Kindergarten mess Update #85!!!

[HelenePA]

Of course now the problem is, the kids have been robbed of a gym to play in!

no, they will just be using the high schools gym. its right down the hall

 

[shortbun]

check with the catholic school today, this morning, as soon as they open so you can get a spot IF they have it. They probably would allow you to make a few payments as long as you have some of it up front.

 

[tvguy]

The open concept is one I grew up with throughout elementary and most of middle school. I don't care for it as an educator, but in all honesty it didn't have a negative impact on me as a student. Kids quickly learn to tune out the other teachers and students. The teachers probably have a harder time tuning each other out than the kids do. Now the no A/C thing, on the other hand, would put me over the edge, lol.

It was 106 here day before yesterday, and someone stolen wiring from one of the schools knocking out the a/c. Cause a big discussion at work about how can they hold school in the heat. Well, as someone who grew up here, and went to school K-12 in classrooms WITHOUT A/C, I don't get what the big deal is. I think our kids are a wee bit spoiled.
We also had more than one class in a room for a year, don't recall that being an issue.
As for Catholic school, $4,000 seems like a bargan, it's $11,000 a year here. 10 payments of $1,100 over the course of the school year. At $4,000 a year, the monthly payment would be less than a car payment. And your kids are a lot more important than a new car.

 

[HelenePA]

It was 106 here day before yesterday, and someone stolen wiring from one of the schools knocking out the a/c. Cause a big discussion at work about how can they hold school in the heat. Well, as someone who grew up here, and went to school K-12 in classrooms WITHOUT A/C, I don't get what the big deal is. I think our kids are a wee bit spoiled.
We also had more than one class in a room for a year, don't recall that being an issue.
As for Catholic school, $4,000 seems like a bargan, it's $11,000 a year here. 10 payments of $1,100 over the course of the school year. At $4,000 a year, the monthly payment would be less than a car payment. And your kids are a lot more important than a new car.

Well I live in a very low cost of area living my house payment is probably less than your car payment but that also means jobs don't pay as much here as they do other places we are not poor but 4k is a lot for us to come up with over a weekend! Actually is 2k we would need the school has a strict 2 payment policy if I had know about this at the end of last school year we could have done it but there is no way I can get that together over 3 days we don't have credit cards we just paid off our 2nd van the other was paid for in cash as well. As for the big deal I also went to school with no ac but it was in a class room with windows that could open for a breeze and the end of last school year they had the award cermony in the same place they have his class it was close to 90 that day after an hour I walked out of there dripping with sweat it was hot and I had a tank top on he'll be in a polo and shorts not thin ones either poor kid at least the hot icky weather will only be here a few days as much as I hate fall and temps in the 60-70's this year I'm praying they come soon I'll put on my happy face and send him with a smile honestly it's the only thing I can do right now he'll have a great time I'm sure he was a little chatter box last night it was fun for him to see everyone he had class with last year he's been looking forward to this since school ended in June ;-)

 

[golfgal]

Keep in mind that with back to school night there were a lot of people there that would not normally be there and with all those extra people talking all the time it's bound to get noisy. It won't be nearly as bad when school starts. The heat issue is a problem but maybe they can bring in large fans or something to move the air? No, it is not ideal but it sounds like the school is doing what it can for now. The only other real option they would have would be to stagger the schedule so not all the kids were in the building at the same time but that would be worse.

 

[HelenePA]

Keep in mind that with back to school night there were a lot of people there that would not normally be there and with all those extra people talking all the time it's bound to get noisy. It won't be nearly as bad when school starts. The heat issue is a problem but maybe they can bring in large fans or something to move the air? No, it is not ideal but it sounds like the school is doing what it can for now. The only other real option they would have would be to stagger the schedule so not all the kids were in the building at the same time but that would be worse.

I know there is no other good option but this I just don't know why they put the little kids there last year in prek they did a ton of singing they prekers this year are probably going to miss out on that this year even his teacher last night said she loved to sing but doesn't know it's going to happen this yr by 2nd grade all the fun cute songs are over with I have a second grader I'd rather her in there than him.
I gotta say though when you mentioned staged classes it brought back memories! We had to do that when I was in elemtary school! They found asbestos in our gym and had to clean it up ( this was in the early 80's) I went to classs from 1-6pm for month or so that was interesting this is a much better solution than that

 

[golfgal]

I know there is no other good option but this I just don't know why they put the little kids there last year in prek they did a ton of singing they prekers this year are probably going to miss out on that this year even his teacher last night said she loved to sing but doesn't know it's going to happen this yr by 2nd grade all the fun cute songs are over with I have a second grader I'd rather her in there than him.
I gotta say though when you mentioned staged classes it brought back memories! We had to do that when I was in elemtary school! They found asbestos in our gym and had to clean it up ( this was in the early 80's) I went to classs from 1-6pm for month or so that was interesting this is a much better solution than that

Can you imagine the outcry if a family had say 3 kids all on different schedules. Is kindergarten 1/2 or full day? If it is 1/2 day I can see where maybe they though it would be better to have them there since they wouldn't be there as long each day?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I had an open concept room in 4th grade. It was only 2 classrooms and the room was partitioned (pocket accordian wall) when lessons were separate and then put away for joint ventures or when lessons didn't need the wall.

Accoustically---the room was set up for it.

I am having trouble picturing how the accoustics of a gym can handle that. But maybe it can.

I agree--try to make the best of it and of it doesn't work, then explore options.

As far as building size. It always seems they are built for the present population only and never with the forsight to account for population growth. Often, schools are too small once the doors open for business.

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

Wow, sounds crazy. Maybe things will settle down as everyone gets their groove. Sounds like the school should consider year-round if it's that crowded; get 1/4 more capacity out of the building. Good luck! If your son is okay with it, though, I'd let him take the lead on it!

 

[Kath2003]

My bet is:

It will be a mess for the first few weeks.
Then the teachers will come up with coping strategies.
Not sure what grades are there, but they'll work it out so that they have periods of the day when ALL the grades are working quietly and periods when ALL the grades are being more active.
They'll work out gym and other lessons outside of the "gym/classroom" so that the other classes can have some quiet time whilst they're gone.

The teachers and kids will cope, because they'll have to.
Look at it this way: the only way is up....

 

[golfgal]

Just a thought, maybe a bunch of the parents can go together and buy a lot of area rugs to help absorb some of the sound. You can get them pretty reasonably-the 5x9 dorm room ones. I bet if a local store knows what they are for they will give you a deal on them. If you can put down enough to cover a good portion of the floor that will help cut down the noise. I am sure there may be some fire code things to worry about but it would be worth contacting the principal.

 

[HelenePA]

Can you imagine the outcry if a family had say 3 kids all on different schedules. Is kindergarten 1/2 or full day? If it is 1/2 day I can see where maybe they though it would be better to have them there since they wouldn't be there as long each day?

It's a full day as is prek.

The reason we have out grown is so quickly is we've had a major influx of esl studants (English as a Second Language) there was no way they could have predicted this ( my mom was on the board who built the new school in the last 3 years the influx of esl studants has almost added 500 ( if not more) kids to our very small district my graduating class had 67 students in it back in 96

 

[hentob]

It was 106 here day before yesterday, and someone stolen wiring from one of the schools knocking out the a/c. Cause a big discussion at work about how can they hold school in the heat. Well, as someone who grew up here, and went to school K-12 in classrooms WITHOUT A/C, I don't get what the big deal is. I think our kids are a wee bit spoiled.

You went to a school where the weather gets to 106 and you had no AC? How hot would it be in the building? 120? Sounds unsafe healthwise.

Helene said they can’t open the windows Tons of kids, no AC and no fresh air. Frankly, that sounds disgusting.

Helene—are you in "Chen" or NSkook (trying to be discreet ). If it is "Chen", then I feel so sorry for you. The number of illegal immigrants feeding into that district could rival any school nationwide. So sad that children of legal, taxpaying citizens are paying the price for this I don't know how this is happening.

 

[HelenePA]

You went to a school where the weather gets to 106 and you had no AC? How hot would it be in the building? 120? Sounds unsafe healthwise.

Helene said they can’t open the windows Tons of kids, no AC and no fresh air. Frankly, that sounds disgusting.

Helene—are you in "Chen" or NL (trying to be discreet ). If it is "Chen", then I feel so sorry for you. The number of illegal immigrants feeding into that district could rival any school nationwide. So sad that children of legal, taxpaying citizens are paying the price for this I don't know how this is happening.

I'm at the doah I'm one of the few streets in frack that go there. Last yr was fine this yr... Oy I am disgusted it takes a lot to get me worked up honestly

 

[Liberty Belle]

Oy... I dont even know where to start... Tonight was meet the teacher night for my five yr old son who is going to K this year. Our school has out grown it self many times over... There is NO where left to put students/classes... They came up with the wonderful idea to turn the elementrary gym into six class rooms seperated with walls about five and a half feet high (sorry my numbers aren't working? ) Do you even want to guess how noisy it was once all six classes got to their "rooms". I was less than fifteen feet away from the teacher who was yelling and I could not hear her by the end of the hour. Oh yeah and we dont have A/C in our school Do you know how HOT it is in there with all those kids? They aren't allowed to have the doors that lead to the outside open because of the chance of somone walking into the "rooms" the windows dont open either. Now at the end of last year we were told this would happen.. BUT we were told it was going to be second grade. Now 2 weeks ago they changed it to prek and k.... We've been home since seven and I am still in awe of this mess... they are building a new addition but it wont be dont til at least next year... As much as I want to go down to that school and rip someones head off for this wonderful idea... I just dont think there is any way to change it. The only other option is to send him to catholic school for his K year. I just dont know if we can come up with the tuition in a weeks time... infact I know we can't. Its almost four thousand dollars a year. I wanted him to have a wonderful year this year like he did in prek (he was in a normal class room then) now he's got to put up with this crap? I am sad for him. He LOVED school I'm afraid he's going to hate it after this... wish us luck for him and his new "classroom" its going to be a REALLY bumpy year...

Oh no! That's awful! Neither of my sons could survive in something like that. My oldest son's kindergarten year was awful because two classes were put together. I can't imagine this.

OP, I know you say you don't have the money for private school, but honestly I would do whatever I could to get my child out of that situation. Can you take out a loan? Four thousand isn't that much (as far as loans go) and could be paid off quickly.

I can't believe they school system would think this was ok. The acoustics, alone are going to bother so many children. This is a disaster.

 

[Liberty Belle]

My mother taught in a classroom like this for a couple of years, and I've been in schools that were, believe it or not, DESIGNED this way. (What genius thought up that one?)

If the teachers know how to strategize, they can make it work. It's not ideal, but if the teachers have strong management skills utilize good teamwork, a good educational environment can be forged.

But I'd also have to wonder what bright person decided to put the kindergarteners in this situation. The older kids would have a much better chance of dealing with it than the younger kids. Of course, the younger kids don't take standardized tests, and we all know that the need for kids to do well on those tests is what is driving the public schools these days.

Yes, but then to throw in the high ceilings, the acoustics are going to be terrible. I went to a middle school designed like this and that was bad enough. Plus, I'd hate to bank on all the teachers having strong management skills, etc. I'd hope so, but unfortunately I've seen as many poor teachers as I have excellent ones.

 

[Erin1700]

I think the first thing the teachers should do is look at their schedules. Do the kids go to other rooms for music and art? how about library? If they make sure they plan the important learning for when the class next to them isnt in their room, that could be a start!

 

[golfgal]

It's a full day as is prek.

The reason we have out grown is so quickly is we've had a major influx of esl studants (English as a Second Language) there was no way they could have predicted this ( my mom was on the board who built the new school in the last 3 years the influx of esl studants has almost added 500 ( if not more) kids to our very small district my graduating class had 67 students in it back in 96

Which is probably why the school isn't doing a WHOLE lot to add more room, this community is very transient and you may end up having a lot of empty rooms in a couple years.

 

[HelenePA]

Oh no! That's awful! Neither of my sons could survive in something like that. My oldest son's kindergarten year was awful because two classes were put together. I can't imagine this.

OP, I know you say you don't have the money for private school, but honestly I would do whatever I could to get my child out of that situation. Can you take out a loan? Four thousand isn't that much (as far as loans go) and could be paid off quickly.

I can't believe they school system would think this was ok. The acoustics, alone are going to bother so many children. This is a disaster.

I dont know where I could get a loan by monday though... and by the time it would go thru the heat factor would be over but it looks like next thursday will be the end of the 90s (at least for a week or so) the heat has me more concerned right now than noise. I really dont think the school system thinks its okay.. I just dont see any other options.. we're out of room inside the school and outside... no one wants their taxes raised, no one wanted to spend the money in the last five years to fix this before it go to THIS point but now here we are and now some of us are paying for it dearly... the prek and k classes of this year are going to suffer greatly because of it...

 

[hentob]

Which is probably why the school isn't doing a WHOLE lot to add more room, this community is very transient and you may end up having a lot of empty rooms in a couple years.

GolfGal—You are 100% WRONG. This community is the opposite of transient


Generation, upon generation, upon generation stay in this area. There is nothing transient about it.

We have had an influx of illegals come to this area as of late. I don’t know why, because it is not very welcoming to newcomers, sad as that may be.

But the local families have been here for 100+ years.