Tommy Lu
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fanciatang
tiffanyluMontessori School Complaints
Posted by Tommy Lu on September 20, 2008
If you have further communications, please post it on CACC Blog at http://caccboard.wordpress.com. However, you need to first give your email address to Tommy at lu@dtcc.edu. So he can regeister you and give the username and password to you.
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—–Original Message—–
Sent: Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:09 pm
Subject: Re: Montessori School complaints
We will need to get their buy in from both of the two Chinese schools to make this solution work. My major concern is whether they have the funding available, it sounded not easy to get the other Chinese School to pay their rent up front at the last Board meeting. It will be fair to listen to what they have to say about the complaints. An open discussion with all three schools hopefully will come up with some feasible ideas.& nbsp;
Invite the two Chinese School principals to the next meeting, and make it clear if they do not attend we will then implement a solution. I think that are appropriate steps to take procedurally. Thanks.
Phoebe
—–Original Message—–
Sent: Fri, 19 Sep 2008 4:59 pm
Subject: Re: Montessori School complaints
I’ll be out of town on September 27, 28 and Oct 4, 5 for 2 weddings. Please carry on with=2 0the meeting without me. I am supporting any solution that will solve the problem.
Shirley
Sent: Friday, September 19, 2008 7:56:56 AM
Subject: Re: Montessori School complaints
Is it okay if you can please post your suggestion on CC’s Blog http://caccboard.wordpress.com? ; We can then respond on there with each of our own thoughts and ideas.
—–Original Message—–
Sent: Wed, 17 Sep 2008 8:08 pm
Subject: RE: Montessori School compl aints
0A
Shirley
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 10:46:25 PM
Subject: Montessori School complaints
fanciatang said
Tommy,
Thank you for informing me of such discussions.
First of all, I would appreciate an opportunity to render my opinion regarding Chinese of Delaware at CACC board meetings. I found it hard to believe that issues related to CSD were reaised at CACC board meetings without my presence or any representatives from CSD.
As the Principal of CSD, I would like to provide my inputs on this issue:
1. We have heard of Montessouri school’s complaints against CSD or Saturday’s Chinese school over the years. Some were true while others were never checked out. At times, Montisourri teachers even made mistakes by accusing our students of wrong doings and it turned out our students had nothing to do with it.
It is hard to solve such complaints. I myself feel that these complaints may continue to linger as long as we are sharing the facilities with Monstessouri school and Saturday Chinese School.
2. The $2,000 deposit issue is not a just and fair amount nor the right thing to impose on CSD.
First of all, CSD uses the facilites from 1:30 to 4 PM on Sundays while some other CACC clubs use the facilities form 4PM to perhaps 5 or 6 PM.
Montessouri School uses the facilities five days a week and their hours are much longer than ours as well. How certain are you on the damages being made by CSD students or Saturday School’s students instead of Montessouri Students? These equipments may easily be worn out through the years instead of sudden damage.
Beside, how do you determine who are using the facilities if some Chinese school students use the facilities after 4 PM when they stay behind as club members?
Let me remind you that all our students are CACC members as well.
Saturday School has a lot more students than CSD and their hours are longer than CSD. If you equally impose $2,000 upon two schools, I found it totally unfair. Thus, I will never agree for such a deposit. Any deposit on two schools should NOT be the same. It should be measured upon the student populations and the school hours.
I would like to also suggest perhaps CACC board members should consider also impose the deposits on Montessouri School since they use the facilities much more than two Chinese schools.
3. CSD has been enlisting our parents’ help to supervise the playgrouond during recess. I am not sure of what Saturday Chinse School’s process on this issue. Please check with Saturday’s administrations.
My suggestion for this issue is that CACC hires
a responsible weekend manager who will physically supervise the playground during recess and solve the problems right there when the problems occur. If the weekend manager comes to me when the school is in session, I will find out the problems right there and then. If the problems are caused by CSD students, CSd administrations will discuss them with the parents. We will find a financial solutions to solve the problem when such damages being verified by CSD administrations.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I am always at CSD on Sundays.
Wendy Liu-Battalora said
I have some qualms about levying a fine against the Chinese schools for “each classroom complaints” and for violations of the restrictions of the playgrounds. Here are my thoughts:
1) All the previous complaints that I have heard from last year have been a puzzle. Except for one incident in which I had actually seen a student touch a Montessori school toy (and absolutely nothing was broken or messed up in that case), I have never seen anybody showing any interest in any object. And yet I have received complaints. Was the violation from the Saturday school? Who knows. But how am I or my student to be held responsible without being proven guilty?
2) For up until now, the Montessori classroom bookshelves have only been “draped over” with a sheet. I have witnessed plenty of times in which the sheets have either partially or fully slipped off the shelves. For my own protection against complaints I have straightened these sheets out numerous times last year. Considering these “flimsy protection” that the Montessori school uses to protect their own materials, is it fair to lay the responsibility on the Chinese schools for any infringement? I don’t think so. If any scheme is set up for the Chinese schools to pay deposit and fines for any violations, then I would demand that the Montessori school needs to come up with an acceptable “defense” system. Perhaps their teacher would need to tie or tape the sheets down such that there is absolutely no way that the sheets could slip off or come apart simply from somebody working near it. And their teacher would need to accept the fact that chairs and tables might not go back to the exact locations. Alternatively, they would need to provide, laminated on the wall of each divided classroom, a schematic diagram showing exactly how and where each furniture is to be placed.
3) If there are any restrictions on the use of the playgrounds, then permanent signs would need to be posted on the playgrounds itself. It cannot be the responsibility of the teacher nor the students to remember where they may go and where they may not. Gates between sections of the playgrounds would need to be locked or blocked. (Without being a fire code violation)
On another thought, the use of the playground is well-beloved by the students of CSD. Throwing unreasonable restrictions on the playground would impair the students’ desire to spend their Sunday afternoons at the Chinese school.
In summary, I would suggest that before we all rush into a discussion of setting up the size of the fines deposit, we should brainstorm and submit a list in which we want the Montessori school to do to eliminate or reduce the sources of their complaint. Quite frankly, I don’t think that they’ve done enough. They can complain, but it is easier to change oneself than to change others. I have a hunch that when the Montessori school steps up their way of protecting their properties, the incidents would drop off. Levying fines would create very bad friction between the groups.
Let’s switch the discussion to how the Montessori can make itself “fool-proof” for anybody to evoke a complaint.
Tommy Lu said
I would like to throw my two cents into this from different hats I am wearing. First of all, let’s all accept the fact that CACC classrooms, play ground and almost everything else are shared facilities. I have to emphasize the word “shared.” No single entity can and should claim sole ownership. The real owner is CACA, those people who purchased the property 26 years ago.
Having said that we are all tenants, I would like to futher clarify that Montessori school is part of CACC. It is completely owned and operated by CACC. CACC has the obligation and responsibility to take care of all its members’ needs and Montessori school’s operations.
The complaints made by Montessori shool have always been an unpleasant experience for both Chinese schools. From my own experiences in the 15 years of involvement at CSD, I must say that many accusations are not only blunt but also lacking proof. Just because a chair is broken does not mean it broke during the CSD sessions or caused by CSD students. Montessori school teachers have consistantly written blunt notices to CACC manager Monday morning and complain damaged furniture or equipment without any proof who did those damages. Both Chinese schools have repeatedly pointed out that there are many activities not operated by either Chinese schools beteen Friday afternoon and Sunday night. Without solid proof to accuse someone is not only bad manner but also non-professional. I believe both Chinese schools have tried and implemented many procedures to reduce the complaints but seems never satisfied Montessori school.
CSD has lost many spaces in the past years. CSD used to be able to store chairs in the classroom closet and now all closets in the classrooms are locked. CSD used to be able to use the blackboard in each classroom but now all blackboards are blocked. CSD used to have much bigger classroom space for its in-class activities but now CSD can only use very limited space in each classroom. Does CSD need those closets? YES. Does CSD need blackboards? YES. Does CSD need classroom space? YES. I am just wondering if Montessori school teachres have ever thought that they have kept limiting CSD’s usage.
I agree with principal Tang and teacher Liu. If CSD has to be responsible for Montessori school’s property during the CSD session, then Montessori school has to provide CSD a list for each classroom so our teachers can check them before and after their assigned time. Without this list, without teachers’ ability to check and verify, any damage cannot be “assumed” without proof. Again, just because it was damaged during the weekend doesn’t mean CSD students did it. Actually, what if someone challenge that it was damaged already?
Play ground is an issue. I have to admit that our teenagers may not be suitable to play with those toys designed for younger children. Just for the sake of argument, what if we request (or even fund) a play ground for bigger kids and Montessori school children are not allowed to use it? If you look around, there is really no space anywhere for our bigger kids during the recess. Where should we send them? Parking lot or streets? We already have limited space in the classroom, we already have a “high risk” in demaging Montessori school’s property if students stay in the classroom, now we are not allowed our kids to play in the play ground. I am wondering if Montessori school can come up with something to help us solve this problem.
In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that CACC is a shared facillity. If there is something you don’t want other people to see or touch you should either hide them or lock them up. Since CSD students will be sharing the facility and the play ground, I have no objection that CSD contribute some money for the maintenance of the property but it shall not be called deposit or fine. Of course, if anyone (not just CSD students) found damaging the property, that person, regardless who and what he/she is, should pay for the reair or replacement.
Kanchalee Reeves said
I agree that prevention is the key to reducing classroom complaints. I think it would be helpful for the CACC Montessori School to visit another Montessori school in a shared facility. My 4-year-old son attends the Montessori Learning Centre, which rents space from Aldersgate Church in Fairfax. On the weekends, the classrooms are used by other groups and the church’s Sunday School. The Montessori Learning Centre has all its materials on bookshelves with wheels. Every Friday, the teachers roll the bookshelves closed so that the back of the bookshelf is on the outside and the front is on the inside, which protects the contents. The bookshelves may even have a hook to prevent the bookshelves from being opened easily. The director at the Montessori Learning Centre may have other suggestions for protecting classroom contents and damage on the playground. It shares the playground with the church and the church preschool. I would be happy to talk to the director at my son’s school about meeting with the CACC director if you wish.
Tommy Lu said
Kanchalee:
Your suggestion is valuable and thank you for the thought and offer. Will pass your suggestion to the board. Thanks.
Tommy Lu said
From Bessie, CSD board member
Personally, I also do not agree with the $2000 suggestion. This was proposed by an individual, and it was not done during the CACC board meeting. I am sure Tsuey-Chen and I would have spoken up if it happened then.
I also agree that the CHinese schools are probably being unfairly blamed for the damage. Without actual proof, these accusations should not be bandied around. As Fancia said, it seems to be an ongoing issue, and I think the proposal of having the weekend manager walk around more during the Chinese school hours might help — at least in making sure that the damages are not being done by our (or the Saturday school’s) students.
Any other suggestions are welcome…
Bessie
marina vanrenssen said
I work in a church that rents space to a preschool and my kids
Went to Cacc Montessori.
We find that keeping lines of communication open in both directions
Is what keeps things smooth. There are many groups here sharing
Space. Having the montessori school protect their space better and
Providing room layout diagrams would also help us put things back
In an orderly fashion.
We might also consider asking montessori for a single contact person
Who could liason with the various groups who use the spaces.
Tommy Lu said
From Eric, CSD board member:
Fancia et al:
How are you?
By suggesting a desposite, there is an assumption that our students are responsible.
From Chinese school point of view, I would go back to CAAA asking for some ‘prove’ that our students are at fault before I would agree with any deposit..
From CACC and Motessori school point of vew, they cannot just point at easy scapegoats. They need to sbustantiate their complains. It is ‘proven gulity beyond a reasonable doubt’.
From a problem resolution point of view, may be we can have some kind of walk around to check out equipment / room status before and after our school. I know that CACC weekend manager walks around after our school hours to lock up.
Eric.
Wendy Liu-Battalora said
I am in total agreement with Kanchalee and Marina about the right way for Montessori school to protect their properties. In my classroom, the Montessori bookshelves are in our way. It would be soooo nice to have those bookshelves closed up, locked up, and wheeled to the side.
Are the Kumon classes also using the property? When do they meet?
Wendy Liu-Battalora said
There is a low but long toy shelf in the middle of the 6B classroom. It has a bed sheet draped over it. On Sunday I noticed that it has a “flared skirt” (caused by the sheet dragging on the floor) by about 1 foot.
I think that it is a hazard as people can trip over the loose sheet on the floor. Certainly the students and I have stepped on it unintentionally. And even if nobody trips, it creates opportunities for the sheet to slip off and expose the content to little hands.
I really would like the Montessori school to tie up these bed sheets as a interim solution before rolling bookshelves or other fancier plans can be implemented.
I heard from a parent that over the 9/28 weekend the mini refrigerator in 6B had the door opened and that the food inside had spoiled. If it really happened I know nothing about it. I would suggest that even with such a simple thing that the refrigerator be sealed with a small piece of duct tape or rope around it, so that we would know if it has been tampered with or whether it had been pried open by the rolling bookshelf next to it. We had to roll it open every Sunday in order to access our part of the classroom.
Please really ask the Montessori school to secure their property for the peace of mind of everybody. It can only be a win-win situation.