OT: Do I have a right to be worried? RE: school

[Caitsmama]

I was told by my MIL who went to a school Halloween thing for my dd yesterday( i was at work) that with my dd's school being "crowded" and them not having a "gym" persay, they were going to be sending home letters to the parents telling us that we should be dressing our kids warm (gloves, hats, etc) for the winter, b/c they will having gym classes OUTSIDE?!!? Is this normal??? I really really have objections to this, why in earth would you send little kids out to gym outside in the winter!! (My dd is in 1st gr).

A lil' background on her school situation, they moved her from her old school at the end of last year, b/c they are totally gutting it and renovating it.. well, they put them in this OLD school house (that will be shut down after they are done using it as a "temp") and right now, they have about 85 more kids than normal in this school..

And, on top of that, I have been asking my dd how lunch is going, (she enjoys buying lunch) and asked her how her hot dog was the other day - and she said that she threw half of it out! When i asked her why, she said she ran out of time eating... again, confused, i asked her why.
She said that from the time that she gets out of the kitchen from buying lunch, they sit down, and the lunch aid tells them that they have 5 min. She said this happens all the time.. (When she does bring lunch, sometimes she comes home with leftover food).. i told her she MUST be mistaken, that i am sure they give her more than 5 min. to eat... but she swears that that is what the aid tells them -- 5 min.
All that to hurry so they can have recess?!! So, when i go pick her up at school on Mondays - ( i am off and always pick her up on Mon), i am gonna ask the aid what is going on, and if it's true. Although,i am freaked out, if she says it is.. i will have to hold myself back.

I am just growing frustrated with this "temporary" school.. and the way this is run.. It was only supposed to be for this one year, and now, we hear that the new school won't be ready til at LEAST the end of NEXT january.. so i highly doubt she will be back in there for next year, and i am fairly certian that she will end up back in this "temp" school for another year.. This building was from the 1930's.. and it is OLD.. and yuck as far as i am concerned. They have one room that triples as a lunch room, "auditorium" and i guess as an indoor misc. room, oh.. and did i mention it is in a dingy basement?!


I don't know... i can see now why people homeschool. The thought has seriously crossed my mind..

 

[disney6family]

Our school too has a multi-purpose room - one room for gym, auditorium and cafeteria in elementary school.
Lunchboxes are seated first, so they should always have time to eat if they aren't too busy talking.
Sometimes, when there is a difficult and popular meal, like soup and sandwiches then the line does go long - almost to end of period. However, the last two tables seated are usually given more time and go back to class late so they have time to eat - eat not socialize.
Also, our gym periods are scheduled so they are not during any lunch period or the period right after the last lunch so the gym can be cleaned again before having class there.
This makes our multipurpose room work well for our school (we have approx. 420 students)
If this is a public school it is your right to go into the school during any time (including lunch) and see just what is going on. Also, I would talk to your principal about the wisdom of having gym outside in the winter and possible scheduling changes.
I would also ask what happens when the children with trays are not seated up and until 5 minutes before period end.
Good Luck

 

[Benducci]

Sounds like our school. yes, they send the kids out as much as possible. Even my little one's pre-k goes outside until it is just too cold to be outside.
Our school gives the kids only 20 minutes for lunch - this includes the time they need to stand on line to get the food. The reason being, when they go out for recess, the next bunch of kids come in to eat. It is a space issue. Our cafeteria is also the gym.

 

[Caitsmama]

So - you would be ok with your child going out to gym class in Jan - outside??

Sorry, its just hard for me to understand this, i guess i was very lucky- growing up my (public) elementry school had a large gym and a separate large cafeteria/auditorium.

I understand about having different luches, etc.. but it seems that it should be run better so that the last kids in line don't have only 5 min to eat.. that's not fair to them. (Or healthy).

 

[jakenjess]

Sounds like our school. yes, they send the kids out as much as possible. Even my little one's pre-k goes outside until it is just too cold to be outside.
Our school gives the kids only 20 minutes for lunch - this includes the time they need to stand on line to get the food. The reason being, when they go out for recess, the next bunch of kids come in to eat. It is a space issue. Our cafeteria is also the gym.

Ours is the same also. The lunch periods are 20 min., so when they get hot lunch they don't end up with a lot of time to eat. The rule about going outside in the winter is if it's 20 degrees or above, out they go! Just be sure to dress her warmly! I actually think it's better for them to get outside more. It's when they're all stuck inside all day that the germs tend to spread around and they all start getting sick. I'm dreading the dead of winter already!

 

[Caitsmama]

Geez,i guess i am just the oddball then.. I really see a problem with her going out say if it's 27 degrees!! I NEVER did in school.. it just seems crazy to say the least to me..

 

[Nanisashi]

Winter outside, oh no, at dd's school, they dont go out if it's any less than about 55 degrees, we are in Texas though! Five minutes is just not enough time to eat. Do you have any other nearby public or private schools that you can check out?

 

[mickeylove2]

My DD is also in 1st grade and yes they get 17 mins for lunch, that includes coming in and finding a seat if you brought your lunch, or standing in line then finding your seat. She always takes her lunch but she tells me that there are always kids who throw away more than they eat. They don't have gym outside, they have a HUGE gymnasium, but they do go outside even when it's snowing, the only time they don't go out is when it's raining...I don't know what the temperature cut off is but it's probably not any colder than what it would be when I would let them out at home.

 

[Whosemom]

First, you need to observe lunch. My kids give me that same line, but I go in and they have time to eat if they aren't talking. It SEEMS like 5 minutes because they are having fun. And no doubt the teacher announced when there were five minutes left and it SEEMED like dd JUST sat down. The option is a slient lunch.

Our school has recess outside as long as the windchill factor is above 20, and I am all for that. Parents need to be responsible and send the kids with what they need. The days that are a close call, the kids are just miserable. Have you ever participated in outdoor recreation in the winter? You stay pretty warm if you are moving.

Relax, though. Enough parents won't dress the kids appropriately so all their time to move will be spent playing tiddlywinks.

 

[Mkrop]

yep DS10s school goes outside if at all possible, they only stay in for rain, or snow, or ice on the ground or when the temp goes below 32 for recess, not sure about gym, I think they stay in then but I know she gets them out as much as possible in the other months. And yes they have 20 minutes to eat, so if they spend more time chit chatting...

 

[MSSANDRA]

our county rule is that the children can go outside if it is above 40. Might want to ask what the rule is. Lunch can be crazy and there are years DS chose to pack to give him more time to eat. Calmly ask these question and remember that six year old might not have times exactly right. Gym outside at cold temps would not work fo9r my child with asthma so be sure to share any special concerns.

 

[Nicolepa]

So - you would be ok with your child going out to gym class in Jan - outside??

I wouldn't have a problem with it. Our kids go outside for recess no matter what. The only exception is lightening. Pouring rain, snow, wind, cold, they go outside. The only other exceptions are medical.

 

[Caitsmama]

Thanks everyone.

That is why i want to talk to the lunch aid.. but dd swears that it is as soon as she sits down, they are told that there is 5 min to eat -- and it is a silent lunch..

As for the outside, i guess recess outside is ok if it is say above 32 or so, but it just seems for gym that they would get more out of it,if they had a class indoors --but i guess that's just my personal thoughts..

See, i HATE the cold.. so i am partial to this.. LOL It is torture for me at 30 years old to go out and scrape off the ice off my car if it's below 30 degrees! LOL

 

[Caitsmama]

Our kids go outside for recess no matter what. The only exception is lightening. Pouring rain, snow, wind, cold, they go outside. .

SERIOUSLY??? That is messed up! Sorry, but that would be over the line for me..

 

[MSSANDRA]

I wouldn't have a problem with it. Our kids go outside for recess no matter what. The only exception is lightening. Pouring rain, snow, wind, cold, they go outside. The only other exceptions are medical.

I agree that this is crazy. For one,i can not believe that all children have the necessay outer wear to be protected from these elements and these children have got to be uncomfortable not only outside but the rest of the day, wet and cold in school. CRAZY.

We are in the south and extreme cold temps are NOT the norm and there have been times when school has been called off due to these extreme temps because every child does not have proper outerwear to protect from the weather.


I am laid back on most things but I would have real problems with this one.

 

[KirstenB]

Your school sounds like dd's except we're in Virginia. Our school was built in 1950, no indoor gym (but there is a room slightly larger than a classroom for PE, when it's raining). When dd buys, which is once a week, they have about 5-10 minutes to eat. Which is why I pack her lunch the rest of the week.

I see you're in Rhode Island. I'm assuming it's cold and windy in the winter? Brrr.

I grew up in Michigan, and New York, where the indoor gyms were huge, cause it's cold so much of the year. I fondly remember floor hockey, dodgeball, and wheeling around on these little square 4 wheel scooters.

 

[surfgirl]

There are 2 issues here: gym and lunch.

sounds like a temporary school. So you have few solutions:
1) deal with it.
2) fight for change (is it worth the battle? decide what you feel strongly about)
3) homeschool (could you start a coalition of parents that work together ?)

1) Gym - I'm thrilled when kids go outside and think that most schools err on the part of children not outside (due to clueless parenting and lack of warm clothes in cold weather).
=> Your school will have rules about when they go out and when they don't (ie temps, wind chill, etc.). Do you know these ? Are you comfortable with them ?

==> What other solution do you propose ? No gym ? I would rather have them outside than sitting and watching a video....


2) lunch - is she consistently at the end of the lunch line ? Is it 'truly' 5 min. or does it feel that way ? If you pack her lunch and she stills brings lots of food home, I would think about:
- pack less (less variety means the kids eat more of what is there. Doesn't make sense, but it works).
- when does snack happen ? (does it happen shortly before lunch ? is she not very hungry then when lunch comes ?)
- can you observe lunch like suggested ?

I've found that my 2nd grader has learned to eat more quickly due to lunch pressures at school. I'm also a Daisy mom and watch the kids eat their lunch (packed from home) -- there is one little girl that is consistently last eating - we give up and make her not finish. I watched her last week and she monkeyed around, inspecting it, arranging it, chit-chatting. By the time she started eating, others were done! They were the ones who sat down, unpacked, and started eating. We can't have 9 girls waiting for the one who spent 10 mins. goofing around.

So.... I would think about how strongly you feel and think about solutions.

Look at it this way -- in less than 1 year, you will have the benefit of a gorgeous, brand new school!!!

 

[StephMK]

Definitely try to go in & eat with her one day. Our school gives 20 min for lunch but they are super organized, the lines move quickly & kids should have plenty of time. Plus they have an overflow table for kids that aren't quite finished. I know I heard lots of parents complaining about the school lunch here but I've been there to witness & kids definitely stretch their version.

We have a multi-purpose lunch/gym too but they schedule gym around lunch time so it's not an issue. However, kids have 2 recesses & go out unless it's below 20? I think. If it snows, they still go out & can play in it if they bring their stuff. Otherwise, they still go out & have to stay on the blacktop. My DD thought it was the greatest thing ever last year! It's a pain to pack their stuff but I'm all for the exercise benefits.

 

[Caitsmama]

Surfgirl -- unfortunately, it is going to be ANOTHER year before the new school.. they were supposed to be in it for Sept. 2008, but now i heard that the school is behind schedule (big surprise) and that it won't be done til AT LEAST Jan 2009 - which means she will be in this temp school more than likely for another year after this.

As for your question on gym, of course i would rather her have gym. Plus - the state requires a cert.number of days of gym class for the year.

as for lunch - i do know that it is a quiet lunch - no chatting allowed. So, i know she is not chatting and missing lunch time.. And my dd isn't really the monkey around type - she is a definate "rule follower" - LOL.

I will keep you all posted as to what happens on monday when i get to chat with the lunch aid. And i will see how dd did today in lunch (she brought it today) vs tomorrow when she buys.

 

[DVC-Don]

My kids school has gym outside unless the temp is 32 or lower (or raining/snowing), then it's inside.