Jamestown bans decorating student lockers

[Anonymous]

"Knowing moms in N Arl I bet it's also a big competition."

Hey - watch out with the stereotypes please. You know we're not all the same right? My kids go to Nottingham - and the kids across the street go to Jamestown, so we're pretty close to that boundary. Our school has lockers for 1st-3rd (fourth and fifth used to, but now they are in trailers) and I've never seen this happen at our school.

So while I'd argue that the families at my school are probably very similar in socioeconomic and demographic makeup, this is clearly not a practice that has anything to do with those factors, but rather just something that has grown up in Jamestown over the years.

FWIW, parents in our school aren't allowed to come in other than for scheduled reasons these days - not even to do morning drop off unless you sign in first. We just have too many kids now and too many parents, the halls are too crowded. And I'm ok with that. I really don't want a ton of parents, let alone their decorating supplies, in the way when the kids are trying to get where they need to get and trying to focus on learning and behavior. It may just look like a fun simple thing to you, but I bet every time a line of kids passes a decorated locker on the way to music or PE or art kids have to talk about it, which disrupts the quiet lines in the halsl that the teachers try to maintain which, in turn, makes more noise that filters into the classroom to disturb the learning going on there. Why contribute to mire hall crowding and overall noise?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The OP I believe made the statement that it is "absolutely arbitrary because it was a long standing tradition"....not sure how getting rid of a long standing tradition for a reason, means it is arbitrary and or a wrong decision (as OP seems to be implying).

Some traditions are simply bad traditions.

Thus far the OP has yet to post if they simply asked Jamestown admin, "why did you decide to do this?"

That might actually result in a response.

I assume it was due to: a) disruptions b) some kids have parents who either can't do this, or prefer keeping the celebration at home c) the janitors were tired of the additional clean up that might ensue or d) just like parties that evolved from a few fun games like pin the tail on the donkey to 40 dollar per kid extravagent events, perhaps simple decorations like a taped on "happy birthday" evolved into elaborate design schemes on the lockers.

I've been a Jamestown parent for 12 years and I have no idea what OP means about it being a "long standing tradition". Not once in those 12 years have I decorated my kids' lockers, nor did it once occur to me that I should. Now, did my kids have their lockers decorated by their friends on their birthdays? Yes, sometimes, and isn't that the way it should be?

Perhaps these locker-decorating parents should spend more time helping their kids with their homework so they don't have to cheat and copy other kids' papers; or pack a sufficient amount of food in their lunch so their already-thin 9-year-old who's on a mommy-enforced diet doesn't steal other kids' food; or maybe stop putting your kids in so many outside activities that they're exhausted and melting down in the classroom at 2pm (and so I don't have to hear how "busy" you are, even though you stay at home and have a nanny to help you).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The OP I believe made the statement that it is "absolutely arbitrary because it was a long standing tradition"....not sure how getting rid of a long standing tradition for a reason, means it is arbitrary and or a wrong decision (as OP seems to be implying).

Some traditions are simply bad traditions.

Thus far the OP has yet to post if they simply asked Jamestown admin, "why did you decide to do this?"

That might actually result in a response.

I assume it was due to: a) disruptions b) some kids have parents who either can't do this, or prefer keeping the celebration at home c) the janitors were tired of the additional clean up that might ensue or d) just like parties that evolved from a few fun games like pin the tail on the donkey to 40 dollar per kid extravagent events, perhaps simple decorations like a taped on "happy birthday" evolved into elaborate design schemes on the lockers.

I've been a Jamestown parent for 12 years and I have no idea what OP means about it being a "long standing tradition". Not once in those 12 years have I decorated my kids' lockers, nor did it once occur to me that I should. Now, did my kids have their lockers decorated by their friends on their birthdays? Yes, sometimes, and isn't that the way it should be?

Perhaps these locker-decorating parents should spend more time helping their kids with their homework so they don't have to cheat and copy other kids' papers; or pack a sufficient amount of food in their lunch so their already-thin 9-year-old who's on a mommy-enforced diet doesn't steal other kids' food; or maybe stop putting your kids in so many outside activities that they're exhausted and melting down in the classroom at 2pm (and so I don't have to hear how "busy" you are, even though you stay at home and have a nanny to help you).

[Anonymous]

My mom put a "Happy Birthday!" post-it in my lunch bag on my birthday. I felt loved, regardless of the lack of wrapping paper and bows on my locker.

[Anonymous]

Be a parent, not a buddy.

[Anonymous]

I wonder if there's anything coming down to limit birthday celebrations from the school board -- we're at ATS, and we were told this year that kids would no longer be able to bring extra treats to distribute to their old teachers, specialists, etc. on their birthdays. DD was a little bummed that she can't bring a cupcake to her K teacher, but she'll get over it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't like this because invariably there will be children who never get their lockers decorated, and those children will feel left out. And for some of those children it won't really matter much (because their parents shower attention on them in other ways), but for a few it will matter because they never get that kind of attention, and this will be just one more way they see that they get the short end of the stick in life. Since there are absolutely no downsides to discontinuing this practice, why not stop it if it makes even just a few children feel bad?

Agree 100%. My kids go to school in S Arlington and I've never heard of this locker decorating nonsense. I used to be a teacher and I know if this was a tradition at my school if find it obnoxious and disruptive. Knowing moms in N Arl I bet it's also a big competition.

And how many moms in N Arlington do you know, and what would possibly possess you to make this remark?

A heck of a lot. We used to do the Lee Center playgroup as well as multiple other classes in N Arl and the moms are competitive and judgy. It's one of the reasons we moved to S. Arl.

Seriously? Wow. You allowed yourself to be influenced into moving to a less desirable place like that?

[Anonymous]

who the heck goes into an elementary school to decorate a kid's locker? I'd be seriously disdainful of a mom with this much extra time on her hands.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jesus, have people got nothing better to do than go into school and decorate their kids lockers? Never mind banning the practice, I would have them locked up for being nuts.

Agree with this. Has nothing become cringe-worthy?

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
And how many moms in N Arlington do you know, and what would possibly possess you to make this remark?

A heck of a lot. We used to do the Lee Center playgroup as well as multiple other classes in N Arl and the moms are competitive and judgy. It's one of the reasons we moved to S. Arl.

Seriously? Wow. You allowed yourself to be influenced into moving to a less desirable place like that?

PP, I LOVE the way you call South Arlington a "less desirable place." Truly. I think it's swell that you feel free to label parts of the county that way.

Getting back to the original topic, I say kudos to the principal.