School open houses

[IDoDis]

To answer the OP's question, our PTA serves pizza, soda, and ice cream in the cafeteria. In my classroom I usually put out a tray of cookies and some punch. The kids see the cookies when they are at school that day and are then more likely to remind their parents to come. I also give out a nice plant as a door prize. After the parents visit the classroom and see their child's displayed class work/projects, I give them a scavenger hunt sheet that says things like, "Take your parent to the computer lab and show them how you log in." "Take your parents to the library and introduce them to the librarian." "Go to the gym and introduce your parent to your PE teacher." "Take your parent to the music room, introduce them to your music teacher, and show them your favorite instrument." etc...

The parent or the specials teacher initials next to each item. The paper gets returned to a box outside of my classroom. The next day I have a drawing from the completed papers and the winning parent gets a plant. The student of the winning parent gets to choose something from my class treasure box.

My open house this year is this Monday, Sept 8th. Instead of cookies, I'm going to put out Krispy Kreme doughnuts. I will let my students know about the doughnuts. Sometimes parents forget, about open house night, but if the child wants to go and reminds them, you will get better attendance.

At my DH's elementary school they do something called, "Bring Your Parent to School Day" instead of an evening open house. The parent stays with their child from the beginning of the day, eats lunch with them, goes to recess and specials with them, and of course sits with them in class. The kids are always on their best behavior that day! It happens over the course of a week with a different grade level having the parents attend on a specific day.

My DS's open house night for his high school is this Wednesday. We go to all of his classes for 10 minutes with a 5 minute passing period in between each class. Last year DH and I had to split up because we had two kids at the school who obviously had different classes. I don't know now a single parent with more than one child would be able to go to all,of their kids' classes.

I think it's important for parents to attend if they don't have other commitments or work. To stay home sends a message to the child that school isn't that important. Even if you know what is going to happen, go anyway! Ooh and ahh over your child's work, meet their teachers (especially important for mid and high school) and then go out for ice cream afterward. Let your children know that you value their education and let the teachers know that, as well.

 

[Hrhpd]

ETA: There is no way we would know the dates of the open house 6 months-1 year in advance. We are lucky to get the next year's school calendar in May.

That would be the pits our 2016-2017 school calendars are already out.

http://www.sanjuan.edu/cms/lib8/CA0... Calendars/school_year_calendar_2016-2017.pdf

There are no back to school dates listed on that calendar. Anyway, I thought your kids went to private school? This link is for a public school district.

 

[NewRVLady]

IdoDis - my HS open house was like yours-!in those 10 min there was no way for 25 parents to meet the Teacher-?-we simply listened to her/ him read off the paper sent first day of school
That is why mid HS I stopped attending


They didn't become bums because of this- both college grads with high paying jobs, 401ks...company stock- one has a company car !
I did not fail them

 

[IDoDis]

IdoDis - my HS open house was like yours-!in those 10 min there was no way for 25 parents to meet the Teacher-?-we simply listened to her/ him read off the paper sent first day of school That is why mid HS I stopped attending They didn't become bums because of this- both college grads with high paying jobs, 401ks...company stock- one has a company car ! I did not fail them

I'm not implying you did. I did get to meet most of the teachers which helped me as a parent. It wasn't unheard of for my DS not to give us the full story on things. For example, one teacher offered extra credit that DS would never have told us about. I also liked that I got to see each of his classrooms and got a feel for how the teachers' styles were, too. Attending was not about getting a handout that I already had. I guess since DH and I are both teachers ourselves, we look at it from both perspectives as parents and teachers.

 

[Colleen27]

That would be the pits our 2016-2017 school calendars are already out.


http://www.sanjuan.edu/cms/lib8/CA0... Calendars/school_year_calendar_2016-2017.pdf

So jealous! We usually get ours in June, near the end of the preceding school year. Sometimes later if there are budget/contract issues holding things up. With kids in different schools and limitations on when DH can be off work the relatively short notice it would be nice to see schedules well in advance but it seldom seems to work out that way.

 

[tvguy]

There are no back to school dates listed on that calendar. Anyway, I thought your kids went to private school? This link is for a public school district.

I got flamed for mentioning private school, this is the public district we live in. And like I posted, by youngest is in college. A public college, no open house or back to school night there since's it's against privacy laws to tell me anything as a parent, but I CAN be held financially liable for her bills.

 

[tvguy]

Only in the internet world where you can declare anything as true.

Or dispute facts when supporting links are provided.

 

[tvguy]

Also im not sure what your point was with this question? Was it to imply I was just not aware or that its just no way true? Why would it be odd that they have not had this yet? I mean, met the teacher, got info and school yr going why would I question why they have not had this yet? If I have a question I can email her teacher.. If they need vol they will send a email like they have done the 3 yrs before. PSA: prob wont be doing any fieldtrips.. That many sm kids that are not mine is not a blast haha ( Yep, thats me the bad parent that just sends the snack! ) hahahha

The point of the question is I am surprised they haven't had some sort of start of school meeting. I will probably get flamed for that just like I got flamed for thinking there might be some important information in the open houses that were held.

 

[Allison]

Or dispute facts when supporting links are provided.

I don't put much stock in links just because somebody uses them to support their argument. Aren't you the person in another thread who provided a supporting link to prove a "fact" about federal overtime laws which was actually a California law and completely inaccurate on a federal level?

 

[NewRVLady]

And like I posted, by youngest is in college.

A public college, no open house or back to school night there

since's it's against privacy laws to tell me anything as a parent, but I CAN be held financially liable for her bills.

I never knew colleges had a Back To School Night for parents!

 

[mjkacmom]

The point of the question is I am surprised they haven't had some sort of start of school meeting. I will probably get flamed for that just like I got flamed for thinking there might be some important information in the open houses that were held.

We haven't had any sort of school meeting. School started last week, and the Open Houses are next week. Kids are not invited, all the information is fluff, and DH and I will be attending. Glad the kids are now old enough that we don't need to pay a sitter.

 

[mjkacmom]

I never knew colleges had a Back To School Night for parents!

Thank goodness! A friend of mine is going to parents weekend at her dd's college in a couple of weeks - I have no idea if dd's (VERY large college) has that, but she's only 40 minutes away, and DH attended the same college. Fingers crossed that they don't.

 

[aprilgail2]

So jealous! We usually get ours in June, near the end of the preceding school year. Sometimes later if there are budget/contract issues holding things up. With kids in different schools and limitations on when DH can be off work the relatively short notice it would be nice to see schedules well in advance but it seldom seems to work out that way.

We don't get our until the summer right before school starts!

Thank goodness! A friend of mine is going to parents weekend at her dd's college in a couple of weeks - I have no idea if dd's (VERY large college) has that, but she's only 40 minutes away, and DH attended the same college. Fingers crossed that they don't.

I know my god daughters college had that and they also had siblings weekend- we drove 10 hours to take my daughter there so my god daughter would have a sibling there (her brother passed away)

 

[tvguy]

I don't put much stock in links just because somebody uses them to support their argument. Aren't you the person in another thread who provided a supporting link to prove a "fact" about federal overtime laws which was actually a California law and completely inaccurate on a federal level?

Not that I recall.

 

[tvguy]

I never knew colleges had a Back To School Night for parents!

It's called "Family Orientation" in college. At my son's college, it was 2 days long.

http://www.pacific.edu/Campus-Life/Student-Services/Orientation/Family-Orientation.html

(don't tell anyone I posted a link)

 

[Allison]

Not that I recall.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3299742&highlight=overtime

Post 7 and 4 although I do stand corrected that isn't wasn't a link to California law.

 

[Ceila]

I don't put much stock in links just because somebody uses them to support their argument. Aren't you the person in another thread who provided a supporting link to prove a "fact" about federal overtime laws which was actually a California law and completely inaccurate on a federal level?

I didn't read that thread, but on the thread about trying to get copies made of wedding photos he repeatedly posted wrong and long-outdated information.

 

[tvguy]

Promised I would post when we did a story on parents who think School Open Houses are a waste of time. Management thought it was a good story as did the Special Projects Producer. But hit a brick wall here because they couldn't find any parents here that feel that way. So sorry I can't deliver what I promised, just doesn't apply here.

 

[cabanafrau]

Promised I would post when we did a story on parents who think School Open Houses are a waste of time. Management thought it was a good story as did the Special Projects Producer. But hit a brick wall here because they couldn't find any parents here that feel that way. So sorry I can't deliver what I promised, just doesn't apply here.

I'm going to throw a flag on the play for that last statement. Merely because candidates weren't found for the story doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't apply in your area. Perhaps the producers gave up the chase when no low hanging fruit presented. I doubt the story was high enough priority to merit an exhaustive search, which would be necessary to support your statement.

 

[Pigeon]

I'm going to throw a flag on the play for that last statement. Merely because candidates weren't found for the story doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't apply in your area. Perhaps the producers gave up the chase when no low hanging fruit presented. I doubt the story was high enough priority to merit an exhaustive search, which would be necessary to support your statement.

Yup. I can also imagine that many people who think open houses are a waste of time aren't going to want to be interviewed about it.

We don't go to them, but I don't especially want to antagonize my kids' teachers by being on TV about it. Also, dh is a teacher (in a different district) and that wouldn't be appreciated by his employers.