My son was "forgotten" outside at his first day of grade 1. EMAIL REPLY #13 - Page 2

[The4OfUs]

While I would appreciate that he responded and said he would talk to the teacher, I would want a lot more than this - I'd want a new procedure implemented so this never happens to anyone else's kid, ever again. Pictures on doors is a good suggestion, lining kids up is a good suggestion, adults are the last one in is a good suggestion, the principal doing a walk by of the playground when recess is over is a good solution. If they don't have the time or staffing to implement any of these kinds of solutions, then there are way bigger problems.

I'm glad at least he replied and recognized it was a problem, but agree that the "first day" thing is a load of bunk and a cop out. THe first day they should be even MORE aware of head counts.

At my kid's school, even through the last day of the year in June, the teacher had a clipboard with her whenever they left the classroom and checked each kid off before they went anywhere, and checked them off when they got picked up after they left with a parent. It's NOT hard or time consuming.

[GuildJenn]

It sounds like your school has a real problem. Although I would discuss this with the principal and teacher, I would also write the superintendent, your trustee, and your provincial education minister.

How the entrances to the school are being managed is completely unacceptable - your son's teacher should have known within 2 minutes that your child was missing and there should be a plan for how to locate a missing child in both of the cases described. If the individual doors into the classrooms are causing these issues then there should be a different procedure for coming into the school.

The principal's email is very important evidence of the problem. 20 minutes?! It should not take that long to make an announcement over the PA or for teachers to realize a student is in their class who doesn't belong.

If you don't get a good response, I would start calling local papers, honestly.

[itsmyturn]

Originally Posted by Theoretica

Maybe they could have a color picture of a specific animal on their classroom door, like a green frog, yellow duck, brown bear, whatever. That way they KNOW which door is theirs.

Sheesh....

Good luck mama

Great Idea!

[olliepop]

First, let me just say that I am glad your little guy is okay. That must have been so scary for both of you.

When my dd came home yesterday from her first day of first grade, I asked her about recess and lunch. She said that a "helper" takes them out and then calls them by class to line up. I really hope that the helper at least knows the count and counts them before going in.

I told my dd that if for any reason she doesn't hear the call or ends up missing her class, she is to line up with another class just to get in the building. And if she is finds herself outside alone, I showed her where the doorbell is for the office door.

Thanks for sharing your post.

[LynnS6]

Their system for making sure kids get back to the classrooms sucks. They need a better one. Yes, it was the first day of school, but their method for getting students back to class is what made this happen, NOT the first day of school.

At my son's school, the recesses are staggered so that not everyone is leaving at the same time. In addition, they don't just flood into the school, they line up BY class and the teacher COUNTS the kids to make sure they've got them all before going inside. (I know this because when ds was in 1st grade he LOVED to play school, and we'd do the whole recess routine. )

They need identifiable doors so that the children can find their classroom door in an emergency.

They need a playground 'sweeper' (an aide) who goes around after recess is over checking for missing equipment and children.

I would write another letter and deliver it to the principal, asking for specific solutions to the problems you noticed. (Asking for a specific remedy makes it much more likely not to be filed away in the 'crazy mom' complaint file.) If I didn't get satisfaction from him (it was a him, right?), I'd go up to the superintendent. Their level of playground supervision and their routine for getting kids in (and probably out) is completely inadequate.