Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This fall there will be an attendance process and more accountability on the part of students. Do know exactly what that is, but it won't be as loose as 4th qtr was.

But what could they possibly do? Say you simply don’t show up and don’t do the work assigned. What exactly can a truancy officer do? They aren’t going to pull kids out of the home for this.

I guess it would be better and formally proper to go through the official homeschooling process. But I’m not really worried about how it would play out if I don’t.

After a specific number of absences, they may well unenroll your child from school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your kids don't need school for fresh air and movement.

No, they don’t. I don’t want my kids at school in person. I want the 100% remote option, limiting screen time to no more than an hour a day. My daughter is 6.

At this point, that isn’t a choice being offered. If that is what you want for your child, you need to homeschool.

Hire someone to help your kids manage their Zoom calls.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Elementary school mom here. The sample schedule shows kids online for over 5 hours a day. What parent wants their kid online for that long?

I have 4 kids. My ES kid is my oldest. Now I’m expected to keep everyone home and indoors all day to facilitate Zoom meetings for 1/4 of my kids? Feels really unfair to my family. I also work PT but my hours are flexible. I do most of my work in the early morning hours. My husband is an essential worker and out of the house daily from 8 - 6.

I don’t want to homeschool. Seriously, what is going to happen if we simply say, we’re happy to do the work but unable to be online. My kids need movement and fresh air. They also need an engaged parent who is available and attentive to all their needs. Not just playing personal assistant to the needs of the ES kid.

Your child has had fresh air for 5 months.

+1 were this a normal school year, they’d be indoors learning face to face. As it is, they’ll be indoors learning via Zoom. This isn’t your kid “online” like they’re playing games or watching tv.

Not agreeing or disagreeing, but I think OP’s problem is the 3 younger kids that will now have to be inside and at home due to the ES’s kid being in online school. That is not the way it usually works. Of course, these aren’t usual times, so I’m not sure what OP is expecting from the school.

Adjust your schedule to accommodate the zoom classes or homeschool. Get your family out early in the morning to get fresh air. Figure out how to engage your little ones without screens (go on Pinterest and look up “invitations to play” which are little words set up by preschool teachers/homeschoolers that can really engage the creativity and encourage longer stints of play). Prep quick healthy meals and snacks on the weekends so you can feed them outside during the lunch break and enjoy the fresh air. When school is over—back outside for fresh air.

Yes this time is hard. It’s not getting easier yet. You’ll have to work hard to homeschool or you have to work hard to help your child be successful with DL. Pick one and do it, but don’t whine and half-ass it, you’re setting an example for that kid and all your kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Elementary school mom here. The sample schedule shows kids online for over 5 hours a day. What parent wants their kid online for that long?

I have 4 kids. My ES kid is my oldest. Now I’m expected to keep everyone home and indoors all day to facilitate Zoom meetings for 1/4 of my kids? Feels really unfair to my family. I also work PT but my hours are flexible. I do most of my work in the early morning hours. My husband is an essential worker and out of the house daily from 8 - 6.

I don’t want to homeschool. Seriously, what is going to happen if we simply say, we’re happy to do the work but unable to be online. My kids need movement and fresh air. They also need an engaged parent who is available and attentive to all their needs. Not just playing personal assistant to the needs of the ES kid.

Your child has had fresh air for 5 months.

+1 were this a normal school year, they’d be indoors learning face to face. As it is, they’ll be indoors learning via Zoom. This isn’t your kid “online” like they’re playing games or watching tv.

Anonymous wrote:Elementary school mom here. The sample schedule shows kids online for over 5 hours a day. What parent wants their kid online for that long?

I have 4 kids. My ES kid is my oldest. Now I’m expected to keep everyone home and indoors all day to facilitate Zoom meetings for 1/4 of my kids? Feels really unfair to my family. I also work PT but my hours are flexible. I do most of my work in the early morning hours. My husband is an essential worker and out of the house daily from 8 - 6.

I don’t want to homeschool. Seriously, what is going to happen if we simply say, we’re happy to do the work but unable to be online. My kids need movement and fresh air. They also need an engaged parent who is available and attentive to all their needs. Not just playing personal assistant to the needs of the ES kid.

I don’t know what you mean by es kid, but by 3rd/4th I think a kid should be able to handle this on their own, barring SN.

You sound lazy. 4 kids is not an excuse. If anything you need to step up your game and make it happen. I don't get why people have 4 kids when they clearly can't handle it. Hire help.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This fall there will be an attendance process and more accountability on the part of students. Do know exactly what that is, but it won't be as loose as 4th qtr was.

But what could they possibly do? Say you simply don’t show up and don’t do the work assigned. What exactly can a truancy officer do? They aren’t going to pull kids out of the home for this.

I guess it would be better and formally proper to go through the official homeschooling process. But I’m not really worried about how it would play out if I don’t.

The same thing they would do if COVID never happened, the kids were in full-time F2F school and you decided not to send your kid, but to have him get the assignments from friends, do them at home and send them in and then said "well, what's the problem? He did the WORK." Yes, the truancy department will be involved. Attendance is required. Zoom attendance is this year's attendance. No, it will not be lax like it was last spring where you could just decide to blow it off without consequences.

Wow, some of these parents are truly amazing.

So what could the truancy department actually do?

I'm curious too. What could they do if both parents are WFH and no one to baby sit whether an ES kid is logging in or not. What if one parent is an essential worker, the other is in a meeting and kid decides to log out. What can the truancy department actually do? I bet nothing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This fall there will be an attendance process and more accountability on the part of students. Do know exactly what that is, but it won't be as loose as 4th qtr was.

But what could they possibly do? Say you simply don’t show up and don’t do the work assigned. What exactly can a truancy officer do? They aren’t going to pull kids out of the home for this.

I guess it would be better and formally proper to go through the official homeschooling process. But I’m not really worried about how it would play out if I don’t.

The same thing they would do if COVID never happened, the kids were in full-time F2F school and you decided not to send your kid, but to have him get the assignments from friends, do them at home and send them in and then said "well, what's the problem? He did the WORK." Yes, the truancy department will be involved. Attendance is required. Zoom attendance is this year's attendance. No, it will not be lax like it was last spring where you could just decide to blow it off without consequences.

Wow, some of these parents are truly amazing.

So what could the truancy department actually do?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This fall there will be an attendance process and more accountability on the part of students. Do know exactly what that is, but it won't be as loose as 4th qtr was.

But what could they possibly do? Say you simply don’t show up and don’t do the work assigned. What exactly can a truancy officer do? They aren’t going to pull kids out of the home for this.

I guess it would be better and formally proper to go through the official homeschooling process. But I’m not really worried about how it would play out if I don’t.

The same thing they would do if COVID never happened, the kids were in full-time F2F school and you decided not to send your kid, but to have him get the assignments from friends, do them at home and send them in and then said "well, what's the problem? He did the WORK." Yes, the truancy department will be involved. Attendance is required. Zoom attendance is this year's attendance. No, it will not be lax like it was last spring where you could just decide to blow it off without consequences.

Wow, some of these parents are truly amazing.

Anonymous wrote:I am dizzy. I thought we were all freaking out that distance learning was a failure and a joke and a waste. Now I hear that it’s too hard and too much and unfair.

You can see the impossible position MCPS is in.

My kid is 6. I might want more if my kid was 10. It also seems like DL experiences were vastly different depending on school/location.

I am dizzy. I thought we were all freaking out that distance learning was a failure and a joke and a waste. Now I hear that it’s too hard and too much and unfair.

You can see the impossible position MCPS is in.

Anonymous wrote:I am anxious about the DL too. My 1st grader couldn't sit at the computer for the 1 hour of class and 2 hours of watching videos and turning in assignments on just Reading and Math. I am dreading the 5 hours of DL and I sure hope we don't have assignments to turn in after the school session. I would rather they do whatever they need to do like they do in regular school, in the classroom.

+1

I am anxious about the DL too. My 1st grader couldn't sit at the computer for the 1 hour of class and 2 hours of watching videos and turning in assignments on just Reading and Math. I am dreading the 5 hours of DL and I sure hope we don't have assignments to turn in after the school session. I would rather they do whatever they need to do like they do in regular school, in the classroom.