Front office admins at the schools, why are they so rude

[Anonymous]

This is our first year in the public schools (elementary school - previously kids were in Catholic school which had its own different set of problems). I’m not at my kid’s school too much, but when I’m there I’m shocked at the attitude of the front office employees. They have some sort of complicated computer system to sign in, it’s an automated computer system which scans your ID and has a barely functional touch screen to select your purpose at the school. It seems like every time the prompts are a little different. And all the front desk ladies do, even mid-day when phones aren’t ringing off the hook and kids aren’t coming in a little late, is sit at their desks and shout at you “no don’t press that button ... you need to press the one below it” “you have to scan your ID - NO NOT LIKE THAT!” “It’s not PRINTING BADGES RIGHT NOW! We have to give you a STICKER!!!”

How do they get off speaking to adults that way? And if they’re that rude to adults, how are they treating the poor kids? This is at an above-average regarded elementary school too, so not a lot of behavioral or parental issues. It’s just a bad attitude from the very first interaction with the school and a presumption that every person who is visiting the school doesn’t belong or is causing a huge inconvenience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is our first year in the public schools (elementary school - previously kids were in Catholic school which had its own different set of problems). I’m not at my kid’s school too much, but when I’m there I’m shocked at the attitude of the front office employees. They have some sort of complicated computer system to sign in, it’s an automated computer system which scans your ID and has a barely functional touch screen to select your purpose at the school. It seems like every time the prompts are a little different. And all the front desk ladies do, even mid-day when phones aren’t ringing off the hook and kids aren’t coming in a little late, is sit at their desks and shout at you “no don’t press that button ... you need to press the one below it” “you have to scan your ID - NO NOT LIKE THAT!” “It’s not PRINTING BADGES RIGHT NOW! We have to give you a STICKER!!!”

How do they get off speaking to adults that way? And if they’re that rude to adults, how are they treating the poor kids? This is at an above-average regarded elementary school too, so not a lot of behavioral or parental issues. It’s just a bad attitude from the very first interaction with the school and a presumption that every person who is visiting the school doesn’t belong or is causing a huge inconvenience.

Why can't you be a bit patient and follow the directions on the scanner better so they don't have to yell at you (If in fact that is what is happening).

You sound like an entitled nightmare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is our first year in the public schools (elementary school - previously kids were in Catholic school which had its own different set of problems). I’m not at my kid’s school too much, but when I’m there I’m shocked at the attitude of the front office employees. They have some sort of complicated computer system to sign in, it’s an automated computer system which scans your ID and has a barely functional touch screen to select your purpose at the school. It seems like every time the prompts are a little different. And all the front desk ladies do, even mid-day when phones aren’t ringing off the hook and kids aren’t coming in a little late, is sit at their desks and shout at you “no don’t press that button ... you need to press the one below it” “you have to scan your ID - NO NOT LIKE THAT!” “It’s not PRINTING BADGES RIGHT NOW! We have to give you a STICKER!!!”

How do they get off speaking to adults that way? And if they’re that rude to adults, how are they treating the poor kids? This is at an above-average regarded elementary school too, so not a lot of behavioral or parental issues. It’s just a bad attitude from the very first interaction with the school and a presumption that every person who is visiting the school doesn’t belong or is causing a huge inconvenience.

Why can't you be a bit patient and follow the directions on the scanner better so they don't have to yell at you (If in fact that is what is happening).

You sound like an entitled nightmare.

If they’re going to have that technology, they need to help people with it and be proactive. That type of attitude wouldn’t even be acceptable in retail, never mind in education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is our first year in the public schools (elementary school - previously kids were in Catholic school which had its own different set of problems). I’m not at my kid’s school too much, but when I’m there I’m shocked at the attitude of the front office employees. They have some sort of complicated computer system to sign in, it’s an automated computer system which scans your ID and has a barely functional touch screen to select your purpose at the school. It seems like every time the prompts are a little different. And all the front desk ladies do, even mid-day when phones aren’t ringing off the hook and kids aren’t coming in a little late, is sit at their desks and shout at you “no don’t press that button ... you need to press the one below it” “you have to scan your ID - NO NOT LIKE THAT!” “It’s not PRINTING BADGES RIGHT NOW! We have to give you a STICKER!!!”

How do they get off speaking to adults that way? And if they’re that rude to adults, how are they treating the poor kids? This is at an above-average regarded elementary school too, so not a lot of behavioral or parental issues. It’s just a bad attitude from the very first interaction with the school and a presumption that every person who is visiting the school doesn’t belong or is causing a huge inconvenience.

Does this happen to be a new front office staff with a new principal in Montgomery?

[Anonymous]

Are you talking about Bethesda?

[Anonymous]

Our schools office is sweet and helpful *shrug

[Anonymous]

If this is your biggest worry about your kids' public school, consider yourself lucky. PS My kids' school has very nice admins.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is our first year in the public schools (elementary school - previously kids were in Catholic school which had its own different set of problems). I’m not at my kid’s school too much, but when I’m there I’m shocked at the attitude of the front office employees. They have some sort of complicated computer system to sign in, it’s an automated computer system which scans your ID and has a barely functional touch screen to select your purpose at the school. It seems like every time the prompts are a little different. And all the front desk ladies do, even mid-day when phones aren’t ringing off the hook and kids aren’t coming in a little late, is sit at their desks and shout at you “no don’t press that button ... you need to press the one below it” “you have to scan your ID - NO NOT LIKE THAT!” “It’s not PRINTING BADGES RIGHT NOW! We have to give you a STICKER!!!”

How do they get off speaking to adults that way? And if they’re that rude to adults, how are they treating the poor kids? This is at an above-average regarded elementary school too, so not a lot of behavioral or parental issues. It’s just a bad attitude from the very first interaction with the school and a presumption that every person who is visiting the school doesn’t belong or is causing a huge inconvenience.

Does this happen to be a new front office staff with a new principal in Montgomery?

Hah, no, I’m actually in Virginia. But good to know it’s not just my kid’s school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is our first year in the public schools (elementary school - previously kids were in Catholic school which had its own different set of problems). I’m not at my kid’s school too much, but when I’m there I’m shocked at the attitude of the front office employees. They have some sort of complicated computer system to sign in, it’s an automated computer system which scans your ID and has a barely functional touch screen to select your purpose at the school. It seems like every time the prompts are a little different. And all the front desk ladies do, even mid-day when phones aren’t ringing off the hook and kids aren’t coming in a little late, is sit at their desks and shout at you “no don’t press that button ... you need to press the one below it” “you have to scan your ID - NO NOT LIKE THAT!” “It’s not PRINTING BADGES RIGHT NOW! We have to give you a STICKER!!!”

How do they get off speaking to adults that way? And if they’re that rude to adults, how are they treating the poor kids? This is at an above-average regarded elementary school too, so not a lot of behavioral or parental issues. It’s just a bad attitude from the very first interaction with the school and a presumption that every person who is visiting the school doesn’t belong or is causing a huge inconvenience.

Does this happen to be a new front office staff with a new principal in Montgomery?

Hah, no, I’m actually in Virginia. But good to know it’s not just my kid’s school.

Seems universal, unfortunately. Or at least regional.

[Anonymous]

All of the schools with whom we have interacted have had inice and sweet front office staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is our first year in the public schools (elementary school - previously kids were in Catholic school which had its own different set of problems). I’m not at my kid’s school too much, but when I’m there I’m shocked at the attitude of the front office employees. They have some sort of complicated computer system to sign in, it’s an automated computer system which scans your ID and has a barely functional touch screen to select your purpose at the school. It seems like every time the prompts are a little different. And all the front desk ladies do, even mid-day when phones aren’t ringing off the hook and kids aren’t coming in a little late, is sit at their desks and shout at you “no don’t press that button ... you need to press the one below it” “you have to scan your ID - NO NOT LIKE THAT!” “It’s not PRINTING BADGES RIGHT NOW! We have to give you a STICKER!!!”

How do they get off speaking to adults that way? And if they’re that rude to adults, how are they treating the poor kids? This is at an above-average regarded elementary school too, so not a lot of behavioral or parental issues. It’s just a bad attitude from the very first interaction with the school and a presumption that every person who is visiting the school doesn’t belong or is causing a huge inconvenience.

Why can't you be a bit patient and follow the directions on the scanner better so they don't have to yell at you (If in fact that is what is happening).

You sound like an entitled nightmare.

If they’re going to have that technology, they need to help people with it and be proactive. That type of attitude wouldn’t even be acceptable in retail, never mind in education.

You could be proactive and ask for help in becoming familiar with the technology instead of requesting assistance in the moment every other day.

[Anonymous]

OP, I agree. Elementary school front office personnel where some of the rudest I came across. They did not know me. I was new to the area. They had no reason (yet ..?) to dislike me.

[Anonymous]

we have that system at both my kids' FCPS elementary schools. it is super basic and a six year old could figure it out. they probably get tired of people like you, OP.

[Anonymous]

My grumpy racist aunt works at the front desk of a high school. One of many reasons we are at a private...

[Anonymous]

All 4 ES our kids have been at in FCPS (multiple moves, AAP etc) have had fairly nice front staff--no complaints at all. One stood out though--my eldest went there from K-2 and I was working a lot so didn't volunteer much etc. but she always knew me and my kid when I came in because he was sick or whatever and had pleasant conversation. But then like TEN years later, I needed to drop something off for a friend who had a kid there, I came in and she remembered me and asked by name how my eldest was doing etc. She was like a superhuman school receptionist.