School pictures today

[golfgal]

The kids have school pictures today . When they were in middle school they took pictures at the open house before school started and the high school finally caught on to the fact that this is a good idea. They don't have to waste a day getting interrupted in class to go down and get their pictures taken. It is also freshman orientation day so the marching band does a stand still performance in the gym for that. Back to school is getting closer.

Does anyone else's school do pictures before schools starts?

 

[AristocatFan]

Our schools always do them in Sep. usually 3-4 weeks after school starts...............which is tomorrow!

 

[Rora]

I'm a 3rd grade teacher and I wish wish wish our school did pictures at Open House!

It's a very busy (but fun!) day when we have pictures. The kids are really excited, can't sit still, and I run around making sure everyone's hair is combed and they look somewhat presentable.

Hope the pictures come out great, Golfgal!

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

The elementary school starts on the 1st and picture day is the 22nd.

I'd rather have it during school. No one shows up to open house (which also happens after school starts too).
We have a schedule made up and each class comes down during specials. The photo guy we have has been at our school for years and he can really crank them out.

 

[mjkacmom]

Our pictures are taken 3 weeks into school, and that's when open house is also, but it's just for parents.

 

[golfgal]

The elementary school starts on the 1st and picture day is the 22nd.

I'd rather have it during school. No one shows up to open house (which also happens after school starts too).
We have a schedule made up and each class comes down during specials. The photo guy we have has been at our school for years and he can really crank them out.

REALLY??? You can't get through the hallways here on open house night with all the kids/parents, etc. Our school has it so the parents follow the kids' schedule-staying in each class for 10 minutes or so getting basic information on what will be happening for that year. The kids are welcome to come but they usually come and put their things in their lockers and catch up with friends. We have been doing this before school started since the kids were in elementary school and it is REALLY nice-especially since the kids can haul in all of their stuff.

 

[MichelleVW]

REALLY??? You can't get through the hallways here on open house night with all the kids/parents, etc. Our school has it so the parents follow the kids' schedule-staying in each class for 10 minutes or so getting basic information on what will be happening for that year. The kids are welcome to come but they usually come and put their things in their lockers and catch up with friends. We have been doing this before school started since the kids were in elementary school and it is REALLY nice-especially since the kids can haul in all of their stuff.

My girls have gone to 3 different high schools and not one of them has had an open house before school. If they did, I really doubt I would go....they are in high school, they know how school works by now, and I really don't need to meet their teachers.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

REALLY??? You can't get through the hallways here on open house night with all the kids/parents, etc. Our school has it so the parents follow the kids' schedule-staying in each class for 10 minutes or so getting basic information on what will be happening for that year. The kids are welcome to come but they usually come and put their things in their lockers and catch up with friends. We have been doing this before school started since the kids were in elementary school and it is REALLY nice-especially since the kids can haul in all of their stuff.

We only have 130 families in a school of Pre-K to 8. 3/4 of us went there as well, in fact my kids have some of the same teachers I did. Only the 6th - 8th graders rotate and that's between 4 teachers so it's maybe 10 minutes worth of talking then the parents leave.
Typically there are maybe 20 families that come in, including my own because PTO works that night on refreshments so my kids have to be there because I have to be there. But most of the families that come are for the little kids.

Last year I went to a Scholastic books seminar and she was trying to convince us not to have the book fair the week of parent teacher conferences. I told her there was no way, it's the only time I can get 70% of the parents in the building. We do conferences, fundraiser pick up, teacher luncheon, and book fair all at the same time. That usually catches most of the parents.
In the spring we do science fair, spring conferences, book fair, teacher appreciation, and any spring fundraiser on the same night as well.


I just got the notice for the HS, DS can pick his schedule up between the 24th-26th. And we were told it was a 15 minute session to ask questions and turn in any health forms. But they also have 3000+ kids to get through.

 

[SaraJayne]

Our school pictures are typically 3 weeks or so after school starts. So not until the end of Sept.

I love having our elem/middle school open house a few days before school starts. The kids can bring in all their supplies/stuff and not have to haul it on the bus.

They get to "meet" their new teacher and find their desk. (I say "meet" because it's a small school and they know all the teachers. LOL)

As parents, that time is used to pay fees (milk/lunch money and other misc fees), pick up the 1,000 forms we need to fill out, as well as attending informational meetings regarding the upcoming school year.

We're typically in and out within half an hour.

 

[Minnesota!]

Where my son goes, pics are in October. It's where I went to school K-8 and it was the same thing.

High school - it was done on a STUDENTS ONLY open house about a week before school started. We didn't have open houses for parents....I agree with a previous poster that in HS...unless there is an issue, there is no need for the parent to meet a teacher. I know for a fact that had my school HAD open houses...there would be very few parents who attended.

 

[dawson5]

When my son was a freshman they used to do this. I miss it. I would walk away broke but everything was done. They would take pics, pay book fees, buy gym clothes, parking pass, yearbook, etc. Sign up for PTO and any volunteering and turn in all of the emergency forms. They also got their books and were able to put them in their lockers that day. Done in one day. Apparently some parents complained and they stopped doing this. I had hoped that they would see that this was a better plan than what they are doing now. Our school requires them to wear an ID, they would have these ready the first day because of the pics being taken then. They also staggered this process, 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 and then a fourth day for everyone to come in who missed it. There was plenty of time to get it done. Now I never get the forms or he forgets to turn them in, almost missed yearbook last year because of he forgot to give me the form.

 

[jme829]

Yup..school doesn't start here until Sept 1, but all 3 kids had pics taken last week during registration. Elementary, middle school and HS ... DD17 only had a yearbook pic taken (we could order prints if we wanted) since she is a senior and had her senior pics done already earlier this summer.

When we lived in Ohio, it was done the "old fashioned" way sometime in October. I didn't care for that at all!

I like doing them in summer, then I can be with the kids and make sure they are cleaned up and hair brushed , etc... plus the company that does ours lets you look at them on the screen so you can ask them to take another shot if you don't like them!

 

[jen0610]

Our middle and high school takes the school pictures on the days of registration. While I understand that it does make it easier for the schools, by not having to pull students out of class, it sure doesn't make it budget friendly to families.

The grade schools do pictures in early October. With 16 middle and high schools, Lifetouch has no way of providing service to our 34 grade schools all on the same 2 days. I don't even know if they do all 16 of the middle and high schools, seeing as our high school has to have 3 photographers going, just to keep up with all those kids.

 

[golfgal]

Where my son goes, pics are in October. It's where I went to school K-8 and it was the same thing.

High school - it was done on a STUDENTS ONLY open house about a week before school started. We didn't have open houses for parents....I agree with a previous poster that in HS...unless there is an issue, there is no need for the parent to meet a teacher. I know for a fact that had my school HAD open houses...there would be very few parents who attended.

Our school must be strange because they have about 90% attendance for the 9th and 10th graders and about 50% for juniors and seniors. We only know 2 of the twins' teachers this year so we like to meet them at least once. We also have about 90% attendance for parent teacher conferences.

 

[::Snow_White::]

At our highschool photos are taken during enrollment, but for all the other grades it's probably a month into school. I like them much better when they're taken during enrollment, it's much easier.

 

[sunnyday123]

Wow...even MN schools do pictures better! I would find it extremely annoying to have them done at our orientation. It's very casual, you pick up your schedule, sign up for band/chorus/sports and the kids catch up if they haven't seen each other. No way would I make Dd get a picture 2 weeks before school-she hasn't had a haircut all summer and she wants to see her friends.

And I would have been mortified in high school if my parents showed up to brush my hair for pictures. In fact, we didn't have any sort of orientation past freshman year. They considered us adults, and we handled our business on the first day.

 

[golfgal]

Wow...even MN schools do pictures better! I would find it extremely annoying to have them done at our orientation. It's very casual, you pick up your schedule, sign up for band/chorus/sports and the kids catch up if they haven't seen each other. No way would I make Dd get a picture 2 weeks before school-she hasn't had a haircut all summer and she wants to see her friends.

And I would have been mortified in high school if my parents showed up to brush my hair for pictures. In fact, we didn't have any sort of orientation past freshman year. They considered us adults, and we handled our business on the first day.

Today is only FRESHMAN orientation for parents and kids-the rest of the school just has pictures-open house is on the 30th. Funny thing, in MN we can plan ahead and get hair cuts before pictures School doesn't start until after Labor Day.

 

[crashbb]

Today is only FRESHMAN orientation for parents and kids-the rest of the school just has pictures-open house is on the 30th. Funny thing, in MN we can plan ahead and get hair cuts before pictures School doesn't start until after Labor Day.

So, everyone else has to come in, more than 2 weeks before school starts just for pictures? What about people who are away? I would never have had school pictures if I lived in Minnesota.

 

[golfgal]

So, everyone else has to come in, more than 2 weeks before school starts just for pictures? What about people who are away? I would never have had school pictures if I lived in Minnesota.

OH the HORRORS. Our kids have been up at school for band for the past month, all the fall sports start today, the school sent out information about these pictures before the end of the school year last year. It really isn't that big of a deal . If someone is out of town they can have pictures done at retakes but considering between marching band and fall activities that accounts for about 90% of the kids in the school it really isn't going to be an issue. I am dropping the twins off in about 30 minutes to get their pictures done and DS18 and I are going to Sam's club. Both the twins have made plans to hang out with friend between pictures and when they need to be back at 3:30 for band pictures and to perform at Freshman orientation.

 

[kimblebee]

Wow, I can't believe how early kids are going back to school these days. Here, my daughter doesn't go back until Sept 8. Our school pictures are a few weeks later, usually late September, early October.