Lead teacher leaving - no notice. Is this normal? (long)
My DS has FINALLY gotten used to daycare (we're 2 months in). For 6 weeks he was miserable, but he loves it now. I think part of the reason he's finally comfortable there is because he's formed a bond with his teachers, especially the lead teacher in his classroom. When my DH picked DS up yesterday the teacher told us it was her last day! I'm so upset! I know that I'm mostly upset because I don't want DS to got through another adjustment, but I'm also pissed that the Director didn't mention this in advance and that there hasn't been any communication about who the new teacher is, etc. (we've heard there isn't a replacement yet and they'll rotate a teacher for a bit, but I'm going to call the Director today to confirm the plan).
DS is at a daycare center, which I personally prefer to a home daycare. I understand one of the trade-off's is that staff turnover can be more common at larger centers...BUT, communication and management of staffing, etc should be better than this right? Am I being crazy? What is protocol for communicating staff turnover? I feel the Director should have known that this is something parents would want to be made aware of! Even just a few days in advance...& if you're not going to mention it, at least stick a notice in DS's bag or send the parents an email! Maybe we wanted to give her a card!?...and we certainly want to know who is caring for our children next week! Ugh.
I'm going to call her today...any input or advice?
Re: Lead teacher leaving - no notice. Is this normal? (long)
The second (not lead) teacher in DS room has her last day today. She told us last Friday in person and there was a note from the director in DS's bag on Monday. I asked the Director last Friday if they knew who would be moving into the room and she told me a little about one of the people they were interviewing.
So long story short, I think there should have been more notice. I would ask the Director when they knew (maybe she didn't give two weeks notice?).
Has it occured to you that the Director may not have known herself?
There is that possibility that the teacher just informed the Director the day before she told you, you know. Certainly call the Director for clarification if you need to, but don't go into this conversation full of venom and accusations. You may find out that the wonderful teacher only gave one day's notice and they're scrambling right now trying to figure out what to do.
one of ds's lead teachers left on wednesday, we knew since he started back in May. she wrote us a note and we gave her a card and pic, ds loves her!
they should have let you know!
Thanks ladies! Since this isn't the 1st communication problem I've had with the Director I'm having a hard time giving her the benefit of the doubt, but I suppose the teacher may have given a day's notice. I will call to get clarification, but wanted feedback about what the ettiquette is in this situation (assuming she have proper notice).
Thanks for the details on how this was handled in your situations - that's helpful to know! ugh....I so wish she wasn't leaving
Your situation seems similar to ours - the first lead teacher in DD's room left abruptly this past winter. No one even told us. I noticed she was gone and asked the director, and she said that the teacher "wasn't providing the level of care we wanted for the babies." She was very apologetic for not letting me know. This was just the first in a series of annoying conversations I've had with the director. I was so taken aback I did not even ask wtf she meant by not providing the level of care - what was she doing wrong???
I just sent a scathing email to the annoying director on Monday. DD had been throwing up (suspect milk and soy allergy) so I went in to pick her up, but she was napping, so I hung out for a bit. The lead teacher, who we LOVE, was out on her lunch break and there were 3 assistant teachers there, but the main assistant (who's pretty great too) was out that day. The experience was awful. The assistants didn't talk to the babies or interact with them much at all. It was a depressing, unstimulating environment. When the lead teacher came back, 6 babies all crowded around her wanting to be picked up and she made 5 bottles and put one baby down for a nap within her first 5 minutes back. I don't want her to get burned out an leave because none of the assistants pull their weight. DH picked DD up the next day and he said one of the assistants was in the directors office getting chewed out. We haven't seen her since so we think she may have gotten the boot. I'd witnessed her notice that a baby's diaper had leaked through his shorts, show it to another teacher, then sit there for 10 minutes before getting up to change him. So I hope she did get fired.
DD's lead teacher left abruptly in May. At drop-off, the lead teacher may or may not be there yet, so it wasn't until that Wednesday that I said something about her not being there and was told that she was gone for good! In the interim DD's old teacher from the lower age toddler room moved up to her room and DD loves her, so I had no worries about her care.
I have no idea what, if anything, they told the parents in the lower age room. The director certainly never said anything to our room. Maybe because the semester was ending just 2 weeks later? They have fewer kids in the summer, so the 2nd teacher just took over with a floater as backup.
I wasn't really pleased that they never sent an email or note home. But it's the first disappointment I've had with this center so I didn't complain though I probably should have mentioned it.