Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Lisa Lebeer on September 13, 2012 at 9:09pm

Roden is phasing in FDK this year and so far it's been a gong show.

They have 3 classes with about 34 in each. The holistic school housed in the same school as Roden (Equinox) is NOT phasing in FDK this year and i'm unsure of their class sizes.

My friend's son has just started JK at Bruce and she mentioned the class size was just as bad as at Roden.
Our principal mentioned that they're trying to get another class going to lower the numbers.

fingers crossed!

Permalink Reply by Nikki on September 14, 2012 at 12:52pm

Gong show is exactly the same work I use when my girls started last week.

At Bruce they are getting another class room ready so hopefully in a couple of weeks it will get better.

Parents are trying to ensure it they make 3 full classes not 2 big ones and small half class.

I hope they are adding another class at Roden too.

Reading your post I'm thinking we don't have it that bad.

Looks like the neighbourhood is really filling up with breeders pumping out Kindergarten students. lol.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Lebeer on September 14, 2012 at 2:24pm

word on the street at Roden is that they will have 3 lg classes and 1 small class (of 20 or less), which would only warrant one additional teacher.

i should note that when Roden was built, they didn't make 'classrooms' in the traditional sense, it's more 'open concept' with designated areas (separated by bookshelves / partitions etc). so it's basically 100+ small children in one big room. sounds awesome right? LOL

and my poor kids is tiny and young (turning 4 at the end of Nov) so he's really having a tough time of it - too overwhelming with all the children and the LOUDEST flushing toilets ever. He went to preschool 3 mornings a week from Sept - Aug so i thought JK would be a fairly easy transition for him - WRONG!!!

Permalink Reply by Nikki on September 14, 2012 at 3:03pm

Wow crazy.

Bruce is one big room high ceiling divided by a wall part way up so very similar... at times it sounds like a factory.

But at least it's only 68 kids I guess. the 3rd class will be upstairs.

I hope you have wrote the trustee with your concerns. with that many kids it should be a no brainer to have 4 full classes.

one of my daughters is so scared of loud toilets I know where your coming from.

I know if hard for those born late in the year my neighbors son is Dec 31.

How does lunch work at your school?

Permalink Reply by Lisa Lebeer on September 20, 2012 at 3:06pm

Hey Nikki,

how are things at Bruce now?

my son still cries every day at drop off.

i've been bringing him home for lunch 2-3 days a week since i'm home with my other son and we live across the street from Roden - not sure if it's helping though since he cries after lunch too.

our info night was moved from tonight to next Wed. guess we'll find out more then...

Permalink Reply by Nikki on September 20, 2012 at 9:16pm

it's still the same no new news. Our parents night in monday.
teacher seem stressed. lunch is bad EEC who I think is just a TA is only at lunch for the first 15 min then it is only one lunch monitor for the next 45 min for 30 kids nuts parents are trying to help be there is no organization. lord of the flies.
we live across from bruce but i work so im stuck with them at school for lunch.

hope it get better for your son soon

Permalink Reply by Lisa Lebeer on September 20, 2012 at 9:33pm

i agree - parent volunteers should be a priority on their list. I would happily help out a morning or afternoon here and there provided i could find childcare for my baby. they should have a parent volunteer sign up sheet right from the get-go!

Permalink Reply by Lisa Lebeer on October 4, 2012 at 6:12pm

Hey Nikki,

did Bruce that third class yet?

our fourth JK/SK class started up today. i requested that my son stay where he's been since day 1 since he seems to like his teacher and he had a rough few weeks but seemed to settle in nicely so i didn't want to disrupt that.

Permalink Reply by Nikki on October 4, 2012 at 8:15pm

yes bruce has done the same added a third class this week but it is only a class of 15 with just a teacher no ECE. So my girls class is now 27 not great but better then 35. the other class is 27 as well. my girls are nicely set in the class I didn't want them to move.
I've heard at st. joesph the fought for an extra full class and got their numbers to 21. I feel a little defeated hearing that but its a different board.
hope everything goes smoother from this point on.