Today was the third day of first grade for our little guy.
We promised him, after walking him into his class EVERYDAY last year, that we would walk him into class for the first week and after that we would only walk him to the door.
Today, the THIRD DAY Of SCHOOL,we only got to walk him to the door.
The new principal was blocking the doorway through to his hallway and only letting students through. Now, I am all for keeping strange adults out and keeping our kids safe, but this was ridiculous. Especially since there was no notice to those of us who take the time and effort to walk or drive our kids to school AND get them safely to their classroom.
And, they are in FIRST GRADE, for goodness sake!
If he wants the 3-5 graders to walk to class without parents, I am all for it. Get them ready for middle school.
But, my first grader, who still holds my hand as we walk into school?! Who still gives me kisses and hugs in front of his classmates?!
He doesn’t need to learn his independence on the THIRD DAY OF SCHOOL!
Luckily, Ryan was there with me. I was livid. I didn’t even get to say goodbye to Reece as he was ushered through the door…tears falling.
I looked at Ryan and said, “I need to know why this is happening.”
He went right over to the new principal, introduced himself, and asked.
I won’t go into detail, but the new principal said that it was to help the kids gain their independence.
I wanted to help my guy get through the first week before we worked on independence.
While he had the chance, Ryan also asked the new principal about the email that I sent to him almost 10 days ago questioning a decision they made about informing incoming first graders about their teachers. The new principal claimed that there was a lot going on and that he thought he replied, and it’s been busy…yada yada yada.
I still haven’t received a reply to my e-mail, which he said he would look for and reply to today.
The bad news: I am not a fan of the new principal…and we aren’t even a week into the school year.
The good news: I don’t have to be the bad guy about not walking Reece into to his classroom.
Just venting.
home is…growing pains.
*To top it all off, Reece’s class was somehow dismissed almost 10 minutes early and he was left to walk away without the teacher even acknowledging that a parent was there to pick him up! I guess that’s how they teach them to be independent.
stephany taddeo 
Sounds like the Taddeos are going to be advocates for student safety and parent rights even sooner than last year. I am so sorry this is happening again. School personnel are entrusted with out kids. No right to drop so many balls so badly. We are glad to listen when you want
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IF this new policy was COMMUNICATED to parents ahead of time, then it would be fine. BUT it was NOT so that totally sucks.
So, after school, did Reece walk outside without you there? What did he do? That is VERY scary and absolutely ridiculous and I’m guessing against district policy. Our elementary age students are not allowed to leave the building on their own.
One piece of advice: put this in writing. All of it. The lack of communication about the policy, the situation after school where Reece walked out without a parent AND the lack of response to your original question. Give the Principal 24-48 hours to respond and then go to the next level of administration. Absolutely ridiculous. Reece can not learn his “ABCs and 123s” if he isn’t safe at school and lack of communication and lack of supervision could create unsafe situations there.
Dear Steph, so sorry it was such a difficult day. I love you guys and hope tomorrow goes better! Love, Mom
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I think that’s very sweet of you being so close with your son! It’s hard to find that now a days.
I totally feel for you. But you are lucky you are not in France (of course not all the schools are like that in France either). But the 1st school my little boy went (actually Ecole Maternelle in France, it starts when the kinds are 2,5 or 3 years old -it depends when your child is born), it is in some schools already quite strict and not fun, we got to go into the classroom the 1st day, and from the 2nd day, we had to give the kids just over the gate!!! Do you imagine leaving your 2,5 year old alone (crying) other side of the schoolyard gate (which was in addition, high wooden door in the – even higher- stone wall, so that they can’t even see their parents). Couple month later we left this school, and found a very warm little private school, where my boy was happy! But it is true that already since pre-school, many schools here don’t let the parents in, and the 1st graders -forget it, it is also just the 1st day (but fortunately there are still some schools that are not so strict), but I have to say, 4 years later I still feel guilty and sorry for my boy what he had to go through when he was just 2,5. It definitely does NOT help the kids to like to go to school, and I think the independence does not have to come this way; the kids need to feel rather the security, this will help them to grow up adults that have confidence in themselves… so I am totally with you and feel for you! I am like the anti-french system militant here in France 😉 Well, there are some good things also, but I find the schools in US MUCH more friendlier. I actually taught in US a bit so I know what to compare. Wish your little one still a happy school year and hope you will not wreck your nerves 🙂
Thank you for your kind words.
I am reminding myself that I need to be thankful that my son has the opportunity to go to school…there are kids in this world who don’t even get that opportunity.
I’m not looking forward to this at all! I hope things start to get better! Good luck sweet mama!
Thanks, Kaitlyn. Some things get easier…and the you face new challenges. Such is life, right? Just trying to do the best for our children. xo!
That makes me sad for your little guy. 😦