My daughter's school is in a very high-income area. Unfortunately, we are not that well-off. The school has lots of trips and after-school activities that parents have to pay for. However, we never hear about these activities until the very last minute. A few times, I had to give my child my last dollar so she could participate. I've asked her teacher and the room mother to put notice of these activities in the newsletter or let us know earlier. Nothing has changed. I do not want my daughter to sit out these activities. - Any Suggestions
Answer: Of course, you want your daughter to be able to take advantage of the trips and after-school activities that her school is offering. At most schools, parents typically do not have to pay for trips taken during the school day, as they are educational endeavors. You also need to know that most schools have funds for families who can't really afford to pay for class trips. As far as the after-school activities go, participation in them is probably optional, so your daughter would not need to take part in every one of them unless they were of an educational nature.
You should be getting notification of school events before the last minute unless your daughter is not bringing notices home in a timely fashion. It's time to talk to the school principal, as the classroom teacher and room mother have ignored your reasonable request. Since trips and activities take considerable planning, schools have arranged them long before their actual dates. There's no excuse for telling parents about them at the last minute.
Tell the principal your concerns so the school can develop a policy of earlier notification. Using newsletters or the school Web site are two possibilities. Also, you should remind the principal that not all families in the district find it comfortable to pay for so many trips and activities.