but when I emailed back (the principal was the PoC), she's like "you'll hear more from the PTA". So I still don't know when in August we'll get more info and, frankly, I have multiple work trips already scheduled so it really is frustrating how short notice they give. I've gotten nothing from the PTA at all.

But the more and more I'm reading about "no homework" and reduced expectations (SOL?) the more I'm trying to get the heck out of NoVA to afford private school. Good luck to you!

Oh yeah, you definitely scream “I’ll do well in a less intense area”.

Anonymous wrote:As others have said there isn’t much to know. Compared with preschool, public schools tend to communicate with families very little, and much of it is relatively last minute. Teacher assignments aren’t shared with parents until days before school begins. It annoys me, too, but that’s how it is.

Part of the issue is that people procrastinate when registering their kid for kindergarten. Or people don’t realize they have to register their kid for kindergarten. Some schools scramble at the last minute to hire extra teachers because of enrollment issues. Eg 75 kids can make three classes, but 85 kids means four classes. Due to budget considerations, You can’t just have an extra teacher floating around to step in a week before school starts.

As others have said there isn’t much to know. Compared with preschool, public schools tend to communicate with families very little, and much of it is relatively last minute. Teacher assignments aren’t shared with parents until days before school begins. It annoys me, too, but that’s how it is.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is this you:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1061627.page

What did your PTA say? What did the front office say?

OP here - no that post was not me even though in my head that is exactly how I'm sounding and what I'm thinking. Hahahaha!

HA - it was ME. I'm the OG. I finally got an email from the school for a playdate but when I emailed back (the principal was the PoC), she's like "you'll hear more from the PTA". So I still don't know when in August we'll get more info and, frankly, I have multiple work trips already scheduled so it really is frustrating how short notice they give. I've gotten nothing from the PTA at all.

But the more and more I'm reading about "no homework" and reduced expectations (SOL?) the more I'm trying to get the heck out of NoVA to afford private school. Good luck to you!

What info are you looking for? Supply lists are already on the website, you will get a letter with your teacher and bus route the week before school starts, and open house is generally the Wednesday or Thursday before school starts.

Different poster with kids going into 3rd and 5th- I feel like people may be overestimating the value of the rising kinder playdate. My kids both went to them, and to more playdates when they were rezoned to a new school and....I don't think any of us actually met or bonded with the people we actually became friends with once school started. Neither you nor your kids would miss much if you can't go.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is this you:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1061627.page

What did your PTA say? What did the front office say?

OP here - no that post was not me even though in my head that is exactly how I'm sounding and what I'm thinking. Hahahaha!

HA - it was ME. I'm the OG. I finally got an email from the school for a playdate but when I emailed back (the principal was the PoC), she's like "you'll hear more from the PTA". So I still don't know when in August we'll get more info and, frankly, I have multiple work trips already scheduled so it really is frustrating how short notice they give. I've gotten nothing from the PTA at all.

But the more and more I'm reading about "no homework" and reduced expectations (SOL?) the more I'm trying to get the heck out of NoVA to afford private school. Good luck to you!

What info are you looking for? Supply lists are already on the website, you will get a letter with your teacher and bus route the week before school starts, and open house is generally the Wednesday or Thursday before school starts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is this you:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1061627.page

What did your PTA say? What did the front office say?

OP here - no that post was not me even though in my head that is exactly how I'm sounding and what I'm thinking. Hahahaha!

HA - it was ME. I'm the OG. I finally got an email from the school for a playdate but when I emailed back (the principal was the PoC), she's like "you'll hear more from the PTA". So I still don't know when in August we'll get more info and, frankly, I have multiple work trips already scheduled so it really is frustrating how short notice they give. I've gotten nothing from the PTA at all.

But the more and more I'm reading about "no homework" and reduced expectations (SOL?) the more I'm trying to get the heck out of NoVA to afford private school. Good luck to you!

Anonymous wrote:NP: can anyone provide more information on Drew for a rising K student and their family?

Yes! There is an open house on August 25th to meet your teacher. Time to be announced, but last year it was 1-3 or 2-4. I can't remember exactly. You can buy your supplies and sign up for the PTA here: https://drewpta.com/. All supplies are communal, so no need buying Larla the special butterfly scissors-- she won't get to use them. There will be a popsicle meetup the weekend before kindergarten organized by the PTA.

The teachers and staff are great-- I cannot say enough good things about my kid's experience. We had lots of one on one attention and my kid learned so much and loved going to school.

If you are looking to meet parents, a few of us will be a the spray ground at Drew Park at 3 on Friday.

There really isn’t anything magical to expect. You’ll likely get some basic information and be told how “amazing” APS is.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is this you:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1061627.page

What did your PTA say? What did the front office say?

OP here - no that post was not me even though in my head that is exactly how I'm sounding and what I'm thinking. Hahahaha!

I'm surprised the ATS PTA was not responsive. Have you registered your child officially with APS?

Normally there is an open house, though maybe not all schools do that. ATS does have a new principal after a decades long person, so the ways things are done may be a bit different. But the front office should know if there are plans for an Open House, or what type of school supplies you should get. So Im' surprised you didn't get a response. That's why I asked for more info about what you asked, and to whom, in my previous post.

Anonymous wrote:OP - we are going to ATS. If anyone has information or links, I'm happy to hear more.

My kids have been at two different APS elementaries, not ATS, but the school website has contained the supply lists in both instances.

It looks like this is information about ATS supplies- it appears they order for all kindergarteners and then will ask you to pay in September?

https://ats.apsva.us/ats-supply-lists/

Our elementaries both have private parent facebook groups where people post about playdates and other things. I don't know what ATS has.

Other than that...there really is nothing to do or stress about. I believe kids will start paying for school lunches again next year, if your kid doesn't bring a lunch, so you may want to look at the my school bucks website and set up an account if you don't have one.

You're not going to get a bus schedule or teacher assignments until right before (like days before) school starts. I think most schools have an open house/meet the teacher the week before school starts. So typically it would be like, teacher assignment received on Monday/Tuesday - open house Thursday morning - first day of school the following Monday. If ATS does an open house you can ask the teacher then if there is anything specific that is not in the school kit that your kid should have. For K at the open house my kids' teachers asked all the parents to leave the room and read the kids a story to get them used to the idea of being there without their parents.

NP: can anyone provide more information on Drew for a rising K student and their family?