So Mad at DD School I Could Scream

[maddiesmom0116]

You need to call the school board right away and it is better if you have the message they left you. Your DD's record will speak volumes.

Good Luck

 

[noahdove]

First off, let me say, you as a parent have a right to make the decision regarding your dd. I retired from a school district 3 years ago, and let me just say, there were more than one error made when it came to the "details" In our district, if the parent don't want their child held back, they don't get held back...the staff has no other input...is it to the child's advantage?? No, but, that is what our district has decided for the child...keep your daughter home and let her have a great summer. I don't know when your school is done, but ours is done, June 26! The staff then goes back, Sept. 1-2

 

[Leajess99]

I would be contacting whomever is above the Principal and let them know that you do not take kindly to the bullying tactics by the school and your child will NOT be attending Summer School. That is bull that they feel they can force an honor roll child to attend summer school.

 

[LovePug]

I'm with the others who said there must be some kind of misunderstanding here. I'd be flipping my gourd if it turns out that there's not!

 

[yrdlyprincess]

ok, correct me if I am wrong- but I thought that summer school was for kids who would not pass the grade without taking the class?????? who failed the class during the school year? Right? To me it sounds like I wouldn't worry...it's either (a) she is doing great---or (b) she needs to go to summer school because she is failing. I don't know why the school district would be doing this! If they put her in summer school- are they going to move her up a grade- are they going to put her in advanced classes? This is the strangest thing that I have heard! Good luck!

 

[a1tinkfans]

A couple of weeks ago the principal gave a huge speech about summer school. She was talking about how since they received or will receive the stimulus money summer school is going to be better that ever. She also talked briefly about how the more kids enrolled the more funding they will receive. Well I received a voicemail yesterday from the principal about how my DD12 needs to go to summer school or she will be held back. The following message was from DD's teacher urging me to sign her up for summer school. As I type this I am getting ready to go to an award ceremony at DD's school. She is receiving an award for straight A's for the entire year, perfect attendance, citizenship, excellence in sports and some kind of recognition for orchestra. My DD is an excellent student but she needs a summer break. They are adding so many days to summer school that the kids will end up with a 2 week summer vacation and frankly, I do not feel my DD needs to go. I actually feel that I am being bullied into this so they can get more funding.
Thanks for letting me vent

THAT is absolutely NOT acceptable AT ALL!!! I am HORRIFIED that they are using your child for their gain.
How DARE they tell you they will hold back your straight A child. This makes no sense at ALL!!
Personally, I would be at the Districts Office tomorrow morning really demanding to know why you are being bullied and threatened to put your A student in summer school or she will be held back...it is awful beyond words.
ALL kids need a break...goodness, it is so sickening!!!!\
PLEASE let us know what happens and what you do..........
What a disgrace!!!
By the way, my friend, just today told me that the school called her already twice to PUSH her to have her son take an instrument in class, so THEY can get more funding...she does not want too as he is taking piano at home already and has no interest in an instrument and LOVES to sing, so he wants choir instead of an instrument. They have been really pushing her and she said, NO THANK YOU and said she wanted no more calls.
What is going on??? Are Districts so desperate that they are POUNDING their teachers to POUND the parents....this really irks me...
Teachers....what are you seeing in your districts?????

 

[a1tinkfans]

I second this!! Take it to the media. I will be darned if my DD's school is going to tell me that she has to go to summer school when she got an award for being on the honor roll all year. (My DD was A/B honor roll all year long)

 

[1stWDW]

I am a teacher in Illinois. In our state, and I would assume most other states, the districts must have a board policy. Most districts have this on their website. Here is a sample of what our board policy says about Grading and Promotion: The decision to promote a student to the next grade level shall be based on successful completion of the curriculum, attendance, performance based on Illinois Standards Achievement Tests, or other testing.

It seems if your district has a similar policy, the only thing that could hold your child back is a very low standardized test score. However, considering your child is a straight A student, I doubt that would be the case.

If you can't find your board policy on your district's website, go to the district office and ask for a copy. This should be all you need to go have a friendly chat with the principal. I hope your DD has a great summer break!

 

[MarriedToAPrince]

Oh I would be pissed! If your DD is a straight A studen there is no reason why she needs summer school. I would say NO and let her enjoy her summer break.

 

[MoniqueU]

I don't even know that I would bother even calling them back or anything that is straight crap they are trying to get you to do. I have been temptedd every year to write in that my kids will not be allowed to do the state testing. I don't agree with funding based on that either and all the pressure they put on the kids and how learning comes to a complete hault so that they can drill in practce test with the kids.

You need to stand up for your daughter and your family time in however you feel is best. I have one in private an 2 in public, neither one is perfect but at least I am not being pressured into things at the private school.

 

[Colleen27]

How were her test scores? Our school uses that, even more than grades, to determine summer school recommendations.

My son is a mediocre student on his report cards but tests very well; he's extremely bright but is dyslexic and has some motor skill issue that combine to make written work very frustrating. He works very hard and masters the material, but sometimes falls behind on homework which pulls down his grades. He doesn't get a summer school referral because of the strength of his test scores.

His best friend, on the other hand, gets excellent grades through sheer force of will. He never misses a homework assignment, and even though he struggles with a lot of the material they are covering that perfect record keeps him an A/B student. But because of his borderline test scores, both on teacher-administered assessments and on the standardized tests, he does get the recommendation to attend summer school every year.

 

[EthansMom]

I would call the teacher back and have a discussion about the reasons he/she thinks DD needs summer school. What area is she needing additional help in? And how have they been addressing this at school?

If the teacher gives general answers about the benefits of summer school and can't address specific reasons that DD needs help in specific areas than I would know that they weren't really concerned with improving DD's academics but with loading kids into the program.

 

[seashoreCM]

Well I received a voicemail yesterday from the principal about how my DD12 needs to go to summer school or she will be held back. The following message was from DD's teacher urging me to sign her up for summer school. As I type this I am getting ready to go to an award ceremony at DD's school. She is receiving an award for straight A's for the entire year, perfect attendance, citizenship, excellence in sports and some kind of recognition for orchestra.

1. Voice mail might have been sent in error, or was spam.
2. If other kids went to summer school and in so doing surpassed DD in achievement and there was limited room in honors courses in the fall ...

Now perhaps there is some course, also offered in the summer, that DD would have liked to take (basic electronics?), and that could not have been easily fit into a college prep. course schedule in the fall and spring.