Please need advice

[tamara]

I am looking for someone that works with Head Start- we were recently viewed by the "Team" we were cited for a few areas-One area was Nutrition- the administrator that is over this area is furious with the teaching staff, therefore, she will not allow us to have water in containers, cups, or bottles, we are to drink from the children's water fountain. Also, if we eat lunch or breakfast with the children we have to buy what they are served or we can eat whatever we want at nap time. In other words we are being punished. Wanted to know if anyone with a HS has these difficulties.

[dangercat]

That sounds very wrong to me. Is there something in writing that tells you what you can drink out of or what you can eat?

:) Brook

[busbus]

Your Head Start program should be under the guidelines of your school district's Early Childhood Education program. If that is the case, then there should be written procedures and policies for the members of the staff. As a teacher, you have the same rights and privileges as any other teacher.

What is this things about "Nutrition?" If it's due to the breakfasts, lunches and snacks given the students through the school district's programs, you are not responsible.

Check on the written policies for your school district's Early Childhood Education program; also, the policies in regards to teachers.

[tamara]

The board of education is our grantee; however, there are federal standards in reference to staff eating whatever the students eat when possible; I will read the standards more in depth. Thank you for your responses. To add-the first of year we could bring our lunch and eat with the children, have tea or water- We did not get cited for bringing our lunch or drinking water- the teachers that eat in the lunchroom with their children were cited for leaving the children unsupervised to warm up their food or to get their tea/water( We eat in the classroom with our children) Therefore, the admin. said since this happened this is the reason she is not allowing us these "privilages".

[busbus]

The board of education is our grantee; however, there are federal standards in reference to staff eating whatever the students eat when possible; I will read the standards more in depth. Thank you for your responses. To add-the first of year we could bring our lunch and eat with the children, have tea or water- We did not get cited for bringing our lunch or drinking water- the teachers that eat in the lunchroom with their children were cited for leaving the children unsupervised to warm up their food or to get their tea/water( We eat in the classroom with our children) Therefore, the admin. said since this happened this is the reason she is not allowing us these "privilages".

I can understand being reprimanded for leaving the students unsupervised. However, I want to believe that not all of the teachers left at one time. If they did so, they were foolish in doing so. If some child had been hurt - we know that things can happen in an instant, there would have been law suits galore.

Unfortunately, it appears that everyone has to suffer the consequences because of the acts of others. I would read the state standards very carefully and in depth. I do believe that something is wrong with this punishment.

Good Luck.

[tamara]

Not all the teachers left, they just left their tables to heat their food or get something to drink(which is in the lunchroom with the children). I am not one of those teachers and yes they should have known better especially when they knew they were being observed. My class is younger so we eat in our room- LOVE IT- I feel like the supervisor has taken this personal and she is one that loves to dictate rather than display leadership.