[Singlemom619]

My son attends a school that's not near where we live and isn't even in the same district. He's at this school because it's 1 mile down the street from where I teach so I got a waiver for him to attend... If he attended the school in our neighborhood it would kill me because I wouldn't be able to afford the after school care AND they have about 3 weeks worth of days off that we don't have...

However, NEXT year he would be set to come to the school I teach at and there is NO WAY I'd let him come here based on what I've seen since I've been teaching here. So next year he's going to go to the neighborhood school and he'll either be home alone for 30-45 minutes until I get home or he'll go to the neighbors and I'll pitch in to their sitter... The days off he'll have to come to work with me - but he's older so it's not as big of a deal.

Here is the issue... I've had problems with his school since last year. The first two years I loved it and I loved the principal. Then last year when I had my older FS and this year I've grown more and more upset with them. The principal changed, the teachers suck.

Here are some issues I've had:
*They kept my child after school one day WITHOUT permission, I freak out about him not arriving, get ahold of the school to find out he was there so I'm driving to get him and they say he's already dropped off at my school. Then they turn their phones off. So my son is left alone wandering around my school having no idea where to go or what to do before I can get back to find him. No one at the school cared enough to drive down here, stop the bus driver from dropping him off, ect.

*I emailed today to arrange conferences because they come up in TWO weeks and I wanted to e-mail and get a time slot before the forms came home and they got filled. TWO teachers e-mailed me back and said their booked. How can they be booked already - completely booked - when they haven't even sent the forms home yet?

*My son has ADHD and NEEDS to constantly move and get his energy out at recess. I am strict and he is NOT allowed to goof in class. Last Friday EVERY teacher in his grade was out and there were 2 fights. My son wasn't involved in either - he was inside one classroom and they broke out in the hallway and inside another classroom. He even told me X and Y were involved and I found out later that wasn't right - so he wasn't there. The ENTIRE 5th grade lost their recess for 3 weeks and they are walking around the cafeteria instead. I'm sorry but when there were classrooms of kids that weren't involved why are they being punished?

*One teacher refused to have contact with me by e-mail and would call my home at 3 PM (when I"m still teaching) and leave messages - to call her back when I was working the next day. She did this several times and I went to the principal, he agreed she was wrong, and she still refused to have e-mail contact.

*The IEP meeting involved me and the Sped teacher. No other teacher showed up and when I asked she said she couldn't make them come before contract hours... It was FIVE MINUTES before their contract hours and we met until 15 minutes into their contract time - THREE of them were there in their rooms the entire time.

I am a teacher. I am a VERY STRICT teacher. So I understand about discipine and sometimes the entire class needs a consequence - but I think this is out of line.

Basically I'm sitting here fuming and thinking that maybe I should just pull him out now - or maybe over spring break and put him in our neighborhood school (which I've heard great things about.) I will work out the after school stuff and deal with it.... But I also feel bad to make him have to change now and leave his friends... But he'll have to leave them this summer anyway... And this would give him a chance to meet kids at his school so he won't be "new" on the first day next year...

I just keep going back on the pros and cons...

What would you do???

[joskids]

If you're unhappy with the school policies (being a teacher, I'm assuming you have very realistic expectations), then I would call a meeting with the principal and others that you take issue with an state my case. At that point, if the issues don't improve, I would write a letter to the school board, pull my child into a more appropriate atmosphere, and do my best to insure that he is safe after school until you are home. IF that means extra fees for a sitter, then so be it. School is just too important. As for him changing schools, kids adapt. If he has friends at that school that you approve of, maybe you can arrange some dates for him to spend time with them. I do think it's good that he will know the other students that he'll be in school with next year. We've had bus issues, behavior problems of other students that continue to be tolerated that we feel are not appropriate, so we, for the most part, drive our children to school and back. It's made things very difficult for us but I won't have them involved in the crap (excuse my lingo) that goes on in the school bus when the driver is trying to keep the bus on the road and some folks don't apparantly think it's important to insist that their children behave.

[Singlemom619]

Originally Posted by joskids

If you're unhappy with the school policies (being a teacher, I'm assuming you have very realistic expectations), then I would call a meeting with the principal and others that you take issue with an state my case. At that point, if the issues don't improve, I would write a letter to the school board, pull my child into a more appropriate atmosphere, and do my best to insure that he is safe after school until you are home. IF that means extra fees for a sitter, then so be it. School is just too important. As for him changing schools, kids adapt. If he has friends at that school that you approve of, maybe you can arrange some dates for him to spend time with them. I do think it's good that he will know the other students that he'll be in school with next year. We've had bus issues, behavior problems of other students that continue to be tolerated that we feel are not appropriate, so we, for the most part, drive our children to school and back. It's made things very difficult for us but I won't have them involved in the crap (excuse my lingo) that goes on in the school bus when the driver is trying to keep the bus on the road and some folks don't apparantly think it's important to insist that their children behave.

I have met with the principal, and when I called a meeting with the teachers two showed up... not kidding you. I've pointed out that they're not following the IEP and nothing changes. I haven't gone to the school board because I'm not tenured until next year and I'm not about to lose my job by pointing out their mistakes... AND because they did give me a waiver for him to attend.

I teach middle school so I have more students then these teachers do and I still abide by the laws, respond to parents within 24 hours (normally within 2 hours), make accommodations, and arrange conferences... I'm not perfect but I sit here and watch what these teachers are doing and I'm disgusted.

My youngest would still go to his daycare down the street and that's actually where two of my son's friends are in the morning and I drive them to school so I could easily work out them coming home with us on a Friday to hang out and do a slumber party.

I'm going to talk to my son tonight and I've already put a call in to the principal to tell him what my issues are.

[Cjmeck]

Originally Posted by Singlemom619

But he'll have to leave them this summer anyway... And this would give him a chance to meet kids at his school so he won't be "new" on the first day next year...

I just keep going back on the pros and cons...

What would you do???

This is your biggest pro for taking him out now. I've got my own little battle going with my son's school and yet it seems very small when I read your post. Follow your instincts. Based on what you've said, YES, I would absolutely pull my child out yesterday. Seriously, I wouldn't even wait until Spring Break. Maybe wait until President's Day (assuming you have a 3 day weekend).
Goodluck!

[MamaS]

You said that you teach Middle School and that next year your son will be in Middle School? If that is correct, then I would definitely transfer him now, so he can make some friends before next year. MS can be very intimidating if you are a "new kid". It could be very important for him to have some friends -- or even just some recognizable faces -- when he starts next year.

[Singlemom619]

Originally Posted by MamaS

You said that you teach Middle School and that next year your son will be in Middle School? If that is correct, then I would definitely transfer him now, so he can make some friends before next year. MS can be very intimidating if you are a "new kid". It could be very important for him to have some friends -- or even just some recognizable faces -- when he starts next year.

If he stayed at his school/district he'd be middle school next year. But the neighborhood school that I'm moving him to keeps 6th grade as elementary so next year when I move him he'll be in elementary still.

[DannieAS]

I say, if his IEP is not being met...pull him out and get him into a school where even if it isn't perfect, he'll get the modifications/accommadations/services he needs especially if you don't want to file a complaint or go to due process...if you change your mind go get the parent rights that you should receive with every IEP and follow it step by step (if they don't give you this, pm me and I'll be more than happy to e-mail you a copy...although I am in the state of CA...don't know where you are at)

The teachers imho are being pricks. I'm an LSS at a school site and I stay after hours to meet with parents if they are working or are single moms who can't take a break during the day....good luck, it must be frustrating.