Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm so glad there isn't. School sports teams serve so few kids. This place is competitive enough with sports and many "jocks" go around school belittling others. My kid doesn't need to put up with their inflated ego in elementary and middle. Save it till high school when at least you've proved yourself in a sport.

+1. I like the MS where they focus on school, and don’t get sidetracked with elevating jocks and cheerleaders.

While sports teams serve a small percentage of kids, so do bands, theaters, science olympiads and the other niche activities that FCPS have left in. The lack of sports is one reason I wish we'd never moved here. Our middle school is great for quiet intellectual children and miserable for all the rest.

There is not a lack of sports in this area, at least not in most of Fairfax County. Some of the best elementary middle school age teams in the country are here. They may also include private and homeschool kids. There are team practices or classes every day of the week available. Maybe you need to check out other forums. There is an entire forum devoted to soccer and lacrosse here. Many middle schools do have sports as an afterschool activity, but they aren't a team. The kids practice and do a little scrimmage together. If you want a competitive team, you have to go with your local league in whatever sport you are interested in.

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/forums/show/55.page
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/forums/show/76.page
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/forums/show/77.page

Your response doesnt address the PP's point. Do you also believe that kids should scrap all non-academic activities? There are plenty of private performing arts organizations here as well - should we scrap band and theater?

There is very little theater in elementary and band and theater do not have cuts in elementary or middle school. You can sign up for drama whether you are good at it or not and our middle school I think has 6 different bands to accommodate everyone. Are you talking about the entire school playing a specific sport together? It's called gym class. We have it in elementary and middle school. They even have units with specific sports and kids do get placed on a team for that unit. There are no cuts though and there is no official school team.

So are you proposing only activities where there are no cuts? Everyone gets a participation trophy?

music and theater are just as important as sports. that was my point.

There is not an endless supply of money OP. Obviously programs that teach a large number of kids and fit the goals of the school system most get higher priority. In FCPS that is portrait of a graduate.

Academics is a core part of school. Physical fitness is also a core part of school. Sports specialization is not a core part of school. There is no requirement to specialize in a sport for graduation. There have been talks about replacing PE with electives for specialized sports in high school, however the expense is high and facility space is expensive. It is less expensive to offer a band class or chemistry elective than to offer a specialized sport elective.

There are issues with AAP that need to be addressed. But since it's a core part of school, the issues need to be addressed while advanced academics services are still being provided. The way they are provided can vary though and do vary both in FCPS and around the US. Any school sport that would be provided would not be at the level of "advanced" for a sport, therefore it would turn off the kids who aren't good at the sport and the ones who think it is too easy. Even now people complain that AAP is too easy. Schools can only accommodate so much variety.

I really feel like I'm having a conversation with a bunch of parents who do not have kids in sports here. There isn't even a proposal on the table from OP. This discussion is a waste of time. Talk amongst yourselves.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm so glad there isn't. School sports teams serve so few kids. This place is competitive enough with sports and many "jocks" go around school belittling others. My kid doesn't need to put up with their inflated ego in elementary and middle. Save it till high school when at least you've proved yourself in a sport.

+1. I like the MS where they focus on school, and don’t get sidetracked with elevating jocks and cheerleaders.

While sports teams serve a small percentage of kids, so do bands, theaters, science olympiads and the other niche activities that FCPS have left in. The lack of sports is one reason I wish we'd never moved here. Our middle school is great for quiet intellectual children and miserable for all the rest.

There is not a lack of sports in this area, at least not in most of Fairfax County. Some of the best elementary middle school age teams in the country are here. They may also include private and homeschool kids. There are team practices or classes every day of the week available. Maybe you need to check out other forums. There is an entire forum devoted to soccer and lacrosse here. Many middle schools do have sports as an afterschool activity, but they aren't a team. The kids practice and do a little scrimmage together. If you want a competitive team, you have to go with your local league in whatever sport you are interested in.

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/forums/show/55.page
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/forums/show/76.page
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/forums/show/77.page

Your response doesnt address the PP's point. Do you also believe that kids should scrap all non-academic activities? There are plenty of private performing arts organizations here as well - should we scrap band and theater?

There is very little theater in elementary and band and theater do not have cuts in elementary or middle school. You can sign up for drama whether you are good at it or not and our middle school I think has 6 different bands to accommodate everyone. Are you talking about the entire school playing a specific sport together? It's called gym class. We have it in elementary and middle school. They even have units with specific sports and kids do get placed on a team for that unit. There are no cuts though and there is no official school team.

So are you proposing only activities where there are no cuts? Everyone gets a participation trophy?

music and theater are just as important as sports. that was my point.

Anonymous wrote:In our school its AAP vs non-AAP and band geek vs non-band. Don't really know why band is so much more acceptable than sports.

well according to PPs, maybe we should abolish AAP because someone's feelings will be hurt if they dont get in!

Actually, i've seen that sentiment on the AAP board, so J/K for the record!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm so glad there isn't. School sports teams serve so few kids. This place is competitive enough with sports and many "jocks" go around school belittling others. My kid doesn't need to put up with their inflated ego in elementary and middle. Save it till high school when at least you've proved yourself in a sport.

The inflated egos still exist, whether or not public elementary and middle schools have sports teams. Its not just jocks vs. nerds. So, we move to a model where everyone gets on the team. No kid has to really try hard or strive hard to get on the team. What does that teach them? Even better, only the kids that can afford it play in the leagues.

Bullying is a separate issue all together.

Everyone on a team teaches physical fitness. It is not necessary for everyone in the US to be an elite athlete or an athlete in all sports. What is even the proposal you are looking for them to do? Soccer and basketball teams for all schools and FCPS fronts the money for all teams regardless of how much they pay? Football is out because of injuries and many other sports like hockey and swimming and baseball require specific facilities. Schools already have track type programs that are of little cost if any and we already have bike and walk to school programs. I'm sure the businesses around Fairfax would rather just supplement the local soccer and basketball leagues to give scholarships which run sports much better than a school would.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm so glad there isn't. School sports teams serve so few kids. This place is competitive enough with sports and many "jocks" go around school belittling others. My kid doesn't need to put up with their inflated ego in elementary and middle. Save it till high school when at least you've proved yourself in a sport.

+1. I like the MS where they focus on school, and don’t get sidetracked with elevating jocks and cheerleaders.

While sports teams serve a small percentage of kids, so do bands, theaters, science olympiads and the other niche activities that FCPS have left in. The lack of sports is one reason I wish we'd never moved here. Our middle school is great for quiet intellectual children and miserable for all the rest.

There is not a lack of sports in this area, at least not in most of Fairfax County. Some of the best elementary middle school age teams in the country are here. They may also include private and homeschool kids. There are team practices or classes every day of the week available. Maybe you need to check out other forums. There is an entire forum devoted to soccer and lacrosse here. Many middle schools do have sports as an afterschool activity, but they aren't a team. The kids practice and do a little scrimmage together. If you want a competitive team, you have to go with your local league in whatever sport you are interested in.

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/forums/show/55.page
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/forums/show/76.page
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/forums/show/77.page

Your response doesnt address the PP's point. Do you also believe that kids should scrap all non-academic activities? There are plenty of private performing arts organizations here as well - should we scrap band and theater?

There is very little theater in elementary and band and theater do not have cuts in elementary or middle school. You can sign up for drama whether you are good at it or not and our middle school I think has 6 different bands to accommodate everyone. Are you talking about the entire school playing a specific sport together? It's called gym class. We have it in elementary and middle school. They even have units with specific sports and kids do get placed on a team for that unit. There are no cuts though and there is no official school team.

In our school its AAP vs non-AAP and band geek vs non-band. Don't really know why band is so much more acceptable than sports.

Anonymous wrote:I'm so glad there isn't. School sports teams serve so few kids. This place is competitive enough with sports and many "jocks" go around school belittling others. My kid doesn't need to put up with their inflated ego in elementary and middle. Save it till high school when at least you've proved yourself in a sport.

The inflated egos still exist, whether or not public elementary and middle schools have sports teams. Its not just jocks vs. nerds. So, we move to a model where everyone gets on the team. No kid has to really try hard or strive hard to get on the team. What does that teach them? Even better, only the kids that can afford it play in the leagues.

Bullying is a separate issue all together.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm so glad there isn't. School sports teams serve so few kids. This place is competitive enough with sports and many "jocks" go around school belittling others. My kid doesn't need to put up with their inflated ego in elementary and middle. Save it till high school when at least you've proved yourself in a sport.

+1. I like the MS where they focus on school, and don’t get sidetracked with elevating jocks and cheerleaders.

While sports teams serve a small percentage of kids, so do bands, theaters, science olympiads and the other niche activities that FCPS have left in. The lack of sports is one reason I wish we'd never moved here. Our middle school is great for quiet intellectual children and miserable for all the rest.

There is not a lack of sports in this area, at least not in most of Fairfax County. Some of the best elementary middle school age teams in the country are here. They may also include private and homeschool kids. There are team practices or classes every day of the week available. Maybe you need to check out other forums. There is an entire forum devoted to soccer and lacrosse here. Many middle schools do have sports as an afterschool activity, but they aren't a team. The kids practice and do a little scrimmage together. If you want a competitive team, you have to go with your local league in whatever sport you are interested in.

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/forums/show/55.page
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/forums/show/76.page
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/forums/show/77.page

Your response doesnt address the PP's point. Do you also believe that kids should scrap all non-academic activities? There are plenty of private performing arts organizations here as well - should we scrap band and theater?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are elementary/middle schools permitted to offer club sports if they can find a volunteer to coach?

Not paid or monitored through FCPS, however, you could start something before or after school through community use.

Although I'm not sure how this is different than any local club.

Anonymous wrote:Are elementary/middle schools permitted to offer club sports if they can find a volunteer to coach?

Not paid or monitored through FCPS, however, you could start something before or after school through community use.

Are elementary/middle schools permitted to offer club sports if they can find a volunteer to coach?