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Friday, February 8, 2013

Bells Mill ES: No Funds for Playground Supervision

Did you know that, according to Bells Mill Elementary School 2012-13 Recess/Lunch Handbook September 3, 2012:

Q: There seems to be an unending need for parent volunteers to help cover lunch and recess. Why aren't teachers available to watch the children, at least during recess?

A: MCPS teachers belong to a union and, under the union rules, are not required to provide coverage for lunch and recess, so it is up to the parents to provide the extra coverage for lunch and recess. By volunteering, parents provide additional adult supervision of the children, which is particularly helpful during recess when the children tend to go all over the fields and play areas. By reducing the adult to child ratio, we can ensure that the children are receiving the adult supervision they need.


8 comments:

  1. Up to the parents?

    Uh no. Sorry folks. You got that wrong! Way wrong! These are public schools supported by our tax dollars. We pay for our students to be supervised the entire day. No lunch breaks where students are let free.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Teachers are not paid for lunch.

      Delete
  2. This is part of the teachers' day, used as planning time, so it shouldn't be up to the teachers to be outside; compared to many neighboring school systems, MCPS elementary teachers get precious little planning time in their days/weeks. The school system should be paying for recess aides to supervise, NOT leaving the job to parent volunteers. Parent volunteers isn't a bad idea as a supplement, perhaps, but there should be enough PAID adult supervision on playgrounds to keep the kids safe.

    ReplyDelete
  3. In the recent past supporting service employees have been provided assignments and given pay for playground supervision. Why stop that practice now?

    ReplyDelete
  4. I read this as a plea for additional supervision, not a sign that this is the only supervision available.

    A former Montgomery County Resident currently in Europe.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "...so it is up to the parents..."

      Delete
  5. What does SEIU have to say about parent volunteers taking these jobs as volunteers? Are there any paid staff on the playground at Bells Mill during recess?

    ReplyDelete
  6. I know several schools that use bus drivers for those positions. They don't make 40 hours a week, so no OT. They are MCPS employees, so they are more in tune with your kids. It's worked great in the schools that I know that use them.

    ReplyDelete

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