A friend is starting a new job at a ps and I'm a little worried

[Anne in CA]

An old friend just posted on Facebook that today she starts a new job managing a food court at an alternative high school. She was surprised to learn on that same Facebook thread that the school is for teens with behavior issues. She didn't know. WTH??? How do you hire someone for a job like that and not give them a heads up? Seriously.

 

With proper preparation she would be super at working with disturbed kids. I've worked with her in two different hotels and she is great with difficult people. She is very gracious and caring. But to not tell her in advance? Now, in addition to my already difficult day I need to pray for my friend, lol. I'm almost more worried for her than me at this point.

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

I'm sure they have security for the employees. Also , managing the food court is a little different than being in the classroom. I am surprised that she did not research the school before being interviewed for the job.

[QueenCat]

She didn't know it was an alternative high school? I'm surprised the job description didn't have the location listed. That said, in the various places we've lived, the alternative schools are the most secure schools in the district.

[Jean in Newcastle]

The school I felt the absolute safest working at was a Juvenile corrections school. 

[Anne in CA]

She knew it was an alternative school, but in Oregon there are all kinds of alternative/ charter schools. She wasn't unhappy about it, but WTH? Shouldn't you have some kind of training for this? I'm just floored.

[marbel]

What exactly are you worried about?  Are the students known for attacking or otherwise endangering staff?  If it was, your friend would have known about it, right?    If she didn't even know it was an alternative school, then I guess not much trouble goes on there.   I don't understand how she didn't know before interviewing, though.  I don't know that the school had any reason to give her a "heads up" about it. 

Edited August 29, 2016 by marbel

[Garga]

I don't know anything about it, but yes, I would think there would be some sort of special training for the safety of everyone. I don't know exactly what it would be. Maybe the training starts today? It is odd, though, that it all wasn't brought up in the interview.

 

But maybe we don't know what we're talking about. Maybe there are so many safety features in place, that the manager of the food court doesn't come into contact with the kids ever or something.

[QueenCat]

She knew it was an alternative school, but in Oregon there are all kinds of alternative/ charter schools. She wasn't unhappy about it, but WTH? Shouldn't you have some kind of training for this? I'm just floored.

 

Aaah, no where that I've lived are charters considered alternative schools. Two completely different things. Alternative always meant behavior issues of some sort. Students would come while they weren't allowed at their regular school, although some were placed there permanently, most were there for shorter terms. I would bet they will have some basic safety training but really, those places are much more secure than regular schools. She's probably safer there than at a regular high school.

[gardenmom5]

they probably thought she knew.  did she know to which specific school she'd be assigned?

[Jean in Newcastle]

She's serving food.  I doubt that she will have that much interaction with kids.  There will probably be a counter between her and the kids anyway.  And there will be other staff there.  I don't understand why it is such a concern.  (And I've worked with lots and lots of troubled kids.)

[Caroline]

I don't think our cafeteria manager actually interacts that much with students. Yes, we have food service workers who interact with our students, but the cafeteria manager's job is kind of above that level.

 

But who interviews for a job at a school without knowing anything about the school? I bet the school assumed she knew the purpose of the school.

[Tap]

.

Edited August 30, 2016 by Tap

[Anne in CA]

I have another friend who manages a cafeteria in a large OR high school who interacts with kids quite a bit, that's why I'm shocked that no special training was required. My other friend's cafeteria is on the other end of the spectrum. The grand children of one of Oregon's most wealthy men go there, (and the children of most of Oregon's big tech money). She got special training for dealing with issues that are unique to her school. You might be surprised at how much a cafeteria person interacts with students.

 

My friend is a hippy type who would not research her new job. She probably would be great at it with support and training. I think it's awful to throw her out there like that.

[kiwik]

To me alternative is Montessori or Steiner.

[Sneezyone]

alternative does not mean axe-murdering rapists. It can be students finishing up courses after pregnancy and childbirth who need on-site childcare. It could be students doing credit recovery or apprenticeship programs, or students who've aged out of traditional high schools. This idea that alternative schools are hotbeads of violence and debauchery is odd.

Edited August 30, 2016 by Sneezyone

[momacacia]

It sounds like she might handle it just fine, and doesn't seem worried herself. Maybe they do a few days of training once she gets there, but reality is, every job has its OJT. And, at least she'll be in management, which might means less interaction than if she were actually serving on the line (but maybe she's doing that, too?). It could work out great, and maybe it pays more. And maybe these kids will really connect with the hippie type.

[Pippen]

She knew it was an alternative school, but in Oregon there are all kinds of alternative/ charter schools. She wasn't unhappy about it, but WTH? Shouldn't you have some kind of training for this? I'm just floored.

 

Interacting with the students is far different from being responsible for supervising students. There should be staff members present at all times who will be responsible for that aspect.

[Lolly]

My brother worked in an alternative school as security and outdoor coordinator for a while. He was one of the ones who was responsible for monitoring the lunch area. I am betting the school system thought that the label of alternative on the school was adequate notice. Your friend just didn't know what the word meant in regards to your school system. There should be less chance of your friend coming to harm there than in a regular school. All the dc there are "known" as to what types of problems they may have/cause. The security is assigned with that in mind, and it will be more safe than a school where that is far from the case. Someone will be nearby who is very capable of disabling/restraining a student who might cause problems. And, they will be being watchful.

[marbel]

<snip>

 

My friend is a hippy type who would not research her new job. She probably would be great at it with support and training. I think it's awful to throw her out there like that.

 

I'm sorry Anne, but, if she didn't bother to do any research prior to applying, she is not being thrown out there.  The first thing we told our kids when they started thinking about applying for jobs was to find out whatever they could about the company.   That is just a basic life skill. 

 

I do hope she enjoys and does well in her job!     :grouphug:

[TechWife]

Troubled teens aren't always dangerous teens. 

 

Our county has five alternative schools: 

1) K-5 students requires referral from base school

2) 6-12 students placed by "team decision" 

3) 9-12 students attend at their own request

4) 6-8 for mild to moderate at-risk students

5) 6-8 for students not finding success at their base school 

 

In addition, there are night programs offered at three different high schools. They also offer home/hospital based services. 

 

 

 

 

[Anne in CA]

alternative does not mean axe-murdering rapists. It can be students finishing up courses after pregnancy and childbirth who need on-site childcare. It could be students doing credit recovery or apprenticeship programs, or students who've aged out of traditional high schools. This idea that alternative schools are hotbeads of violence and debauchery is odd.

LOL, I do know alternative schools cover a huge spectrum. This particular one is for kids who have been removed from regular school due to bad behavior. I have calmed down a lot since yesterday, when I was having a medical procedure I was annoyed about having. Well, I'm still annoyed, but it's over now. Everyone has convinced me that is isn't so crazy.

 

Part of my trouble took me a bit to figure out. When my other friend went to manage the cafeteria at a different school she got lots of training about dealing with students before starting. It was at least ten years ago, though, so maybe there is no longer that kind of funding for training like that, or maybe the rich special snowflakes get better trained support staff in their schools. The discrepancy was disturbing to me, that one friend got all sorts of training about being on the look out for eating disorders and who to report trouble to and how to intervene in student bullying situations and one friend who seemed more likely to have trouble wasn't even told what kind of school this was.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Or maybe this school does not rely on cafeteria staff (even at a managerial level) to handle eat disorders, bullying or other problems.  I actually would find it a bit odd that they would look to people in food service for that sort of thing. 

[TechWife]

The discrepancy was disturbing to me, that one friend got all sorts of training about being on the look out for eating disorders and who to report trouble to and how to intervene in student bullying situations and one friend who seemed more likely to have trouble wasn't even told what kind of school this was.

 

You don't mention that you know anything about the type of training your friend will be receiving at her new job, though. For all you know, they cover all of the needed information very thoroughly. I would never assume that my friends would share the details of their job training with me, it would just be weird for them to do so unless we were very close. With the exception of very close friends, it wouldn't enter my mind to be concerned about their at work experiences, though. Each person has their own responsibilities. If it turns out your friend isn't comfortable at her job for any reason, she can choose to leave, but that's her decision. It's a boundary issue, really. 

[DawnM]

I have another friend who manages a cafeteria in a large OR high school who interacts with kids quite a bit, that's why I'm shocked that no special training was required. My other friend's cafeteria is on the other end of the spectrum. The grand children of one of Oregon's most wealthy men go there, (and the children of most of Oregon's big tech money). She got special training for dealing with issues that are unique to her school. You might be surprised at how much a cafeteria person interacts with students.

 

My friend is a hippy type who would not research her new job. She probably would be great at it with support and training. I think it's awful to throw her out there like that.

 

Are you sure they didn't mention it and she just didn't connect the dots?  If she didn't research and won't research, that is kind of on her.  They very well may have used verbage to explain that she interpreted her own way.

 

I work in inner city schools.  I always have.  And I have always known what I was getting myself into.  I wasn't always told in the interview.  I think they assumed I knew.

[DawnM]

alternative does not mean axe-murdering rapists. It can be students finishing up courses after pregnancy and childbirth who need on-site childcare. It could be students doing credit recovery or apprenticeship programs, or students who've aged out of traditional high schools. This idea that alternative schools are hotbeads of violence and debauchery is odd.

 

There is a whole other kind of school for those folks!