Concerned about public school's policies

I am not sure which district you are in. We were in OUSD and it was a difficult transition from preschool. 

The outside time is truly limited. I was shocked to learn that recess was for about 15 min and lunch was barely 20 min of play time. 

We were at two different OUSD schools and the recess amount was the same, communication was limited,. The first school allowed parents into the school yard at drop off. The second school did not want parents inside the school or the yard.  Drop off was at the curb/gate.

Both schools allowed and wanted parent volunteers for lower grades in class although we never volunteered as we work full time. But I understand this is teacher specific. Some teachers do not want parents in class. 

I am sorry you aren’t loving your school. 

This is typical for WCCUSD district as well and suspect most public schools. I have found volunteering at recess/lunch to be a rewarding way to help the school and get to know the other kids in the school. The reality is that the teachers and staff of public schools in this area are stretched very very thin so expecting more communication is not realistic and volunteering inside the classroom is not particularly helpful (and can potentially be disruptive) for the teachers/class. If you want a lot more involvement a co-op type school such as Crestmont in Richmond might be a better choice.

We were in a similar situation with an elementary school and it was extremely frustrating.  I would make sure the school itself is in compliance with the school districts rules. Every school needs to abide by the governing school district policies (although our school at the time did not).  You may have to get higher ups involved.

My kiddo went to John Muir and left there in 2020. Prior to that and covid, I was able to volunteer in the class room one day a week (and did they ever need it) in several of the years prior to graduating to middle school. I loved being in the class room and learned a lot. I got to see great teachers and some poor ones. I got to help the teachers and the kids which was so much fun. 

I also noticed that my daughter was not engaged and was having some struggles with math and reading. I was able to bring this to the attention of principal and teachers which ultimately proved beneficial for her. The math problems were due to some learning issues, but the reading was because, IMHO, the school was not teaching phonics. I recognized this was was able to help her with her reading. All this to say, that being in the class room as a parent was very valuable and I was able to render a great service.

I do not know if the policy permitting parents on the play ground and in classrooms has changed district wide or if the policy is school-dependent. But being in the class room was such an eye opener and every parent that can should engage. It is a great community builder.

jim

I'm in WCSD public schools with two upper-elementary kids. My experience is a little different than you've had, but it does vary with district. 

1. Parents can volunteer during the day, in the classroom during specific times. For example, not during math class, but when the kids were doing something project based (like helping in the school garden) the parents can sign up. We also have parents that do things like make copies, laminate, and help with setup for the classes. We have a lot of field trips and whole school activities that the parents run, including providing transportation. They do need more volunteers at recess, lunch, and help directing traffic before and after school, as the volunteer parents are the crossing guards. 
2. This is the same, the campus is closed to all parents during the school day unless you are volunteering, then you'd pick up a badge from the office and can be in the classrooms. 
3. Most of my kids' teachers have had a website that lists what units they are on and how we can help at home. For example, if they are writing personal narratives, we can practice that, or specific math units, like fractions. We do not communicate during the school day, and I wouldn't want the teacher to be on their device all day. If I want to set up a one-on-one with any teacher, we set it up by appointment and I'd meet with them before or after school or when the kids are elsewhere, like at PE. 
4. In addition to being outside during recess and lunch, my kids also get two 45 minute PE sessions per week outside on the field, plus sometimes they have projects outside, such as the school garden, or doing messy art or science on the blacktop. 

PTA's (and we also have a foundation WCEF) with the main function of fundraising. Due to the state's allocations (and prop 13 and 89), California schools are severely underfunded. Our PTA pays the salaries of many of the teachers including: band, general music, art, science, maker lab, librarian, PE, counseling, and others. Without the PTA the kids would have math, reading, and writing. The PTA has to raise money to make up the difference. 

There are definitely public schools that welcome classroom volunteers; that varies by school, and may also change as you get further into the school year. Ask at PTA or back-to-school meetings to see. The other three sound pretty typical. Weekly communication is more than some schools offer, so you're ahead of the curve there (though I imagine it also varies widely by teacher, and some may communicate more often or more in depth.) Drop off at the gate is pretty standard these days because it allows schools to better manage access--from a safety perspective, many try to have a single open door during the school day (or require you to be buzzed in). California requires 30 minutes of recess each day for elementary, and that's what most schools offer--to meet the required minutes of instructional time with longer recesses, they'd need to have a longer school day, and that's often not possible. So I'd say your school is pretty typical of most local public schools. Unfortunately you may need to recalibrate your expectations a bit, especially if you're coming from a private preschool.

You didn't mention which school district you are in and what age your child is. In our school in Alameda, the lower grade classrooms encourage lots of parent volunteers in the classroom, at recess, and at lunch. The teachers are chatty and happy to talk with parents to keep them updated. The upper grade classrooms are a little more closed off. They don't really need parents in the classroom anymore (the kids don't always want to see their parents either), and the teachers may send weekly reports but not much more. The PTA is very hands on, it's not just for fundraising. The PTA members run many activities at school, such as cooking contests, art contests, and community building parties and events. As for the drop off at the gate, that's what happened from Covid and also the (sorry to say) many reports of school shootings in the US. Parents used to be allowed to walk in and hang out, now there is a big gate and everyone is checked in at the front office. If your child is in Kindergarten and this is your first exposure to this school, I would definitely join the PTA and find out what they do. Reach out to the teacher directly and see if he or she needs help in the classroom. Sometimes they want parents to come in to help the kids read, or they have worksheets that need printing or cutting. And definitely definitely volunteer at recess and lunch. The teachers are on mandated break at lunch and there are never enough grown ups to supervise the kids, so schools really need help there. You'll see so much fun stuff just walking on campus and watching how kids interact with each other. Also reach out to the front office and the principal. Ask how you can get more involved. Drop off goodies for the teachers, the administration, and the office staff. The more you put in, the more you get out. 

1. Classroom participation would depend on whether the teacher needs it, and finds it useful or disruptive. From what I have seen, some teachers ask for classroom participation and others don't. So this may change as your child goes to higher grades.
2. Pick up and drop off at gate is likely a safety feature. If a lot of parents walk in, I assume it will be difficult for teachers to track which child is leaving with which parent. In general, I have seen BUSD schools being more particular about this (which I like). My cousin's kid's school in another district allows parents to come on campus and allows older kids to walk out the gate while they wait for pick up. That was a bit odd for me. In BUSD, normally a teacher would stand at the gate and only let kids out if they see the parent.
3. If there is specific communication you are looking for, let the teacher know and see if they will communciate on specific topics.
4. Time outside is limited. I am not sure what's the solution for that. You may have to supplement with extra time outside in parks/activities in the evening.

I volunteer for field trips etc. and assist teachers with any specific activities they want help with. Your kid's teacher may ask for more help as the year progresses, so watch out for those notifications.

Longtime OUSD parent, chiming in to say...it's still very early in the school year, and the process to be cleared to volunteer in the classroom is an arduous one and pretty confusing. I know our school struggles to coordinate helping out parents who are interested in volunteering--it requires fingerprinting and Live Scan and a TB test in Oakland. During the hustle of the start of the school year, I know administrators have just a ton to do and it's easier not to jump in and try to get this worked out. If you ARE in Oakland you can start the process on your own. (It's the same process you'll need to follow if you want to volunteer to drive on field trips, too, for instance.) The Oakland Ed Fund coordinates it all. Here's the website: https://www.oaklandedfund.org/programs/volunteer/parent-volunteers/

(The reason you can volunteer at recess and lunch is that you're in the presence of other adults who HAVE been background-checked.)

On the communication piece: I know that's frustrating, but teachers have a ton to do--especially at the start of the school year--and you gotta make sure to give them grace. If your kid is happy, it means everything is going fine. At back to school night, you might consider asking the teacher directly if there's a way you can be supportive. Coordinating volunteers is a pretty heavy lift, so just making clear that you're up for stuff that comes up is a big help. The teachers are there for the kids, not the parents. And things will settle down soon. It's still August!

Good luck! Head up!

We are at Valley View Elementary in WCCUSD and they LOVE volunteers, they would've let me be there all day everyday in Kinder if I wanted (I did 1 full day a week). 1st grade the teacher wanted help at more specific times (art, gardening, etc. ). We'll see about this year.   It's so helpful to see how the class is run and what areas your kid struggles with. We can walk students in to line up in the meeting area (their school is modular so there's no main building). The daily schedule isn't communicated to parents and the outside time is very limited and sad  I do know that you can request an observation classroom day if you want to get a better sense. 

Also in OUSD.

They take patent volunteers fora variety of things- lunch and recess, classroom help, special event planning and workers and food distribution help. Because we are a Title 1 school, we also have a School Site Counsel where parents can be involved make some decisions about funds. 

Drop off is at the gate but pick up is at the gate or the school yard depending on if you walk or  drive.

That is more communication than we have usually. We do get homework info and eventually  conferences, but it's definitely an area our school could improve with. But I think it's fairly typical.

30 minutes, it' my understanding, is what the state of California requires. I think the little kids might get a little more  time, but it's what my kids get too. Considering it's a 6 hour day and all they need to do, I'm not sure they could carve out more. I know they also have movement breaks in the classroom and we try and spend time outside in the evening.  

Hi! Sharing experiences from Santa Rosa public elementary: 

1. Our public elementary school has parents volunteer in the classroom for specific days/activities in designated roles, such as being an art docent on Fine Arts Day. There are also lots of opportunities to volunteer at school functions such as Lotteria night, Talent Show, school picnics, the Color Run, etc. On a case-by-case basis we can communicate w/ our child's teachers and ask if they need help in the classroom for a specific task, like compiling art at the end of the year, etc. But in general, no, we can't just be in the classroom "helping out". And I can see why teachers might not want that (too many cooks in the kitchen). 
2. We can go onto campus for drop-off and pick-up, but then gates are locked during the school day. If we need to pick up midday, we go to the office and they call the room, and the child comes to us. This is for safety and I appreciate it. 
3. We get a once-weekly email from the teacher w/ an update. I think asking for more than that from a busy teacher is unreasonable. It isn't preschool, we don't need daily updates unless there is some type of intervention going on for a behavioral issue, etc. Teachers are always available to message via Parent Square, though, and they've all been super responsive. 
4. I'm not sure how much outside time they get, between recess, lunch, and then PE twice a week... They also eat outside and then go play, so I think it's more like 1 hour. 

Some allow for more parent participation, it really depends on the school. I signed up for specific events to be a part of and at my son’s school in OUSD I was a room parent so I coordinated class activities and was in contact with his teacher more often. As far as what goes on, my kid has special needs so I was  regularly informed, but like you said the “everything all good” response was the norm. My son would tell me in detail what would happen, thankfully he could communicate that to me. He was getting bullied and despite all attempts to resolve, communicate, etc. nothing worked and I pulled him out in 2nd grade to homeschool. Homeschooling is amazing, the best choice for my son and to be honest if you’re able to do it, do it! We do more of a hybrid through a public charter school to get funding, but I’m his primary teacher. 

None of the policies you mentioned seem  worrisome or unusual to me. The things I would want to know are: is your child happy?  Can they tell you something fun they did?  Are they learning and growing?  If these questions are a yes, then it sounds like the school is doing its job!  If it is important to you to be involved hands-on in your child’s education, perhaps a small group homeschooling arrangement would be a better fit for your family. As for time outdoors, I always just made my kids go outside and play when they got home from school. :)

This sounds like the public schools I know and they have produced well rounded individuals. I think your expectations might not be in line with reality. However, I’m also of the belief that parents do not need to be hover - let kids be kids. Support them at home and trust their teachers. Report cards will be given; one on one teacher meetings can be arranged if you are worried about  academic and social progress. Those who want more go to private schools. 

PTA is a fundraising organization?  Parents barred from the campus at drop-off time?  I've relocated from the East coast, and am a grandparent, so have had no primary school experience for 30 years.  But it sounds to me like the Bay Area public schools have you people well-trained.  I'd say it's time to assert your rights as a parent.  The schools are supposed to serve your family's needs, not vice versa.  As for recess time, I'm pretty sure 15 or 20 minutes is standard, once in the morning, once in the afternoon. Good luck.

I would second that the transition from preschool to public school was a bit rough! It was an eye opener for sure. 
A friend of mine with older kids warned me that it would be so. 
We’re in west contra costa county school District and my child is a 1 grader. We’ve been at public school since kindergarten. At our school kindergarten and TK parents could come into the school grounds for drop off but these 2 years did have a separate meet up area to the rest of the school. For 1 grade and up no parents are allowed inside school yard for drop off except during the first week of school. 

Our school welcomes volunteer parents in the classroom and during lunch and recess too. Our first recess break is 20min and the second recess with lunch is  40min. Our kinder teacher was super communicative emailing weekly the lesson summary of the week and even sending photos and some videos of how the kids were adjusting to class and doing their work. It was great! The 1st grade teacher we have has so far shared little and no weekly lesson summary. But I am going to ask about it at Back to school night, which is an opportunity to meet the teacher and hear how she works with the class. 

Good luck with the transition! 

I would be concerned too.

When I was considering schools for my kids, I asked my uncle (veteran teacher) how to vet schools and he said to volunteer "if a school is too disorganized to take advantage of free labor, it is too disorganized to educate your child" Have you tried volunteering in general? Some teachers have negative experience with parent volunteers in the classroom but how about in the office, library or anther classroom - maybe not what you have in mind but still helpful and gives you insight into the school in other ways.

The limit on free time outside seems pretty bad. I wonder what is behind that? I hope the teachers take them out for structured time out - they need to move their bodies! From the other responses, this may be common. 

My kids are grown now so my experience is not recent but that is my 2 cents.

As some others have said there is a big jump from preschool to elementary school in terms of parent involvement. In preschool the parent involvement is as much to help the parents with the transition from home/nanny to a more formal environment as it is to help the children. 

I volunteered with the PTA, and once in a while in my child's classroom when asked in elementary school, when I could fit it into my work schedule. If you have a flexible schedule it would be good to volunteer in the ways that the school has offered. There will probably also be requests for field trip chaperones, room parents, and for holiday activities. It is likely that if you do so, you will have a better understanding of the structure of the place. Volunteering with the PTA on things like Art Night, and Books and Ice Cream, was a good experience, and helped me meet children and parents from other families.

It is unlikely you will be able to influence the school on recess, as there are minutes required by the state for each subject. Creative teachers sometimes find ways of incorporating outside time into some of the subject area lessons (i.e. during science, or PE.)

There's a certain letting go that you have to do as your child enters the larger world. If you really want more say, or a different structure, then some private schools are probably a better option for you.