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Bye bye junior high, and good riddance
By: CarrieAnn Linenberger
Description: Parent is relieved her son is graduating from eighth grade.
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Posted by gsxrmomof2
Fri Jun 3, 2005 16:28:00 PDT
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I am writing this letter after two long school years with our son at a local Northwest junior high school. When our son graduates from the eighth grade this week, not only will I be jumping for joy because he will be graduating, but also because his dad and I, as parents, will no longer have to deal with the constant attitude and negativity that we receive from this junior high.
I'm not saying that every teacher or administrator we come in contact with at this school is to blame for our feelings. In fact, I'm not even saying that we as parents aren't partially to blame, either. However, our son went from an A and B student to a sudden C, D and even F student. Before our son started junior high school, we had heard from parents of former students at this school that it was hard for their children, as well, but that once they went on to high school it was much easier. Little did we know that they would be so correct.
At the beginning of his seventh-grade year -- when we realized there was a problem -- we immediately contacted the administrators/teachers to let them know that we were concerned parents and would do anything in our power to keep our son on the right track. I also understand that children need to do their part, as well, and I will be the first to admit that on many occasions our son didn't do his part. I also understand that the transition from elementary school to junior high school is a very hard transition. Our children go from having their hands held along the way to having to grow up and remember what assignments are due on which days in which classes, and so on. I also understand that this is a hard enough time for our children, going through emotional and physical changes and just trying to figure out who they are and where they fit in. This is one of the biggest reasons that I am so amazed that the staff at this junior high school could be so negative and treat concerned parents the way that they do. I don't remember it being this way for my parents when I was in junior high school.
The biggest problem for my husband and I dealing with this school was the office staff. When I say office staff, I am speaking of the secretaries and receptionists. Anytime we called the school, as soon as we mentioned our son's name we dealt with nothing but negativity and attitude. We dealt with the constant long sighs, and even, on a couple of occasions, the office staff hanging up on us. In the middle of this school year our son would go to the office after school to do his homework. This was the principal's idea, and what we thought was a great idea at the time. We were willing to work with the school in any way that we could so that our son would graduate and move on to high school. This lasted for a few months, until the office staff would start talking about other students, parents and staff members in front of our son and any other students who were there. It was a constant bother for them for our son to be there, especially if they had to issue him a bus pass. They just seemed so bothered anytime that they had to actually help us.
With only four days of school left, I do have to say thank you to all of the teachers and staff who did make a difference in our son's life and did truly care and believe in him. He will be graduating with his eighth-grade class, and, for that, his dad and I are very proud and would not change a thing that we did throughout his junior high school experience. But we certainly look forward to a change of schools and a fresh start. I say to all parents, no matter what grade your child is in, to stand up and be his/her voice when it comes to dealing with school teachers, staff and administrators.
