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Old 04-18-2013, 09:23 PM
 
123 posts, read 408,452 times
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Could really use some guidance.. Is there a number or parent liason within a school district to contact when as a parent you are trying to protect your child and it falls on deaf ears of the administration. Instead of dealing with situations brought to their attention - they choose to make your child's actions bigger than what they are and to blow them out of proportion as to say it is your child's fault. This is occurring in PWC school with the first letter of the school being a G. Would really appreciate any feedback at this point or any feedback in dealing with this administration. PM me.
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Old 04-19-2013, 12:17 AM
 
123 posts, read 242,398 times
Reputation: 74
Garfield has been very poor for four decades+.
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Old 04-19-2013, 03:01 AM
 
2,688 posts, read 6,664,568 times
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Theoretically, your School Board member ...
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Old 04-19-2013, 04:17 AM
 
Location: Everywhere and Nowhere
14,129 posts, read 31,160,473 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Yankeesfan View Post
Theoretically, your School Board member ...
Or the Superintendent's office. I don't know how it works in PWC but in Fairfax County we have local area offices that supervise a number of schools. Call the district and they should be able to direct you to the next point of escalation.
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Old 04-19-2013, 06:27 AM
 
123 posts, read 408,452 times
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Thanks for your replies - will be looking up the number. The school is not Garfield. With only 8 weeks left of school my child has been in the principles office four times for very minor things (he was never trying to hurt another or get others in trouble they have blown ever situation to make it larger than what it is) within the last two weeks. He got in trouble for trying to get on his bus and when a fifth grader was in his way and my child pushed by the 5th grader. My child was pulled aside off the line and brought into the principles office becuase according the the Principle - the 5th grader was jostled. The 5th grader was twice the size of my child. When I pressed why there wasn't more supervision provided at the school regarding the loading of buses the story changed several times and it became excuses of buses being late and what not. My child was hand picked by a teacher (we don't know who) and the fifth grader did not get in trouble for standing in the way. Only my child did. When addresses this the principle laughed half of the time saying they don't commend pushing. Child was not pushed down and the 5th grader didn't even say anything to my child. No admin saw this based on teacher who brought my child to vice principle. My child is blackbald and I don't know what to do. I have said if my child is wrong that is one thing - but if they are singling him out there is a bigger problem.
We have addressed a bullying situation with the school since the begining of the year and principle says she is unaware of it....although there are emails and our child's teacher is not replying to us (everything directly goes through VP, Principle) My child is a first year teacher and the Principle recommends to us - to switch him out of her class right now. They offer no alternative in dealing with this child (bully) except to seperate them during class. He is not tantalizing other children, he is a good friend to others, repeatedly we have watch the out of control child not be bother and taunt children. My child does not like going to school as it is and now is afraid that he is pulled aside constantly for minor things that would be let go and is look over. In gym playing tag - my son pushed a kid that wouldn't stop touching him. My son gets the note home that he shouldn't be pushing when he asked the kid to stop touching him.He was not corrected by the gym teacher he was just given a note. They didn't sit aside the other kid or explain good sportsmanship - they just wrote a referral. They gave him detention and did not notify us and told him not to cry. They quickly apologized as to look past that.

I go in for lunch to share the time with my child - have the bully kid not leave me or my son alone and tell me that she trieds to get my son in trouble - I contact teacher - then I get a get phone call that same day - into the principles office for the pushing event. We make a meeting with the admin....that same day - son is in the principles office. We complain about a bully, son gets note home and we get a phone call. At wits end. He is only five and this experience has been horrible. The principle used that the actions are not retaliation but I never brought up any of this. I want to know what they are doing? We are not even sure what they are writing in their permanent record. They tells us these do not get written down but they are making him into a bad kid. My son is a good student, gets great grades. His is kind and compassionate - they all agree he is a kind loving student so please why is this administration doing this? Any insight would be helpful. 8 weeks left - why would they do this?
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Old 04-19-2013, 07:34 AM
 
Location: Central Virginia
6,520 posts, read 8,321,828 times
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Is the "neighbor's daughter" acutally your son?

Detention for a Kindergartener - Is this common practice in NoVA?

Quote:
Originally Posted by theBIGstep View Post
He got in trouble for trying to get on his bus and when a fifth grader was in his way and my child pushed by the 5th grader. My child was pulled aside off the line and brought into the principles office becuase according the the Principle - the 5th grader was jostled.
It is wrong to push, so your child probably was reminded of this when he went to the principals office. Also, he has already gotten in trouble for pushing (the gym incident). The teacher who saw the incident could have easily spoken to him, but for whatever reason - she thought the principal or VP was the best person to address this issue with your child (perhaps because it's not the first pushing incident). Did he miss the bus because he was sent to the principal's office?

Quote:
Originally Posted by theBIGstep View Post
We have addressed a bullying situation with the school since the begining of the year and principle says she is unaware of it....although there are emails and our child's teacher is not replying to us (everything directly goes through VP, Principle) My child is a first year teacher and the Principle recommends to us - to switch him out of her class right now. They offer no alternative in dealing with this child (bully) except to seperate them during class.

Frankly, you have probably complained to your child's teacher so much that she is at her wits end on how to handle your complaints. When a teacher gets to that point, they look to the admin for support. That is one of the functions of admin - to support their teachers.

The principal has suggested a possible solution of switching classes which helps with the bully and with a more (I assume) experienced teacher. What other steps would you like to see taken?

I would suggest switching classes to see if that improves the situation. You can also request admin to consider not having the bully and your son in the same class next year.

Last edited by HokieFan; 04-19-2013 at 07:51 AM..
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Old 04-19-2013, 09:36 AM
 
123 posts, read 408,452 times
Reputation: 28
Hokie Fan - thank you for your post but I do not think there should ever be an excuse for a child being bullied and the bully being looked past. This is why bullies exhist and in reference to your question not only is there a bully in my neighbors class - but also in my childs. My childs teacher has not addressed key concerns and thus things have gotten worse. What are the other steps a principle can take when dealing with a bully? Is it their course of action to focus on the child being bullied or the bully themselves? How about removing the bully from the class. Or is that against being PC here in NOVA. It seems to be the case.

Regarding my other post about a neighbor - that is an incident my neighbor did encounter. It is very scarry when my neighbor told me about her dealings with the admin. (thus the post) and then I had my own dealings with the admin. (thus my post) I learned first hand that thinking things were going to be addressed we not and now my child has been flagged. Thus I want to know what can be done since this involves my child.

It is wrong to push but isn't it wrong for a 5th grader to block an entrance to a bus? Where was the supervision reminding the 5th grader - get out of the way when little kids are loading on the bus. But the 5th grader was not even spoken to.
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Old 04-19-2013, 10:14 AM
 
Location: Central Virginia
6,520 posts, read 8,321,828 times
Reputation: 18594
Quote:
Originally Posted by theBIGstep View Post
Hokie Fan - thank you for your post but I do not think there should ever be an excuse for a child being bullied and the bully being looked past. This is why bullies exhist and in reference to your question not only is there a bully in my neighbors class - but also in my childs. My childs teacher has not addressed key concerns and thus things have gotten worse. What are the other steps a principle can take when dealing with a bully? Is it their course of action to focus on the child being bullied or the bully themselves? How about removing the bully from the class. Or is that against being PC here in NOVA. It seems to be the case.

It is wrong to push but isn't it wrong for a 5th grader to block an entrance to a bus? Where was the supervision reminding the 5th grader - get out of the way when little kids are loading on the bus. But the 5th grader was not even spoken to.
I agree. And I apologize if my post implied that I am okay with a child being bullied and administration looking past it. I am certainly not okay with it.

Their course of action should be to focus on what's in the best interest of both the children. They most likely think the best course of action is to switch your son because not only are you having trouble with the bully in that class but you're having trouble with the teacher. Switching classes is a chance to remedy both of those problems. I would at least give that a try.

If the 5th grader was deliberately blocking your child from getting on the bus - yes, that child is also wrong. Your child should be taught how to deal with situations like this. If asking that 5th grader to move aside didn't work, instead of pushing - he could have asked for help from a teacher or the bus driver (and there was a teacher supervising or they shouldn't have seen the push). Also, the 5th grader could have also received a talking to. Our policy is to discuss disciplinary actions against a child only with that child's parents. (i.e. "My child had detention but what how was the other punished?" My school's answer: "We are not at liberty to discuss the other child's punishment with you.")
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Old 04-19-2013, 08:25 PM
 
Location: My beloved Bluegrass
20,103 posts, read 16,059,193 times
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Having your child switched classes is probably a good idea, especially if they will put him in a classroom with a more expereinced teacher. It will get him away from the bully and more expereinced teachers know better how to deal with these types of problems. Changing teachers is sometimes it is the best thing to happen to a kid.
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Old 04-20-2013, 08:59 PM
 
123 posts, read 408,452 times
Reputation: 28
Earlier in the year we wanted to change our child and fell for the whole we will take care of the bully situation. They did not. Now my child has been called into the office for very minor things in my opinion. If he wanted to hurt or was trying to hurt another student that is different...he is making mistakes which can be corrected easily...but everything is now maginified 10 fold. I have to wonder does the admin do this to make a case for the switch as if my child is causing problems. This is the part I do not understand. 8 weeks left and now they will allow him to be switched. Otherwise for the next 8 weeks they will nit pic him and me like crazy. Can someone give me a perspective given the circumstances why an admin would react this way. We reassure we believe in supporting our child and want him to enjoy school but they take no steps in working towards that....they only love to bring him into the office for things other kids do everyday and they are quickly corrected. Any advice on the mental game here....cause I just don't get it.
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