OT: Kindergarten Upheaval

[ksoehrlein]

DD (my oldest) started Kindergarten on 8/10. A few days later, a note was sent home announcing that due to large K class sizes, a new teacher would be hired the following week and children would be pulled from existing classes to form a new class.

On Friday (8/19), DD came home with a note stating that she was part of the newly created class. In fact, she had been pulled from her existing class in the middle of the day and placed in the new class several hours before the parents were notified. I still have not met the new teacher. It's a little disconcerting.

DD is an adaptable kid, and I'm glad they are reducing the number of students per class, but I'm frustrated that such a major adjustment had to happen during the school year. (Of course, the reason it couldn't happen sooner had to do with a lack of funds.) How strange to start a new school with a new teacher and then have a new classroom with another new teacher just 9 days later! Not exactly the best way to start our public school experience.

Has anything like this happened to you?

 

[ZanneMarie]

No, not something quite like that. Although my 2nd son was in AM Kdg and the class was quite large. The PM class was quite a bit smaller due to some drops. Some kids were going to be switched and the teacher asked if I would mind if my son was one of them (she was asking SAHM families 1st I think because no daycare arrangements would need to be changed). I asked him and he said as long as one other kid was also going he would switch -turns out thw other kid was going too and I have to say it was great to be in a much smaller class. This was about 2-3 weeks into the year.

I have to say I am surprised that they switched in the middle of the day before even informing parents that 'the day' had come. If THAT had happened to my DS he probably would have freaked on them. He needs predictability or to be aware of changes in advance.

Hope that it ends up working out for you and your daughter.

 

[daisyduck123]

I have been teaching 1st/2nd grade for 15 years. My first 9 years were spent in one particular county here in Maryland were exactly what happened to you does happen here each year. School begins the week before Labor Day and on/about Oct. 1st each school sends in its exact enrollment count & then staffing for each school is adjusted if necessary. Sometimes, our school would need to lose or gain a teacher according to enrollment. Then, on/about Oct. 15 a new teacher might arrive, students would be moved, & would take a letter home that day stating that they had moved to a new room & met their new teacher. The principal would do the move BEFORE the students took the letter home, because if she notified the parents first, most would call & give her a hard time but this way it was already done & parents would leave it alone.

I hope your daughter enjoys her new class. After about a week, the kids are adjusted & its like it never happened.

 

[MelodyMack]

Just wanted to comment that it is GREAT that your munchkin is adapting so well. It says a lot about her ....I hope she likes her new teacher!

Mel

 

[HappyMommy2]

I hope your little one will be 100% comfortable in her new class very soon!

I remember this happening to me in Kindergarten 25 years ago! They added another class, and I went to the new class, just a few days after school started. I don't remember my mom warning me so I imagine she didn't get any warning herself. I remember being pretty upset that day, and very confused! But I must have adapted pretty quickly because that year holds so many fond memories for me. Ah to be in Kindergarten again!

 

[Mom to Jordan]

I think that while all schools try to avoid disruption to children during the school year, the truth is that most kids do just fine! In less than two weeks they have not fully bonded to the teacher yet and 5 year olds make new friends in a matter of hours!
It has been proven that class size makes a huge differen in preformance levels in yearly years. I am sure the benifits will outway any adjustment at this time.
i do think that the school should have let you know first. I would gently mention to the teacher that you really like to know what is going on and that she should feel free to contact you at any time.
Glad she is adjusting well.

Jordans' mom