given new, later, start time, can I drop my 4th grader at the (closed) door at 8:30?

[Anonymous]

Aren't the citizens the owners of the property, technically?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aren't the citizens the owners of the property, technically?

Do you have any concept of how government works?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

So, a bunch of kids hanging out by the main doors to the school won't cause any work for the staff before hours? They won't horseplay? There won't be any bullying? There won't be any discipline issues during this time?

This is actually what everybody did before elementary school (not in MCPS), when I was growing up. Well, that, and play on the playground. That was normal life. When did it stop being normal life?

It stopped being normal life when parents started suing schools for injuries and other issues that happened on the playground when the kids were hanging out unsupervised in front of the school before it opened.

Has this happened in MCPS?

I have no idea. But do you really think that MCPS is going to wait around for a lawsuit rather than recognizing the risk and attempting to minimize it? You want your administrators to be that stupid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The key being, "when school is not in session." School is in session for kids whose parents pay for before and after care, but not for everyone. I don't know about your school, but at our school, the aftercare kids play on the playground during aftercare in nice weather (I can't speak to before care, I've never been at the school at that time). The regulation is in part to protect the children enrolled in aftercare, to make sure that they are the only kids playing at the playground, and that other children can't come around to make trouble, and neighborhood weirdos can't start creeping on them.

Why would the aftercare get exclusive use of a school playground after school hours? That is a sincere question. Is that in the aftercare's contract?

The school gave them permission. They have insurance to cover possible accidents.
Geez people .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The key being, "when school is not in session." School is in session for kids whose parents pay for before and after care, but not for everyone. I don't know about your school, but at our school, the aftercare kids play on the playground during aftercare in nice weather (I can't speak to before care, I've never been at the school at that time). The regulation is in part to protect the children enrolled in aftercare, to make sure that they are the only kids playing at the playground, and that other children can't come around to make trouble, and neighborhood weirdos can't start creeping on them.

Why would the aftercare get exclusive use of a school playground after school hours? That is a sincere question. Is that in the aftercare's contract?

I'm not sure that before/after care does get exclusive use in every school. My kids attend b/a care at their school and they go out before and after school if it's nice. The school I teach at only after care goes outside. I don't think either school has a strict policy about who can use the playground when.
What time kids can be dropped off before school, both have very clear rules about that. And repeat offenders are directed to set up before care. Financial assistance is available

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The key being, "when school is not in session." School is in session for kids whose parents pay for before and after care, but not for everyone. I don't know about your school, but at our school, the aftercare kids play on the playground during aftercare in nice weather (I can't speak to before care, I've never been at the school at that time). The regulation is in part to protect the children enrolled in aftercare, to make sure that they are the only kids playing at the playground, and that other children can't come around to make trouble, and neighborhood weirdos can't start creeping on them.

Why would the aftercare get exclusive use of a school playground after school hours? That is a sincere question. Is that in the aftercare's contract?

The school gave them permission. They have insurance to cover possible accidents.
Geez people .

Yes, but why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I'm not sure that before/after care does get exclusive use in every school. My kids attend b/a care at their school and they go out before and after school if it's nice. The school I teach at only after care goes outside. I don't think either school has a strict policy about who can use the playground when.
What time kids can be dropped off before school, both have very clear rules about that. And repeat offenders are directed to set up before care. Financial assistance is available

What does this mean, in practical terms?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow this thread is truly brought out the narcissistic entitled Loonies!
I am not leaving my child where the owner and/or supervisor of the property is telling me they are not permitted.

OK, so don't! Nobody is forcing you to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The key being, "when school is not in session." School is in session for kids whose parents pay for before and after care, but not for everyone. I don't know about your school, but at our school, the aftercare kids play on the playground during aftercare in nice weather (I can't speak to before care, I've never been at the school at that time). The regulation is in part to protect the children enrolled in aftercare, to make sure that they are the only kids playing at the playground, and that other children can't come around to make trouble, and neighborhood weirdos can't start creeping on them.

Why would the aftercare get exclusive use of a school playground after school hours? That is a sincere question. Is that in the aftercare's contract?

The school gave them permission. They have insurance to cover possible accidents.
Geez people .

Yes, but why?

Because they have staff to supervise the children?? It's not a liability for the school?

[Anonymous]

OP, if you do beforecare at say, 8, then you can get to work earlier and leave earlier. Win!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

So, a bunch of kids hanging out by the main doors to the school won't cause any work for the staff before hours? They won't horseplay? There won't be any bullying? There won't be any discipline issues during this time?

This is actually what everybody did before elementary school (not in MCPS), when I was growing up. Well, that, and play on the playground. That was normal life. When did it stop being normal life?

It stopped being normal life when parents started suing schools for injuries and other issues that happened on the playground when the kids were hanging out unsupervised in front of the school before it opened.

Do you know of any actual cases like this, or are you merely assuming that this is the reason?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The key being, "when school is not in session." School is in session for kids whose parents pay for before and after care, but not for everyone. I don't know about your school, but at our school, the aftercare kids play on the playground during aftercare in nice weather (I can't speak to before care, I've never been at the school at that time). The regulation is in part to protect the children enrolled in aftercare, to make sure that they are the only kids playing at the playground, and that other children can't come around to make trouble, and neighborhood weirdos can't start creeping on them.

Why would the aftercare get exclusive use of a school playground after school hours? That is a sincere question. Is that in the aftercare's contract?

The school gave them permission. They have insurance to cover possible accidents.
Geez people .

Yes, but why?

Because they have staff to supervise the children?? It's not a liability for the school?

But after the aftercare is done using the playground exclusively, other people can use the playground -- with or without supervision, at the same liability to the school. So no, that doesn't explain it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'm not sure that before/after care does get exclusive use in every school. My kids attend b/a care at their school and they go out before and after school if it's nice. The school I teach at only after care goes outside. I don't think either school has a strict policy about who can use the playground when.
What time kids can be dropped off before school, both have very clear rules about that. And repeat offenders are directed to set up before care. Financial assistance is available

What does this mean, in practical terms?

School secretary running out to the car that has arrived to drop off their child 20 minutes early for the 3rd day in a row:
"Good morning ms/mrs/mr larla's mom. We've noticed that larla has been dropped off prior to (our stated door opening time) for the last 3 days. As you know, students are not to be dropped off until ... Here is the information regarding our before care program that opens at ... The director would be happy to talk to you about setting that up."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'm not sure that before/after care does get exclusive use in every school. My kids attend b/a care at their school and they go out before and after school if it's nice. The school I teach at only after care goes outside. I don't think either school has a strict policy about who can use the playground when.
What time kids can be dropped off before school, both have very clear rules about that. And repeat offenders are directed to set up before care. Financial assistance is available

What does this mean, in practical terms?

School secretary running out to the car that has arrived to drop off their child 20 minutes early for the 3rd day in a row:
"Good morning ms/mrs/mr larla's mom. We've noticed that larla has been dropped off prior to (our stated door opening time) for the last 3 days. As you know, students are not to be dropped off until ... Here is the information regarding our before care program that opens at ... The director would be happy to talk to you about setting that up."

Thanks. Does that work? It doesn't seem like much of an obstacle, especially compared to the cost of before care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The key being, "when school is not in session." School is in session for kids whose parents pay for before and after care, but not for everyone. I don't know about your school, but at our school, the aftercare kids play on the playground during aftercare in nice weather (I can't speak to before care, I've never been at the school at that time). The regulation is in part to protect the children enrolled in aftercare, to make sure that they are the only kids playing at the playground, and that other children can't come around to make trouble, and neighborhood weirdos can't start creeping on them.

Why would the aftercare get exclusive use of a school playground after school hours? That is a sincere question. Is that in the aftercare's contract?

The school gave them permission. They have insurance to cover possible accidents.
Geez people .

Yes, but why?

Because they have staff to supervise the children?? It's not a liability for the school?

But after the aftercare is done using the playground exclusively, other people can use the playground -- with or without supervision, at the same liability to the school. So no, that doesn't explain it.

Because then there's no argument that the children are there for school-related activities that the school is liable for. If the grounds are kept in an unsafe condition and someone gets hurt because a piece of playground equipment breaks, sure, there might be a case. But the school doesn't become responsible if another neighborhood child assaults your child. If people are dropping unsupervised children off in front of the school to wait for the doors to open and the school does nothing to ban it, then the children arguably are there for school-related activities (i.e., waiting for school to start) and the school system becomes liable for a whole bunch of things like kids fighting under a failure to supervise theory -- they permitted kids to hang out there before school started, but then didn't put a responsible adult out there to monitor them. I'm sure your school always has staff members positioned outside the school during official drop-off and pick-up, and this is one of the primary reasons -- so they can supervise the kids and make sure no one is getting into trouble.