"Calling security" on pre-K students :(

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but since the Montessori classrooms are mixed-age, there is, in fact, no Pre-K classroom. Thirty seconds with any Cluster School parent could have yielded that nugget.

In conclusion, it is impossible to include Watkins in the mudslinging about the OP's original issue.

On the contrary, the Montessori program begins in pre-school and continues through pre-K and K. Ergo, the majority of the program is Pre-K. Anyone who can subtract 2 from 3 would know this.

Stop wasting everyone's time. I'm confident I've been part of the cluster longer than you have.

[Anonymous]

I wish OP would just update us.

[Anonymous]

16:33, I'm sure you have been a part of the Cluster longer than my family. I thought it was so entirely crap-tastic (this was several years ago) that I pulled my kids out for another much, much better school.

Enjoy!

[Anonymous]

Do I need to call security?

[Anonymous]

I think the OP got drowned in the sea of snippines...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the OP got drowned in the sea of snippines...

Don't worry. Now that Old "I know everything about Watkins and you're wrong... except that OOPS! I've been pwned and have been exposed as an idiot" has signalled her defeat, the thread has a chance of resurrecting itself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:16:33, I'm sure you have been a part of the Cluster longer than my family. I thought it was so entirely crap-tastic (this was several years ago) that I pulled my kids out for another much, much better school.

Enjoy!

I venture that you are not missed.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Can you believe it? The principal talked to the assistant teacher before she even responded to my email, which was general and cited that I was quite concerned with a discipline problem in the class and I wanted to meet with her ASAP about it. The assistant teacher (not the same teacher I originally spoke to) walked up to me at drop off this morning, and asked me what my discipline concern was. I told her and she was quite sympathetic. She agreed that I should speak to the principal about it. Finally heard back from the principal tonight. She sure took her time in getting back to me. I am sorry for not yet mentioning the name of the school. I want to see how - or if - this is resolved first. UGH!

[Anonymous]

Sorry, OP again. To clarify, I am making an appt. to talk with the principal tomorrow. So unfortunately not much of an update to give at the moment.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for keeping us looped in, OP! Truly. Sadly, unless things go really well with the principal today, my guess is that you are now doubly concerned--concerned about the discipline practices in the classroom and now the professionalism and efficiency of the administration. Eek. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

We had a similar situation last year in my son's Kindergarten class. (DCPS also) There were 2 or 3 kids who would react to certain situations by throwing things or hitting the aide (the aide told me the child had hit her) and the school had such limited resources - no roaming aides or extra instructors - counselors with 200 plus students to serve (many of them low income with social problems and basic needs like food and clothing) that the teacher would have to ask the janitor(!!!) or the security guard to escort the child to the principal's office.
The alternative was to stop the class and handle the situation - meaning NOBODY was learning or engaged.

At the end of the day, teachers only have so much time and energy - and if unruly students are taking this time and energy then our well-behaved "ready to learn" kids get ignored.
We finally had enough and left DC schools for good and my son is having a fabulous year in a VA public school where a child getting physical would just not be tolerated in the regular classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had a similar situation last year in my son's Kindergarten class. (DCPS also) There were 2 or 3 kids who would react to certain situations by throwing things or hitting the aide (the aide told me the child had hit her) and the school had such limited resources - no roaming aides or extra instructors - counselors with 200 plus students to serve (many of them low income with social problems and basic needs like food and clothing) that the teacher would have to ask the janitor(!!!) or the security guard to escort the child to the principal's office.

This is a huge & unforseen (by us) advantage to sending our child to a Title I school & Head Start program. All PS-3 and PK-4 classes have a teacher and an aide, and the Title I $ is used for all kinds of extras, including extra staff.

[Anonymous]

All DCPS PS3 and PK4 have an aide. It is not a feature associated strictly with Title I status.

A 400 student school that receives school wide Title 1 funds only gets about $160,000 extra across the whole school budget.

To translate into actual budgeting uses, that would cover the salaries of 2 teachers plus benefits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had a similar situation last year in my son's Kindergarten class. (DCPS also) There were 2 or 3 kids who would react to certain situations by throwing things or hitting the aide (the aide told me the child had hit her) and the school had such limited resources - no roaming aides or extra instructors - counselors with 200 plus students to serve (many of them low income with social problems and basic needs like food and clothing) that the teacher would have to ask the janitor(!!!) or the security guard to escort the child to the principal's office.
The alternative was to stop the class and handle the situation - meaning NOBODY was learning or engaged.

At the end of the day, teachers only have so much time and energy - and if unruly students are taking this time and energy then our well-behaved "ready to learn" kids get ignored.
We finally had enough and left DC schools for good and my son is having a fabulous year in a VA public school where a child getting physical would just not be tolerated in the regular classroom.

Too bad you had to make that choice. It's absolutely possible to get a fabulous public school education in DC, but you have to work a lot harder for it. You can be lazy and get it by default in a lot of VA (and in a few MD) schools. Of course, you have to move to the suburbs.... {shudder}