Dr. Jennifer Reesman

Latest w/@drmollycolvin @tannahillglen Altered Trajectories: Considering the Long-Term Impact of Educational Disruption during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Neurodevelopment and a Call to Action for Neuropsychology academic.oup.com/acn/article-ab…

I think it was someone on this site where I first saw that Epic = every patient, infinite clicks. True.

The Anxious Generation was published two years ago today, in a very different world. Back then, the most common objection I got was resignation: "The train has left the station." "You can't put toothpaste back in the tube." "It's how the kids connect today." Today, the world looks very different. It turns out that if our kids were all on a train and we learned it was heading toward a collapsed bridge, we'd find a way to stop it and bring them safely back to the station. That’s what’s happening now. After the historic verdicts in Los Angeles and New Mexico, today is a great day to reflect on the capacity of people in democratic societies to take action, even when opposing some of the most powerful corporations in history. We're getting access to the courts. We're getting phone-free schools. We're seeing whole neighborhoods letting kids out to play, unsupervised, which is what we older folk all remember as the best part of childhood. So I want to recognize: --The mothers (and, right behind them, fathers) who rose up by the millions and powered the movement. --The farsighted governors and legislators in red states and blue states who have been innovating on policy solutions. --The leaders of a dozen of nations, who are raising the age to 16 for opening social media accounts (with a special shoutout to Australia, for going first). --The teachers and school administrators who had their classrooms disrupted for 15 years, and who are now eager to think through new solutions as screens have taken over and obstructed learning. --The grassroots organizations who have been dedicating their efforts to advocate for all of the above in their local communities. --The millions of members of Gen Z who have been rising up, demanding agency over how they spend their lives in the digital era, and finding better ways to connect in real life. And one final group: the survivor parents--the ones you saw in those pictures of people embracing on the front steps of the LA courthouse. I have met many over the years. I am in awe of their courage and tenacity, their willingness to tell their stories of loss, over and over again, to different audiences, in the hope that no other parent would have to endure what they have endured. At long last, juries and legislatures are hearing you, and are acting. Together, we are calling the train back to the station. Together, we are rolling back the phone based childhood and reclaiming life in the real world. The work continues. If you’re not already involved, join us: anxiousgeneration.com/join

“It’s just a building. A building isn’t a school.” That’s what they said 10000 times in 2020 and 2021. They meant it.

@BarryJacksonCM @JulieYangMoCo The en bloc vote and the board member comments centering themselves and their own personal feelings was a bit much. Thank you for noticing it. And thank you Julie for dissenting.

A moment frozen in time. @JulieYangMoCo is the only vote one to vote no on the vote to close Wootton. Everyone else votes yes. While I understand each member voting their own conscience the number of statements unhappy with how the opposition was uncouth was a bit much.

Statement from Rockville City Councilmember Adam Van Grack on Today’s MCPS Board of Education Boundary Vote I am deeply disappointed by the Montgomery County Board of Education’s 7-1 vote to approve the Superintendent’s Boundary Recommendations, which will, in effect, close Wootton High School and relocate its entire student body to the new Crown High School. This decision comes despite extraordinary and unified opposition from multiple communities. The Wootton Cluster community, the Magruder Cluster community, the unanimous Rockville Mayor and Council, and voices from across Montgomery County came together to urge a cooperative path: a solution that would open Crown to its closest students while also preserving Wootton High School and maintaining a clear rebuild path for Magruder High School. That unified call for collaboration and balance was not supported through tonight’s outcome. In my testimony earlier today, I urged the Board to pause and work collaboratively with communities and local leaders to support a solution that supports all students. I emphasized that significant questions remain regarding growth projections, development assumptions, transportation impacts, and the future of the Wootton facility. Importantly, I invited the Board and Superintendent to join us in advocating together before the County Council for funding to support both Wootton and Magruder. As I told the Board, “When communities are asking you for leadership, when data is questioned, when one decision directly threatens multiple communities, the strongest leadership is not choosing which community to sacrifice, it is standing together and refusing to sacrifice any of them.” This unfortunate decision creates heartache in the Wootton community, provides continued sorrow in the Magruder community, and raises long-term concerns about capacity and growth planning in one of the fastest-growing regions of Montgomery County. Rather than bringing communities together, this decision risks dividing them and eliminating flexibility that will likely be needed in the years ahead. While tonight’s vote is final, my advocacy is not. I will continue to strongly advocate for Wootton High School to be rebuilt or renovated as a permanent, community high school on Wootton Parkway. The Wootton community deserves long-term certainty, and students deserve a local, modern facility that allows the school’s strong academic and community traditions to continue for generations. Although I strongly disagree with tonight’s outcome, I remain committed to working with parents, students, educators, County leaders, and community stakeholders to advocate for investment in Wootton, a clear modernization path for Magruder, and planning that supports growth across our County. Thank you to the amazing community members and volunteers from the Wootton High School PTSA, Magruder High School PTSA, and Save Wootton Group for all of their amazing advocacy over the past few month. The unity demonstrated by the many incredible Wootton, Magruder, and Richard Montgomery parents, students, and community members throughout this process has been extraordinary, and that collaboration will remain essential moving forward.

I am now watching the After Action Report portion of this BOE meeting. The positives - this is a legit AAR. It's thorough, it is critical where appropriate and praises where appropriate. As a Magruder parent who had to fight for 9 months for a less bad AAR, I appreciate that/1

@AaronDrol Surprised they didn’t move this meeting to virtual to avoid facing the community

Cannot believe the motion to approve these items en bloc. What a middle finger to the community.

BREAKING: Majority of Montgomery County school board approves a measure to relocate the current Wootton High School to the Crown Farm area of Gaithersburg. Opponents chanted “shame, shame“ as they left immediately after the vote.

"Listening" to testimony, while ignoring every concern and not even responding with any sort of substance is not actually meaningful. Just say hey, we hope Magruder doesn't fall down in the next decade, because we're doing nothing. We appreciate your advocacy, with a smile.

@ksglassman It really did tell the community that we know best and you should sit down and shut up and like what we are doing

Moving this in block is insulting. As has been the case for this entire process.

While I am well aware that MCPS will push forward and all of our BOE members will continue to ignore Magruder, I do appreciate these testimonies today. I want to point out again that 3 cluster schools are in D1 and our BOE president has not answered a single email from any of us.

@ksglassman I mean to be fair we could say that about a lot of emails that go to the current BOE president and that the BOE should be responsive to all constituents since every single voter gets to see them on their ballot…

The comments from the board are simply defiant sounding

@AdamVanGrack @mocoboe Thank you and to all who testified-what excellent representation of community views. Unfortunately seemingly ignored by the BOE.

I am standing this afternoon with families, students, and neighbors from the Wootton and Magruder communities before the @mocoboe vote on the Superintendent's Recommendation which could close Wootton High School. What’s been most powerful through this process is seeing communities come together... not against each other, but for each other. We stand together with one clear message: we can do better than this. I will be testifying shortly before the Board of Education with a simple hope: that the Board chooses to support our schools and support our communities… not sacrifice them. There is still time to pause, to work together, and to find a solution that doesn’t force one community to lose. I am truly hopeful that the Board chooses leadership tonight.

The Montgomery County School Board meeting is packed in advance of tonight’s vote on whether to relocate Wootton High from Rockville to a site in the Crown Farm area of Gaithersburg. Most here oppose the plan.

One of my pet peeves during the school shutdown period was the style of reporting that fell back on "we don't have enough research to say definitively that this is bad." The reporter gets to feel smart but by the time the evidence rolls in the damage is done (& it's not covered)

TT “The building condition of Wootton is pretty terrible. Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system here" ... "leaves a lot to be desired.” I agree! This is why it's not an acceptable holding school. Leaving it untouched for years would make it even worse.