Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not sure if you are still reading, OP, but I’d second the recommendation to post on the Kids with Special Needs board. Your child has an IEP, which means he deserves and should get a different approach. The folks on the special needs board have BTDT and can help you figure out who to contact and what words to use to navigate the system.

If your child does have a raging meltdown on the bus or at drop off things might (paradoxically) move faster. They will very quickly work with you to find ways to adjust the process. It won’t be pleasant for you or your son (or the teachers) but it is direct.

This is helpful. Thank you. I can post there. It’s the special Ed bus that’s an hour long ride, and yes it’s in this area. I can drive him. But he’s not going to do well with the kiss and ride. And this is all so last minute. I’ve been pumping him up all summer for the bus and now I’m not sending him on the bus.

You need to stop dropping tiny little tidbits of info like this. Go post in the Special Needs forum. Your child has special needs. They can help you better.

Also, if you have questions, call the school and ask. I don't know why that wasn't the first thing you did. Didn't you attend kindergarten orientation? Are you planning to go to open house? They will answer your questions, but you need to ask them. There are hundreds of people just like you, OP. You are not special.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. There is no kiss and ride in the afternoon. Kids have to ride the bus. We are not allowed to pick up in the afternoon. My son has raging meltdowns when he’s anxious. Good luck with that, school. If you had given me the tools to prep him, I would have gladly done so. I also do not think he will get out of the car at the morning drop off kiss and ride while I’m in the driver’s seat and a school employee he’s never met opens his door to help him get out. I think he will scream. So good luck with that.

It's not clear on if you have called the school and asked for any of this information of if you're sitting passively waiting for someone to contact you because obviously that won't happen. Try to be proactive, that will get you further in life.

The child is riding the SN bus. This means that the child already has an IEP, before starting K. The parents have been proactive. The child has an accommodation that allows a specific type of bus because of their needs. Screams proactive to me.

You don't know if they contacted the school to ask some of these questions and have not heard back in a timely fashion. The point of the rant was the lack of communication.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know you will rip me apart but I don’t even care. School starts next week and I know almost nothing about the logistics. Very little communication from the school. Parents of older kids say, “oh, it will work out.” Yes, I’m sure, but how hard would it be to tell me whether to send a snack or two? Or give me more details on how the day will look so I can prep my anxious child? Also, we are not allowed to pick up from school in the afternoon and highly discouraged from dropping off by car in the morning but the bus ride is an hour. I know I need to keep an open mind but I hate everything about this.

Be thankful your child gets kindergarten. Mine was in K during the covid year when everything was hybrid and virtual and they had to wear shields over their masks whencthey actually were there. And when they were there they had to sit at individual desks and werent allowed to play together. Essentially skipped a grade bc it really didnt happen, and showed up to first grade without any of the K fun or skills. I find all these new and incoming families to be so entitled not realizing how lucky they are that their 5 yr olds get to be 5 yr olds and get to start their elementary experience when things are back to "normal" again. Be grateful OP.

Nope, bad take. You having a bad experience does not mean other people are entitled for expecting better. Nobody needs to be grateful for poor service or for public services that don't meet their needs.

"Be grateful because I had a worse experience" just divides people who should be united in demanding better of schools. Plus, there's no bottom - you'll get someone on here saying "don't complain, at least you have a child" or "you're so entitled, our K didn't have enough desks" or whatever. Unhelpful.

The title is I think I hate Kindergarten. Those of us who had our sweet 5 yr olds on computers would give anything to have been able to send our kids to school where they can have fun, meet friends, etc. People who are entering the school system when all the covid restrictions are over should be grateful! Our kids only have one childhood and for some of us, half of their childhood was spent in masks and covid restrictions. Those who are just starting now when no one cares about covid anymore are lucky their kids and they can just be kids. However I do agree it is very odd that her child has an hour commute. I suppose OP registered for the school knowing that though. Also sucks that her child has anxiety- can only imagine how her child would have fared with anxiety in the covid kindergarten year. Prob much worse bc at least her child will have access to the school counselor if she needs it.

SHUUUUUUT UP. That was LITERALLY two years ago and this isn't about you. GET OVER IT.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know you will rip me apart but I don’t even care. School starts next week and I know almost nothing about the logistics. Very little communication from the school. Parents of older kids say, “oh, it will work out.” Yes, I’m sure, but how hard would it be to tell me whether to send a snack or two? Or give me more details on how the day will look so I can prep my anxious child? Also, we are not allowed to pick up from school in the afternoon and highly discouraged from dropping off by car in the morning but the bus ride is an hour. I know I need to keep an open mind but I hate everything about this.

Be thankful your child gets kindergarten. Mine was in K during the covid year when everything was hybrid and virtual and they had to wear shields over their masks whencthey actually were there. And when they were there they had to sit at individual desks and werent allowed to play together. Essentially skipped a grade bc it really didnt happen, and showed up to first grade without any of the K fun or skills. I find all these new and incoming families to be so entitled not realizing how lucky they are that their 5 yr olds get to be 5 yr olds and get to start their elementary experience when things are back to "normal" again. Be grateful OP.

Oh you poor baby your child is scarred for life

Anonymous wrote:You should have signed your child up for your local ES - the conditions you're describing sound like you picked an option school and it's not going to be a good fit for your family. Find out if it's too late to send him to your local school.

In addition, your school will have an open house this week, make sure you attend.

No, didn't you read? It's a special Ed bus.

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. There is no kiss and ride in the afternoon. Kids have to ride the bus. We are not allowed to pick up in the afternoon. My son has raging meltdowns when he’s anxious. Good luck with that, school. If you had given me the tools to prep him, I would have gladly done so. I also do not think he will get out of the car at the morning drop off kiss and ride while I’m in the driver’s seat and a school employee he’s never met opens his door to help him get out. I think he will scream. So good luck with that.

It's not clear on if you have called the school and asked for any of this information of if you're sitting passively waiting for someone to contact you because obviously that won't happen. Try to be proactive, that will get you further in life.

You should have signed your child up for your local ES - the conditions you're describing sound like you picked an option school and it's not going to be a good fit for your family. Find out if it's too late to send him to your local school.

In addition, your school will have an open house this week, make sure you attend.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know you will rip me apart but I don’t even care. School starts next week and I know almost nothing about the logistics. Very little communication from the school. Parents of older kids say, “oh, it will work out.” Yes, I’m sure, but how hard would it be to tell me whether to send a snack or two? Or give me more details on how the day will look so I can prep my anxious child? Also, we are not allowed to pick up from school in the afternoon and highly discouraged from dropping off by car in the morning but the bus ride is an hour. I know I need to keep an open mind but I hate everything about this.

Be thankful your child gets kindergarten. Mine was in K during the covid year when everything was hybrid and virtual and they had to wear shields over their masks whencthey actually were there. And when they were there they had to sit at individual desks and werent allowed to play together. Essentially skipped a grade bc it really didnt happen, and showed up to first grade without any of the K fun or skills. I find all these new and incoming families to be so entitled not realizing how lucky they are that their 5 yr olds get to be 5 yr olds and get to start their elementary experience when things are back to "normal" again. Be grateful OP.

Nope, bad take. You having a bad experience does not mean other people are entitled for expecting better. Nobody needs to be grateful for poor service or for public services that don't meet their needs.

"Be grateful because I had a worse experience" just divides people who should be united in demanding better of schools. Plus, there's no bottom - you'll get someone on here saying "don't complain, at least you have a child" or "you're so entitled, our K didn't have enough desks" or whatever. Unhelpful.

The title is I think I hate Kindergarten. Those of us who had our sweet 5 yr olds on computers would give anything to have been able to send our kids to school where they can have fun, meet friends, etc. People who are entering the school system when all the covid restrictions are over should be grateful! Our kids only have one childhood and for some of us, half of their childhood was spent in masks and covid restrictions. Those who are just starting now when no one cares about covid anymore are lucky their kids and they can just be kids. However I do agree it is very odd that her child has an hour commute. I suppose OP registered for the school knowing that though. Also sucks that her child has anxiety- can only imagine how her child would have fared with anxiety in the covid kindergarten year. Prob much worse bc at least her child will have access to the school counselor if she needs it.

How overdramatic you are kills any credibility to what you’re actually saying.

Then you clearly didnt send a 5 yr old to hyrbid k which ended up being virtual. But yes maybe Im dramatic bc I wanted better things for my child, just as OP wants better for her child.

Anonymous wrote:It’s shocking to me how bad schools communications are. Some of the things I get are rambling, incoherent and with misspellings. What is wrong with email?!

I want:
-emails (there’s a bcc function!)
-bullets and not some long narrative. You’re talking to educated adults. We don’t need to “get excited”- that’s for the kids!
-calendar that’s accurate with different events labeled. I need more than a day’s notice that it’s “book character week” and I need to find a costume. This should be communicated months ahead of time.
-stop using the dozen apps that are just confusing- class dojo, parent vue, peach jar (stop with the pdf flyers!), paper flyers sent home with my kid, and everything else. Just use email!

There are plenty of uneducated adults in FCPS. You might be at a school where the majority of adults have graduated from College but I promise you there are a good number of schools where the parents have not graduated from high school.

It’s shocking to me how bad schools communications are. Some of the things I get are rambling, incoherent and with misspellings. What is wrong with email?!

I want:
-emails (there’s a bcc function!)
-bullets and not some long narrative. You’re talking to educated adults. We don’t need to “get excited”- that’s for the kids!
-calendar that’s accurate with different events labeled. I need more than a day’s notice that it’s “book character week” and I need to find a costume. This should be communicated months ahead of time.
-stop using the dozen apps that are just confusing- class dojo, parent vue, peach jar (stop with the pdf flyers!), paper flyers sent home with my kid, and everything else. Just use email!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not sure if you are still reading, OP, but I’d second the recommendation to post on the Kids with Special Needs board. Your child has an IEP, which means he deserves and should get a different approach. The folks on the special needs board have BTDT and can help you figure out who to contact and what words to use to navigate the system.

If your child does have a raging meltdown on the bus or at drop off things might (paradoxically) move faster. They will very quickly work with you to find ways to adjust the process. It won’t be pleasant for you or your son (or the teachers) but it is direct.

This is helpful. Thank you. I can post there. It’s the special Ed bus that’s an hour long ride, and yes it’s in this area. I can drive him. But he’s not going to do well with the kiss and ride. And this is all so last minute. I’ve been pumping him up all summer for the bus and now I’m not sending him on the bus.

Post in the Special Needs board. It makes a bit more sense now.

Can you park a block away and walk with him to school? Register him as a walker and tell him to meet you at the street corner so you can pick him up? I know a lot of parents in our area do that for their kids. Our school is mainly walkers and no one wants to use the Kiss and Ride because it is a disaster. Some parents find that the bit of a walk helps their kids wake up and get ready for the day.

That said, if your child is on a Special Needs bus they should have an Aide on the bus that can help kids and would be able to help when the kids get to school. Perhaps you can contact his case worker at school and ask for a change in the transportation so that there is someone there to meet you at drop off. I would bet that they are used to these type of requests. If he is eligible for special transportation I would hope that they can add to the IEP that you can pull into the main parking area and park to walk your child to school and to pick him up.

But you will get better info and ideas on the Special Needs board. The post that this is a Special needs bus is hidden in the topic and people are going to be responding to your first few posts where it sounds like you choose an option school for your child and that is how he ended up with such a long ride. There is actually a thread on this in the Virginia Public Schools thread because a parent choose an option school. The bus ride is an hour and the parent is annoyed.

Good Luck this school year. I am guessing that you have options that you can explore.

OPs child has special needs. I’d have some anxiety too about sending my SN child to public school with very little communication. Just make some calls and ask neighbors to get questions answered. And drive your child. They can’t refuse to let you- they can only discourage it and say they prefer bus, but they can’t refuse to let your child come into school bc you drove them

LOL. I thought that this thread was going to be a 5 year old complaining online.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. There is no kiss and ride in the afternoon. Kids have to ride the bus. We are not allowed to pick up in the afternoon. My son has raging meltdowns when he’s anxious. Good luck with that, school. If you had given me the tools to prep him, I would have gladly done so. I also do not think he will get out of the car at the morning drop off kiss and ride while I’m in the driver’s seat and a school employee he’s never met opens his door to help him get out. I think he will scream. So good luck with that.

What crazy school system is this? You are allowed to pick up your child at anytime.

+1. Surely the school has walkers? There must be some option for those who wish to pick up their kid themselves.

My local school has no walkers. It is bus and drop off only. I'm not the op.

OP, you have anxiety. You need to get your anxiety under control so you may help your kid. Your kid at this age has many resources that the school can provide. You can get a 504 plan for your child's anxiety.

If the bus ride is 1 hour I woul drop my kid off and pick my kid up myself. What will the school do if you ignore? He's required to be there.

If you walk your child to school, how can they prevent that? Good lord, no wonder kids today are so fat.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know you will rip me apart but I don’t even care. School starts next week and I know almost nothing about the logistics. Very little communication from the school. Parents of older kids say, “oh, it will work out.” Yes, I’m sure, but how hard would it be to tell me whether to send a snack or two? Or give me more details on how the day will look so I can prep my anxious child? Also, we are not allowed to pick up from school in the afternoon and highly discouraged from dropping off by car in the morning but the bus ride is an hour. I know I need to keep an open mind but I hate everything about this.

Be thankful your child gets kindergarten. Mine was in K during the covid year when everything was hybrid and virtual and they had to wear shields over their masks whencthey actually were there. And when they were there they had to sit at individual desks and werent allowed to play together. Essentially skipped a grade bc it really didnt happen, and showed up to first grade without any of the K fun or skills. I find all these new and incoming families to be so entitled not realizing how lucky they are that their 5 yr olds get to be 5 yr olds and get to start their elementary experience when things are back to "normal" again. Be grateful OP.

Nope, bad take. You having a bad experience does not mean other people are entitled for expecting better. Nobody needs to be grateful for poor service or for public services that don't meet their needs.

"Be grateful because I had a worse experience" just divides people who should be united in demanding better of schools. Plus, there's no bottom - you'll get someone on here saying "don't complain, at least you have a child" or "you're so entitled, our K didn't have enough desks" or whatever. Unhelpful.

The title is I think I hate Kindergarten. Those of us who had our sweet 5 yr olds on computers would give anything to have been able to send our kids to school where they can have fun, meet friends, etc. People who are entering the school system when all the covid restrictions are over should be grateful! Our kids only have one childhood and for some of us, half of their childhood was spent in masks and covid restrictions. Those who are just starting now when no one cares about covid anymore are lucky their kids and they can just be kids. However I do agree it is very odd that her child has an hour commute. I suppose OP registered for the school knowing that though. Also sucks that her child has anxiety- can only imagine how her child would have fared with anxiety in the covid kindergarten year. Prob much worse bc at least her child will have access to the school counselor if she needs it.

How overdramatic you are kills any credibility to what you’re actually saying.