The phone conversation(s) Mitch had yesterday with our district:
Husband: I would like to speak w/ someone regarding a survey that was sent out at my son's elementary school.
Them: I don't know anything about a survey, it must be the planning committee. I'll transfer you.
Husband: I would like to speak w/ someone regarding a survey that was sent out at my son's elementary school.
Them: I don't know anything about a survey, it must be the safety & security committee. I'll transfer you.
Husband: I would like to speak w/ someone regarding a survey that was sent out at my son's elementary school.
Them: I don't know anything about a survey, it must be the communications committee. I'll transfer you.
LOLOL!
See what we're dealing with? Long story short - someone finally called him back & this survey was issued by our CITY. I think the proper thing to do would have been to attach a note explaining the survey & stating the form does not need to be filled out - it's completely voluntary but if parents have the time, they would appreciate the form back. With our district though, that's just too much to ask for. And Bentley was instructed by his teacher to tell the parents the form is mandatory. The survey is about SIDEWALKS for crying out loud!
Did I ever tell you about the 5,000 fundraisers Bentley gets sent home with? Ugh. So usually we do participate (if it's something worth while). The last one, was a sale for flowerbulbs. Cute! Loved them. We sold quite a bit. The order came in. The order was short the amount of bulbs we had sold. No note (shocker, I know). I call the school. "Oh yeah, they ran out of those particular bulbs." Hey, thanks for letting me know. I then said "ok, I'd just like to get our money back please so I can refund the people who bought them." Response? "Oh sorry, we don't give refunds." Yep, yep, yep. Huh? Hubby & I took our own personal money & paid the people back who had bought the bulbs. Can you believe that? The money came out of our pocket! I had to pay those people back! No refunds when it's their fault? Now that's absurd! Never again will we participate in a fundraiser.
Referring back to yesterday's post, keep in mind that Bentley gets sent home with so much paperwork, I am totally unable to go thru it all. It is unreal. I just found the form that stated his class photo was taken 2 weeks ago! The amount of paperwork sent home is ridiculous. I don't know how the parents that work full time do it! I must say...they don't. I've been told & I 'see' it when certain things are due. I'm not the only one fed up w/ my life & precious time revolving around a school district. In actuality, it is our district that is putting the children in the middle. Every other day it's CiCi's Pizza night! After that it's Chick-Fil-A night! And McDonald's night! It is not even remotely feasible people can do/attend all this junk! And it cost money! A lot of families are on a very tight budget & this is so unfair to the children.
95% of the paperwork of course, I complete. Of course. I don't mind one bit, depending on what it is. Completing what is sent home is teaching my son responsibility. That said, my children will be brought up to understand that some things need to be completed, some things do not. They will be taught when 'enough is enough' & unnecessary things that begin to take away from family time will not be completed. My children will be taught that sometimes you just have to draw a line & move on. People take advantage. Repetitive, unimportant, non-school related items are proof to Bentley that this is the time to draw that line. Welcome to life! :)
Regarding yesterday's deleted comment - it was a tad rude & a tad not rude. Does that make sense? More importantly it was insensitive, unappreciated & unvalidated. That was the reason(s) the comment was deleted. I do not need to be attacked when I am trying to make an extremely important (& difficult) decision while taking into account my child's very important feelings. That was my first ever comment I felt the need to delete. Boo!
7 1/2 weeks of school left! But whose counting? :)
Now let's move on! :)
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5 comments:
Just wait until you have 4 kids, all in school, and all have to bring that stuff home?!? It will turn into a full time job for you! I just have 2 in school right now and it takes me forever to go through both of their folders every night. That's not even counting checking the homework, helping them study for tests, etc. Boy am I tired!!! Summer can't get here quick enough!
Oh...and I didn't do the anonymous post either :) I didn't even get to read it before it was deleted. Darn. Melissa, don't even let it get to ya. They haven't walked in your shoes and therefore should not judge.
Laurie :)
You go Mitch!
I know Texas is warm and all...but we have great schools up here in IL...public and Christian. I still deal with hassles and moments of "why?!" The older my kids get and the more they interact with the outside world...the more I wonder why we just don't live in a commune...where all the parents could work as hard as I do at instilling good values...where the outside world would align with my beliefs...life would be so much easier that way. Believe me I've thought about it...the closest I've come is moving 3 doors down from my BFF...that way I know where my kids are, what my kids are doing and what values are being taught when I'm not around. Parenting is crazy impossible sometimes.
Totally, totally not trying to add fuel to the fire here...but shouldn't the city have sent a note attached to the survey - not the school? Could be wrong - but that was what first came to my mind? :)
Laurie - ugh. lol Exactly my point! Full time job. I can only assume homeschooling would cut back on that. Though I have no idea (time could be taken up other ways) because I haven't homeschooled. Yet. :)
Christine - I would do it! If feasibly possible, I would move closer to friends - win/win situation to me. Parenting = crazy impossible...yep! :)
Elizabeth - yes, heck, anyone! Anyone could have attached an appropriate explanation asking, yes asking, parents to participate.
Initially Mitch called the district because he was bothered by the "what grade level did you complete?" question. I mean really, what does an education level have to do with sidewalks? :) Regarding the question, the guy did tell Mitch he noticed the question immediately, but he got the standard survey from the State of Texas, so he just left the question on there.
Just a thing we do at our school...we have what is called a Tuesday folder. It is sent home ONLY every Tuesday. Inside that folder is all graded papers for the previous week, any important notes etc. The parents sign it, once a week (there are pre-printed/dated lines for parents), and take out all the graded stuff and return the papers that need to be signed ...that way, there is not random stuff all week long and parents don't have to "hunt" through the backpacks etc.
One side of the folder is marked Right side-Return (this pocket is where stuff to return is) and Left side-Leave (that means it can be left at home) I think this REALLY alleviates the having to search through and taking so much time.
Of course, every now and then, there is a paper that has to go home on another day for a special event, but mostly we try to save it all for the Tuesday Folder.
We put our progress reports and report cards in there, too.
Love, Love, Love the system!
Each night, we do have a spiral agenda that is signed where the kids have written their homework if they have any and the teacher can leave any comments about behavior, but that quick signature takes a second to do.
Just wanted to share! :)
Katie
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