Does Skyline school bear any responsibility?

[matou]

Article:With help from Portland Eco-School Network, parents make kids' schools a little greener from January 15th, 2010

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/01/with_help_from_portland_eco-sc.html

More volunteers help out at Skyline with their eco-school program.

Community help. Inahara got volunteers for the landscaping project from a nearby church, Hands On Greater Portland and two Boy Scout troops.

Students also sort lunch leftovers: Meat and cheese go into a bucket for a neighbor's pigs, while other table scraps go into a bucket that feeds a teacher's chickens.

Lots of great programming at Skyline and lots of people coming in and out of the school too.

 

[craftybatchy]

There is some indication via statements made by CH, DHY, and TH that Ks behavior and academic performance had become a concern in recent months. It is not out of the realm of reason to draw the conclusion that Ks classroom behavior may have caused some degree of disruption.

Information made available via MSM leads us to believe that K was struggling with listening skills, following instructions, and showing appropriate compliance when given instruction and direction. TH was in frequent contact with the Teacher via phone/email and had become an active presence in Ks classroom. K was not going unnoticed by his Teacher. He himself was likely drawing the attention of his Teacher and other adults in the classroom simply due to the nature of his behavior. It is reasonable to assume that the Teacher would have been acutely aware of his presence (or lack thereof). I am beginning to doubt the veracity of this teachers statement.

 

[gwenabob]

There is some indication via statements made by CH, DHY, and TH that Ks behavior and academic performance had become a concern in recent months. It is not out of the realm of reason to draw the conclusion that Ks classroom behavior may have caused some degree of disruption.

Information made available via MSM leads us to believe that K was struggling with listening skills, following instructions, and showing appropriate compliance when given instruction and direction. TH was in frequent contact with the Teacher via phone/email and had become an active presence in Ks classroom. K was not going unnoticed by his Teacher. He himself was likely drawing the attention of his Teacher and other adults in the classroom simply due to the nature of his behavior. It is reasonable to assume that the Teacher would have been acutely aware of his presence (or lack thereof). I am beginning to doubt the veracity of this teachers statement.

I'm not getting which teacher's statement you are talking about. AFAIK, she has not made any statement except probably to LE and her employer. We don't know what she said to whom or when.

 

[human]

I'm not getting which teacher's statement you are talking about. AFAIK, she has not made any statement except probably to LE and her employer. We don't know what she said to whom or when.

I think that is referring to TP's statement.

I think that she is referring to the fact that the missing child had issues that needed monitoring and the teacher would have her eyes on him like a hawk.

 

[gwenabob]

I think that is referring to TP's statement.

I think that she is referring to the fact that the missing child had issues that needed monitoring and the teacher would have her eyes on him like a hawk.

OK, that makes sense. So, Crafty Batchy, are you thinking TP is mistaken and the teacher never said that? Or are you thinking the teacher was not paying attention and really did think Kyron was getting a drink, and tried to cover up later saying (via second hand to us) that Terri told her Kyron was going to the doctor?

 

[PaulaF513]

<snipped>

The information I provided is based on another school district in Oregon. She said it is a district liability and is not sure if it is an insurance issue or a state issue? She doesn't know. If she finds out, I'll update.

Interesting. I live in Pennsylavnia. I have a co-worker who has complained through the years about her children's school policy which sounds exactly like that. She drops them off on her way to work and particularly in the winter, gets pretty angry that they cannot go right in the school but must wait until a specific time. I could never figure out why, but insurance issues certainly sound like "bingo".

 

[krowdkat]

Just catching up on this thread...IMO, if it is determined that Kryon wandered away from the school on his own and met his demise then yes, I say the school should be held accountable. He's only 7.

If, it is determined that TH left the school with her stepson or had someone disappear him for her, I think that only she and/or accomplice should be held responsible.

If I were Kyron's parents, I would only want those responsible for his demise to be held accountable.

If it's the later, I would help raise funds for surveillance camera's and better security for his elementary in his name.

It's to early for a lawsuit against the school, IMO.

 

[ThoughtFox]

I haven't read the whole thread so excuse me if this was already mentioned.

I talked to my friend who is our school district administrator's secretary - more like assistant- and posted this info somewhere in one of the threads before. She's been in her position for many years.

In her opinion - she is not a lawyer - it will boil down to when school was officially in session that day. When the schools have events like this one, oftentimes their official start time is delayed. If they were on the regular start time that day, they should have taken roll call at that time and then it would be slam dunk. However, since they took roll call later on that day, it led her to believe that was the official start time.

She said it still could get muddy, though. When a child enters a school bus, the school is responsible. When child is walking to school and touches school property, the school is responsible. If there is an event and a parent brings them, the parent is responsible until they hand the child over to the school.

Well, that's interesting, Kimster!

To my mind, if any children rode the bus that morning and arrived at the regular time, then that was when roll should have been taken. JMO

Also, the way things work in my district, unless a late start-time is announced on the official calendar, then students have to be present when the first bell rings. As others have mentioned that is important for receiving federal and state funds.

I agree that kids are usually not allowed inside the school early due to insurance reasons.

But the teacher took the roll pretty late in the morning. Unless they announced officially ahead of time in a note or something that school was starting late that morning, they may be in some trouble for the way things went down. JMO There were parents around, but not every child had a parent there, and those children were under the care of the school at that point.

(Note: I'm not blaming the school because I personally don't think anyone there did something with Kyron.)

 

[kappy50]

does the school bear some responsibility here...you doggone right they do...no slicing,no dicing...JMO

 

[craftybatchy]

OK, that makes sense. So, Crafty Batchy, are you thinking TP is mistaken and the teacher never said that? Or are you thinking the teacher was not paying attention and really did think Kyron was getting a drink, and tried to cover up later saying (via second hand to us) that Terri told her Kyron was going to the doctor?

*bbm*

You said it better than I.

 

[nonfictionrocks]

These latest postings make me wonder if any child who was actually absent that day and not reported so by the parents were called. I asked this because a few times when I have forgotten to call my childrens' school in the morning to tell them pne or the other/or both would not be in because they were sick, I always receive a call before 10:00 am "asking/telling" me that they are not at school.

Unfortunately, as a parent, after a sleepless night with a sick child or some early morning babysitting scrabbling, I have neglected to call the school to report this (and fortunately since my last name starts with B perhaps I am one of the first to be called). I wonder if any parent whose child typically took the bus to Skyline that morning and did not show up where the parent had not called in, was notified that their child did not come to school that day. Were the rules not adhered to because this was some kind of special day? If a Skyline parent came forward and stated that they were called on June 4th because their child was absent that day and they did not notify the school in the morning and the school actually called them to confirm - I would surely consider giving my relatively comfortable view on the fence!

Recently I have acquired a battery operated popcorn machine and if I am still here on this fence by next weekend I have located a battery operated margarita blender that I plan to put to good use.

 

[cluciano63]

I thought Skyline did not have a policy to call parents aboout absences? Wasn't/isn't that a part of the whole reason he was not known to be missing until 3:30?

 

[krowdkat]

I thought Skyline did not have a policy to call parents aboout absences? Wasn't/isn't that a part of the whole reason he was not known to be missing until 3:30?

IMO, if TH is OCD as some msm reports seem to make her out to be (i.e., body building in short time frame, and Kryon's over the top Science frog project, etc...), TH would know if Skyline did or did not have a policy to call parents about absenteism.

Very good observation, cluciano63. I'm impressed.

 

[debirlfan]

I think the school is REALLY hoping that TH took Kyron - and that she told his teacher that she was taking him to an appointment. If so, they MIGHT be able to convince folks that they shouldn't be responsible. But if a "stranger" took him, or if he wandered off, the school (and quite likely the teacher) are going to be in deep do-do. Especially when his backpack and jacket were there - which should have been a clear clue of "hey, where's the kid this stuff belongs to?"

Could that be part of the reason LE has unofficially fingered TH?

 

[Morag]

I thought Skyline did not have a policy to call parents aboout absences? Wasn't/isn't that a part of the whole reason he was not known to be missing until 3:30?

Yes, they didn't call because they had no "auto-dial" feature to rely on. Apparently no school employee had been trained to look at the attendance report and compare it with call-ins about absences. And if they were able to do that, they were apparently unable to dial the phone to call the missing/absent child's home.

 

[cluciano63]

I don't know if it was a matter of not training someone to call the homes of absent children; I thought it was simply not a policy, i.e. if kids weren't there, they were marked absent and life went on (presumably...) If this was the case, it hardly matter what time attendance was taken, in fact, I wonder why they bothered to take it at all...

 

[loves2bmom]

I don't know if it was a matter of not training someone to call the homes of absent children; I thought it was simply not a policy, i.e. if kids weren't there, they were marked absent and life went on (presumably...) If this was the case, it hardly matter what time attendance was taken, in fact, I wonder why they bothered to take it at all...

To get their funding of course....slight soapbox/snark alert!

 

[BeanE]

Skyline Elementary Gearing Up For School Year
Meeting With Parents Planned For Sept. 2
POSTED: 3:47 pm PDT August 24, 2010
UPDATED: 5:00 pm PDT August 24, 2010

Principal Ben Keefer said he is meeting with Skyline parents on Sept. 2 to address safety concerns and answer questions. There will be a safe room set up in the school, Keefer said, and he's working with the Portland Public Schools crisis team to handle ongoing concerns.

http://www.kptv.com/news/24748481/detail.html


If the school doesn't feel any responsibility, then why do this?

Why are there safety concerns if everyone is 100% sure Terri 'did it'?

 

[nonfictionrocks]

I think parents who have children attending a school that does not have a policy to call when children are absent without notice should call the school every morning and have the school verify that their child has made it to school safely and now is in class. I don't think it would take too long before a school would assign someone the duty of cross checking notified absenses to class attendance records and calling parents of unnotified children that have been recorded as not in class.

 

[sorrell skye]

Skyline Elementary Gearing Up For School Year
Meeting With Parents Planned For Sept. 2
POSTED: 3:47 pm PDT August 24, 2010
UPDATED: 5:00 pm PDT August 24, 2010

Principal Ben Keefer said he is meeting with Skyline parents on Sept. 2 to address safety concerns and answer questions. There will be a safe room set up in the school, Keefer said, and he's working with the Portland Public Schools crisis team to handle ongoing concerns.

http://www.kptv.com/news/24748481/detail.html


If the school doesn't feel any responsibility, then why do this?

Why are there safety concerns if everyone is 100% sure Terri 'did it'?

In all likelihood, it's due to the possibility that community members (which includes parents of students) have expressed concerns regarding the security of the school.

I'm glad school security issues are now being addressed by the school, but IMO it's a day late & a dollar short, as far as Kyron's safety and as far as the Skyline Handbook policies with regards to sign-out procedures being enforced last school year. Not to mention PPS district's policies not being followed @ Skyline (which falls under the discretion of the school principal - according to a friend of mine who is a school principal).

It won't surprise me if a few PPS parents opt to home-school their children this coming year, or enroll their child(ren) in other schools.