2021/2022 School Year
in Coronavirus ·
Alex Roberts4 said:Seriously... So, classes start, but there’s actually no instruction on day one because??? Did they seriously fail to organize book pickups even a week in advance? How many vacation days does a parent even get? We stretched our time off out—me first, then my husband, then my godmother—we even paid for a sitter for a week, and suddenly school starts and we're just expected to pivot? Out of nowhere, three days before the notice, we find out the first day ends at 9:25 AM. And at the last PTA meeting, we specifically asked, and they told us everything would be back to normal, including after-school care, just that there wouldn't be lunch provided on the first day so we should pack something.
I’m not talking about kindergarteners, where it’s totally fine if they don't stay long during those first few days. But everyone else? What gives? They haven't even started yet and they're already cutting things short. It feels like this whole COVID-19 situation is being used as an excuse way too often.
Honestly, I am so done with this lazy, "work-shy" mentality.
Summer break and all the other holidays are for the kids, and obviously, the staff uses their vacation time, but otherwise, they’re supposed to be working. If you run a school, act like a professional and realize parents can't just stop working whenever it suits your schedule. Why is it so hard to organize things so that parents with fewer kids aren't left scrambling? It's just ridiculous. Bravo. I didn't have any choice but to beg for a day off, and I'll probably get chewed out for it, even though my family and I asked about this well in advance.
And don't even get me started on picking up books. Give me a break! If 6th grade starts, then school starts. We could easily grab the books beforehand, and honestly, it would be nice to know what supplies are needed, which notebooks to buy, if we need extra art supplies, the class schedule... but no, they call us at the last minute expecting us to deal with it right after work because everything needs to be ready "by tomorrow." I'm not doing it. I'll just order everything online and wait for it to arrive—if they even bother to notify me. Should I really have to cause trouble at my job because of these idiots? Seriously, I’m going to ask some pointed questions, because this is pathetic.
Then there are the COVID-19 vaccination records. I have mine, but if they’re making a thing out of it, I’d be the first to demand they require them for the school staff, too. I’m considered high-risk, so if I need proof because of you, you should need it because of me. Talk about double standards... If vaccination isn't mandatory, then it shouldn't be required for parents either. It’s just pure audacity, incompetence, and laziness. Total zero.
Our school received textbooks and workbooks on Thursday, September 2nd, and the second batch arrived on Friday. My point is, we do the best we can with the circumstances provided, because usually, the school isn't to blame when "something is late," whether it's a notification or a delivery. I've looked through plenty of directives from the Department of Education and local government. 🤦
And after-school care is organized from day one for those who want to use it.
Additionally, the school website must list by July 15th which work materials parents are responsible for purchasing themselves. Everything else is covered by the Department of Education or local authorities.
It is impossible to finalize the class schedule before September 6th because schools have to coordinate schedules among themselves; some staff members work at multiple schools, and specifically in my school, 15 substitute teachers started working on September 6th. The Department's policy is that substitutes cannot work over the summer, so everyone starts on the first day of school. How could anyone finalize a schedule when you don't even know who is showing up to work until two hours before the bell rings?
I understand the frustration, but here is a little perspective from someone working in school administration...