Anonymous wrote:

OP agree. That’s great PP! I don’t know much but I thought Williamsburg was the only school that didn’t have some type of away for the day policy? I guess that’s not accurate? Good to hear since Williamsburg is the school we are zoned for. Perhaps there can be some strict enforcement of keeping cellphones away Arlington wide? This is just really bothering me as an issue.

I'm a WMS parent. There is definitely a rule that cell phones are to stay in lockers during the school day. I do think they enforce it, but my kid also says some kids hold onto their phones.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yep this was a TikTok challenge/trend and I'm pretty sure APS sent an email out about it last year. Our MS (WMS) is very strict about phones staying IN lockers ALL day.

OP agree. That’s great PP! I don’t know much but I thought Williamsburg was the only school that didn’t have some type of away for the day policy? I guess that’s not accurate? Good to hear since Williamsburg is the school we are zoned for. Perhaps there can be some strict enforcement of keeping cellphones away Arlington wide? This is just really bothering me as an issue.

WMS is also very strict about bathroom use- there were some end of year shenanigans going on so they limited use during class time except for emergency situations. Of course they could go between classes.

Also, many kids just don't go at all because its an old school with urinals for the boys. Many 6th graders are not used to that lack of privacy.

Oh that’s terrible. No stalls and just urinals for the boys???

I would want students to use the bathroom when they need to. Wonder if there is another solution. But totally get why Williamsburg admin did this.

Well, there are some stalls but of course than everyone thinks you’re taking a dump. No one wants that shame.

?!?!? Pooping is shameful?!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Administrators and school board don’t care one bit.
Wake up already you sleepy heads!!

Even if the school is not doing enough, what about parents? I mean if I found out that someone took a picture of my kid going to the bathroom and sent it around to people (or was doing God knows what with it) I would call the police?

OP here. During the conversation with the mom she mentioned that there was a parent (my understanding that the parent has a kid in another middle school, not Dorothy Hamm) that did go on a local news channel after the school didn’t do anything. Dorothy Hamm admin told students that if there is a problem they should come to them and not go to the media. Obviously going to the media is different from going to the police but it’s an example of a parent taking the matter in his/her own hands.

I applaud that mom who took it to the media. Sometimes that is the only way to get APS to do anything.

OP here. But it seems like it’s still happening? Not sure when the parent went to the media (I think it was a dad by the way and not a mom). But the mom I spoke to made it seem like it was a while ago. Since her kid is still complaining about the situation seems like it’s still happening This technically is an issue that doesn’t directly concern me or my kids but it’s bothering me a lot. I just don’t understand how this behavior is tolerated. I think the only solution is to have a strict phone policy. I am reading that some schools in the country resolved this issue and many others by having students put their phones in these lockable pouches that they collect in the end of the day. Apparently the policy resolved a host of behavioral issues and improved student focus and concentration in the classroom. I know that some middle schools in Arlington have an away for the day policy but it’s hard to enforce with the tools that the school has available. Also I believe that the rule is no phone in the classroom and students can still have their phones during breaks and in the hallway. A rule like that doesn’t resolve the bathroom issue. Also there is a greater chance for students to not comply since they will have to put their phone away multiple times, increasing the number of chances they have to not comply.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Administrators and school board don’t care one bit.
Wake up already you sleepy heads!!

Even if the school is not doing enough, what about parents? I mean if I found out that someone took a picture of my kid going to the bathroom and sent it around to people (or was doing God knows what with it) I would call the police?

OP here. During the conversation with the mom she mentioned that there was a parent (my understanding that the parent has a kid in another middle school, not Dorothy Hamm) that did go on a local news channel after the school didn’t do anything. Dorothy Hamm admin told students that if there is a problem they should come to them and not go to the media. Obviously going to the media is different from going to the police but it’s an example of a parent taking the matter in his/her own hands.

I applaud that mom who took it to the media. Sometimes that is the only way to get APS to do anything.

Anonymous wrote:Sickening that parents are allowing this to continue.

You're literally posting on a board full of parents that are opposed to this behavior and are finding ways to stop it. No parent is "allowing" this. This is a bigger issue.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Administrators and school board don’t care one bit.
Wake up already you sleepy heads!!

Even if the school is not doing enough, what about parents? I mean if I found out that someone took a picture of my kid going to the bathroom and sent it around to people (or was doing God knows what with it) I would call the police?

OP here. During the conversation with the mom she mentioned that there was a parent (my understanding that the parent has a kid in another middle school, not Dorothy Hamm) that did go on a local news channel after the school didn’t do anything. Dorothy Hamm admin told students that if there is a problem they should come to them and not go to the media. Obviously going to the media is different from going to the police but it’s an example of a parent taking the matter in his/her own hands.

Anonymous wrote:
Administrators and school board don’t care one bit.
Wake up already you sleepy heads!!

Even if the school is not doing enough, what about parents? I mean if I found out that someone took a picture of my kid going to the bathroom and sent it around to people (or was doing God knows what with it) I would call the police?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:not a short-term solution, but yet another reason for single, private bathrooms.

Agree! Also building bathrooms where the doors to the stalls go all the way down.

This is the new trend for the non gendered school bathrooms now in vogue across the country. Privacy is paramount. Also a bank of sinks usually lines the hallway. So there would be no hijinx going on in the bathrooms.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:not a short-term solution, but yet another reason for single, private bathrooms.

Agree! Also building bathrooms where the doors to the stalls go all the way down.

Some schools have those and where one problem is solved, others happen. Sex and drugs are common issues in those types of bathrooms. Yes, even in middle schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yep this was a TikTok challenge/trend and I'm pretty sure APS sent an email out about it last year. Our MS (WMS) is very strict about phones staying IN lockers ALL day.

OP agree. That’s great PP! I don’t know much but I thought Williamsburg was the only school that didn’t have some type of away for the day policy? I guess that’s not accurate? Good to hear since Williamsburg is the school we are zoned for. Perhaps there can be some strict enforcement of keeping cellphones away Arlington wide? This is just really bothering me as an issue.

WMS is also very strict about bathroom use- there were some end of year shenanigans going on so they limited use during class time except for emergency situations. Of course they could go between classes.

Also, many kids just don't go at all because its an old school with urinals for the boys. Many 6th graders are not used to that lack of privacy.

Oh that’s terrible. No stalls and just urinals for the boys???

I would want students to use the bathroom when they need to. Wonder if there is another solution. But totally get why Williamsburg admin did this.

Well, there are some stalls but of course than everyone thinks you’re taking a dump. No one wants that shame.

Sickening that parents are allowing this to continue.