They do not allow volunteers in their classroom. They are upset that we are up there doing things for other teachers or doing the parties or fundraising activities. Parents can see what is going on and they do not like that. It is unbelievable how negative this group is.
This is a strange situation and one most schools would love to encountered. My advice is to continue as you have been doing, if the teachers feel there is to much involvement then I would think it would be up to each class teacher to decide what they want in their room, not one group of teachers deciding for everyone. It is also common when things start changing people get scared and find something they can latch on to and complain about that one thing...I wouldnt do a thing, if the teachers want less they can tell their volunteers!
"When you stop learning you stop growing."
I received the strangest phone call yesterday. I am the "Booster Club" President and I have a student in the grade involved. Our principal called and said the the teachers in the grade level are concerned that there is too much parental involvement. I am not sure if they have specific incidences in mind or what they are talking about. The principal has to maintain a certain amount of confidentiality, but she wants my help in solving the problem. The principal is new and the old principal did not want parents involved and it is like night and day on the campus. We just finished having our first carnival and we made 2500.00 = considering we were hoping to break even we were amazed. We also had a 14000.00 fall fundraiser. With this grade level selling 54% of the product. This is a grade level with many involved parents, so I am not sure if the teachers are feeling threatened or what.
Because our district had an unacceptable campus - yes ours - the entire district had a lot of state people in our schools over the past year. One of the main things they spent time on was developing goals for the 06-07 school year. One of the gaols is to have every family activly involved in all aspects of their children's life. How can we have that goal and at the same time they tell parents to not talk to each other and not be so involved? This group of teachers has had a reputation for 'running' the school with the old principal and I think now they are having to change and they do not like it. As parents we do talk to each other about assignments, when they are due, grading and other things. But sometime that is the only way we know what is going on in our child's life. This age child is not known to come home and give you a blow by blow account of the day.
Does anyone have advice. My first thought is just to stay away and not help -- no more fundraising - or breaking my neck for popcorn parties and other rewards we have almost every week. But - then they win. I am not one to give up. How can I keep peace between the 2 groups - parents and teachers. I feel like the principal wants an answer from me.
