surprised by kindergarten orientation time

[Anonymous]

It is harder to have 2 full time working parents after the kids go to real school than before. Get used to it. For us, it meant making my job way more flexible than it was.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you pay for a service, they cater to you. When you are dealing with public school (where they don't really need your child to attend to keep them in business), they may or may not schedule things at convenient times. Daytime is convenient for them b/c the teachers, admin people, principals, etc. are paid to be there during the day. They don't really want to come in at night --- although some do set it up at night... most do not.

I agree with this. Although having it in the morning would make more sense to me. Then parents could just head into work after that, rather than going in and then coming for the orientation, and then maybe heading back to work.

They can't do it in the morning bc school is in session. Bt 230, school is out, I assume, but teachers and staff are still there to do orientation.

Curious, what ES?

Our school does it in the morning while school is in session.

[Anonymous]

Our school does it in the morning while school is in session.

Do the K teachers participate, or is this just for the parents?

[Anonymous]

Ours was also in the middle of the day. Both DH and I took the day off. I had made an appointment earlier in the day with her pediatrician for a physical so that the medical forms could be turn in at orientation although you can turn those in later on in the summer. It was helpful to attend because it gave us a feel for the school and also got to meet the kindergarten teachers. However, I agree with the previous PP, now that DC is in school, it's totally overwhelming with two working parents. DC's kindergarten has an activity monthly where the parents attend and participate. This is in addition to all the other activities that involve parents volunteering, field trips, closed for snow days, teacher work days, etc. Unfortunately, I don't have a flexible job and cannot work part time. So yes, elementary school is a lot more demanding schedule wise.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like some of you have children in schools that have many more activities than my building. Kindergarten has a couple of activities a year such as a Thanksgiving meal and maybe some type of field day. After kindergarten there isn't much. A field trip or two a year which don't require much from parents, but nothing beyond that

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like some of you have children in schools that have many more activities than my building. Kindergarten has a couple of activities a year such as a Thanksgiving meal and maybe some type of field day. After kindergarten there isn't much. A field trip or two a year which don't require much from parents, but nothing beyond that

What school are you at?

We are at a school in Vienna. In October, there was a field trip to the pumpkin patch and on another day some type of Halloween activity in the morning for parents to attend. In November, there was a Thanksgiving lunch and then another day a Thanksgiving activity in the class for parents to add. In December there was another event for parents to attend (can't remember the details but I think the theme was gingerbread). In January there was a snowman day at the kindergarten from 9-10:30 am for the parents. In February, there's heart day around Valentine's Day from 1:30-3 pm for parents in the classroom. There's another day for parents to have coffee with the principle coming up soon. . I feel so guilty and sad when DC tells me she is sad that I could not participate when there are quite a few moms who can attend and volunteer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like some of you have children in schools that have many more activities than my building. Kindergarten has a couple of activities a year such as a Thanksgiving meal and maybe some type of field day. After kindergarten there isn't much. A field trip or two a year which don't require much from parents, but nothing beyond that

What school are you at?

We are at a school in Vienna. In October, there was a field trip to the pumpkin patch and on another day some type of Halloween activity in the morning for parents to attend. In November, there was a Thanksgiving lunch and then another day a Thanksgiving activity in the class for parents to add. In December there was another event for parents to attend (can't remember the details but I think the theme was gingerbread). In January there was a snowman day at the kindergarten from 9-10:30 am for the parents. In February, there's heart day around Valentine's Day from 1:30-3 pm for parents in the classroom. There's another day for parents to have coffee with the principle coming up soon. . I feel so guilty and sad when DC tells me she is sad that I could not participate when there are quite a few moms who can attend and volunteer.

Orange Hunt. I think they have a decent amount of activities, but it doesn't seem like that many.

That does seem like a lot.

[Anonymous]

Kindergarten orientation used to be in the spring in the afternoon of an early release Monday. I don't know when it will be planned this year.

[Anonymous]

We have expeditions 2 or 3 times a year, publishing parties every 2 months, and full parent/teacher meetings 3 times a year. For all those attendance is basically mandatory. Then we have the annual birthday party, field trips at least once a month, PTA meetings once a month, and talks with the principal once a month. Nobody goes to all of those, but most go to some. Of course if you are on a committee, there are many more meetings. Almost everything is during the workday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have expeditions 2 or 3 times a year, publishing parties every 2 months, and full parent/teacher meetings 3 times a year. For all those attendance is basically mandatory. Then we have the annual birthday party, field trips at least once a month, PTA meetings once a month, and talks with the principal once a month. Nobody goes to all of those, but most go to some. Of course if you are on a committee, there are many more meetings. Almost everything is during the workday.

Is this a public school?

We have conferences once in the fall. One field trip. PTA meetings once a month (minimal attendance and they are in the evening). What is an expedition and how is it different from a field trip? Annual birthday party?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you pay for a service, they cater to you. When you are dealing with public school (where they don't really need your child to attend to keep them in business), they may or may not schedule things at convenient times. Daytime is convenient for them b/c the teachers, admin people, principals, etc. are paid to be there during the day. They don't really want to come in at night --- although some do set it up at night... most do not.

I agree with this. Although having it in the morning would make more sense to me. Then parents could just head into work after that, rather than going in and then coming for the orientation, and then maybe heading back to work.

They can't do it in the morning bc school is in session. Bt 230, school is out, I assume, but teachers and staff are still there to do orientation.

Curious, what ES?

Our school does three solid days of orientation (Montgomery County). So for those three days all of the kindergarten kids have off of school. Way worse that having to make one 2:30 orientation.
Our school does it in the morning while school is in session.

[Anonymous]

We're in Arlington. A lot of the school stuff happened during school hours - like tours and certain information sessions - because they want you to get a feel for what the school is like during school hours. So those things are during the school day, like tours and kindergarten orientation. Other things are after work hours, like back-to-school night and most PTA events.

Kindergarten requires a lot of parental involvement during the work day, but I've heard (from parents and teachers) that it is totally different after K. They mostly shut out the parents after K.

[Anonymous]

Also Arlington. We have very little expectation for parents to show up at things in the middle of the day. PTA meetings are in the evenings. Parent/teacher conferences can be scheduled for very early a.m. or in the evening. Music concerts are in both the daytime (for the other students plus parents who want to come) and in the evening (for most of the parents), you can volunteer to chaperone field trips but it isn't necessary to do that very often, unless you want to. I tell my kids I will go on one field trip per year and they can pick which one. In each grade there is maybe one activity per year where they'd like parents to come during the school day. I've found ES overall to be very accommodating to working parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also Arlington. We have very little expectation for parents to show up at things in the middle of the day. PTA meetings are in the evenings. Parent/teacher conferences can be scheduled for very early a.m. or in the evening. Music concerts are in both the daytime (for the other students plus parents who want to come) and in the evening (for most of the parents), you can volunteer to chaperone field trips but it isn't necessary to do that very often, unless you want to. I tell my kids I will go on one field trip per year and they can pick which one. In each grade there is maybe one activity per year where they'd like parents to come during the school day. I've found ES overall to be very accommodating to working parents.

it is great you take this perspective. We are in FCPS and feel the same way. Our schools offers exactly as yours. People will still complain though! Maybe it's a guilt thing and not being able to participate"as much" as non working parents... Certainly I think it is doable for my husband and I to each take at least one volunteer position during the year.

[Anonymous]

I am a teacher so I rarely attend things at my son's school during the day. I think I went on one field trip in K and came to one class party b/c I had a different Spring Break that year. One year, I took a half day and went to his class for American Education Week. Very few parents come to activities during the day b/c people have jobs. OP- You and your DH can alternate some of these events but by no means should you plan to attend all of them. My son gets straight As and is in all advanced classes so parental involvement with regards to grades is what matters. Help with homework and projects, read to/with your child and attend parent teacher conferences. Do not set up the expectation with your child that you will attend all class parties, field trips, etc.