Author Archives: Jen

I finally made it in for Katie’s rescheduled-from-Thanksgiving P/T conference. Why did it take so long, you ask? Good question. Buckle up.

So, remember we missed P/T conferences due to a death in our family? Well, I didn’t think it would be a big deal to reschedule…because why would it be?! And Owen’s (third grade) was fine, but for Katie (kindergarten) it seemed to be a huge deal and it could. not. be. done. But no one ever gave a reason—just that it couldn’t be done.

To her credit the teacher tried to have me come in over lunch on a day I was going to volunteer, but a week later I got an email saying “I’ve been advised by my team to not schedule a conference outside of conference week.” What?! What the hell difference does it make? She said we can do it over the phone but I really really hated that idea. I just could not fathom any reasonable explanation for this.

Not trying to be annoying or make a mountain out of a molehill—but obviously wanting an answer—I emailed the principal (and CCd the teacher) explaining funeral, other kid’s rescheduling, past school’s experience, and simply asked for clarification.

FIVE DAYS LATER (!) I got an email from the teacher saying she’d talked with the principal about my email and although it was against district policy, it was decided that she can meet with me (“since your son’s teacher did”) but I never actually received any response from the principal regarding the policy in general but the teacher says it’s strictly a district-wide rule so it doesn’t start an avalanche. She said technically Owen’s teacher shouldn’t have done it. (And she didn’t care–she was just following the rules.) I told her we can always meet outside of school over a bottle of wine.

But I digress. 🙂

Katie is doing very well—she’s on par for pretty much every thing. The teacher’s only real comment was that she’s “a little chatty.” 🙂

On the way out I saw this wall so had to stop and look for Katie’s.