does anyone get a bad vibe from their DC's school?

[meowee]

My girls are in 2 schools-- one (which 2 go to) I love. I feel happy when I walk in there, I feel happy when I talk to the principal, I feel happy when I see the kids.

The other, 1 DD goes to 2.5 hrs for preK. I just don't get a good vibe from this school (which is in the same building but is a completely separate organization).

It is a very large daycare (birth to 3) / special needs pre K/ mainstream pre K all in one complex. The clocks are all broken and say the wrong time. All the workers there look... bored and depressed. I just found out yesterday that last year one of the teachers died : from what might have been an intentional overdose. I know one lady who works there and actually have seen her in action with her own kids... she is not very AP, to put it mildly.

However, the main teacher for DD's preK seems really nice.

Am I just being over-sensitive? Does anyone have mixed emotions about their child's school?

I am already thinking about pulling her out and/or transferring her to the school her sisters go to (but that is a full day preK, which seems too long). I can't decide and am going to give it a little more time.

[kathymuggle]

Is DD happy there?

I say go with your gut, mama!

Kathy

[USAmma]

I too would go with your gut.

I had a preschool that I felt that way about with my dd1. It was an award-winning charter school with a paid preschool program. It looked great on the outside and inside-- clean, modern, bright colors, happy kids. I put my dd in it and I got the worst vibes. It just was not right *for her*. She started wetting her pants at school and the teachers didn't even notice. I did when I picked her up. Parents were not allowed in the class even to volunteer, nor were we even allowed to peek in the small window in the classroom door. The teacher put a paper up so we couldn't see in. She was super controlling. As soon as I pulled dd out of there she was much happier. She's now in a different charter school as a first grader and loving it.

[kennedy444]

GO with your first instinct.

[Hannahsmummy]

There is no way I'd send my daughter to a school that I felt uncomfortable with.
If you have to ask the questions, I think you know the answer already.

Good luck with this.

[meowee]

Thanks-- I am going to go with my gut.

It is a pretty big complex, and I live very near the school, so over the years have seen the teachers/ aides with the kids when they sometimes go outside. But, that was predominantly the daycare that I would see. I once saw a woman pull a child up by the arms roughly and yell... but that was not the preK (not that it was ok).

I was always torn over whether I should report that or not... I still think about that.

I also know in the special needs section, there have been complaints. But again, that is not the preK.

Anyway, yesterday was the last straw. As I was walking past the entrance a teacher or aide was complaining bitterly, in a very nasty voice, about having to stay there till 3pm even though she was getting paid only until 2:30pm. It's fine for her to upset about this-- but she was saying it very angrily in front of the little kids! : And the kids just looked stricken!

So I'm going to withdraw her and put her in the school her sisters are in.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[JoAnnaL1209]

I felt uncomfortable about the school ds was in and pulled him out, later I found out a number of other parents had done the same for the same reasons.