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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/18/2008 1:25:16 PM
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momma_bee
Posts: 1324
Joined: 4/12/2005
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Why is it we can feel a virtual stranger's pain more acutely than a neighbors?
I need a vacation
MBEE
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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/18/2008 2:20:41 PM
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ladyingrace1979
Posts: 413
Joined: 3/14/2008
From: Fresno CA
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Why don't you just carry a cell phone and make that the primary call number? That's what I did. You can just get one of those pay as you go type phones.
Our district has a similar system and I have my cell listed as first, home second and dh' cell third.
I would welcome the attempt to keep me informed.
Kim Q
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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/18/2008 3:19:25 PM
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momma_bee
Posts: 1324
Joined: 4/12/2005
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I have a pay as I go phone. I turn it on when we are out. That won't help if I'm at work - no signal in my office.
But, I'm not giving them the number for the same reason I am not changing my answering machine. I should not need to change my household choices to suit the school. I won't do it.
It is the amount of control I will allow the school to have over my life. They added a system, that I am paying for (taxes) so I should change my habits or spend money because they made a poor choice? I don't think so. I only need to pay for this mistake once.
I won't get called by the dialer. I'm not concerned about that.
I am worried that they will forego other, established, means of communication in favor of this system. Hence the question - do I tell them that it won't work or let it go?
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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/18/2008 3:23:55 PM
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Roberta_
Posts: 7419
Joined: 9/28/2007
From: East Bay Area
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Somehow our attendance is set up through the phone tree as well. There must have been a mistake somewhere because the kids were out of school on the 10 & 11th for Veteran's Day. There are three girls in this house attending three different schools. We got three automated phone calls each day saying that the girls had not been to school. All of the parents in the district got those calls!
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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/18/2008 3:24:11 PM
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Karaboo2
Posts: 2752
Joined: 2/4/2008
From: Ontario, Canada
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Around here, if the kids are let out early for whatever reason, you'd better hope you are listening to the radio -- they don't do phone trees or anything else, even for the kindergarten class. If you aren't there to pick up your child within a few minutes of dismissal, the child has to call home for a ride ... preferably making that call from a payphone, and from the office *only* if you find yourself stuck without 50 cents and no one else from whom you may borrow it.
_____________________________
Kara
Tea Drinkers Anonymous
<-- Caleb in a computer box
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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/18/2008 3:42:41 PM
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momma_bee
Posts: 1324
Joined: 4/12/2005
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I'm grateful that I am able to go online, my sister works with someone who has children in the same grades, my mom listens to the radio and my in-laws employer will announce things on the pa, and then allow her to email Poppa.
It just annoys me that I know it won't help us, who else won't it help and will those people fall through the cracks.
It is like the kindergarden bus. When BigBee was in Kindergarden, I was approached to ask the School Board to add a bus run since we didn't have transportation the first 6 weeks of school. I wouldn't do it because I still needed to drive BigBee to a designated bus stop (and didn't have a car to do it) even though the bus would drive past my house. I was told it would help people so much that I should ask for it even though it wouldn't help me. The only people it truely helped was kids in day care because they had to all go together to have mid day transporation and had to go in the am. I was told that kids were not going to kinderg
DeeDee rode the bus, it drove past my house and then I would go up the road to catch it, or if we missed it, we followed it 2 miles to the next stop. And I had parents tell me how we were lucky we had it. Yes, we didn't have to drive to the school, we missed meeting other parents or talking to teachers and if we didn't have a car, we still couldn't go to school.
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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/19/2008 2:26:03 PM
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thisistheday
Posts: 9277
Joined: 4/11/2005
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MBee, I would let the school know why their system doesn't work for you so they can consider their options, and also so they continue calling the radio stations. Will they let your kids call if necessary? I know that any of my kids can call if they need to. My son would have to ask at the office, at the middle school the phone is available and they don't have to ask. I'm not sure if that applies during school hours.
Had a meeting at the school yesterday to find out that K (my 8th grader) doesn't officially get into the gifted program. She's already been meeting with them though. They told her that they want her to continue doing that through the end of the year. In high school there's not a huge advantage to being identified as gifted, as that does not automatically get you into honors classes. They may continue to invite her on field trips on a space available basis since she's gone in the past. K looked pretty sad, but I'm glad that she can continue meeting as she is. They said that there are others not officially identified that come, and that it doesn't matter for their purposes. She gets to do all the same things.
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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/19/2008 3:42:56 PM
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ladyingrace1979
Posts: 413
Joined: 3/14/2008
From: Fresno CA
Status: offline
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MBee,
Is it a small district? I am in a huge district, fourth in the state of CA, so I appreciate that they are trying to keep as much communication open between parents and schools. I wouldn't expect them to know how many people are helped or not, just to have an alternate system for those who may not be helped.
I don't mean to sound mean but you seem to be taking this very personally. That is why I asked about the school district. If its a small district then I get why it would upset you; but in a big district it would be impractical to know who it helps.
Sorry I'm just a bit confused here.
Kim Q
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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/19/2008 4:29:27 PM
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momma_bee
Posts: 1324
Joined: 4/12/2005
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I'm sure I have. 
I do with most things that effect my pocket book or my children.
To answer the question - we have less than 1100 students total, in 13 grades. DeeDee's is the last 'big' class with 60 total. After than, it drops to around 50 kids per grade.
So we all do know each other. But, we (as a SD) want to look the same as a big district. I'm not saying the system itself is bad, but I don't believe we need it and feel that the things that don't 'work' with our family are likely to be echo'd in others and that would demonstrate that it was a poor choice.
And, I tend to avoid doing things I'm told I HAVE to do, when I truely don't.
Like the answering machine. Why change it? If I'm home, I'll get to the phone before the machine picks up. If I'm not home, I won't hear the message until after the kids are home, so it doesn't make sense.
Yes, it is easy, yes I know how, yes I understand there is probably someone who needs to be reminded but the letter said that we HAD to in order to receive the call and we don't. We HAVE TO if we want our machine to record the message.
The school assumes we need to be told what to do and we will do what we are told. I was raised to make informed decisions and not be a sheep.
< Message edited by momma_bee -- 11/19/2008 4:43:22 PM >
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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/19/2008 5:40:01 PM
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PrincessDonna
Posts: 10187
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: Cow country, Upstate NY
Status: online
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I've never heard of the phone thing for cancellations. Here, people watch TV or listen to the radio.
So...I have just been made aware that there are bigger problems than I knew about in Noah's classroom. All parents of those 8 kids will be contacted and interviewed about their kid's experience thus far. Regardless of what happens there, we are bringing Noah home. I think after Christmas break. The teacher is only part of the reason, so even if they fix that, we still have plenty of other reason.
_____________________________
He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him;
He hears their cry and saves them.
The Lord watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked He will destroy.
~Psalm 145:19-20~
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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/19/2008 6:07:38 PM
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Kath
Posts: 16991
Joined: 2/28/2005
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quote:
So...I have just been made aware that there are bigger problems than I knew about in Noah's classroom. All parents of those 8 kids will be contacted and interviewed about their kid's experience thus far.
oh no!
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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/19/2008 6:33:19 PM
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Kath
Posts: 16991
Joined: 2/28/2005
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quote:
Kath, how are you feeling? Did the good drugs do you well last night?
Well, I slept about 4 hours and woke up tired but feeling better. I did the whole mod thing and then went back to bed. The cough medicine has worn off and I am coughing something fierce again.
The dr said I do not have pneumonia, but they see the granuloma I told them about on my lung and asked where I had my last ct scan. They are going to compare it to see if it has grown. The last ct scan I had on my lung was dec 2007. The dr back then said I didn't need to have another scan unless I wanted one since it hadn't grown in 2 years. (they first discovered it when I had my preop physical for my knee surgery)
I am glad this new dr is checking it out though. It's a different hospital system so it will be new eyes looking at it.
I've never smoked or been exposed to anything risky so the granuloma is a mystery. I looked it up on the 'net and it says sometimes they just happen.
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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/19/2008 6:35:42 PM
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PrincessDonna
Posts: 10187
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: Cow country, Upstate NY
Status: online
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Interesting about the granuloma. I hope it's nothing.
Brian had weird spots or scars on his lungs that they found after his accident. They determined it was probably from having pneumonia several times as an infant and small child.
Speaking of Brian's lungs...tomorrow will be 4 months since he's had a cigarette!!! YAY!!!
_____________________________
He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him;
He hears their cry and saves them.
The Lord watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked He will destroy.
~Psalm 145:19-20~
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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/19/2008 6:38:46 PM
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Kath
Posts: 16991
Joined: 2/28/2005
Status: offline
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quote:
Speaking of Brian's lungs...tomorrow will be 4 months since he's had a cigarette!!! YAY!!!
That is wonderful!
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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/19/2008 6:44:06 PM
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PrincessDonna
Posts: 10187
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: Cow country, Upstate NY
Status: online
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Yeah...I'm sure there are easier ways to quit and I sure hope God didn't send that tractor in response to my "Please take his desire to smoke away" prayer. LOL
_____________________________
He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him;
He hears their cry and saves them.
The Lord watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked He will destroy.
~Psalm 145:19-20~
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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/20/2008 12:50:54 AM
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ladyingrace1979
Posts: 413
Joined: 3/14/2008
From: Fresno CA
Status: offline
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Oh O.K. MommaBee now I get it. It's not that the system is such a bad idea, just not something needed but forced on everyone. You feel insulted that in a small district that should have known better and should work together more, administrators have a superiority attitude about this. I get it. I just have a completely different frame of reference from yours, so I couldn't get why this was so frustrating for you.
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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/20/2008 9:13:16 AM
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momma_bee
Posts: 1324
Joined: 4/12/2005
Status: offline
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My kid is suppose to go to County Band on Friday. To miss school, he is required to complete all work ahead of time unless the teacher excuses it. (like a pop quiz) The teacher HAS to allow them to make up the work.
I have made it known that he WILL have all his work done before he can go.
Meanwhile, they are taking a computer-based test that on a book (AR4 test) that the teacher will only allow them to take Friday. The book is picked by the individual, and the system can be accessed at any time. BigBee must have 25 points by January. She seems to 'allow' them to take the test every two or three weeks. The last time, he couldn't log in. This time, he has band. He is (rightly) concerned that he will FORGET things from the books he has read when he takes the test. I'm concerned that the next time she allows them to take the test he may be sick, or can't log in again and be even further behind.
And the teacher was off yesterday and today so we can't get this resolved. The system can be accessed at any time, and quite frankly, anyone can proctor a test, she is being stubborn.
So, I either back down and allow him to go without having taken the test, which is allowing the teacher to break policy and undermining my authority or I tell him he can't go to county band.
I think I am going to run away from home so that it is in Poppa's hands.
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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/20/2008 5:00:45 PM
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MrsTracy72
Posts: 2058
Joined: 2/28/2007
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MBee,
Sorry about the AR thing. We do that at our school also, and this year, Kali was mad because she had to pick up where she left off last year and wanted to skip up two levels. But our kids are allowed to take their AR tests in library which is once a week, but for the accelerated readers, they are allowed to do two tests a week during recess if they want to. I know that system and I can't see how any of the kids are going to hit their goals with the schedule that the teacher has.
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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/20/2008 6:07:18 PM
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garsyt
Posts: 2210
Joined: 4/12/2005
From: the bottom of the laundry basket
Status: offline
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I guess I've never understood the AR thing. It's not something that is done here. I have a feeling that if it was it would irritate me to no end. Do the kids have to read certain books and then test on them and what is the reward for that? My kids love to read, but I would hope they wouldn't be told what they have to read to earn points or whatever.
fill me in on the details please.
Things going really well here.
Ty is now passing biology with a B-. Ethan is doing better in math class, music class is still a problem with him but I think it's because he was bored from all the practicing they were doing for their musical, that was held last night. Aryn is still struggling with getting her reading log turned in on time and Zoe is doing well all around and her speech teacher called and told me today that she is expecting Zoe to graduate from speech by the end of the school year.
BUT I took Aryn and Ethan to the dentist yesterday and am NOT happy with the outcome. I don't know what else I can do except to brush their teeth for them, and I shouldn't have to do that. Aryn's got an ortho appointment here in a couple of weeks. YIKES! I just looked at the calendar! Ethan and Aryn have an appointment for fillings on the first of December, Aryn has an orthodontist appointment at 7:30 AM on the 9th and Ty has a dentist appointment at 2:30 that day. Oh and to top it off Zoe has a girl scout meeting that day and I'm scheduled to help out in Art that day. Maybe hubby will be able to take Aryn to her orthodontist appointment and get her back to school on time. No braces yet and if she doesn't start taking extremely good care of her teeth she won't be getting them! At least she doesn't have a student council meeting that morning.
Blessings,
Garsy
_____________________________
My Blog: www.moredayslikethisplease.wordpress.com
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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/20/2008 6:22:46 PM
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Kath
Posts: 16991
Joined: 2/28/2005
Status: offline
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quote:
I guess I've never understood the AR thing. It's not something that is done here. I have a feeling that if it was it would irritate me to no end. Do the kids have to read certain books and then test on them and what is the reward for that? My kids love to read, but I would hope they wouldn't be told what they have to read to earn points or whatever.
Yes, at the school my kids use to attend, kids read certain books and then are tested to see if they remember what they read. Books are assigned certain points and the students would have to read X amount of books to get to the goal or assigned number. Like say the teacher says they have to read enough books to get to 50 points. Linz would read 5 books that had 10 points attached to them as opposed to maybe 7-8 books with lower points assigned to them. The problem was at our school is the school library didn't have the books so we'd have to buy them. The town library wouldn't have them either because everyone wanted to read books that had a higher point attached to them so they didn't have to read so many books.
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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/20/2008 7:29:03 PM
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MrsTracy72
Posts: 2058
Joined: 2/28/2007
Status: offline
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They way our AR works is that the kids have to read 10 books in each level before they can advance to the next level. But their books are color coded so if they are on one color, they stay there til they get their 10 books read then they move up to the next color. Kali has been reading at a third grade level and is in second so her problem is the AR books that are being assigned to her are easy and she is bored with them. Plus we are thinking she may have a photographic memory since she recites the books back to us after reading them once or twice, so for her, AR won't really matter if that is the case because she is just memorizing.
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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/20/2008 8:32:04 PM
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momma_bee
Posts: 1324
Joined: 4/12/2005
Status: offline
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We have never needed to stay 'in level' but you weren't supposed to go more than 1-2 grades below your reading level. You could go above.
When everyone in the class reaches their goal for the year, they get a little party. DeeDee has a special activity at the end of the year. It is the top 10 points earnings who met their goal and then the rest of the kids who met their goal have their name put into a hat and they pull 10 more names. In 5 and 6th grade they usually don't have 10 reach their goal. When a student makes the goal, which is adjusted by grade, they get their name read over the PA and put up on a board / display.
The lower the level, the few points a book is worth. If you miss a question you can't earn all the points, but you get some. If you miss too many, you don't get any points and you can only read the books once, ever.
They drop it in high school so when this teacher put it back in, the high school isn't really used to doing it.
The schools buy the tests so the books have to have some general appeal to the public - you have to check and see if it is on the list if you want to use it. DeeDee has done regular book reports on other books, but she said she may as well get the points and choses appropriately.
I give up
He is going
I hate that I am not in charge of his education. I have no control of his day, the school does and the school controls the night. The 'tell' me that I can use the computer, or turn on the tv, because my kid has homework. They tell me I can't make him do dishes or other chores because he has homework. If I say 'too bad' he gets a bad grade and I'm a bad mom because he could have done the work...
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RE: November PPS Chat - 11/20/2008 8:55:25 PM
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momma_bee
Posts: 1324
Joined: 4/12/2005
Status: offline
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But, for all my whining and pouting...
Last night I listened to a mother brag about her daughter not getting D's and F's because that is an improvement.
A mother talk about her kid's Christmas List. There is only 5 items on it, and I came up with close to
$1000 to cover it. Plus, she needs her folks to buy a car because she isn't learning how to drive in their current vehicle. I liked Mom's response. "I must have money coming out my butt and I told her if she saw it fall, to pick it up and hand it over" But she didn't say that they WEREN'T getting her the requested gifts.
It was funny - I said that BigBee needs to earn $2000 to go to the Boy Scout Jamboree and they thought it sounded like a lot of money until I talked about his plan to EARN it.
I have two very kind, and bright children.
Who drive me up a tree...
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