Did anyone send their kids to school today? (Fri. Dec 21)

[BLAZEY]

Mine had a Christmas party and secret santa today! I couldn't have kept her home if I tried. Plus DH & I both worked today so someone would have had to watch her.

 

[bababear_50]

We had a fun morning in our class ---bananas and tangerines,granola bars and board games/puzzles, followed by Gym class and then *desk clean-out.*...... It was also Spirit Day at our school,crazy Christmas Hats and or PJ's and stuffies,,popcorn for sale.

It was great to watch the kids interact with each other,,not many play board games at home.(co-operation,following rules,turn taking etc).
We ended the morning with *Read to a Friend* your favourite Holiday book.

Some kids have a very hard time during the holiday season,,,,,,for many reasons,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
The kids I work with experience problems with program change,and social skills,so it's during these times we try to teach team building, flexibility , sharing and caring.

Hugs
Mel

 

[Toolulu22]

My younger one went because he wanted to do the fun stuff. The older one said his teachers highly encouraged them to stay home, probably so they wouldn't have to be in class. So many kids miss today, apparently, that they can't teach anything new anyway.

Mine are in high school, so maybe elementary school is different.

Let’s see. “Mom, my teacher’s all told us to stay home tomorrow” on a school day never occurred to you might instead mean “mom, I really don’t want to go to school tomorrow”?

 

[Toolulu22]

We had a fun morning in our class ---bananas and tangerines,granola bars and board games/puzzles, followed by Gym class and then *desk clean-out.*...... It was also Spirit Day at our school,crazy Christmas Hats and or PJ's and stuffies,,popcorn for sale.

It was great to watch the kids interact with each other,,not many play board games at home.(co-operation,following rules,turn taking etc).
We ended the morning with *Read to a Friend* your favourite Holiday book.

Some kids have a very hard time during the holiday season,,,,,,for many reasons,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
The kids I work with experience problems with program change,and social skills,so it's during these times we try to teach team building, flexibility , sharing and caring.

Hugs
Mel

Same. Our kids have many struggles at home also for many reasons. This week was “spirit week”, today we had holiday music in between periods, many teachers brought treats, kids were able to interact in less structured ways and most importantly I had the opportunity to talk with my kids about non-instructional things. I push my kids incredibly hard through the year, so some less structured time is valuable and enjoyable (and productive- I can work one-on-one, let kids make up work, etc).

I had many kids out today, but about 60% of my high school students were present.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Let’s see. “Mom, my teacher’s all told us to stay home tomorrow” on a school day never occurred to you might instead mean “mom, I really don’t want to go to school tomorrow”?

Heh heh, it did. That's why I emailed his friends' parents who were all told that the others were staying home. But in the end, I phoned the school and the attendance taker basically said that a lot of kids were already signed out for the day.
Also, about a year ago, I made him go and he phoned me from first period to say he was the only one in class. I didn't believe him, but he put his teacher on the phone. He was indeed the only one there.

 

[Silvermist999]

Does that make you angry? This is a touchy subject with me this week so this thread is timely. I’m a teacher by profession myself, and I can tell you that if it was an instructional day, I was teaching, regardless if it was the week before Christmas, the Last day of school, whatever. I can’t believe that whole weeks are wasted. You paid for instruction this week and were not given any. Terrible.

In my daughter’s case, the English teacher has not done work on several days, but sees no reason not to send projects home over the break. She is scrambling to finish the curriculum.

It sends a terrible message about work ethic to our kids when schools waste days. It’s a disgrace.

Angry for sure, but getting used to it at our elementary school where we have been since JK. The month of June is similar so no surprises really. I am surprised with the high school though, my daughter is in gr9. I think I kind of expected more, considering they will have first semester final exams mid January.

Is this a private school?!? The school calendar is set by the province & this is not allowed. Teachers are still expected to provide sick notes when absent directly before or after holidays (even when the law was to the contrary). Closing an entire school is not above board.

No...we are in the public school system. The early dismissal is approved board wide apparently, but what gets taught, if anything this last week is entirely at the discretion of the teacher/school I’m assuming.

 

[Madame]

Angry for sure, but getting used to it at our elementary school where we have been since JK. The month of June is similar so no surprises really. I am surprised with the high school though, my daughter is in gr9. I think I kind of expected more, considering they will have first semester final exams mid January.



No...we are in the public school system. The early dismissal is approved board wide apparently, but what gets taught, if anything this last week is entirely at the discretion of the teacher/school I’m assuming.

Catholic? I can’t even imagine that here. Each board is different, but unless they got provincial approval there’s no way that half day was allowed.

 

[TammyLynn33]

Mine all went . DS high school does a huge pancake breakfast etc and he won’t miss free food lol
Little ones didn’t do much it was PJ day teacher bought pizza for lunch and they watched polar express ate popcorn..
Their little brains are too focused on Santa to absorb much at this point in my opinion

 

[ellbell]

All mine went to school. My 15 year old is in high school and part of the improv club so they put on their annual holiday show for the rest of the school today (parents and family was last night). After that they gather as a school and have a holiday meal together before going home for the day. My other 2 had their holiday performance this morning at their school which families attended and then in the afternoon had class parties. My Grade 8 son asked if he could come home an hour early and I said no. Otherwise it's been business as usual all week for them.

 

[Toolulu22]

Heh heh, it did. That's why I emailed his friends' parents who were all told that the others were staying home. But in the end, I phoned the school and the attendance taker basically said that a lot of kids were already signed out for the day.
Also, about a year ago, I made him go and he phoned me from first period to say he was the only one in class. I didn't believe him, but he put his teacher on the phone. He was indeed the only one there.

Wow! I’m honestly surprised that so many kids are out. I had a couple kids out today, most of whom had told me they were leaving to visit family. Maybe its a sign of the area. Many of mine would rather be in school- they get food and heat, neither is guaranteed at home

 

[isabellea]

DD9 had an exam yesterday but today they watched movies. Each 3rd and 4th grade classroom had a different movie and they could decide which one they wanted to watch.

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

When I was in High school we had instructional days up to the Thursday before the Christmas break. The Friday would start with mass in the morning followed by our period one class then we would all go to the auditorium for the talent show where students and teachers would put on acts they had prepared. In grade nine and ten, the highlight was the principle doing a mic jager impersonation and singing a rolling stones song. He would run into the auditorium from the back it was actually the one-time anyone actually wanted to see the principal.

 

[Big Mo]

They went today, but they'll return a day late because we have a cruise.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Wow! I’m honestly surprised that so many kids are out. I had a couple kids out today, most of whom had told me they were leaving to visit family. Maybe its a sign of the area. Many of mine would rather be in school- they get food and heat, neither is guaranteed at home

The things we take for granted. Yes, here the kids were hoping to all be on their own laptops playing multiplayer video games with each other. Heat and food were never part of their thought process. We are blessed with the ability to give them that security, but it is very sobering to remember that there are kids who choose school because they will be fed and warm.

 

[Sue M]

My kids always went to school the last day before break. Some schools in our district went all day, some did the shortened day. But in reality there was not much teaching going on. Some teachers gave tests. I imagine it’s hard to teach something when mentally the kids are already gone! So they did Class Christmas parties, locker cleaning, etc. And quite a few students were away, starting family holiday early.

 

[Aladora]

If your kids "just watched a movie", ask them what they watched, and what they learned from it. The answers may surprise you.

Our son (gr. 8) watched Hidden Figures in one of his classes this week, science I think?

There was no discussion about him staying home today, he actually worked right through morning and lunch recess so he could finish his woodworking project.

 

[jaceraden]

Mine all went for movie, pajama, and teachers making pancakes, day. They loved it! But, we have a small school (right at 100 kids) so it wasn't a madhouse.

 

[bcwife76]

Mine are both in elementary still (grades 3&5) so yes they both went. Primary watched a movie in the gym in the morning, intermediate watched a different movie in the gym in the afternoon. Apparently this was optional and if you didn't watch a movie you could stay in your class and play board games, etc. Definitely no work was being done though

 

[bcwife76]

Mine all went for movie, pajama, and teachers making pancakes, day. They loved it! But, we have a small school (right at 100 kids) so it wasn't a madhouse.

That sounds lovely! I wish my kids went to a small elementary school; this year we are the size of a small high school, we have 830 kids in grades K-7!!! Stupid overcrowding

 

[elaine amj]

My kids are in high school and had lessons (more or less) until Thursday. Friday started with mass and then a party amd activities that continued most of the day. My DS16 chose to stay in bed.