Anonymous
08/31/2023 08:40
Subject: Re:Too many things for one backpack
Anonymous wrote:Can’t they put their stuff for their morning classes in the backpack and the rest in their locker and then switch at lunch?
Yes, but freshman usually don't get lockers
Anonymous
08/31/2023 08:29
Subject: Too many things for one backpack
Every school is different, so the best advice your kid will get is from other kids at their school. Here's what I can share from my kids' experiences:
(1) Textbooks were offered in many classes, but in most it was up to the kids whether to take them. In the cases they took textbooks, they just brought them home and used them for h/w, NEVER returning them to school until the end of the school year. Sometimes the amount of info is overwhelming to kids at the start of HS, so they should ask the teacher whether they need to lug any text books back and forth before doing so.
(2) Lockers -- as others have said, any kid can get a locker. Some with sports equip choose to do so because they can drop it off at the beginning of the day and pick it up at the end. But most kids choose not to, because it would not make logistical sense to return to their lockers during the day.
(3) School supplies -- most teachers left that up to the kids, but, esp in 9th grade, the teachers might suggest particular things that make sense. For sure, certain math classes (maybe starting in Algebra 2, but can't remember) require graphing calculators, which aren't very big. Teachers have some available, but not for entire class. Of course graphing paper needed for some math classes. Notebook for APUSH (maybe other classes) because they are trying to teach kids how to take notes and will check that. But not sure they care if it's binder rather than notebook. My kids (graduate and upper class) experimented with various modes and ended up mostly with folders and a couple notebooks.
Key thing: kid should ask what is required and what is suggested
And parents here should always remember that we don't know anything for sure except about the teachers our kids had at our own schools
(1) Textbooks were offered in many classes, but in most it was up to the kids whether to take them. In the cases they took textbooks, they just brought them home and used them for h/w, NEVER returning them to school until the end of the school year. Sometimes the amount of info is overwhelming to kids at the start of HS, so they should ask the teacher whether they need to lug any text books back and forth before doing so.
(2) Lockers -- as others have said, any kid can get a locker. Some with sports equip choose to do so because they can drop it off at the beginning of the day and pick it up at the end. But most kids choose not to, because it would not make logistical sense to return to their lockers during the day.
(3) School supplies -- most teachers left that up to the kids, but, esp in 9th grade, the teachers might suggest particular things that make sense. For sure, certain math classes (maybe starting in Algebra 2, but can't remember) require graphing calculators, which aren't very big. Teachers have some available, but not for entire class. Of course graphing paper needed for some math classes. Notebook for APUSH (maybe other classes) because they are trying to teach kids how to take notes and will check that. But not sure they care if it's binder rather than notebook. My kids (graduate and upper class) experimented with various modes and ended up mostly with folders and a couple notebooks.
Key thing: kid should ask what is required and what is suggested
And parents here should always remember that we don't know anything for sure except about the teachers our kids had at our own schools
Anonymous
08/31/2023 08:24
Subject: Too many things for one backpack
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Are you serious? There are no lockers in HS? Why? I’m a transplant and have never heard of such a thing.
I don’t get this either. What about winter jackets and sports equipment.
They carry it all.
I am laughing thinking of how my kid is going to do this during softball season. She is going to knock people out in the hallway with her sports bag with bats and cleats hanging out of them.
Anonymous
08/31/2023 08:22
Subject: Too many things for one backpack
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Are you serious? There are no lockers in HS? Why? I’m a transplant and have never heard of such a thing.
I don’t get this either. What about winter jackets and sports equipment.
They carry it all.
MCPS is crazy cheap
Students don’t even get a locker?!?!
Most buildings are overcrowded by hundreds so no, the lockers go quickly and some schools upper classman get first dibs and most of the time the freshman class don't have a chance even if they wanted one.
Anonymous
08/31/2023 08:19
Subject: Too many things for one backpack
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Are you serious? There are no lockers in HS? Why? I’m a transplant and have never heard of such a thing.
I don’t get this either. What about winter jackets and sports equipment.
They carry it all.
MCPS is crazy cheap
Students don’t even get a locker?!?!
Students are offered lockers. Not taking one is a student problem, not MCPS’.
There are no more in our school
Anonymous
08/31/2023 06:57
Subject: Too many things for one backpack
When my kid had too much stuff one year, he requested a locker specifically near a class with a textbook so he could leave that off. Most classes seem to have a set of books for the classroom so they do not have to bring them in.
Anonymous
08/31/2023 06:54
Subject: Re:Too many things for one backpack
Can’t they put their stuff for their morning classes in the backpack and the rest in their locker and then switch at lunch?
Anonymous
08/31/2023 06:46
Subject: Too many things for one backpack
I’d carry a hiking backpack in this situation.
Anonymous
08/31/2023 06:29
Subject: Too many things for one backpack
My oldest used a carabiner clip to attach his lunch box outside the backpack so the rest of it isn't quite so compressed. I don't think they need to lug the AP Gov textbook with them every day; at least mine never did!
Anonymous
08/31/2023 06:16
Subject: Too many things for one backpack
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Are you serious? There are no lockers in HS? Why? I’m a transplant and have never heard of such a thing.
I don’t get this either. What about winter jackets and sports equipment.
They carry it all.
MCPS is crazy cheap
Students don’t even get a locker?!?!
Students are offered lockers. Not taking one is a student problem, not MCPS’.
Anonymous
08/31/2023 01:02
Subject: Too many things for one backpack
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:No. The teachers don't get to demand anything if they're not the ones lugging stuff around. High schoolers pick what they want, and the teachers deal with it. My son had a large binder with tabs, and loose paper for every subject. When it got too full, he'd leave stuff at home. No notebooks.
Me again. My son was at Walter Johnson. He had textbooks he insisted on bringing to school (math, not history), which made his large backpack really heavy, but it could all fit.
However no teacher ever demanded a certain organizational system. None of them ever collected notebooks, so why on earth would they insist on kids having one? There were worksheets to be handed in in AP Calc BC, but most assignments were done online. He took notes on loose paper and kept it all in one binder.
Our math teacher has a set of math books at school and suggested we buy one for at home or we can use the online version. It was an older book so not crazy expensive used.
You guys get textbooks?! Jealous.
I was absolutely shocked when were told.
Anonymous
08/31/2023 00:56
Subject: Re:Too many things for one backpack
Are you worrying about this or are your kids because kids
Figure it out. They take two backpacks. They leave stuff in a favorite teacher’s
Room. They apply for a locker.
And the distance from the lockers to where kids need to be is an issue that spans time. I went to HS in the 1970s. Our HS was three city blocks and four stories. We managed to get to our lockers during the day without parent intervention.
Figure it out. They take two backpacks. They leave stuff in a favorite teacher’s
Room. They apply for a locker.
And the distance from the lockers to where kids need to be is an issue that spans time. I went to HS in the 1970s. Our HS was three city blocks and four stories. We managed to get to our lockers during the day without parent intervention.
Anonymous
08/31/2023 00:48
Subject: Too many things for one backpack
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Are you serious? There are no lockers in HS? Why? I’m a transplant and have never heard of such a thing.
I don’t get this either. What about winter jackets and sports equipment.
They carry it all.
MCPS is crazy cheap
Students don’t even get a locker?!?!
Anonymous
08/30/2023 23:44
Subject: Too many things for one backpack
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:No. The teachers don't get to demand anything if they're not the ones lugging stuff around. High schoolers pick what they want, and the teachers deal with it. My son had a large binder with tabs, and loose paper for every subject. When it got too full, he'd leave stuff at home. No notebooks.
Me again. My son was at Walter Johnson. He had textbooks he insisted on bringing to school (math, not history), which made his large backpack really heavy, but it could all fit.
However no teacher ever demanded a certain organizational system. None of them ever collected notebooks, so why on earth would they insist on kids having one? There were worksheets to be handed in in AP Calc BC, but most assignments were done online. He took notes on loose paper and kept it all in one binder.
Our math teacher has a set of math books at school and suggested we buy one for at home or we can use the online version. It was an older book so not crazy expensive used.
You guys get textbooks?! Jealous.
Anonymous
08/30/2023 22:57
Subject: Too many things for one backpack
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Are you serious? There are no lockers in HS? Why? I’m a transplant and have never heard of such a thing.
I don’t get this either. What about winter jackets and sports equipment.
They carry it all.