Is anyone else NOT allowed into their building until the week before school starts?

If that were the case, the classroom would start out quite bare and I would be quite unprepared. Probably would not fully catch up until fall break.

 

I hope that's not the case with mine! I know we have an orientation Aug 12 and then a staff retreat tentatively planned for Aug 15. We get kids Aug 18 so I'm hoping we have at least the 16 and 17 to get stuff done!

 

What???? insanity!!!!!! How are you supposed to create a good learning environment with no time.

 

So, why do you all think there are such big differences in those policies? Some districts allow teachers into their buildings whenever they need/want to be there, while others won't let them in until the day/week before school starts. I suppose those beginning-of-the-year policies reflect the policies regarding teacher access throughout the school year too.

Why do some schools allow open access to teachers, while others are so restrictive?

 

during the year we have unlimited access. We have to turn in our keys and get them back beginning of August and school starts end of August. Once we get our keys back we can stay round the clock.

 

I went by school today to pick up a book for tutoring. My room has been cleaned out, floors waxed, carpet steam cleaned. I can go in anytime I want, but I won't until a week before school starts. I'm still having summer fun!

 

Ditto for me. I am required to leave a detailed "map" so the custodians can put all furniture, rugs, chairs back to where I want them. I have no plans to return until the week before school starts.

 

Update: just got word the school is finished being painted and we are allowed back in the school Aug.1 .... which is a week before teachers report back. We are in meetings for the 5 inservice days before kids return. A little disappointed...

 

We can come in but I'm not going in until the first day of work week. I'm chilling till the bitter end.

 

What is the rationale for not letting you in? Are the custodians finishing up waxing the floors or something? We keep our keys and security code year round.

 

We are allowed in Aug. 8th. Staff retreat and teacher work days start the 18th. Kids come Aug. 31st. We are in a brand new building and everything was boxed up to take over there obviously, so set up will be a bit more work this year. I definitely plan on going in that week of August 8th that we're allowed, just to see my furniture and make sure everything is in order if nothing else. At the end of the year I noticed that on the supply lists of what furniture was ordered, my room had a teacher bookcase but no bookshelves whatsoever for student books, when we were supposed to get 2. I told my P on the last day when we checked out, and she said "oh no everyone is getting two." I mentioned that all of the other teachers had them on their lists and I didn't, and she said she'd e mail and ask why. However, she's extremely forgetful/flighty as is and it was the last day of school- I'm willing to bet I do not have bookshelves. I want to check that out asap so I can hopefully get that corrected before school starts.

 

Schools here are locked up tight during the summer; the caretakers are the only ones there. All floors are stripped and waxed (they usually do at least 5 coats of wax if time and weather allow), lockers washed, desks and chairs washed--everything is "polished". As well, the caretakers like to try to take some of their holidays during the summer, so there could be weeks when there is only one person in the building.

 

Normally, yes.

This year? The construction isn't finished until the day we go back. We won't be allowed in until the state gives the OK, and the crew isn't scheduled to be done until then.

So my principal has come up with an interesting idea. Teachers report on Monday, Tuesday from 4 to 6 is Meet the Teacher night. Usually rooms are done and parents/kids come to the rooms. This year we are holding it in.....

THE CAFETERIA!

All of us will be in there, and the parents/kids go by the table and pick up anything and chat with the teacher.

The principal says that we will be too stressed worrying about unpacking, decorating the classroom, and putting everything back. (Everything, and I mean everything, had to be packed and moved into storage vans over the summer.)

I love the idea.

Personally, I thought that I would just stack the boxes against the wall and worry about them bit by bit. Maybe throw a pretty tablecloth over them. My boxes are a mess of things. We had two days to pack at the end of last school year unless we wanted to stay late and pack on our time. No. I didn't, and I don't want to unpack now.

 

We start on the 22nd and can get into the school the week before...ugh.

 

We have our own key and can get in at anytime. For about the first month of summer, they are working on waxing/cleaning, but after that we can get in at anytime. I've been dropping in for a couple hours here and there, and have seen most of the other teachers as well.

 

We can get in to start prepping our rooms and doing work anytime. But, when I first started at this school, the secretary made a huge hissy fit about it. But, that changed when we received new administration. We don't keep our keys and have to get them from the secretary.