Anonymous wrote:Sometimes this does get tricky. My kid was injured by a child with special needs (like, marks left on her body several days later), and no the school did not notify me. It was roughly the fifth or sixth time. I lost count, to be honest.

I don't want to violate anyone's privacy fwiw. I just want, like every other parent wants, my kid to be safe at school.

There has to be a way to balance things more effectively.
Let's be real: the needs of the kid who is melting down and lashing out and causing an unsafe environment are clearly not being met either, or that situation would not be happening.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter's in first grade and has been hit several times in class last year and this year -- by three different kids, each of whom it seems like is struggling with some level of behavioral issues. The latest incident seemed pretty out of control. From what the kids are saying, one of their classmates had a meltdown, tore apart the classroom and hit several kids. The class was then evacuated and the kids spent the day in another room.

I've never gotten notified about these incidents from the teachers or the school.

I shrugged off the first two incidents (although I did reach out to the teachers to say: my daughter says she got hit, is that right? and talked to my child about always letting an adult know if someone hits you). But this latest incident has me concerned and questioning what the MCPS policy is around violence in school and notifying parents. It seems like this latest incident should rise to the level of parental notification.

Does anyone have a resource or MCPS policy they can point me to? I'm going to reach out to the teacher and principal, but I want to have some facts on hand.

Thank you!!

My child is in first and this is just run of the mill at our school. Behavioral issues, special needs, etc.. are all combined in the classes now. Some kids get a 1on 1 aide and some don't. But either way, it can be very dangerous and challenging because the aide is just some joe smoe and doesn't have a special ed or behavioral degree. If you try to speak up in favor for more info or complain, they will tell you, you are against special needs assimulation and a horrible person. It is a no win situation. I am sorry this has happened. I would not be surprised if you don't get any info about the class evacuation.

This has been my experience as well.
But let's face it, the MCPS budget has been cut year after year after year. Hogan cut our budget by 50% this year. (Did he think the kids were sitting on piles of money at school?) So that is why the school system has to hire people who are 100% not qualified to handle this type of thing.

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like there is a conflict between what you expect and what the school can provide without compromising the privacy of a child with special needs. Was your child injured when this kid acted out? Did she go to the nurse?

Sometimes this does get tricky. My kid was injured by a child with special needs (like, marks left on her body several days later), and no the school did not notify me. It was roughly the fifth or sixth time. I lost count, to be honest.

I don't want to violate anyone's privacy fwiw. I just want, like every other parent wants, my kid to be safe at school.

There has to be a way to balance things more effectively.
Let's be real: the needs of the kid who is melting down and lashing out and causing an unsafe environment are clearly not being met either, or that situation would not be happening.

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.

Your initial shock was the same as mine, although our situations began in K. But just because privacy is involved doesn't mean you should do nothing, nor does it mean you should blow things up. Still, you can talk to the teacher, talk to the principal. Every kid needs an advocate and it's your job to be your kids advocate. They may work a little harder to ensure some distance between your kid and the one lashing out.

At our school the kids who lash out do not have aides, my goodness, I wish! Sometimes if they are close to a meltdown and the teacher sees it coming she will send them to one of our two school para's for a break.

But no, my experience has been that we are not notified in the event of an injury or incident in the classroom.
I will say it has gotten a little easier for my daughter to avoid and process as she has gotten older.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter's in first grade and has been hit several times in class last year and this year -- by three different kids, each of whom it seems like is struggling with some level of behavioral issues. The latest incident seemed pretty out of control. From what the kids are saying, one of their classmates had a meltdown, tore apart the classroom and hit several kids. The class was then evacuated and the kids spent the day in another room.

I've never gotten notified about these incidents from the teachers or the school.

I shrugged off the first two incidents (although I did reach out to the teachers to say: my daughter says she got hit, is that right? and talked to my child about always letting an adult know if someone hits you). But this latest incident has me concerned and questioning what the MCPS policy is around violence in school and notifying parents. It seems like this latest incident should rise to the level of parental notification.

Does anyone have a resource or MCPS policy they can point me to? I'm going to reach out to the teacher and principal, but I want to have some facts on hand.

Thank you!!

My child is in first and this is just run of the mill at our school. Behavioral issues, special needs, etc.. are all combined in the classes now. Some kids get a 1on 1 aide and some don't. But either way, it can be very dangerous and challenging because the aide is just some joe smoe and doesn't have a special ed or behavioral degree. If you try to speak up in favor for more info or complain, they will tell you, you are against special needs assimulation and a horrible person. It is a no win situation. I am sorry this has happened. I would not be surprised if you don't get any info about the class evacuation.

This has been my experience as well.
But let's face it, the MCPS budget has been cut year after year after year. Hogan cut our budget by 50% this year. (Did he think the kids were sitting on piles of money at school?) So that is why the school system has to hire people who are 100% not qualified to handle this type of thing.

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like there is a conflict between what you expect and what the school can provide without compromising the privacy of a child with special needs. Was your child injured when this kid acted out? Did she go to the nurse?

Sometimes this does get tricky. My kid was injured by a child with special needs (like, marks left on her body several days later), and no the school did not notify me. It was roughly the fifth or sixth time. I lost count, to be honest.

I don't want to violate anyone's privacy fwiw. I just want, like every other parent wants, my kid to be safe at school.

There has to be a way to balance things more effectively.
Let's be real: the needs of the kid who is melting down and lashing out and causing an unsafe environment are clearly not being met either, or that situation would not be happening.

Anonymous wrote:I am sorry your child was hit. My dd also in 1 grade was in a fight on Monday. She is a very calm kid but this kid has been picking on her for months.he pulls her hair,steal her lunch box and etc.we had meetings with the parents and the principle.Finally,my daughter had enough!! This past monday,he went to her packpack and took her lunch money.she told the teacher and he was send to the office. Money was return and all good.At recess,he attacked my daugher.She fought back and broke his arm and send him to tgr Er! ! Dd and the kid got a week suspension.where was mcps when he was harsing my kid.I had enough.

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.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter's in first grade and has been hit several times in class last year and this year -- by three different kids, each of whom it seems like is struggling with some level of behavioral issues. The latest incident seemed pretty out of control. From what the kids are saying, one of their classmates had a meltdown, tore apart the classroom and hit several kids. The class was then evacuated and the kids spent the day in another room.

I've never gotten notified about these incidents from the teachers or the school.

I shrugged off the first two incidents (although I did reach out to the teachers to say: my daughter says she got hit, is that right? and talked to my child about always letting an adult know if someone hits you). But this latest incident has me concerned and questioning what the MCPS policy is around violence in school and notifying parents. It seems like this latest incident should rise to the level of parental notification.

Does anyone have a resource or MCPS policy they can point me to? I'm going to reach out to the teacher and principal, but I want to have some facts on hand.

Thank you!!

My child is in first and this is just run of the mill at our school. Behavioral issues, special needs, etc.. are all combined in the classes now. Some kids get a 1on 1 aide and some don't. But either way, it can be very dangerous and challenging because the aide is just some joe smoe and doesn't have a special ed or behavioral degree. If you try to speak up in favor for more info or complain, they will tell you, you are against special needs assimulation and a horrible person. It is a no win situation. I am sorry this has happened. I would not be surprised if you don't get any info about the class evacuation.

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like there is a conflict between what you expect and what the school can provide without compromising the privacy of a child with special needs. Was your child injured when this kid acted out? Did she go to the nurse?

Anonymous wrote:
My child is in first and this is just run of the mill at our school. Behavioral issues, special needs, etc.. are all combined in the classes now. Some kids get a 1on 1 aide and some don't. But either way, it can be very dangerous and challenging because the aide is just some joe smoe and doesn't have a special ed or behavioral degree. If you try to speak up in favor for more info or complain, they will tell you, you are against special needs assimulation and a horrible person. It is a no win situation. I am sorry this has happened. I would not be surprised if you don't get any info about the class evacuation.

Anonymous wrote:
Well, I think it is complicated. A child for whom they had to clear the classroom very likely has some sort of behavioural management plan in place. As the parent of a 1st grader in MCPS, I would not expect to be notified if a situation was dealt with by the teacher/counselor and my child was uninjured.

I also would not expect to be notified if a child was out of control, but no one was hurt. I feel like the privacy of the child with the special needs trumps my desire to know every detail of my own child's day. I also have not had any reason to believe, at my child's school, that hitting is tolerated. It seems to be dealt with by the teacher/counselor/administration and therefore I don't need a special letter home unless my child was actually hurt.

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.