no, it is not heavy-handed.

you are very stressed and you need to make other arrangements.

the principal is running a large school, which is essentially a construction site.

either talk to her or be quiet.

You are clearly unhappy with the leadership...there are other schools...

Anonymous wrote:Have you taken your concern directly to the principal?

No I haven't--by the scolding tone of these newsletter warnings about coming "early" I wouldn't think she'd be very receptive. They are very punitive in this school even if your little pre-kr is late because of emotional melt down and poop attack while there older sib is now late too because of it you are just TARDY no excuses tolerated. And pretty soon they're dragging you in for a conference if your child is sick and you call it in but fail get an OK from the principal. Parents do not have the autonomy to call their child in sick ANYMORE. I find that INCREDIBLY intrusive. I really would like to get a sense here if others are finding the tone to be heavy handed.

Oy, I cannot type. The first line should read:

YOUR abuse of...while AT work.

OP, I am sorry. I am yelling at you, but I cannot type. I think I am no better.

Rant away.

OP, you abuse of exclamation points and bolding of type, while I work, is the real sin here.

Please, ratchet down the hysteria.

You have to watch yer kids. Geez.

No one is saying it is easy or convenient or fair.

But that is YOUR job.

YOURS.

Notice my lack of bolding there. Nice, isn't it?

What would happen if your child was injured between 8 and 8:35? What if it starts to rain or thunder? The school can not be responsible for kids at any hour. What about a parent that has to be at work at 7? Would it be ok to leave that child? It is your job to figure out a schedule that works.. Parking issue sounds bad but it seperate from leaving your child unsupervised.. I hope they have a cell phone at least.

If you have to drop your kids off early and there is no supervision (as the school is telling you) then you need to make an arrangement. You either talk to the school about setting up before school care, or you set it up yourself - perhaps taking someone else's kid to school while they take yours, etc.

Anonymous wrote:While the tickets are annoying, I have no doubt that the parents and others would abuse any and all ability to park around that school and would be there ALL day given their druthers.

It is a city. Deal with it.

PP, are you dealing with this situation? Because saying just deal with, it is the city, makes me think that you aren't but are just a smart ass.

There would be abusers who would park all day and those should be given tickets--but these Segway guys position themselves there at "drop off" and pick up times. Parents are not abusing the parking. They are there for a few minutes, to drop their kids into a PUBLIC SCHOOL.The city needs to make some accommodation with the parents. Access to PUBLIC EDUCATION IS A PRIVILEDGE. But it is like a feeding frenzy for the city ticketers. They make more$$ in one fell swoop than if they were to wait until 10:30 or so when you have the random nonparent commuter abusers who try to park and leave their cars all day. This is a very specific attack against parents as we have no choice but to drop our kids off early and draw the ire of the principal or park walk in and get a ticket. It is an OUTRAGE and I have really had it!!!!!! $$50 every time!!! In this economy!!!!!

I must say being a security guard for DCPS is quite cushy. Merely because all they have to do is be "sassy" [previous posting] and "scold" a child every now and then while sitting on their duffs.

I am OP... yeah, a little stressed, to say the least. I'm just wondering if I'm the only Janney parent who feels besieged in this way?

While the tickets are annoying, I have no doubt that the parents and others would abuse any and all ability to park around that school and would be there ALL day given their druthers.

It is a city. Deal with it.

I was given a $50 ticket for parking to run in to drop off my child at Janney. The ticketer stood 9'feet in the air atop his gigantic Segway. He fiercly pointed to the no parking sign and looked ready to wrestle me and my remaining child to the ground if we offered any peep of resistance. It was a completely over the top show of force. This is a horrible atmosphere to have surrounding a public school. It is not a prison! We can have a kinder gentler atmosphere around our schools if we refuse to tolerate the prison guard mentality of staff and so called "security officers".

Oh dear. OP, you seem a little, ummmm, stressed, and I get it. The parking situation is very tough there.

If I could suggest maybe creating a system where you have some friends agree to watch out for your kids, that might be the best. Or find a way to drop your two kids with another family who walks up, etc.

I think the principal is wanting families to not bring kids LATE. I am guessing that is her message, nor do I think it is unreasonable for a principal to expect that parents stay with elementary kids until school begins.

I think you should work this out, and take some meds and breathe deep. It will be ooookkaaaayyyy....

Have you taken your concern directly to the principal?

Is this satire based on the GDS parking thread? Please tell me it is.

This is the second time this was in the newsletter from the principal at Janney:-     "  As mentioned last week, student arrival is at 8:35. Thank you for being on time and for remembering that all students must be accompanied by an adult before 8:35. Until then, no Janney adults will be present on the playground, and supervision is critical to our students' safety. In the rare case that you arrive after your class has entered the building, please proceed through the main entrance."
I have seen a security guard (name begins with P) scolding 9 year olds to GET OFF THE SWINGS! and GET OFF THE PROPERTY! at 8:00 AM. I drop my kids (aged 10 and 11 off at 8:15 most days so that I can get my other child to her school.

I should preface by sayying there are no less than 4 or 5 security guards who sit (together!) on their duffs most of the day in a specially built "security room" at Janney. Who knows what that costs. But there is NO PARKING at Janney whatsoever this year so you have to walk your kid in or drive an d drop them at the door. For families who have multiple kids at other schools, this makes it impossible to be on time everywhere unless some kids are dropped off EARLY. I wish that the principal could be more sensitive to the plight of many parents who need to drop kids off at the playground @ 8:00. Would it kill the security guard to get up from the little folding chair and survey the kids on the playground for a few extra minutes? Or a teacher's aide perhaps--or just leave 4th and 5th graders to their own devices in a fenced in playground on school grounds for a few extra minutes ? Parents have already got so much on their plates with shuttling kids to multiple schools through horrible traffic, PREDATORY TICKETING OFFICERS ON $$$ SEGWAYS It is just putting families into a frenzy just to drop children off at school. Why are we as parent allowing the school to attack us this way? There needs to be some serious push back.