Dear Coach Allen, I Think I’m in Love With You
This blast e-mail from Coach Allen just hit my inbox and I couldn’t be happier!
Dear HPISD Parents,
The Scot football team appreciates the support of our fans of all ages. To make our games safe and enjoyable for everyone, I want to remind the parents of our elementary, intermediate and middle school students that their children must be accompanied by an adult at athletic events. Please do not drop off children, especially young children, at the stadium. During the games, please remind your child to stay in the stands to watch the game instead of gathering in the foyer.
Our games are always very well attended and we want all our fans to enjoy the games in a safe environment. If your child is behaving inappropriately, a security guard will ask him or her to wait, and you will be called over the public address system to pick him or her up. If those children’s parents are not at the game, they will be called and asked to pick up their children and reminded about our no-drop off policy.
Thank you for your understanding and your support. Go Scots!
I just popped in to post this for you, but you beat me to it. Think this will make any difference at all Friday night? Doubt it. The high school now has private duty “security guards”, armed with only radios posted all around the outside of the school, all day long. Does anyone know what brought that on? They just appeared two weeks ago or less. Maybe we could let these folks have some overtime to work the games on Fridays?
Rumors of someone selling pot to kids at the games.
Those security guards appeared after the day two cars were stolen from the high school parking lot.
i think they should call CPS if you abandon your under 12 yr old at the game!
Is it better (safer) to drop off your 8th grader & her friends at NorthPark or at a HPHS football game?
To answer Jen’s question: either is probably fine IF they stay at NP or the game. The issue/problem is that too often they leave, either in a group or alone. With a cel phone, a parent can contact them but they have no idea where they really are. I know of a couple of girls that left the stadium during a game, met a couple of constuction workers and agreed to ride with them to get beer. Amazingly, they were returned to the vicinity of the stadium unharmed. They even talked to their parents on the phone and told them how exciting the game was. Tricky - yes. Smart - no.
Last spring, a speaker at Hockaday gave parents a great a great tip to verify where your kids are — when you call on their cell phone, have them immediately take a picture of where they are supposed to be, and send it to you. For example, if they are supposed to be at the game, take a picture of the scoreboard. My kids are too young for cellphones or to be out alone, but I plan to file this one away for future use.
Thank you, ERG, for the tip. Love it.
I’m so glad this wasn’t possible when I was in high school. Caller ID would have made it tough too.
My son says there is an alley near the high school where the students slip away to to smoke pot. This is year two of him telling me this. I support GPS on your kids phone if you suspect them of lying or sneaking around. My husband has it on all his company vehicles, and on the cell phones of employees that work in the field. My kids have always known that “their” technology is NOT private, I pay for the phone, computer, internet - I’m going to read it, look at the history, or whatever it is I want to do. Same thing with the car, as long as I pay I make the rules, and I may GPS it at anytime to track your moves and speeds. I guarantee if the parents of those girls checked their email & texts it would all be laid out for them - the sneaking, they lying…. The parents I know that have the view “I don’t want little Johnny to think I’m invading his privacy, I want him to know we trust him” every last one of them has a kid that’s secretely running amok.
Kmom - you make many great points. I think one of the problems we have to deal with as parents is that generally our kids are much more advanced with technology than we are. We are technology immigrants, they are technology natives. As proactive as I can be, I’m still a few steps behind what comes naturally to my kids. Like you, I check my kids stuff and they know I will check anytime and often. We have a one strike & you’re out policy. They know that all the priviledges they have hinge on demonstrated responsibility and respect and that they can be taken away at any time. So far it has worked - but I still think that if they really wanted to, they could find a way to get around me without me knowing it. I guess that’s where trust and prayer step in to fill the gap.
Haha….
He is like 4-11 feet tall.