Anonymous wrote:

I would have loved to send my child to K a year early, she was ready, but the rule about the September 30 birthday made it impossible. Now she's going to be almost 6, is already reading, writing, doing math, and in K with much younger kids. I don't think that's in her best interest or the interest of the younger kids. It stinks for everyone.

You'll be glad when she is in high school.

That is not universally true. Some children thrive as the oldest in their classes in high school, others as younger students. Unfortunately, schools don't accommodate age shifts there nearly as readily as they accommodate redshirting young children. It puts parents in the difficult position of deciding who their children are going to be in the future, and try to balance that with where they are now. It's difficult enough to look a year or two ahead when they're young, but 6 years? 8? 10?

If redshirting were about the child, and indicated an interest on the part of the school to do what was best for the child, it wouldn't be limited to young children, and leapfrogging advancement would also be supported.

I'm not sure with all the overcrowding that the kids "go" to the special anymore. Depends on the school. Do all schools have FLES? Health every other week--that's a new one for me.

Those classes are called "specials" by many. They are classes typically outside of your child's classroom or taught by a different teacher. So, your child typically has to get up and go somewhere. Not, just sit at the same desk all day.

Anonymous wrote:FCPS school - PE 2x a week, Music 2x a week, Library 1x a week, Computer 1x a week, Art 1x a week (plus PTA art classes once a month), Health 1x every other week, Language 2x a week. That's about two specials a day.

Sure, if you consider music, art, computer, health, language, PE "special". I find them to be rather integral to a kid's education.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

OK. My DC was ready in every regard for KG, except for age. DC was only 4, and would have turned 5 at the very end of September. I am sure a lot of 4 year olds are ready for KG, except for age, in fact. I never said or intended to say that my child belonged in KG at the age of 4. In fact, no child, IMO, belongs in KG before the age of 5. My choice has nada to do with you or the school or the teacher. I don't understand why this is such a hot button issue for folks.

If you're going to say you had the right to make that decision and it was no one else's business, you might want to bag the blanket statements about the decisions of other parents.

Uh, I was 4, didn't turn 5 til November. My child will be 4, not turning 5 til late September. Is someone who turns 5 in August that much more ready?

Good for you! No one cares, actually. The hot button issue seems to be parents getting all steamed about MY choice to wait until MY child is 5. No one really cares about you sending your 4 year old "on time"

FCPS school - PE 2x a week, Music 2x a week, Library 1x a week, Computer 1x a week, Art 1x a week (plus PTA art classes once a month), Health 1x every other week, Language 2x a week. That's about two specials a day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I would have loved to send my child to K a year early, she was ready, but the rule about the September 30 birthday made it impossible. Now she's going to be almost 6, is already reading, writing, doing math, and in K with much younger kids. I don't think that's in her best interest or the interest of the younger kids. It stinks for everyone.

You'll be glad when she is in high school.

Why? So she can be the first to get her driver's license? No clue why it makes a difference in high school.

You'll see. And you'll be glad.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

OK. My DC was ready in every regard for KG, except for age. DC was only 4, and would have turned 5 at the very end of September. I am sure a lot of 4 year olds are ready for KG, except for age, in fact. I never said or intended to say that my child belonged in KG at the age of 4. In fact, no child, IMO, belongs in KG before the age of 5. My choice has nada to do with you or the school or the teacher. I don't understand why this is such a hot button issue for folks.

If you're going to say you had the right to make that decision and it was no one else's business, you might want to bag the blanket statements about the decisions of other parents.

Uh, I was 4, didn't turn 5 til November. My child will be 4, not turning 5 til late September. Is someone who turns 5 in August that much more ready?

Anonymous wrote:

I would have loved to send my child to K a year early, she was ready, but the rule about the September 30 birthday made it impossible. Now she's going to be almost 6, is already reading, writing, doing math, and in K with much younger kids. I don't think that's in her best interest or the interest of the younger kids. It stinks for everyone.

You'll be glad when she is in high school.

Why? So she can be the first to get her driver's license? No clue why it makes a difference in high school.

Our KG had no snack time, and was full day. The KG teacher said it was unnecessary. Really? Did I mention that the class had lunch at 10:45 and school ended at 3:00? And no snack time????

As a former K teacher, that really surprises me. When I taught K (half day), we did not have a snack time, but I kept a plate of graham crackers out for those who wanted them.

2 specials every day,

Really. It's been a while since I taught school, and some years we might have had 2 specials in one day--but certainly not every day. We did not have a special even every day.

I would have loved to send my child to K a year early, she was ready, but the rule about the September 30 birthday made it impossible. Now she's going to be almost 6, is already reading, writing, doing math, and in K with much younger kids. I don't think that's in her best interest or the interest of the younger kids. It stinks for everyone.

You'll be glad when she is in high school.

Anonymous wrote:

OK. My DC was ready in every regard for KG, except for age. DC was only 4, and would have turned 5 at the very end of September. I am sure a lot of 4 year olds are ready for KG, except for age, in fact. I never said or intended to say that my child belonged in KG at the age of 4. In fact, no child, IMO, belongs in KG before the age of 5. My choice has nada to do with you or the school or the teacher. I don't understand why this is such a hot button issue for folks.

If you're going to say you had the right to make that decision and it was no one else's business, you might want to bag the blanket statements about the decisions of other parents.

9:06 That is an individual school problem. Most schools have a snack time in K and in upper grades as well. To those parents at schools with only one recess and no free play time, you should advocate for your school to change it's kindergarten program if you think it's important. There are plenty of other FCPS kindergartens with 2 recess periods and free play time as well.

Our KG had no snack time, and was full day. The KG teacher said it was unnecessary. Really? Did I mention that the class had lunch at 10:45 and school ended at 3:00? And no snack time????