does your school receive TITLE I (one) funds? ask the principal. if it does, they have to allow some parent participation.
search these boards under Title 1 or on the internet, to find out more, if in fact your school receives these funds.
Maybe theyve reduced parent involvement on account of the parents? they are too much to supervise or the benefits dont outweigh the downsides? Some schools have, it might be useful to ask the principal WHY they are reducing involvement. There must be a good reason.
But usually, parental involvement boosts learning and is an overalll plus for the shcool. it all depends on the people doing the volunteering, of course. I konw some schools have eliminated all volunteers becuase of 'logistics'. It doenst mean the school is bad, it means there is a reason behind the decision that works best for that particualr school and it is the best thing for the school and the kids. I hope your decision makers did it fr the right reasons.
That is horrible. I am assuming that the PTO funds some of these activities (Field Day, Field Trips, etc.)? If so, how could the Principal even think of keeping you guys out? Anyway...
I've shared this elsewhere, but seeing as you brought up the MCAS and No Child Left Behind Act, let me let you in on a little secret. According to the NCLB Act if a school within the district is not up to standards then a parent has the right to demand that their child attend the "better" school. In fact, the town even has to provide transportation. I know that in my town only two schools are actually up to the set NCLB standards. If your child's scholl is not presently up to the set standards, and another within the district is, you then have the right to have your child transfered. If this applies then this could be a way to get away from this, IMO, terrible Principal. Possibly more important it would provide a way to breach the subject with that Principal's boss, likely the Superintendant of Schools. Going to him/her and explaining that you are looking to make this change based upon the NCLB standards, but also because of all of the issues that you explained might end up making things better.
This year our school has alot of problems also. It is a small school only 250 students. Alot of the teachers are good but I hear that alot are retiring next year. Each year we have had new teachers come and go and in the past 4 years we have had 3 principals. The one we have now I think also is pushing alot of teachers out as well as the PTO. There is no longer parent involvement aloud in our school. For field trips that we used to be aloud to chaperone we no longer and the student teachers have taken our spots, and even helping in the classrooms like we used to has stopped. We aren't even aloud at field day anymore. Our 5th grade classes helped the younger children at field day (in place of the parents) and didn't get to have their own how far is that. Because our school is a performing MCAS school there is nowhere to move my children to. I moved in this area so my children could get a good education and have good kids to grow up with unfortunately with the NO Child Left Behind Act that is no longer the case and at the moment my children do not want to return because the school is now dishing out recess detention if you sneeze because they have no control over the kids.
Good for you for doing whats right for your kids, they adapt quickely and will make new friends. Dont worry about the change, make it into a new challenge to start a new network of friends for them.
There is nothing worse for a kid than a poorly run school...a poorly run school means lots of things including the bad teachers never get the improvement, mentoring or, worst case, change (removal), they need. THere is nothing more important than good strong leadership and if your principal didnt inspire confidence, you did the right thing by moving. You cant expect people who (helped) caused a problem to solve it.
They will do just fine I'm sure. They've got a mom who cares and is willing to fight for her kids. Think of the great experiences they will have at their new school and how much happier and enriched their lives will be!
