My daughter's school is always happy to have parents help out in the classroom. Some of the teachers even send home notes asking if parents can help with reading for example. I work full time so I only have 2-3 days off for holidays where my daughter has school. We have a great principal who encourages involvement. When I am able to volunteer I just write the teacher a note to let her know I would like to come and help. In November I had a blast! I did alittle bit of everything and even helped other teachers. I have to say, it didn't seem to phase the kids any. I think they thought I would give them answers to their language arts worksheets, but I didn't. Ha! Ha! That is really too bad they feel that way.

I could not imagine being prohibited from helping in the classroom. With budget cuts that have virtually eliminated associates, the teachers are desperate for help with everything from copies to helping kids who are behind in work. Some teachers do prefer to have volunteers who are not parents of a child in the class because of the "distraction factor", so we do have some volunteers who will go wherever they're needed.

Our principal strongly supports and encourages classroom volunteering. She brags up our volunteer hours to the school board and even gives a special award to the volunteer coordinators each year at the end of school awards assembly. She believes that parent involvement goes beyond showing up for conferences. We have kids who have better reading and math skills because of the extra tutoring given by our parent volunteers. Which means they are up to par with their peers, which makes it easier for the teacher to teach a lesson, which means all the children in the classroom are getting a better education. Your principal and staff would be remiss by not taking advantage of the volunteers. Have you tried showing them some of the supporting research?

Mykids--you always crack me up!

Believe me, getting banned is exactly what I fear (not just for me but the group I started as well), so I do try to tread cautiously. It just galls me to be treated like an inferior, rather than (and I DO hate reducing myself to saying this) a tax-paying parent of a child in the school system. We all know how much a police officer enoys hearing those words!

We get buzzed in, and have a sign-in sheet (which a LOT of people conveniently "forget" to use).

You guys get called to help--WE DON'T. They'd rather not do something, do it half-assed or have someone like a lunch aide instead of a parent help.

In recent years it's the "psyco mom" that has not helped the ones that want to help! And Metzy has the breakdown just right!

We have the problem that the school encourages volunteers after your background check, FBI check, etc....I got a physical too and brought that in, you know- gotta have fun with the system!

Knowing your situation kmamom, do you have to check in leaving your ID at the door? OR better, I forgot my ID but had keys, purse, $200 parka...left it with the staff and teased them "My Gosh ladies,you have three of my children already, take my van, my purse, my coat! YOU CALLED ME!!!"

just be careful, I have seen moms banned from coming in from rocking the boat!

Thanks for the input! We have no policy, though our handbook did, for the first time, mention classroom parents, and added the proviso that among snow day calls and parties, they could also be used in ways as "deemed appropriate by the teacher," or close to that--I can't find the blessed handbook now.I guess that means collecting and CORRECTING homework, because that's what's going on in a couple of the classrooms, though when I asked our principal about it she flatly denied it. What makes me POSITIVELY MENTAL is that though the parents (for sure the one I'm friendly with) feel it's completely inappropriate, she won't say anything lest she lose priveleges in the classroom all together or be seens as GASP--a boat rocker.

Volunteering is encouraged--as long as you're working the Santa Shop or Book Fair. Volunteering is something our educators SAY they want, but only as long as you're not exposed to things where you might feel compelled to voice a contradictory opinion. Which I'm very good at doing, by the way.

Don't get me wrong here--I'm not looking be the psycho involved mother, wanting to sit in the classroom all day long, hovering and attending to every need--believe me on that one. But to be able to have greater access just gives me peace of mind. I don't like a lot of what I'm hearing, and a lot of the time just being in there 20 minutes to cut stuff out or organize things can let you see quite a bit. Having been a teacher, I feel if there's nothing to hide you should have no problem with company as long as it's not disruptive.

I'd like to offer advice, but this is one boat we don't share. Our school encourages parents in the classroom. Grades K-3 usually have several parents (anyone who wants to help can). In our older grades, 4-6, there is usually one or two room parents who just help out with parties, field trips, etc. Parents who want to help out at school at that stage, usually run the risograph or one of the other copy machines. We also try to place them in lower grade classrooms as tutors and such.

I do have an idea though. Our school district is huge on volunteering. It is mentioned several times in the parental handbook that goes home at the beginning of the year. Even says that as long as the teacher knows you are coming (notice it doesn't say if the teacher wants you there...lol) that all parents are welcome in the classrooms as students who have parental involvement in their education do better... Why don't you, first, go through your district handbook to see if something like that is in there? If it isn't, ask them why it isn't.

I hope this works out for you my friend!