Tuesday, November 6

Now That's What I Call Action

Yesterday, a letter went home with the students which read in part like this:

The school day ends at 15:00 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and on Wednesdays at 12:30. Children who are not picked up timely from the playground will be brought to the primary office to wait. We ask that you make every effort to arrive promptly at the end of the day. The week before half-term our office staff were not able to work after 15:00 as they had over 10 children waiting in the office every day (on two consecutive days it was 20 children!) As the office is not staffed to watch your children at the days end, habitually late pick up will incur charges as follows:


Pickup between 3:15-3:30 (12:45-1:00 on Wednesdays): € 15
Pickup between 3:30-3:45 (1:00-1:15 on Wednesdays) € 30
Pickup between 3:45-4:00 (1:15-1:30 on Wednesdays) € 50


It was then signed by the headmaster.

And we held our breath here in the office and waited.

I am writing this post at 3:25 p.m. and you want to know how many children are in my office awaiting pick up?

Z.E.R.O.

Can you hear the strains of my hallelujah from there?

12 comments:

  1. Impressive how when you charge for babysitting people respond.

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  2. That is AWESOME!! Had this been a problem in the past?

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  3. Excellent. I love when a disciplinary action works out.

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  4. Money talks; something else walks.

    My kids go to a school that provides "Extended Day" care until 18:00 for the kids of working parents. But if you arrive to pick them up even one minute after 18:00, it's $10, and it goes up in increments of $1/minute after 10 minutes. We make every effort to be there before 18:00!

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  5. Wow! I like that note. I think I would be leaving work at 14:00 to make sure I was there. :)

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  6. Fines are always a good incentive. Do you then also 'invite' them to pay?

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  7. Ha! Money is one heck of a motivator.

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  8. Wow! Your headmaster was really supportive. That was GOOD going. Our late fees used to be paltry and it was much harder.

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  9. WOW that's insane that so many parents were late. My kids each get 1/2 hour of free afterschool care before they start charging and then I think it's something like 4pounds the bad part is Jordan gets out of school 1/2 hour before the boys so I can't be late because they'll charge me for HER even though the boys are still in their 1/2 hour of free care. Oh well.

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  10. Hit 'em where it hurts! Always works. Just wondering how long it will work before the parents get back into their bad habits.

    Great going on your NaBloPoMo!!

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  11. It's not that the kids are important, mind you, it's the money. Tsk.

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  12. Hahahaha.

    (Now I'm secretly holding my breath that Blake's preschool doesn't implement something like this... Er, um, uh, I mean... I'm never late! Never! Isaac never times his diaper explosion for JUST EXACTLY the moment that we need to walk out the door to get Blake! Never!)

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