I'm concerned that GWMS kids will be required to stay until 3:15, even though it is not clear what they will be doing from 1:50 onward on certain days. If there's not a structured activity during that time, and some kids are in connection centers, how will we know that the kids are adequately supervised?


Have you asked GWMS this question? They've hosted multiple info sessions and there are ways you can contact them to ask questions directly.

Of course. They say that information on what will happen during that time "will be forthcoming." But school reopens for my kid (due to having disabilities and one self-contained subject) on March 9. However, he is in a number of general education classes, so whatever other kids coing back on 3/16 do, he will do as well.

Anonymous wrote:I'm sending my kid back no matter what our grade school says. Good luck telling me, a taxpayer, that my kid cant be in the building while other, nontaxpaying, kids are.

It's got unequal access lawsuit written all over it.

Equal access? Education? Democrats? Never heard of it. See the pandemic. See history.

Anonymous wrote:I'm concerned that GWMS kids will be required to stay until 3:15, even though it is not clear what they will be doing from 1:50 onward on certain days. If there's not a structured activity during that time, and some kids are in connection centers, how will we know that the kids are adequately supervised?

Have you asked GWMS this question? They've hosted multiple info sessions and there are ways you can contact them to ask questions directly.

I'm concerned that GWMS kids will be required to stay until 3:15, even though it is not clear what they will be doing from 1:50 onward on certain days. If there's not a structured activity during that time, and some kids are in connection centers, how will we know that the kids are adequately supervised?

I took a break from DCUM for months because I was disgusted by the posters making mean comments about kids with special needs. I tried again for a few days, and then I see chains like this.

All of you who keep making negative and inaccurate comments about special needs kids, do you realize how lucky you are??? Distance learning has been hell, especially for kids with ADHD who many only be entitled to a 504. A 504 doesn't mean that parents whined. Unbelievable.

I'm done with DCUM for good.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It happens because when people in Alexandria are losing their argument so they deflect. No one can stay on the up-and-up here. So the poster with the 504 kid was losing the argument about something so she deflected to the textbook. I am not a fan of Arlington but at least they seem more forthright.

Nah. It's because private school acceptance notices are going out and all those strong advocates of ACPS (including those PTAC op-ed letter signers that were seen on private school open house zooms) are awaiting those decisions so they can get their kids out of a failed system.

An you say “Wait List?” If this is the year they’re applying then they’ll probably be waiting for someone to move or move on. More applicants than spots.

Anonymous wrote:It happens because when people in Alexandria are losing their argument so they deflect. No one can stay on the up-and-up here. So the poster with the 504 kid was losing the argument about something so she deflected to the textbook. I am not a fan of Arlington but at least they seem more forthright.

Nah. It's because private school acceptance notices are going out and all those strong advocates of ACPS (including those PTAC op-ed letter signers that were seen on private school open house zooms) are awaiting those decisions so they can get their kids out of a failed system.

Anonymous wrote:It happens because when people in Alexandria are losing their argument so they deflect. No one can stay on the up-and-up here. So the poster with the 504 kid was losing the argument about something so she deflected to the textbook. I am not a fan of Arlington but at least they seem more forthright.

You have no basis for this statement. The person who brought up the 504 / Textbook topic did so as an off shoot topic and not as part of an argument on another issue. I don’t know which side you are saying is losing arguments and who is not on the up and up. If you don’t think ACPS has real problems, then you don’t have a kid for in the system or don’t talk to other parents of kids in the system.

It happens because when people in Alexandria are losing their argument so they deflect. No one can stay on the up-and-up here. So the poster with the 504 kid was losing the argument about something so she deflected to the textbook. I am not a fan of Arlington but at least they seem more forthright.

I find it funny that the topic on this thread has changed so many times (DL/Hybrid, playgrounds, IEP/504, etc.). All of ACPS community is using one thread to talk about absolutely everything - meanwhile Arlington creates a new thread for every possible issue. I've seen this a few times with ACPS - there's usually just one active thread. Not sure I have a preference either way - just interesting in the differences. Maybe because we're smaller?

Anonymous wrote:

A 504 plan is completely different than an IEP. A 504 means that nothing was found in a Child Study and the child was not determined to have a learning disability; however, the parents are insisting that something needs to be done so we'll set up a 504 to placate them. I am fine with the school system telling you that your child cannot bring a book to school to use even though it is outlined in a 504. You do have a choice here, you realize that, don't you? Your choice is use the book and stay at home OR don't use the book and go to school. It is up to you.


This is utterly false.

"STUDENTS PROTECTED UNDER SECTION 504

Section 504 covers qualified students with disabilities who attend schools receiving Federal financial assistance. To be protected under Section 504, a student must be determined to: (1) have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; or (2) have a record of such an impairment; or (3) be regarded as having such an impairment. Section 504 requires that school districts provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to qualified students in their jurisdictions who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities."

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html


RIF. None of those are learning disabilities.


Are you saying that physical or mental impairments do not affect a child's learning needs? The poster said 504s are written to "placate" parents. That's ridiculous.

I don't know what you are defining as a "learning disability." He has a 504 plan because it has been deterimined that he does not require specialized instruction. He has a disability that affects his ability to learn, which could and potentially will in the future, render him eligible for an IEP. Prior to now, the district agreed that it entitled him to the accomodation of hard copy text books. They could have disagreed, and we could have taken that process to whatever necessary next step. But they didn't.
Whatever issues other children are facing is of no relevance to what he gets under his own accomodations plan. That is why an IEP is an "individualized education plan? None of these have anything to do with other students, only the disabled student.

But he does require accommodations. Namely, a textbook, which he may not be getting. That is unacceptable.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A 504 plan is completely different than an IEP. A 504 means that nothing was found in a Child Study and the child was not determined to have a learning disability; however, the parents are insisting that something needs to be done so we'll set up a 504 to placate them. I am fine with the school system telling you that your child cannot bring a book to school to use even though it is outlined in a 504. You do have a choice here, you realize that, don't you? Your choice is use the book and stay at home OR don't use the book and go to school. It is up to you.

This is utterly false.

"STUDENTS PROTECTED UNDER SECTION 504

Section 504 covers qualified students with disabilities who attend schools receiving Federal financial assistance. To be protected under Section 504, a student must be determined to: (1) have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; or (2) have a record of such an impairment; or (3) be regarded as having such an impairment. Section 504 requires that school districts provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to qualified students in their jurisdictions who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities."

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html

RIF. None of those are learning disabilities.

Are you saying that physical or mental impairments do not affect a child's learning needs? The poster said 504s are written to "placate" parents. That's ridiculous.

This is where ACPS is. Forbidding a child from having a textbook in a school classroom because it supposedly isn't equitable. A textbook that the superintendent said anyone can have access to. So it is in fact equitable.

Get your kids out. Or demand that ACPS start teaching logic. They can start at central office.