It is not about the child not bringing it home. The teacher told me at the beginning of the school year they were not allowed to take the classwork book home. I was wondering how the other 5th graders take notes, if any or just work on the problems given in class. Yeah, it is straight up algebra, not complex but confusing enough for beginners.

11:58, I've got a 5th grader (who's at his other parents house today, or I'd ask directly). Are you sure that maybe your child just didn't bring home the notes? Straight up algebra? It has certainly been the case in our house sometimes that not everything that our child is supposed to bring home makes it home. Also, not allowed to take the book home? First I've heard. There's the online text, and then another book that can come home. Def. email the teacher.

pp - i have a 4th grader so can't answer your question but definitely email the teacher. We went to Back To School night and it seemed that all parents were just shell shocked. At the last PTA meeting the principal told everyone to contact the teacher with any questions or concerns and/or Ms. Monroe. I've had a few assignments come home that were completely puzzling and took a photo of it and forwarded it to the teacher with my question about it and heard back fairly quickly. You could also try Khan Academy for math explanations: http://www.khanacademy.org/ I have been using youtube and wikipedia for reference a lot to help my 4th grader with homework concepts.

anybody here with a 5th grader at Glenarden woods. I want to know about note talking. My child brought home algebra h.w the other day but there were no notes for her to refer to. She was so confused trying to solve them. She is not allowed to bring classwork book home. There were about 30 or so problems. Also, are they not suppose to learn the basic equations first. How do the other 5th grade students handle their math h.w?

I'll echo one of the PP's sentiments about being tuned in to learning. It's a rough trade off for a lot of folks with the transportation issue, and it sounds like the pp's child with a 504 plan was really getting burned.

When we changed from the nieghborhood school to the TAG magnet program, it was a world of difference for our child (who had been stabbed in the arm with a pencil by another student at his old school for being a smart/ass).

I'm the mom that just pulled her kids. We're going back to our community school. It was a good school anyway and I am much happier having my kids come home before 5pm. Transportation has been a joke (they once sent a short bus and have five kids to a seat) and the amount of homework was a burden. The kids had zero time for any extra curricular activities or even to play outside for an hour. They never even saw neighborhood kids because with an 8pm bedtime they were barely getting dinner, baths and homework done. My children weren't having time to be children.

There wasn't any consistency from class to class. My child has a 504 and it wasn't being followed from class to class and he was getting points deducted daily for things that ARE part of his disability. It didn't matter how many times it was brought to the attention of the offending teachers.

It's also amazing to me that the counselor position has been eliminated. WTF? There was no notice given and there wasn't a chance to campaign to keep her. We heard on Thursday she was leaving on Tuesday. Unreal!

We came from our neighborhood school. At the PTA meeting the principal assured parents that the workload outside of class will calm down. I think she was completely bombarded with parent complaints. She said that teachers got a little too enthusiastic/gungho and that is why they started piling on the projects, not realizing the impact on families. Things are changing. I was relieved after hearing this and it seemed that within the past couple of weeks there has been a decrease. She also said that parents should communicate directly with the classroom teachers if they have concerns or their child is struggling with anything. We transferred from an excellent local school and I must say that despite the workload shock, I have never seen my 4th grader so tuned into learning. I think this school has great promise and between the staff and the PTA, they will make great strides.

PPs.. what schools were your children coming from? Was it a different TAG school or the comprehensive schools?

I pulled my kids today. It was just too overwhelming.

I agree with the homework comment. All the teachers give H.W everyday. Sometimes the Social studies H.W is a packet, or the least a page or 2 long. My daughter does not have time to study after H.W is completed. She is exhausted. Also, the first two math test was all word problems (multiple choice) in 5th grade. I don't know if I will be leaving her long in this environment. I want her challenged, not overwhelmed.

I had a sick child and wasn't able to make the PTA meeting. I have a few concerns and was hoping they were addressed.

It's crazy to me that they eliminated the councelor. They may have some specials staff go half time and 27 kids in each 2nd grade class doesn't seem to be enough. We will pull out if this trend continues. Plus the amount of homework is amazing. The kids don't come home until 4:30 and they need to play outside for an hour before we tackle assignments.

They actually posted that there were some spots in 2, 3, and 5th grades on the PGCPS website last week. I am trying to find out if there is a PTA meeting tonight.

PP, It's a TAG magnet, and therefore the student population is determined by lottery amongst kids who qualify within the TAG program location's boundary. If your child qualifies (and ALL PG kids are tested more than once, which is great), the parents can choose to enter the lottery. If they get in, they go to Glenarden, assuming they live within that center's boundary. Distance is neither an advantage nor a barrier, so long as kids are in the center's zone. My child went to a different magnet last year, and was then re-zoned to Glenarden.

I'm try to figure out why is it so hard to get into this school. I've friends who lives in some townhouse near glenarden wondering if they gotten in.

My daughter is in 5th grade there and I think the work is too much and I do not know if there is enough instruction going on.