K teacher going on maternity leave?

[Anonymous]

FWIW, teachers who aren't pregnant do that, too. Bad form, but don't know how to disengage from people they know. Human nature, I guess.

[Anonymous]

Or you could wait until Monday, and see if there is information sent home to the parents.

[Anonymous]

I would expect the principal to send a letter home SOON. She should have already done so. That is not an unreasonable expectation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I think it's ok to approach the principal and ask what the plan is. Especially since it's kindergarten!

The plan is that the principal will get a substitute to fill in for her during her absence.
Parents don't get to weigh in on any part of that so why would you need to ask?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would expect the principal to send a letter home SOON. She should have already done so. That is not an unreasonable expectation.

Huh? A letter home before school starts? That is an unreasonable expectation. They will send home info about her leave when it's necessary. Mostly to keep parents like you from making it their business before school actually begins.

[Anonymous]

Huh? A letter home before school starts? That is an unreasonable expectation. They will send home info about her leave when it's necessary. Mostly to keep parents like you from making it their business before school actually begins.

Absolutely not an unreasonable expectation. Especially if the teacher is due soon. A letter would ease the minds of those parents who have natural concerns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Huh? A letter home before school starts? That is an unreasonable expectation. They will send home info about her leave when it's necessary. Mostly to keep parents like you from making it their business before school actually begins.

Absolutely not an unreasonable expectation. Especially if the teacher is due soon. A letter would ease the minds of those parents who have natural concerns.

Except that the only way the OP knew the teacher is pregnant was by doing an online search of the teacher's personal life, which is pretty unreasonable (or at least creepy) in and of itself. A letter sent home after the school year begins is perfectly reasonable in any situation, but the fact that you say that parents would have "natural concerns" and would need their minds "eased" before the school year begins because parents have looked up the teacher online is pretty unreasonable.

[Anonymous]

She went to Open House and said the teacher appeared to be due soon. Wouldn't you want to know the plan?

[Anonymous]

The principal needs to have a plan and share it. A teacher in my school came back from maternity leave for ONE day and then quit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The principal needs to have a plan and share it. A teacher in my school came back from maternity leave for ONE day and then quit.

Umm.. the principal has a plan. They don't just wing these things. It will be shared when it needs to be shared which isn't before the first day of school.

Parents showed up for open house and discovered the teacher is pregnant and due soon. (Except those who did some online snooping). Common sense says there will be a substitute. Would you like that person's name now so that teacher can also be checked out? What will parents do if they don't like the fill in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The principal needs to have a plan and share it. A teacher in my school came back from maternity leave for ONE day and then quit.

Umm.. the principal has a plan. They don't just wing these things. It will be shared when it needs to be shared which isn't before the first day of school.

Parents showed up for open house and discovered the teacher is pregnant and due soon. (Except those who did some online snooping). Common sense says there will be a substitute. Would you like that person's name now so that teacher can also be checked out? What will parents do if they don't like the fill in?

This. It's nice to know somebody around here has a sense of reason. Some serious crazy around here lately.

[Anonymous]

Some serious, over the top crazy. Parents peeking in the classroom windows kind of crazy.

[Anonymous]

Parents showed up for open house and discovered the teacher is pregnant and due soon. (Except those who did some online snooping). Common sense says there will be a substitute. Would you like that person's name now so that teacher can also be checked out? What will parents do if they don't like the fill in?

No, a name is not necessary. Just the basic information about the time frame and the qualifications of the sub.

[Anonymous]

Does the school have a history of making responsible staffing choices, doing their best to fill the classrooms with well-qualified, caring instructors? If so, there is no need to believe that they would do otherwise with their substitute staffing choices. The kids will only be apprehensive if the parents are apprehensive. Give the school the opportunity to present the information in the way that decades of experience have shown them is the best way to do so.

It's natural for parents to be apprehensive about kindergarten, but maybe direct your energy towards planning with the other parents a nice surprise for the teacher. You can be the parent working to make it a great year for everyone instead of the parent stirring up trouble by speculating on problems that don't actually exist. If you work with the teacher instead of against her, it could really be a great year for all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The principal needs to have a plan and share it. A teacher in my school came back from maternity leave for ONE day and then quit.

But the school has no control over it if the teacher said she was coming back. She probably had to come back to qualify for benefits during her leave or something. I know when I went out on maternity leave (not a teacher) I did not plan to return. My boss told me not to officially tell her I wasn't returning so that I could remain on the payroll and use all of my sick time as well as my leave time before officially separating from the organization. She did however appreciate the heads up and had someone ready to be hired the minute I officially told that I wasn't coming back.

If you are in a public school you really don't have much say. The school system hires teachers and puts them into positions. When there is a vacancy they move another certified person into that vacancy immediately. You might not like the new person, but they have been vetted by the school system and deemed fit to teach just as the previous teacher was.