LTE: Kids Left Out In The Cold

Letter to the Editor

'Kids Left Out In The Cold'

Effective Monday, February 4, Spooner Middle School implemented a new drop-off policy:

In order to ensure that students have proper supervision, the front doors will be open at the following times:

• Students that participate in morning clubs can enter the front doors from 7:10 a.m. to 7:25 a.m.
• All other students can enter the building beginning at 7:45 a.m.

Since the policy has been implemented, I have learned of multiple instances where children were locked out of school, left standing in the cold because they arrived after 7:25, but before 7:45. With sub-zero temperatures, this is not safe. Bus drop off times are out of the students’ control.

Many students do not dress appropriately for the cold temperatures. This may or may not be in their control, but I would hope the school doesn’t leave kids in the cold and justify it by saying they should have worn warmer clothes.

If high school siblings drop-off middle school students, they must drop-off after 7:45 and then rush to the high school before 7:55 to avoid being marked tardy. If parents/guardians need to be at work, it may not be feasible to meet this exact time frame. And for parents of multiple middle school students with different interests, you may have families that have a child in morning club and have another child not in morning club. In that instance, one child can enter before 7:25 and the other has to wait until 7:45.

My concerns are simple. How does this policy help our students? Is there a reason this policy was implemented in the middle of winter? If it’s truly a supervision issue, could volunteers be recruited to help supervise the commons before class?

In a building that displays a large "Where Kids Come First" message, we must do better.

Sincerely,

Christina Martin, mother of two and advocate for all children