I got up this morning and did Safety Valet at school. This is where you direct parents to pull forward, not let their kid out of the car into oncoming traffic, and to stop at the crosswalk and now plow over kids. I felt a moment of joy this morning when the idiot father who has NEVER followed the directions actually followed them this morning. It only took what… 6 weeks? Anyway, it was a good start to the day.

I head back to school in an hour to volunteer in my son’s Kindergarten class. I’m volunteering in my 3rd grader’s class on Thursday. But there will be no volunteering in the first grade and this irritates me. It irritates me because there is a history. I think my email thread will explain it:

From: Kymberly
Sent: Monday, October 10, 2005 10:44 PM
To: Mrs. M
Subject: Volunteering

Hi,
Have you sent home the volunteering schedule? I might have missed it… Or perhaps I never even signed up if you did it during curric. night. Honestly, I can’t remember whos class I did what since every teacher does it differently :) Can you give me a heads up on how you work volunteering?
Thanks
–Kym

Her response:

From: Mrs. M
To: Kymberly
Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2005 6:36 AM
Subject: RE: Volunteering

Hi, Kym. I did have the volunteer sign up sheets out on Curriculum Night and I do now have all the volunteers scheduled. Would you like to help the room parents plan the Halloween party? I am having a meeting here Thursday after school to talk about it. I hope you can make it. Thanks so much! Karen

My response:

From: Kymberly
To: Mrs. M
Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2005 9:27 AM
Subject: Re: Volunteering

Karen,

Just keep me in mind throughout the year if there are needs other then party planning. Last year I wasn’t able to volunteer with Dinara’s class because I had a preschooler and Maria’s volunteer schedule was very time rigid. My husband and I had to “split” curriculum duty because we had two classrooms and he “forgot” to sign me up in your class. I would REALLY like to be involved in some way other then party planning… working with the children. I feel bad that I am now facing a second year of not getting to work with Dinara in her class.

I recognize that there is a certain “overhead” to you having to manage parent volunteers. However, if there is some way you can use me at some point in the year, please keep me in mind. Even if it’s just for a few weeks. I am a very fast study, low maintenance and don’t require a lot of management :) I worked with the kids on missed spelling words last year in Mrs E’s class and I really enjoyed it.

Thanks
–Kym

What I really wanted to say:

You know, I do not want to hear any complaints from teachers about parents not being involved. Perhaps parents wouldn’t be reluctant to be involved if you teachers didn’t make it seem like such we are impinging upon you to manage us! How ‘bout a little gratitude eh? Do you view us as more a hindrance then a help?

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