OP have they organized the cafeteria so there is a designated sitting point for each grade? And ask they children to remain seated (the running around can add to the chaos)

Anonymous wrote:We're dealing with this at our DCPS. In Pk we dropped off at the classroom and now we're supposed to drop off in the cafeteria so it is new to us. It seems chaotic but we're hoping it starts to feel a little more organized later this week. My DD eats at home so I really wish there was another option for kids who don't need breakfast.

There is another option. Don't drop off your kid so early.

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here,

She'll be fine. You'd be surprised by how quickly they adapt. They filter out all of the unfamiliar people and seek out their friends. It's not much different than recess when we were kids. It seems chaotic to an outsider, but kids have their own way of normalizing the noise.

Also, we don't cover before school because we have to get ready for the day to begin. You can't drop off because of safety reasons and it's very disruptive having parents come in. One parent may feel like they're just popping in or just want a quick word, but when you multiply it by 20 it gets out of hand.

Why are there safety reasons in the classroom, but not in the cafeteria (with apparently 1 adult per 60 kids?) And not all kids adapt. Some just don't externalize, and are miserable. At least for K, it would be the right thing to do to make before school less intimidating. I do understand why you need to limit disruptions in the classroom for yourself, but there must be other ways to handle this.

Teacher here,

She'll be fine. You'd be surprised by how quickly they adapt. They filter out all of the unfamiliar people and seek out their friends. It's not much different than recess when we were kids. It seems chaotic to an outsider, but kids have their own way of normalizing the noise.

Also, we don't cover before school because we have to get ready for the day to begin. You can't drop off because of safety reasons and it's very disruptive having parents come in. One parent may feel like they're just popping in or just want a quick word, but when you multiply it by 20 it gets out of hand.

Until you mentioned that your school does have beforecare, I thought you were talking about my kid's school. If you had been, I would have recommended that you take half a step back and remember it's the second day and everyone is still getting their bearings, and then calmly talk to the principal to ask how to help your child navigate the cafeteria scene. S/he might suggest that there are ways the morning could be organized better for the smaller kids, or might give you suggestions for how to help your child be more comfortable. At our school, it would be a little of both. We did get classroom dropoff set up for PK, and more supervised activities for K in the cafeteria.

It's your second day at a new school. You will meet the staff and know who is in charge very soon. It will be ok