Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I take back my words about making a PK thread. It’s insane how some people think that PK teachers would sit back and teach other grades in the first place.
Or they haven’t lived here long enough to figure out how much value DCPS places in PK.

Or the value of starting school at this age, especially for children with special needs, HUGE gains can be made in PK. For people who ‘follow science’ they sure don’t know a lock about education.

I’m the PP who hit a nerve. I have two children in DCPS. My younger one is special needs and has had interventions since a toddler. He is now 10 and has an IEP because, even though interventions at the PK level help, most of these children need services long term. Schools absolutely cannot meet IEP requirements in a virtual setting that my child, and many other children, have and need. And let me tell you, for a lot of SN children the stakes are much higher at 10/12/15 years old than at 3. I’m living this nightmare and don’t wish it on anyone. But the focus needs to be on older kids getting back in the classroom first. The stakes are much higher, SN or not. It may not be a politically acceptable argument on DCUM, but it is reality that many of us live, and at this time when resources are scarce, hard and unpopular decisions need to be made.

My jaw is dropping at this poster who had early intervention for her kid, admits that interventions at the PK level help, and still thinks that her older kids should be prioritized over younger kids because "for a lot of SN kids the stakes are much higher."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I take back my words about making a PK thread. It’s insane how some people think that PK teachers would sit back and teach other grades in the first place.
Or they haven’t lived here long enough to figure out how much value DCPS places in PK.

Or the value of starting school at this age, especially for children with special needs, HUGE gains can be made in PK. For people who ‘follow science’ they sure don’t know a lock about education.

I’m the PP who hit a nerve. I have two children in DCPS. My younger one is special needs and has had interventions since a toddler. He is now 10 and has an IEP because, even though interventions at the PK level help, most of these children need services long term. Schools absolutely cannot meet IEP requirements in a virtual setting that my child, and many other children, have and need. And let me tell you, for a lot of SN children the stakes are much higher at 10/12/15 years old than at 3. I’m living this nightmare and don’t wish it on anyone. But the focus needs to be on older kids getting back in the classroom first. The stakes are much higher, SN or not. It may not be a politically acceptable argument on DCUM, but it is reality that many of us live, and at this time when resources are scarce, hard and unpopular decisions need to be made.

I'm sorry but the stakes may be higher the older you get but you do not get to take the chance for early intervention for other PK kids. And the SCIENCE says the most critical years are birth to 8. That is not my opinion but a scientific fact. If your child for example had no services until 9 years old they would not make the same gains he would have made at 3. It's a similar concept to acquiring another language, you are going to be more of a native speaker if you start at 3 vs. if you started at 15.

Luckily your feelings don't dictate policy. PK kids are not taking resources as they are resources that belong to them.

+1. Remember that the DCPS Kindergarten curriculum is very academic and is predicated on children already meeting certain academic benchmarks that they achieved in PK. Some posters here are acting like PK is just for fun, and it's not for DCPS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I take back my words about making a PK thread. It’s insane how some people think that PK teachers would sit back and teach other grades in the first place.
Or they haven’t lived here long enough to figure out how much value DCPS places in PK.

Or the value of starting school at this age, especially for children with special needs, HUGE gains can be made in PK. For people who ‘follow science’ they sure don’t know a lock about education.

I’m the PP who hit a nerve. I have two children in DCPS. My younger one is special needs and has had interventions since a toddler. He is now 10 and has an IEP because, even though interventions at the PK level help, most of these children need services long term. Schools absolutely cannot meet IEP requirements in a virtual setting that my child, and many other children, have and need. And let me tell you, for a lot of SN children the stakes are much higher at 10/12/15 years old than at 3. I’m living this nightmare and don’t wish it on anyone. But the focus needs to be on older kids getting back in the classroom first. The stakes are much higher, SN or not. It may not be a politically acceptable argument on DCUM, but it is reality that many of us live, and at this time when resources are scarce, hard and unpopular decisions need to be made.

I'm sorry but the stakes may be higher the older you get but you do not get to take the chance for early intervention for other PK kids. And the SCIENCE says the most critical years are birth to 8. That is not my opinion but a scientific fact. If your child for example had no services until 9 years old they would not make the same gains he would have made at 3. It's a similar concept to acquiring another language, you are going to be more of a native speaker if you start at 3 vs. if you started at 15.

Luckily your feelings don't dictate policy. PK kids are not taking resources as they are resources that belong to them.

Anonymous wrote:coronavirus numbers are plummeting. even now, when hardly anyone has been vaccinated, the rates in dc are pretty low. just wait until large numbers of people are vaccinated. the numbers will be tiny. schools will be completely open in the fall.

Thank you for saying this. I hope every day that this is true. When I think about schools being closed for another year, I just shut down. It just makes me feel empty.

coronavirus numbers are plummeting. even now, when hardly anyone has been vaccinated, the rates in dc are pretty low. just wait until large numbers of people are vaccinated. the numbers will be tiny. schools will be completely open in the fall.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I take back my words about making a PK thread. It’s insane how some people think that PK teachers would sit back and teach other grades in the first place.
Or they haven’t lived here long enough to figure out how much value DCPS places in PK.

Or the value of starting school at this age, especially for children with special needs, HUGE gains can be made in PK. For people who ‘follow science’ they sure don’t know a lock about education.

I’m the PP who hit a nerve. I have two children in DCPS. My younger one is special needs and has had interventions since a toddler. He is now 10 and has an IEP because, even though interventions at the PK level help, most of these children need services long term. Schools absolutely cannot meet IEP requirements in a virtual setting that my child, and many other children, have and need. And let me tell you, for a lot of SN children the stakes are much higher at 10/12/15 years old than at 3. I’m living this nightmare and don’t wish it on anyone. But the focus needs to be on older kids getting back in the classroom first. The stakes are much higher, SN or not. It may not be a politically acceptable argument on DCUM, but it is reality that many of us live, and at this time when resources are scarce, hard and unpopular decisions need to be made.

Your anecdote about your kid is a complete non sequester because kids with IEPs are prioritized for in-person learning. Also, to the bolded, what evidence do you cite that says that the stakes are higher for older kids? There is mountains of evidence that show that 1) early intervention is crucial for helping kids succeed; and 2) universal PK is an enormous societal benefit that helps lift kids out of poverty.

What if a PK kid that might need early intervention is not identified because none are in person? You are hitting a nerve because your arguments are not based in fact or reality, they are based on you wanting to prioritize your kids (who GOT HELP IN PK) over the kids of others, just because they are older. Continuing to state that k and up should be prioritized is an opinion, not a fact. DC has PK, you clearly took advantage of it so didn't think it was a waste or resources at the time. If your school hadn't had PK when your kid was in PK, maybe the older kids could have had smaller classrooms or your school could have let in more out of bounds kids, which would have been helpful to them. Were you advocating for that at the time or just taking advantage of PK because you could? Clearly the latter

Anonymous wrote:I take back my words about making a PK thread. It’s insane how some people think that PK teachers would sit back and teach other grades in the first place.
Or they haven’t lived here long enough to figure out how much value DCPS places in PK.

Or the value of starting school at this age, especially for children with special needs, HUGE gains can be made in PK. For people who ‘follow science’ they sure don’t know a lock about education.

I’m the PP who hit a nerve. I have two children in DCPS. My younger one is special needs and has had interventions since a toddler. He is now 10 and has an IEP because, even though interventions at the PK level help, most of these children need services long term. Schools absolutely cannot meet IEP requirements in a virtual setting that my child, and many other children, have and need. And let me tell you, for a lot of SN children the stakes are much higher at 10/12/15 years old than at 3. I’m living this nightmare and don’t wish it on anyone. But the focus needs to be on older kids getting back in the classroom first. The stakes are much higher, SN or not. It may not be a politically acceptable argument on DCUM, but it is reality that many of us live, and at this time when resources are scarce, hard and unpopular decisions need to be made.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I take back my words about making a PK thread. It’s insane how some people think that PK teachers would sit back and teach other grades in the first place.
Or they haven’t lived here long enough to figure out how much value DCPS places in PK.

Or the value of starting school at this age, especially for children with special needs, HUGE gains can be made in PK. For people who ‘follow science’ they sure don’t know a lock about education.

Please, these people begging to eliminate PK so their 4th grader can be guaranteed 5 days a week would lose their sh$t if DCPS sent an ECE teacher into their classroom, even assuming that teacher would be willing to do that.

Nope, what they want it to fire all the PK teachers, co-opt those classrooms, and invest the money in their child's education. It isn't a policy argument and it isn't based in anything real. It's just selfish parents looking around for something they can take away from another child and give to their own.

Sadly, it basically is a policy argument that universal PK is not something that DC should be spending resources (time, money, space) on. Fortunately DC disagrees which is why we are one of the only jurisdictions to have universal PK with the benefits that come with it (and as a PP said one of benefits is that universal PK is offered to all in DC and is not means tested which means it ends up with students of different SES backgrounds cohorting)

Anonymous wrote:I take back my words about making a PK thread. It’s insane how some people think that PK teachers would sit back and teach other grades in the first place.
Or they haven’t lived here long enough to figure out how much value DCPS places in PK.

Or the value of starting school at this age, especially for children with special needs, HUGE gains can be made in PK. For people who ‘follow science’ they sure don’t know a lock about education.

Please, these people begging to eliminate PK so their 4th grader can be guaranteed 5 days a week would lose their sh$t if DCPS sent an ECE teacher into their classroom, even assuming that teacher would be willing to do that.

Nope, what they want it to fire all the PK teachers, co-opt those classrooms, and invest the money in their child's education. It isn't a policy argument and it isn't based in anything real. It's just selfish parents looking around for something they can take away from another child and give to their own.

Also, to the PP who says PK is not guaranteed in DC. That's not true! It's just not guaranteed at your IB school (actually it is guaranteed at my IB school because I live in a part of DC that you are probably afraid to drive through -- my child is guaranteed an IB spot in PK as long as we enter the lottery).

If you want to send your kid to PK in DC, you can do so. There are always available slots on September 1st. But families IB for a select group of UNW public schools can't get PK spots at their overcrowded elementary schools (which s why you want to toss out those PK programs to squeeze your older child into that same overcrowded school now), so they think it's not guaranteed. Sure it is! You just aren't willing to send your kid to one of the schools where there are spots available. You probably exclusively list the highest rated publics and the impossible-to-get-into charters on your lottery and then get mad when you don't get a spot.

But that's not what "universal PK" means. It means that a family who needs PK can get it. And that's exactly what DC offers. Or should.

I take back my words about making a PK thread. It’s insane how some people think that PK teachers would sit back and teach other grades in the first place.
Or they haven’t lived here long enough to figure out how much value DCPS places in PK.

Or the value of starting school at this age, especially for children with special needs, HUGE gains can be made in PK. For people who ‘follow science’ they sure don’t know a lock about education.

PK is not "a privilege" in DC. The entire point of the universal PK program was to ensure that it was a basic right, not a privilege. THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT.

How about this. If your kid attended PK3 or 4 in DC, you can pay a special tax this year to provide vouchers to current PK parents that you want to deprive of the same opportunity. I mean, you received the "privilege" of universal PK for your kids, and it is a pandemic after all. Time to pay us back for that totally unecessary thing our tax dollars provided to you and your family.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We won't know for a while, we don't even know how long the vaccine lasts.

And why a whole thread on PK?? All kids should have school in person.

Because when PK parents post in more general threads, people yell at us “Pk isn’t mandatory! Who cares? Let’s talk about the grades that actually matter!”

Of course all kids deserve to be in school, but it’s ok for PK parents to have a thread discussing concerns unique to them.

This x1000. Pay for daycare for another year.

What about my self contained pre-k child? I’ve seen more results with online school than his toddler day care! So FU. Pre-K deserves to be in person too!

Every child deserves to be in school in person, to be clear. But PK is a privilege, it's not a right. This is true even in non-pandemic years. No one is guaranteed a Pk spot. We are lucky to have PK spots available in this city, but they are not guaranteed. I can't speak for self-contained PK, I have no idea what the rights are for that.

What I'm tired of is PK parents taking up time and resources at my kids' school when they should be focusing those resources on getting K-5 back in person.

(Also, try to be a bigger person and don't curse out opinions you don't agree with.)

The fact that PK is not a required grade does not mean it isn't a grade that is supported by DC. We all pay taxes in DC, presumably you got free PK for your kids while they were younger. No one is stealing resources and PK parents are absolutely in their rights to want their kids to go back as well.

This.

Disagree. If 3-6’ distancing requirements mean additional classrooms are needed to accommodate students K and older, then we need to use the PK3 and PK4 classrooms to accommodate the maximum IPL number of K and older students. Period. K and up is compulsory, younger is not. Frankly I can’t believe that the littlest ones are back at school first. It’s completely backwards.

Well, people on DCUM are constantly begging to follow science - and the science tells us that young children are the least likely to spread COVID, and also young kids do poorly with zoom. So, not backwards at all. If kids 9 and above are the most likely to spread, 4th grade-high school should be the ones at home.

The science tells us that with proper mitigation strategies in place, schools are safe. Proper mitigation strategies include spacing out desks. Hence, bring back all children over the age of 5 using all available space in the building.

Actually, the science tells us that older children are reckless outside of school - so your plan is kinda nutty. No one is recommending bringing back children over 10.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We won't know for a while, we don't even know how long the vaccine lasts.

And why a whole thread on PK?? All kids should have school in person.

Because when PK parents post in more general threads, people yell at us “Pk isn’t mandatory! Who cares? Let’s talk about the grades that actually matter!”

Of course all kids deserve to be in school, but it’s ok for PK parents to have a thread discussing concerns unique to them.

This x1000. Pay for daycare for another year.

What about my self contained pre-k child? I’ve seen more results with online school than his toddler day care! So FU. Pre-K deserves to be in person too!

Every child deserves to be in school in person, to be clear. But PK is a privilege, it's not a right. This is true even in non-pandemic years. No one is guaranteed a Pk spot. We are lucky to have PK spots available in this city, but they are not guaranteed. I can't speak for self-contained PK, I have no idea what the rights are for that.

What I'm tired of is PK parents taking up time and resources at my kids' school when they should be focusing those resources on getting K-5 back in person.

(Also, try to be a bigger person and don't curse out opinions you don't agree with.)

The fact that PK is not a required grade does not mean it isn't a grade that is supported by DC. We all pay taxes in DC, presumably you got free PK for your kids while they were younger. No one is stealing resources and PK parents are absolutely in their rights to want their kids to go back as well.

This.

Disagree. If 3-6’ distancing requirements mean additional classrooms are needed to accommodate students K and older, then we need to use the PK3 and PK4 classrooms to accommodate the maximum IPL number of K and older students. Period. K and up is compulsory, younger is not. Frankly I can’t believe that the littlest ones are back at school first. It’s completely backwards.

Well, people on DCUM are constantly begging to follow science - and the science tells us that young children are the least likely to spread COVID, and also young kids do poorly with zoom. So, not backwards at all. If kids 9 and above are the most likely to spread, 4th grade-high school should be the ones at home.

The science tells us that with proper mitigation strategies in place, schools are safe. Proper mitigation strategies include spacing out desks. Hence, bring back all children over the age of 5 using all available space in the building.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We won't know for a while, we don't even know how long the vaccine lasts.

And why a whole thread on PK?? All kids should have school in person.

Because when PK parents post in more general threads, people yell at us “Pk isn’t mandatory! Who cares? Let’s talk about the grades that actually matter!”

Of course all kids deserve to be in school, but it’s ok for PK parents to have a thread discussing concerns unique to them.

This x1000. Pay for daycare for another year.

What about my self contained pre-k child? I’ve seen more results with online school than his toddler day care! So FU. Pre-K deserves to be in person too!

Every child deserves to be in school in person, to be clear. But PK is a privilege, it's not a right. This is true even in non-pandemic years. No one is guaranteed a Pk spot. We are lucky to have PK spots available in this city, but they are not guaranteed. I can't speak for self-contained PK, I have no idea what the rights are for that.

What I'm tired of is PK parents taking up time and resources at my kids' school when they should be focusing those resources on getting K-5 back in person.

(Also, try to be a bigger person and don't curse out opinions you don't agree with.)

The fact that PK is not a required grade does not mean it isn't a grade that is supported by DC. We all pay taxes in DC, presumably you got free PK for your kids while they were younger. No one is stealing resources and PK parents are absolutely in their rights to want their kids to go back as well.

This.

Disagree. If 3-6’ distancing requirements mean additional classrooms are needed to accommodate students K and older, then we need to use the PK3 and PK4 classrooms to accommodate the maximum IPL number of K and older students. Period. K and up is compulsory, younger is not. Frankly I can’t believe that the littlest ones are back at school first. It’s completely backwards.

Well, people on DCUM are constantly begging to follow science - and the science tells us that young children are the least likely to spread COVID, and also young kids do poorly with zoom. So, not backwards at all. If kids 9 and above are the most likely to spread, 4th grade-high school should be the ones at home.