Update: I took the advice you all gave and spoke with the principal today about what I should do with any students in my room during a lock-down. I told her I knew the district’s policy was for staff to lock the door, but as I don’t have a key, should I take each student back to their class so they’ll be safe? I then mentioned that typically I have 3-4 students from different classes, so should I take them all back to their classrooms? I got a stunned response and lots of “umm, yes, well we’re going to have to think about this.”
At the end of the day, the office manager, who has been very combative about this (which makes me think it’s her issue and not the principal’s), told me they’re ordering a key for me, as they don’t have one for that room, it got lost at some point and they all use their master keys to open it. Until they get it, they’ll need to open the door for me. She was very nice to me, nicer than any other time actually.
I think they just realized they can’t enforce the no key policy.
So thanks everyone. Once I get the key, I’ll be able to lock up my materials without worrying they’ll get taken (I’ve got lots of games), and I can use the staff restroom that’s nearby, and lock the door during a lockdown - unfortunately we get 2-3 of those a year as if there’s police activity near school, the police locks down the school so no one on playground or leaving school. It’s sad, but if there’s a helicopter overhead, my students ask about a lockdown.
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I’ve worked at one of my schools for 3 years and have a key to the room I use. I’ve had huge increase in number of students and I asked principal if I could swap rooms and use the empty room next door as it’s big enough to have a kidney table and more space for students that need gross motor breaks - it gets used 1 day a week and that person said my current room works for her and she’s happy to swap. I still had to convince principal - first she told me to just carry material into that room. What?! - it’s an empty room and I see 23 students a week there, and I can’t leave students alone if I forget something (majority of my students are in special day classes and need constant supervision).
Anyways principal agreed, but when I asked office manager for key to new room, she won’t give it to me saying I have to ask for the key, go upstairs, unlock the door, then return key to office. At end of the day, I’ll need to get the key again to lock room as it has all of my personally owned materials. I explain I’m there 2 days a week, i also work at school across the road and go over to their school as needed for meetings and to test students, so sometimes I’m there 4 days a week. The room key also unlocks the staff toilet upstairs, so without a key, I’ll have to come downstairs each time I need to pee. I also won’t be able to lock the door when do lock downs. New office manager won’t give out keys unless there 5 days, and new principal is like “well let’s just see if it’s a problem”. The office manager is also grumpy when you ask her for things.
Other staff can’t get a key either, so they have to ask too. They also won’t give them a card to open parking lot, so they have to buzz and office staff take forever to open the gate
So fine, I’ll ask you each and every time to give me the key - looking at my upcoming schedule, I’m going to be in and out every day for the next few weeks! And first lock down drill, my students and I will be in hall trying to go back to class as I can’t lock the room we’re in.
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