Open Campus?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-06-2006
Open Campus?
16
Wed, 08-01-2007 - 10:54am

C and I met yesterday with her counselor at the new hs she will be attending soon. We learned, during the session, that the school has an 'open campus'. Add to this a near full-hour lunch break and the thought makes me decidedly uneasy. C, of couse, was thrilled no end. She has grand plans of getting her license in October and driving wherever she wants and doing whatever she wants during lunch.

DH and I told her 'no way you stay on campus' to which she pointed out that DH and I, as hs students had taken advantage of open campus so why couldn't she? We can only use the 'it's a different world now' excuse so often.

I tried to explain to her that when she is not at school, she is under OUR care, supervision and authority and while she is at school, she is under the care, supervision and authority of the school administration. If she leaves the campus during lunch, who will know where she is, who she is with, etc.? She was rather annoyed, to say the least.

This is such a huge change from the school we left behind in California (where the kids were pretty much locked in once the first bell rang and there was security posted at all the gates) and I'm sure that is contributing a little to my unease.

Just wondering if anyone else out there has experience or some thoughts on an open campus policy.

Thanks,
Julie




Edited 8/1/2007 10:55 am ET by hydrangea_blue

 

 

 

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-06-2006
Wed, 08-01-2007 - 8:44pm

We now live in Northern Colorado. We moved here about a month ago from the San Diego area, where driving anywhere is nearly always a hairy experience and the drive from home to DD's school was nearly an hour.

<< Are you going to have her driver herself to school right after she gets her license?>>

I'd sort of thought that initially. Here, it is a very short distance to the school (10-15 mins?) and surface streets the whole way. I imagine the streets are pretty heavily trafficked (sp?) once school starts though.

<>

Great suggestion! If she can drive to/from school safely, then she *may* be allowed to leave at lunchtime -- I like that!

Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions. I'm feeling better already!

 

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-14-2006
Wed, 08-01-2007 - 9:03pm

IKWYM - it was a bit unsettling. But I also think you have to know your kid - and tell C what the rules are, and how you expect her to follow them. I think that she is motivated to do well in school - and probably won't abuse the freedom too much!

Moving is stressful - no matter what! It's going to be a big change in school for all of you!

Sue

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-06-2006
Thu, 08-02-2007 - 2:52pm

Thanks for your thoughts, Rose. I think I'll talk to DH about reconsidering this. Part of my uneasiness lies with us being in a new community, new schools, etc., and still not *knowing* and being comfortable with it all. I don't think we've quite unpacked all of our California *baggage* yet. LOL. Our new town is about 125,000. While DD is mature, responsible, and more worldly that a lot of teens due to our travels, she isn't exactly street-wise, KWIM?

I hadn't considered the kids might just be walking off campus; not necessarily driving. I'm not overly familiar with the area surrounding the school yet, but with 50 minutes for lunch, they could go pretty far! As Mitzi pointed out, it would be really sucky for DD if we didn't allow her to do what the majority of kids -- and possibly new friends -- were allowed to do. It does seem that C has a pretty strong moral compass and would most likely not be involved if drinking or drugs were involved.

Whew ... this moving is a lot more complicated than just the packing part! Thanks again for your thoughts.

 

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2007
Fri, 08-03-2007 - 4:48am
wow, up here (Edmonton, Canada) almost all schools have open campuses from gr.7 on-words. very few people stay for lunch. if you have a spare during the day you have to be out of the school or in the library, which only holds about 100 people so most students just leave then come back.
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Community Leader
Registered: 04-30-2000
Fri, 08-03-2007 - 3:54pm

Dd's High School has an open campus.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-19-2003
Sat, 08-04-2007 - 11:00pm

Open Campus', as you described, are the norm where I live. I went to a high school in the middle of downtown Toronto. Leaving campus was allowed and we frequently ate lunch at local cafe's and restaurants and sometimes would even spend the lunch break at friends' houses who lived nearby. No big deal. The cafeteria food was vile anyway.

My daughter's high school is an "open campus" as well. In fact, it backs onto the parking lot of a large local mall. So many of the kids spend their lunch hour in the food court at the mall. (And yeah, some of them spend classtime there as well!!!) My daughter goes to the mall for lunch maybe a few times a month -- most of the time she eats in the school. Recall, we are Canadian and most of the school year is snowy or wet and cold and who the heck wants to pull on boots and a coat to get some fries at the mall when their cafeteria is right there? My daughter's cafeteria is subsidized (all meals are less than $5) and the food is prepared by nice ladies who are great cooks using fresh ingredients.

Frankly, I've never had issues with the open campus. The school is a 15 minute walk away and the mall is in our neighbourhood. I just remind my daughter that she is well-known among all our neighbours and if she decides to misbehave anywhere around here, including the mall, SOMEONE will tell me about it! So she has been very open and honest with me about what she's doing during the school day! LOL...

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