Would this bug you?

LSU628

DD started back to school on August 5th. This is our 3rd year at the montessori school. I'm not sure what is going on, but there are WAY less kids than usual. Also, I normally get a monthly calendar of events, themes for the month, what days she will be doing Spanish, Art, Music, Chapel- so far  no calendar. Also, the past 2 years, I have received a lunch calendar. Lunch consisted of things like spaghetti, tacos, pork chops- basically a hot lunch. This year, I get a lunch menu and its the same every week for the month- Mac n cheese and sausage, a ham sandwich, pancakes and sausage, a peanut butter sandwich, and fish sticks. I'm paying the same amount but feel the quality of the school has gone way down. DH is irate about the lunch situation to the point where he wants me to start looking at other schools. I've e-mailed the director and received no response. I want to give them a chance before jumping ship (mainly b/c I've bought uniforms, paid the registration fee), but I also don't want to waste a year of learning and my tuition money! DD used to come home with all kinds of papers and work last year, this year all she has brought home so far is just sheets where she has traced her name. I'm just not sure how to handle this- if I should give them a chance or if I should start checking out other schools. Something just doesn't seem right.

meg1974

Some of that would bother me - mainly the lunch thing. I would request an appointment with the administrator and just note all of the changes you've seen and ask what's going on. 

74dragonfly

meg1974 said:

Some of that would bother me - mainly the lunch thing. I would request an appointment with the administrator and just note all of the changes you've seen and ask what's going on. 

I agree. I'd also look into other schools.

chellebell82

As someone that has taught in preschools for the past 10+ years there are some things that are a red flag for me that something is going on at the school. However, I'm not sure it's time to jump ship quite yet. The fact that the lunch menu is the same all month is a minor red flag (at least for me), every place that I have worked the menus are suppose to have a two week rotation (at minimum). It is also a bit of a red flag that you haven't heard back from the director. Is there a way you can either call her/him directly or try and stop by to talk to them either after you drop your child off or before you pick them up?

I also agree with the pp (I have worked in a Montessori school), your child may just be working on things that won't have any work to send home. They may be doing a lot of practical life, math, science, or something else. Ask your child, ask the teacher. 

Go with your gut though too, if your gut is telling you that something is just not right then chances are that there is something wrong. There are many reasons why things seem different this year, but that doesn't make it okay. 

LSU628

fredalina said:

Are the teachers the same? Have things seemed different IN class? With Montessori, the child is in charge of the work. My kiddo will go weeks without any work in her folder because she is working on puzzles, math bead work, and other non paper things. Then she'll bring home papers with reading words or something, same thing every day as she works through certain lessons. The lunch thing would buy me. I would talk to the director. But I wouldn't jump ship unless the quality in the actual classroom has changed. Also, ask your daughter what she works on in school and see what she says. She may be doing more math lessons that don't translate to folder work.

That's a good point about the work. One of the teachers who has been there forever left this year, as well as one of the aides who has also been there a long time.