Would you stay at a preschool that didn't allow you to participate?

hmd · October 2014

We switched preschools this year, and something has come up that I did not think to ask before we switched.

Yesterday, DS2 went to the apple orchard with his preschool. They rode the bus, but I asked if they needed any volunteers to meet them there because I would be more than happy to go. I enjoyed going with DS last year, and I remember going with DS1 as well. They wrote a nice note home saying no volunteers were allowed.

I do not know if they will have any more field trips, but I am worried that parent participation will not be allowed if they do, but also in other areas. I would like to ask the teacher about it. Frankly, I will really miss it. This preschool is through our public school system, and there are already plenty of other changes that we had to get used to. I just don't know that I am willing to go without this one.

Would you ask the teacher? Would you switch back to the old preschool if she says parents won't be allowed to participate?

hmd · October 2014

amy052006 said:

I'd want to know why. Especially if its public school, I am wondering if based on the district there is an issue with needing people background checked first or something like that.

I'd also be concerned about just how many people were watching just how many kids at the orhcard.

I was room parent for DS1 last year at this school, and I think all we had to do was sign in that we were there. Maybe it is a security issue off premises, but I was wondering about the kids/adult ratio too. His class has two assistants and isn't overly large. I think I will ask. Thanks.

Andrewsgal · October 2014

hmd said:

amy052006 said:

I'd want to know why. Especially if its public school, I am wondering if based on the district there is an issue with needing people background checked first or something like that.

I'd also be concerned about just how many people were watching just how many kids at the orhcard.

I was room parent for DS1 last year at this school, and I think all we had to do was sign in that we were there. Maybe it is a security issue off premises, but I was wondering about the kids/adult ratio too. His class has two assistants and isn't overly large. I think I will ask. Thanks.

Please don't get offended, but is he in a PreK class or special education?

hmd · October 2014

Andrewsgal said:

hmd said:

amy052006 said:

I'd want to know why. Especially if its public school, I am wondering if based on the district there is an issue with needing people background checked first or something like that.

I'd also be concerned about just how many people were watching just how many kids at the orhcard.

I was room parent for DS1 last year at this school, and I think all we had to do was sign in that we were there. Maybe it is a security issue off premises, but I was wondering about the kids/adult ratio too. His class has two assistants and isn't overly large. I think I will ask. Thanks.

Please don't get offended, but is he in a PreK class or special education?

He is in preK, but there are special ed students in there. He is a mentor. Would that make a difference? I hadn't thought of that.

penguingrrl · October 2014

I know our public school requires anyone who does anything with any class to be background checked and cleared. It may have to do with that. You can't enter the school building at all during the day without that nor can you chaprone class trips without the background check.

notkateanymore · October 2014

Yes, a preschool where I don't have to feel guilty about not going on field trips? Sign me up.

Andrewsgal · October 2014

Yes I did not allow parent volunteers due to legal confidentially reasons among other reasons. Sorry.

Andrewsgal · October 2014

I will also say privacy on top of the fact that a strange person could be very hard on my kids with autism. A stranger could throw my whole class off. Sorry this should have been made clear to you from he beginning.

Cherryblossoms07 · October 2014

I had DD in a public preschool for a few weeks this year before we moved back and placed her back in her private preschool. At that school there were 4 classroom helpers on top of the 2 full time teachers, but parents were still welcome to volunteer for field trips. They specifically asked for additional helpers. Honestly, if they hadn't mention parents attending I probably wouldn't have thought anything of it. Nor would it have bothered me, but now that you asked and they said they don't want volunteers I would want to know why and how many helpers there would be at the field trip.

spring_time · October 2014

I guess I am the odd one out. One of the reasons I SAH is because I want to be able to volunteer at my kid's school, so it would bother me. In fact, we switched preschools is because I did not feel our old one was open to parents, even though this was a question I asked. It wasn't the only reason, but was a contributing factor. DS's preschool is through the public school and they have a sign up in the front of the room if an adult wants to volunteer. It isn't mandatory, and isn't looked down upon if a parent doesn't, but it is nice to have the option. We have a field trip tomorrow and every child has to be accompanied by an adult.

rosesandpetals · October 2014

I wouldn't be comfortable with it. Not because I care about the orchard but because I would prefer a setting with more of an open-door policy. Not that I would volunteer for every field trip or volunteer in the classroom every week or anything, but I think parent involvement is important in school and I wouldn't choose a school that discouraged it.

My school has several preschool and kinder rooms and the parents are required to have Virtus training (safety training required by the archdiocese) but they just tell the parents and they get the training if they want to go or they decide they're too lazy and don't get it, but either way it is their choice. Same thing with background checks. I wouldn't like a blanket "no".

That said, I understand what AG is saying about kids with SN. If that were their reason, I would have to give it some thought. I do understand why they would not want volunteers but I wouldn't like feeling like I couldn't be involved, either. Honestly, it would probably come down to how the teacher communicates regularly. Do you have to ask for updates and information about what goes on in the classroom or does she send out a newsletter type thing? Is she available to speak during drop off or pickup? It would be really situational for me.

notkateanymore · October 2014

DD has four or five field trips a year, a couple have parents a couple don't. You seem to be jumping to conclusions that they'll all be the same based on one day...I'd ask for some clarification

rosesandpetals · October 2014

@cjcouple said:

I really think it depends on school set-up. Our public preschool is in the building with all the K-3rd grade students. They cannot have an open door policy. Especially after sandy hook. These schools are locked up tight!!
If you go to building during school hours, you have to be buzzed in office AFTER secretary asks for your name and reason for being there. If she doesn't know you, someone comes and meets you at door for ID check.
The K and PreK have a separate entrance/exit that parents cannot go through. They must go through office. They literally line up the buses, march kids into/out of school and shut that door quick.

I didn't mean an open door literally, lol. I meant, if parents want to be involved then they are welcome to do so. My school has cameras on all the doors and they all lock when they're closed, visitors need to get a badge and all students and teachers have badges with their pictures on them. Security is big but the parents are still welcome and most of the kids in my class have a parent who volunteers somewhere (the library, recess, etc). I wouldn't want a school with literal wide open doors either, lol.

rosesandpetals · October 2014

cjcouple said:

cjcouple said:

I really think it depends on school set-up. Our public preschool is in the building with all the K-3rd grade students. They cannot have an open door policy. Especially after sandy hook. These schools are locked up tight!!
If you go to building during school hours, you have to be buzzed in office AFTER secretary asks for your name and reason for being there. If she doesn't know you, someone comes and meets you at door for ID check.
The K and PreK have a separate entrance/exit that parents cannot go through. They must go through office. They literally line up the buses, march kids into/out of school and shut that door quick.

I didn't mean an open door literally, lol. I meant, if parents want to be involved then they are welcome to do so. My school has cameras on all the doors and they all lock when they're closed, visitors need to get a badge and all students and teachers have badges with their pictures on them. Security is big but the parents are still welcome and most of the kids in my class have a parent who volunteers somewhere (the library, recess, etc). I wouldn't want a school with literal wide open doors either, lol.
oh I just thought you meant a school you can drop in on. my kids private preschool when they were 3 was more like this but public school prek is basically an extension of grade school. not many volunteers needed. big field trips to zoo or aquarium etc. yes but small ones like the theatre and orchard. they say no.

No, I wouldn't just show up unannounced to hang out lol. But for me it's not really a "needed" issue. If parents want to go to the orchard, why would they be prohibited? If it's for special needs then I get that but if it's just a "we don't need you so you can't come" deal then I wouldn't like that. I don't think parents should be discouraged from participating in their kid's education. And again it's not that I would want to go to everything, it's just that I wouldn't want to feel prohibited. Preschoolers are still little!

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