Open house for school help

[waverly]

Sorry, I am thinking ahead.  For our school meet the teacher/ open house, they changed the format and it is terrible.  Basically there is no parking because 2 schools do it at the exact same time.  One starts 15 minutes earlier.  If I get there early I am stuck in line in 80 degree temperatures with 2 huge supply kits and 2 kids, but it is preferable I think this way.  I got there 20 minutes early last year and parked in front of the dumpster as there was no where to park, and I assuming no garbage pick up at 4 pm during a school event. 

They no longer have the teachers do a presentation in their classroom, so everything is just find the hand outs.  The school is so crowded that I can't send one kid to a classroom and another one to another classroom, plus I have them in 2 different schools next year (k-2 and 3-5 connected by a hallway).  The teachers have elaborate 30 step instructions on where to put all your kids classroom supplies which takes a lot of time.  Even though the kids help a lot since kids, siblings, and parents are in there they are dodging 50 people to put their supplies away which are located all over the room.  I have 2 kids so I get to do this twice. I have to hurry through it to get the next kid to their class, and at the end of the hour I am sweating and exhausted. I can't do supplies ahead of time- the school won't let me.  I could do them after, but it is a lot to have a kid carry on the bus to school since that is their next allowed opportunity.  

I can try, but I don't know that the school cares that much if I send them an e-mail on this.  All the parents agree that it sucks.  Even if they had the 2 different schools on different nights it would be better because half the people, double the parking, and I don't mind going 2 times in a week.  But I digress, they set it up this way because I don't think they care and just want to get it over with.

Besides dragging my H or a babysitter/ Grandparent with me, what else can I do to make this easier?  I know it's just 1-2 hours, and the answer is just deal with it, but I've dealt with it for 3 years, and it's getting worse not better. 

The first year they had it was much easier because they had tables in the gym with the curriculum info.  It was a longer period of time, and the teachers also presented in the classroom, so everyone wasn't all over the place.  It was K, so not nearly the amount of supplies, so they just had us put them in baskets in the hallway.  But for 1st grade and up they changed it, and supplies have to go 3 pencils in the locker, 2 erasers on the shelf across the room, scissors in this bin type crap.  It's basically a supply dump where you sign up for class parties, grab a handout and say hi to the teacher and that's it.  I still need to go so at least the kids can meet the teacher before school starts.  

[orval]

I would go, but send in the supplies the first day (or couple days if it is too much)of school. We have never had to take supplies early and certainly never had to put them in various specific spots. Thats what the first day of school is for--getting kids to follow instructions. What do they do with supplies for the kids that don't show up that day?

[sunbutter]

I would either just do it or not go.

[waverly]

Jun 4, 2019 16:45:16 GMT -5 orval said:

I would go, but send in the supplies the first day (or couple days if it is too much)of school. We have never had to take supplies early and certainly never had to put them in various specific spots. Thats what the first day of school is for--getting kids to follow instructions. What do they do with supplies for the kids that don't show up that day?

They just put them away when they bring them. It’s a lot of supplies so maybe I’ll do a third that day and then send them with more supplies 2 more times.

[librarychica]

Jun 4, 2019 17:16:29 GMT -5 sunbutter said:

I would either just do it or not go.

This. And I’d definitely bring H. Why shouldn’t he come too? With two kids and a setup like you described, I wouldn’t do it alone unless it was unavoidable.

[waverly]

Jun 4, 2019 17:27:56 GMT -5 librarychica said:

Jun 4, 2019 17:16:29 GMT -5 sunbutter said:

I would either just do it or not go.

This. And I’d definitely bring H. Why shouldn’t he come too? With two kids and a setup like you described, I wouldn’t do it alone unless it was unavoidable.

He went the first year but couldn’t make the harder years after they changed the format. I’m going to throw a fit for this year and if he still can’t get away I might just go, but not do supplies- sorry teachers but I just can’t spend 30 minutes per kid dodging 50 people in the classroom. And the school won’t let us drop off any other time.

[librarychica]

Jun 4, 2019 17:46:50 GMT -5 waverly said:

Jun 4, 2019 17:27:56 GMT -5 librarychica said:

This. And I’d definitely bring H. Why shouldn’t he come too? With two kids and a setup like you described, I wouldn’t do it alone unless it was unavoidable.

He went the first year but couldn’t make the harder years after they changed the format. I’m going to throw a fit for this year and if he still can’t get away I might just go, but not do supplies- sorry teachers but I just can’t spend 30 minutes per kid dodging 50 people in the classroom. And the school won’t let us drop off any other time.

I get it. I’ve done some less-desirable juggling because H was OOT (school spring festival anyone? Ugh.) but if he is available than that would be a huge help.

I wish more schools would just take cash and buy what they need.

[erbear]

I would not go.

[2chatter]

Ours is like this but supplies are delivered to the school, so we don’t have to carry them in, and we can walk. I tell the kids to do their supplies and I socialize. Exception was DS in K, but oldest helped him.

If ordering through PTA is an option with school delivery, it’s worth every penny.

[vasc]

I’d go and make it a priority to meet teachers, see classrooms, and send the supplies in at a slow trickle in the days that follow. They don’t need all the boxes of Kleenex and Lysol wipes on day 1.

[mommyatty]

I have nothing beyond yes, your hubs needs to be part of this fresh hell.

I’ve never even heard of having to separate crap into different bins. That’s insane. We can send our kids to school with all their stuff on the first day or order it through our version of the PTA, and have it delivered to the school. We have it delivered. It’s worth the extra $$$ we have to spend by not shopping sales.

[waverly]

So we do order the PTA supply kit boxes. They are delivered to our house not the school. Even so, the teachers still make us unpack this gigantic kit during this event with this 30 step process for put 1 pair of scissors in this bin crap.

I would be fine putting them in the hallway baskets or just dropping the kit off and being like here you go but it’s the unpacking times 2 kids in only an hour with a million people and all the teacher stuff to do that’s killing me.

[covergirl82]

Your H needs to go.

We had a similar situation with our school open house the past couple years. We got a new principal for this school year, and some parents (including me) went to him and suggested a change to the open house, to split it K-2 and 3-5. It's too busy otherwise, and there is nowhere to park. He was open to the change (and he came from an elementary school that's half the size of ours (same district), so he got to experience the craziness the rest of us have for years) and we will have multiple open houses next year. While it will mean multiple open house times for some families, I think it will be a less stressful experience.

If you can find a group of parents who would support suggesting a change to multiple open houses, you might want to consider approaching the principal about a change.

[vasc]

My school does families with last name A-M from 3:30-5:00, and families N-Z from 5:00-6:30.

[polecat8]

waverly, I don't know why your school does this. It sounds like hell. I would talk to other parents to get their thoughts on the process and going to the principal to propose a change.
Our schools work like this:
School supply list is sent/posted online sometime over the summer. You buy the supplies for your kid and they take them in over the course of the first week of school. There are some group supplies, like kleenex or wipes that are requested. Over the course of the school year, the teachers will send reminders to replenish your child's supplies.

[madringal]

I'd go so the kids can meet their teachers. I would send what fits in their backpacks on the first day, I'd take what doesn't fit in their backpacks myself during the first week sometime. Sounds like it is all shared supplies anyways so it doesn't really matter when yours get there.

Don't let something like a back to school night cause you this much stress, it will all be fine. Just do what you can! And the school may be limited in the teachers contract hours so I wouldn't just assume they don't care. Sounds like it is probably just as stressful for the teachers and staff!

[186momx]

That sounds horrible. I would put it on YH's work and home schedules now even if it means scheduling it for the whole day. No way would I try and do that alone. I agree on not taking all the crap to school on meet the teacher night and just sending it over the first week of school. I would make sure the first day they had all the pencils, crayons, markers, paper on the list so they could do anything that popped up and then send the rest later on.
Our meet the teacher is crazy too but the PTO puts on a BBQ so I always get roped in to helping which makes things stressful because I feel rushed.

[waverly]

Thanks everyone. I know what they say about assuming, but judging by talks with the teachers, I think they are just as overwhelmed as the parents. The K teacher complained last year, so they divided the K open houses to half hour segments which doesn't really do a whole lot because it is still so very short and everyone is still rushed.

I may reach out to the administration, but again I am not sure that it is something they care too much about or are just looking to get it over with. I don't want to be that parent, but I think a lot of parents agree with me. I get that it is easier for the teacher to have the kids put supplies away on meet the teacher night rather than during instructional hours, but then it just feels like a giant supply grab. I am not aware of anything with the teacher contracts, so I can't say one way or the other on that.

[sdlaura]

I'm feeling very grateful that we don't have to buy our school supplies - they're covered by the PTA.

[waverly]

sdlaura , good point . I wonder if the PTA could help with the supply putting away issue.

[mae0111]

Jun 5, 2019 9:22:52 GMT -5 vasc said:

My school does families with last name A-M from 3:30-5:00, and families N-Z from 5:00-6:30.

This is awesome. Our school does pre-k through 3rd and 4-8, on two different nights. Next year, and for the next few years, we have to do both.

[186momx]

Wrong post

[sdlaura]

waverly, I think it makes so much more sense for them to take care of it - that way they can get bulk discounts, and everyone ends up with the same stuff, so there's no jealousy over having different supplies.

[waverly]

I messaged the PTO just to ask. It seemed better than the long ranty e-mail to the principal that kept coming out of my keyboard (and I deleted).

[2chatter]

waverly - I researched supply companies for PTA one year and all but one offered direct to school shipping packed by kid - the other was by grade not kid but also shipped to the school. Home shipping was an option for some but IIRC it was more expensive.

We are currently using EPI.

[keh2oblue]

Dude, skip it. Your kids can bring in supplies and pick up paperwork on the first day.

[waverly]

Jun 5, 2019 12:15:59 GMT -5 2chatter said:

waverly - I researched supply companies for PTA one year and all but one offered direct to school shipping packed by kid - the other was by grade not kid but also shipped to the school. Home shipping was an option for some but IIRC it was more expensive.

We are currently using EPI.

I think the school said no more to shipping to them.  It's the same company they used before but now they have the ship home rule.  It didn't matter anyway because in the first instance what they did (maybe the PTA) was put the kit on the student chair, and we still had to put it all away in the room with 50 people in it.

In the second instance, the only difference was that now we get to stand in line with the kit and bring it in the school.  I guess if I am only bringing some of the supplies it makes more sense in the home.

Maybe there was a past issue, but this all changed when we got a new principal, so it feels very much like we didn't like it the old way or how the old principal does it.  New way is probably easier for the school and PTA, but sucks for the parents.  

Putting away would be fine, but then when they add in having the event for maybe 1200 students all at the exact same time and just for an hour then it's just a mad house. 

We use shop kits. 

[2chatter]

This seems totally normal to me...and I really hate chaos. It’s crowded (530 at elementary and 850 at middle school) but not too bad. People are mostly trying to get in and get it done and the kids do 99 percent while the adults congregate out of their way. I wonder if too many people are actively engaged at yours and if a partial solution would be “delegate one person per student for each supply item”. It would be chaos if parent and 1-3 kids moved around the rooms together, like three people moving from the desk to put the scissors in a bin, so if that’s what is happening, it could be easy to fix if people will pay attention?

[vasc]

Jun 5, 2019 11:39:57 GMT -5 mae0111 said:

Jun 5, 2019 9:22:52 GMT -5 vasc said:

My school does families with last name A-M from 3:30-5:00, and families N-Z from 5:00-6:30.

This is awesome. Our school does pre-k through 3rd and 4-8, on two different nights. Next year, and for the next few years, we have to do both.

To be fair, we don’t stand at the door to check names or anything...we’d rather have folks come earlier or later than not at all if their schedules don’t match our guidelines...but we also struggle with where to park everyone and crowd management in general, so it helps stagger the population some.

[vasc]

We also more-or-less have an order of events....
Step 1: Report to gym to pay fees, learn teacher’s name
Step 2: While in gym, visit tables for PTO info, bus info, free/reduced lunch form
Step 3: Go to classroom to meet teacher, drop off supplies

This has gotten complicated in recent years with the school system now collecting fees online, so technically some parents show up already paid and shouldn’t have to stand in line just to learn teacher’s name, but it’s practically the only thing we have to use as leverage for collecting fees at all.