DCPS Cafeteria Drop Off

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are a two parent household, be glad you have options.

What the heck does that have to do with anything?? I already said I am paying for before care. I'm not asking the school or anyone else for any favors.
Thanks for telling me what I should be glad about, super helpful.

I am just asking for feedback bc I don't want to be a complainer if this is typical of drop offs for others.

BS. You wanted feedback on why its a "total shitshow". You "plan on speaking with the principal". Your post reeks of the typical snowflake, Larla, entitlement that gives gentrifiers a bad name.

[Anonymous]

Why do you assume she is a gentrifier?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are a two parent household, be glad you have options.

What the heck does that have to do with anything?? I already said I am paying for before care. I'm not asking the school or anyone else for any favors.
Thanks for telling me what I should be glad about, super helpful.

I am just asking for feedback bc I don't want to be a complainer if this is typical of drop offs for others.

BS. You wanted feedback on why its a "total shitshow". You "plan on speaking with the principal". Your post reeks of the typical snowflake, Larla, entitlement that gives gentrifiers a bad name.

np: I find aftercare at our school unpleasantly chaotic and loud. What does that straightforward observation have to do with snowflakes or gentrifiers?

[Anonymous]

Before this thread takes a really bad turn, ever since the "law and order" days of DCPS went with the wind, I've always found drop-off in elementary to be chaotic the first few days, made worse by parents who anxiously and toweringly crowd around. There isn't an easy solution but some things I've seen our principal do that really help: Clearly label the tables where children of each classroom should assemble. Allow those done with breakfast to go to the playground. Consider lining up on the blacktop to be picked up rather than in the cafeteria.

The next best step a principal can take is have children be dropped off outside the school. Used to be so at our school way back when "law and order" reigned and children (at our DCPS, 2007) were asked to pray before lunch. In those days, the metal doors would close behind the kids and no one had a clue of what was going on inside. All good, but it really made the hovering parent type (can't say I wasn't) even more anxious than a bit of noise those first few days. Those days are behind us, for better AND for worse.

Good news: It really will get better, always a little loud but ultimately routines kick in, parents stay away or leave more quickly, and your child recognizes others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are new to DCPS after having been at a charter for the last couple of years. The system for drop off at our school is to leave your kid in the cafeteria if you get there 10-15 minutes before school starts. We have to drop my child off a bit early because we have to top another drop off for my second child at another school. My question is- why is it such a total shit show? I can't tell who works at the school, it's totally disorganized and my kindergartener is totally overwhelmed and perplexed by the whole deal. Why don't they allow classroom drop off? Why aren't there plenty of adults around and available to direct parents and children? Is this normal for DCPS drop off? I plan on speaking with the principal about my concerns as a new parent, but just wanted to get some feedback about the process first. We are new so this all feels very foreign and chaotic to us.

We do have her enrolled in before care so she isn't just randomly hanging out (although kids are allowed to be there unsupervised after 8:20 bc they serve breakfast), but I feel terrible leaving her. Today I put her in the hands of the person in charge of aftercare, but he was just happy to have her roam around and find a place to be. I could tell it all made her very nervous.

Why not drop your other child off 1st if it is too stressful for your K? Or enroll them at the same school? (isn't school choice awesome!)

Why don't they allow classroom drop off? The school day has not started - who would be watching your child in the classroom?

Why aren't there plenty of adults around and available to direct parents and children? Which adults do you want to do this? The one's who are paid as a part of before care? Those who have been working without a contract for the last few years?

Is this normal for DCPS drop off?[b] It depends on the school. Some schools do not allow morning drop off unless you are in beforecare. At our school students are not allowed in the building until 8:35.

[Anonymous]

I think much of the chaos is due to the fact it's the first week of school. Our school has a pretty clear drop off/morning routine yet it's still crazy the first few days. I'd suggest waiting a few weeks to see how things go, and then if you still have an issue, talk with staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Before this thread takes a really bad turn, ever since the "law and order" days of DCPS went with the wind, I've always found drop-off in elementary to be chaotic the first few days, made worse by parents who anxiously and toweringly crowd around. There isn't an easy solution but some things I've seen our principal do that really help: Clearly label the tables where children of each classroom should assemble. Allow those done with breakfast to go to the playground. Consider lining up on the blacktop to be picked up rather than in the cafeteria.

The next best step a principal can take is have children be dropped off outside the school. Used to be so at our school way back when "law and order" reigned and children (at our DCPS, 2007) were asked to pray before lunch. In those days, the metal doors would close behind the kids and no one had a clue of what was going on inside. All good, but it really made the hovering parent type (can't say I wasn't) even more anxious than a bit of noise those first few days. Those days are behind us, for better AND for worse.

Good news: It really will get better, always a little loud but ultimately routines kick in, parents stay away or leave more quickly, and your child recognizes others.

Wtf??????

[Anonymous]

^^ Yes, please clarify. Who was asking the children to pray?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ Yes, please clarify. Who was asking the children to pray?

This incident happened 10+ years ago. It was a principal.

Outrage ensued and it ended.

[Anonymous]

I was taken aback by the cafeteria drop-off too. It was incredibly noisy, confusing, and really intimidating for the new kindergarteners. I had been told there would be a table for each K class and that I would see the K aid, but that did not turn out to be true. There's got to be a different way, especially for the kindergarteners!

One idea, if it's really impossible to do drop-off right in the K room: don't let parents in the cafeteria. That would reduce the chaos and the noise. Instead, have the tables clearly labeled and organized, with the class aid present, and have volunteers escort each kindergartener to their class table.

[Anonymous]

My understanding is that it is in violation of the teacher's contract to have either teachers or aids supervise children before the school day officially starts. My DCPS provides PTA-paid funding for the aftercare provider to provide limited supervision in the mornings. Drop off is on the playground in good weather, the cafeteria in bad weather. Either is still somewhat chaotic. I had one kid who was cool with it, and one who hated it. With the first kid, we got to the playground at least half an hour early so that he could get his energy out, with the second we get there much closer to the first bell. There are little things the school can do to improve things, but it's likely to remain somewhat chaotic. It's a big transition and there are often too few adults for the number of kids. For every kid that would be happy to sit at an assigned table with their bucket of books, there's another kid who needs to run around as much as possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is that it is in violation of the teacher's contract to have either teachers or aids supervise children before the school day officially starts. My DCPS provides PTA-paid funding for the aftercare provider to provide limited supervision in the mornings. Drop off is on the playground in good weather, the cafeteria in bad weather. Either is still somewhat chaotic. I had one kid who was cool with it, and one who hated it. With the first kid, we got to the playground at least half an hour early so that he could get his energy out, with the second we get there much closer to the first bell. There are little things the school can do to improve things, but it's likely to remain somewhat chaotic. It's a big transition and there are often too few adults for the number of kids. For every kid that would be happy to sit at an assigned table with their bucket of books, there's another kid who needs to run around as much as possible.

So basically the response is that the schools create a 30 minute period of totally unsupervised before-care? That seems like a bad idea. I'd rather that the rule just be that kids have to be dropped off right at the classroom at the school bell. If they're not going to adequately supervise my kid until the school bell and they walk into class, I ought to be able to just drop them off in class. I do understand the argument about not wanting parents wandering around the school, but the alternative doesn't sit right with me. (Note: this is for a very young K; I'm sure it will be fine for older kids.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is that it is in violation of the teacher's contract to have either teachers or aids supervise children before the school day officially starts. My DCPS provides PTA-paid funding for the aftercare provider to provide limited supervision in the mornings. Drop off is on the playground in good weather, the cafeteria in bad weather. Either is still somewhat chaotic. I had one kid who was cool with it, and one who hated it. With the first kid, we got to the playground at least half an hour early so that he could get his energy out, with the second we get there much closer to the first bell. There are little things the school can do to improve things, but it's likely to remain somewhat chaotic. It's a big transition and there are often too few adults for the number of kids. For every kid that would be happy to sit at an assigned table with their bucket of books, there's another kid who needs to run around as much as possible.

So basically the response is that the schools create a 30 minute period of totally unsupervised before-care? That seems like a bad idea. I'd rather that the rule just be that kids have to be dropped off right at the classroom at the school bell. If they're not going to adequately supervise my kid until the school bell and they walk into class, I ought to be able to just drop them off in class. I do understand the argument about not wanting parents wandering around the school, but the alternative doesn't sit right with me. (Note: this is for a very young K; I'm sure it will be fine for older kids.)

There is always supervision. Maybe not to the extent that you or your child are comfortable with and most likely without much structure. There is always the option for the parent or the school to allow a very narrow window for drop off to limit the amount of time with limited supervision. That would create a different kind of chaos. Having every parent escort their child to the classroom door would create very crowded hallways and a yet another kind of chaos.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is that it is in violation of the teacher's contract to have either teachers or aids supervise children before the school day officially starts. My DCPS provides PTA-paid funding for the aftercare provider to provide limited supervision in the mornings. Drop off is on the playground in good weather, the cafeteria in bad weather. Either is still somewhat chaotic. I had one kid who was cool with it, and one who hated it. With the first kid, we got to the playground at least half an hour early so that he could get his energy out, with the second we get there much closer to the first bell. There are little things the school can do to improve things, but it's likely to remain somewhat chaotic. It's a big transition and there are often too few adults for the number of kids. For every kid that would be happy to sit at an assigned table with their bucket of books, there's another kid who needs to run around as much as possible.

So basically the response is that the schools create a 30 minute period of totally unsupervised before-care? That seems like a bad idea. I'd rather that the rule just be that kids have to be dropped off right at the classroom at the school bell. If they're not going to adequately supervise my kid until the school bell and they walk into class, I ought to be able to just drop them off in class. I do understand the argument about not wanting parents wandering around the school, but the alternative doesn't sit right with me. (Note: this is for a very young K; I'm sure it will be fine for older kids.)

There is always supervision. Maybe not to the extent that you or your child are comfortable with and most likely without much structure. There is always the option for the parent or the school to allow a very narrow window for drop off to limit the amount of time with limited supervision. That would create a different kind of chaos. Having every parent escort their child to the classroom door would create very crowded hallways and a yet another kind of chaos.

I dunno. I know from talking to other parents than some DCPSs did a much better job for the new K'ers to make the drop-off less stressful. I'm not surprised that my DCPS did not; they are much more image than substance.

[Anonymous]

Plus this varies by school. I did cafeteria drop off today and it was as orderly as it could be with a cafeteria full of elementary school kids. My kid found the cafeteria line and where he was supposed to sit right away, and people mostly stayed at their assigned tables.