MCPS policies for parental notification when children are hit in school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The principal did nothing wrong.

A parent met with the principal to inquire about her child's safety given the regular violent outbursts and evacuations. The principal listened, and said parents should feel free to send an email or letter or schedule a meeting with the teacher or principal if they have concerns. The principal was correct to listen and take the concerns of other parents seriously. These kids were scared. Think about how your kid might feel if a classmate had violent outbursts daily? Flipping desks, throwing scissors, breaking things, assaulting the teacher? They had a second adult in the room at all times so the kids could be evacuated.

The principal did nothing wrong.

PS - the kid is thriving at a new school that it better equipped to address her mental health issues. I know this because the mom told me that. Guess what? The kid's own mom wanted the kid in a special school as well...ya know, one equipped to actually meet the kid's special needs.

NP. PP please share name of the school and the principal. Let's make an issue of it if you are so positive the principal did something wrong.

What? I said the principal didn't do anything wrong. The principal did the right thing.

Some crazy pp said the principal was out of line and that she was going to report it to mcps...crazy.

[Anonymous]

I think you don't understand IDEA, PP. From what I know, it does sound like the principal is in the wrong and that family may have a valid state complaint or lawsuit.

I agree that you should share the name of the school and the principal. If you truly think the principal did the right thing and have no doubt in your mind and you've come on this board several times to say this you should come out with the names. I think that if you don't you probably know this principal did something wrong.

[Anonymous]

What's thr point? The kid was placed in a diffetent school that meets his needs. Why the Lawsuit?? Let's focus on how to help the kids that are being hit and how to prevent them in the classrooms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you don't understand IDEA, PP. From what I know, it does sound like the principal is in the wrong and that family may have a valid state complaint or lawsuit.

I agree that you should share the name of the school and the principal. If you truly think the principal did the right thing and have no doubt in your mind and you've come on this board several times to say this you should come out with the names. I think that if you don't you probably know this principal did something wrong.

This is ridiculous, no one can judge by comments on a list serve whether privacy has been violated and publicly outing an administrator on an anonymous forum could easily be worse.

IDEA, requires students be included in the least restrictive school environment, the problem is placing a student in a regular classroom with no support is also the least expensive school environment. Which means MCPS has an incentive to fight for this placement beyond simple compliance with IDEA. This leaves families and local schools in awkward position of having to fight for a more restrictive environment even when it should be apparent. This sucks, because the only way to do this is to do this is collect negative evidence regarding the child. The parents need support in this, it's terrible when the parent is the only one in the room willing to admit there is a problem. Having a stack of incidence reports could be a very helpful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Seems like no one is surprised and that no one knows of a policy per se.

I want to clarify: my heart breaks for the child who was struggling so much he had a meltdown. I don't think it's my business to know what he specific needs are. But I guess if my own child is getting hit I'd like to know it. On the one hand, I don't want there to be an expectation created that it's okay to be hit and it's no big deal. On the other hand, I don't want to blow everything up but yesterday sounded really scary and I think the kids are processing it in their own way and I would think parents should be part of that processing.

Fortunately, my daughter is very verbal so I hear every little detail so we could talk about it. Still, it is out of the mouth of a 7-year-old.

Anyway, thank you all for taking the time to respond.

OP,

This is beyond ridiculous. If a child is throwing items around in a room, that's dangerous. S/he is most likely one with ED issues. However, assigning a child with an emotional coding in elementary school is difficult to do. Sadly, the number of bridge programs handling ED cases is growing at the secondary level. So many of the elementary students with these behaviors manifesting at a young age are often passed along - becoming "someone else's problem."

Of course you should feel sorry for the child, but if s/he is dangerous to him/herself and others, a mainstream classroom is not appropriate. I would be the squeaky wheel and directly email the teacher and principal.

Teachers' hands are tied, however. So while the teacher may be doing the best s/he can, in classrooms of 25+ students, even with an assistant, it's impossible to address all of the students' needs.

It's better to have the support of others. I'm not suggesting you gang up on the student and teacher. This suggestion is not meant to be cruel. But if an evacuation was necessary, this is no ordinary occurrence. I don't care how late in the year it is. The child needs more help, and the school is either unable or unwilling to find more services.

I say this as one with over 20 years of experience in education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Seems like no one is surprised and that no one knows of a policy per se.

I want to clarify: my heart breaks for the child who was struggling so much he had a meltdown. I don't think it's my business to know what he specific needs are. But I guess if my own child is getting hit I'd like to know it. On the one hand, I don't want there to be an expectation created that it's okay to be hit and it's no big deal. On the other hand, I don't want to blow everything up but yesterday sounded really scary and I think the kids are processing it in their own way and I would think parents should be part of that processing.

Fortunately, my daughter is very verbal so I hear every little detail so we could talk about it. Still, it is out of the mouth of a 7-year-old.

Anyway, thank you all for taking the time to respond.

OP,

This is beyond ridiculous. If a child is throwing items around in a room, that's dangerous. S/he is most likely one with ED issues. However, assigning a child with an emotional coding in elementary school is difficult to do. Sadly, the number of bridge programs handling ED cases is growing at the secondary level. So many of the elementary students with these behaviors manifesting at a young age are often passed along - becoming "someone else's problem."

Of course you should feel sorry for the child, but if s/he is dangerous to him/herself and others, a mainstream classroom is not appropriate. I would be the squeaky wheel and directly email the teacher and principal.

Teachers' hands are tied, however. So while the teacher may be doing the best s/he can, in classrooms of 25+ students, even with an assistant, it's impossible to address all of the students' needs.

It's better to have the support of others. I'm not suggesting you gang up on the student and teacher. This suggestion is not meant to be cruel. But if an evacuation was necessary, this is no ordinary occurrence. I don't care how late in the year it is. The child needs more help, and the school is either unable or unwilling to find more services.

I say this as one with over 20 years of experience in education.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Seems like no one is surprised and that no one knows of a policy per se.

I want to clarify: my heart breaks for the child who was struggling so much he had a meltdown. I don't think it's my business to know what he specific needs are. But I guess if my own child is getting hit I'd like to know it. On the one hand, I don't want there to be an expectation created that it's okay to be hit and it's no big deal. On the other hand, I don't want to blow everything up but yesterday sounded really scary and I think the kids are processing it in their own way and I would think parents should be part of that processing.

Fortunately, my daughter is very verbal so I hear every little detail so we could talk about it. Still, it is out of the mouth of a 7-year-old.

Anyway, thank you all for taking the time to respond.

OP,

This is beyond ridiculous. If a child is throwing items around in a room, that's dangerous. S/he is most likely one with ED issues. However, assigning a child with an emotional coding in elementary school is difficult to do. Sadly, the number of bridge programs handling ED cases is growing at the secondary level. So many of the elementary students with these behaviors manifesting at a young age are often passed along - becoming "someone else's problem."

Of course you should feel sorry for the child, but if s/he is dangerous to him/herself and others, a mainstream classroom is not appropriate. I would be the squeaky wheel and directly email the teacher and principal.

Teachers' hands are tied, however. So while the teacher may be doing the best s/he can, in classrooms of 25+ students, even with an assistant, it's impossible to address all of the students' needs.

It's better to have the support of others. I'm not suggesting you gang up on the student and teacher. This suggestion is not meant to be cruel. But if an evacuation was necessary, this is no ordinary occurrence. I don't care how late in the year it is. The child needs more help, and the school is either unable or unwilling to find more services.

I say this as one with over 20 years of experience in education.

11:28 and 12:58 are giving very good advice. I am the poster who got other parents (esp Dads) involved. Ultimately child was moved to a more appropriate placement. School remediated all the missed class time by keeping students in same class the following year. Many kids were deficient in one subject where most outbursts occurred. Many DC became quite anxious about going to school. Flash forward, 2nd child, different "W" area elementary. Observed my child doing "wax museum" report while other child came up and hit him in face and messed up part of project. DC calmly reported this to teacher; teachers are so busy there is no way to appropriately process this type of behavior. The many excellent preschools and daycare around here handle these situations so much better - it all comes down to class size and teacher aides IMHO.

[Anonymous]

Mcps is underfunded. Class size is too large, kids who need aids don't have them, ..... This is why people who can leave the system unless their kid is capable of teaching themselves. The best elementary school teachers we have had - actually had masters degrees in special education. Given how little support teachers are given in managing so many kids - many of whom may have subtle or non-sublet learning challenges - I think it takes graduate level expertise to handle the spectrum of needs in the class... And eyes in the back of your head, and being blessed with a gray disposition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mcps is underfunded. Class size is too large, kids who need aids don't have them, ..... This is why people who can leave the system unless their kid is capable of teaching themselves. The best elementary school teachers we have had - actually had masters degrees in special education. Given how little support teachers are given in managing so many kids - many of whom may have subtle or non-sublet learning challenges - I think it takes graduate level expertise to handle the spectrum of needs in the class... And eyes in the back of your head, and being blessed with a gray disposition.

It's either underfunded or it misuses resources. I believe a bit of both. But smaller class sizes and more teacher support with less bureaucracy would do a world of good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mcps is underfunded. Class size is too large, kids who need aids don't have them, ..... This is why people who can leave the system unless their kid is capable of teaching themselves. The best elementary school teachers we have had - actually had masters degrees in special education. Given how little support teachers are given in managing so many kids - many of whom may have subtle or non-sublet learning challenges - I think it takes graduate level expertise to handle the spectrum of needs in the class... And eyes in the back of your head, and being blessed with a gray disposition.

It's either underfunded or it misuses resources. I believe a bit of both. But smaller class sizes and more teacher support with less bureaucracy would do a world of good.

Agreed