Just Curious - Does *Your* School Do Directories

We do. It even lists the names and ages/grades of siblings. It has been a great thing being new to the area and school. I love it!

Yes, my sons elementary school has a directory. You have to opt-in and of others have indicated you can specify what info you want listed. Besides name, phone #, email address it also lists siblings, grade they are in etc.
My son is in 5th grade now. The 'school' directory only came out about 3 years ago. Prior to that it was a 'class' directory put out by the teacher or a volunteer in the class. The 'school' directory is done by volunteers also and it is a printed copy. I find it very useful.

Yes, the elementary and junior high where my children go both have directories, and we use them all the time. I love it when email addresses are included, although my high school students have recently informed me that "No one uses email anymore!"

I work in a private school, and my son goes there. Yes, we have one - guess who is in charge of doing it? Yours truly! Plus I'm the database manager, so I keep all the info updated. We have an online directory too - which only current parents can access via the website login.

Our school does a directory for PTO members only, which, when you think of it is kind of odd....

Yep, my kids have been at a total of 6 different schools and they ALL had directories (including the pre-schools). Can't imagine trying to track down parents for b'day or playdate invites without it. There is *always* an option to NOT be in the directory if you have privacy issues, but most people have no problem with it.

Oh yeah-I don't know what I would do without it. I use it all the time.

No.
It is private info.
The Teacher or Room Mom however, does have all this contact info. Per the parent's. And the Teacher & Room Mom does not divulge that.

Even at my Daughter's preschool, a small school, they did not do this.

It is up to the parent, to make contact/get info. Or, they can ask the Teacher to forward the info. OR the parent can leave a note in the child's cubby/mailbox for the Parent... often informing the Teacher, first.

I arrange all play-dates/parties, via info I get, from befriending those parents I mingle with and/or get along with. I "choose" to or not. I interact with other parents, if/when I choose to.
But, my kids are friends with other kids, that I am also friends with their parents.... whom we all get along and are on the same page, about many things. Like minded.

Or, you tell your child, IF they want a play-date with another kid... to tell you, then you can send an 'invite' to that other child, writing down on the outside of the envelope, that it is for their Parent/Mom.

I personally, would NOT want my personal contact info, in a directory.
Ick.

And, my kids' Teachers, DO NOT, send e-mails to parents... by displaying EVERYONE's e-mail addresses. It is a 'blind copy' to the parents. Again, PRIVACY.
I certainly would NOT want my e-mail address, in the "To" box, whenever my kids Teachers sends an e-mail to other parents.
Luckily, my kids' Teachers & Room Moms, were smart enough, per sending e-mails... to keep other's e-mail addresses, private and NOT displayed in the "To" box.

I have never, had a problem, getting in contact with other parents or to arrange play-dates with other kids/parents.

Per Birthday invites: MOST Teachers have a rule about dispersing invitations. That you give it to the TEACHER... and then THEY disperse it to the invited children, themselves. Via the child's cubby or mailbox. And the Teacher, makes sure, it is done, discreetly.
I have never had a problem with that, being done that way.

Or, I, during drop off or pick-up ... I go earlier than usual & park if I have to...and make it a point to go to the Mom, myself, and give her directly, an invite or invite for a play-date. With my information on it.
I have never had a problem, doing it that way either.

We have a directory that comes out in November. It really doesn't help me because my daughter has an October birthday though, and if you don't sign your life away you don't go in it. A lot of parents miss putting their info in simply because the forms are part of a large amount of paperwork that comes home the first week of school. This year someone decided that the teachers could not give anyone the email addresses or phone numbers or even names of any child in the class for "privacy concerns." We also can't hand out invitations in school either. Makes it very difficult to contact others. There were some kids I tried to locate in the phone book or the internet phone directory, or I see some parents at pick up. Otherwise it is hard to connect with other parents.

Unfortunately ours does not this year. Even last year when we got one in kindergarten, information was very sparse and not useful at all. My daughter has a summer birthday and unfortunately has not been able to invite all the friends she wants to because after putting notes in kids' backpacks for their parents, I don't hear back from them. It's unfortunate.

I do not offer a classroom directory for my class. Honestly, it comes down to time for me. I do not have the time to print out sheets for parents to sign off on for privacy concerns (I had a student my first year whose biological father was looking for him and had absolutely no rights to the child). Then, after collecting those sheets, sifting through class info to include information for the parents that okayed it. Especially at the beginning of the year, this, while seeming like a small task, is not important to starting up the year and getting things going. I have reading groups to get going, assessments to administer, and other tasks that go to the top of my list. However, if a child needs addresses for a birthday party, I will help him/her by asking each student discreetly for his/her address. It has never been an issue in my class.

At the beginning of the school year, we were informed that invitations to birthday parties would only be passed out in class if everyone in class was invited.
The teacher compiled a class list, and you could opt in to be included, and what info to include.

I just had this issue, because two of the girls my daughter wanted to invite to her summer birthday party were not on the list. One I happened to know where she lived (drive by every morning on the way to school, often see them outside getting ready themselves)... but the other I had no clue. The teacher was kind enough to offer to pass it on discreetly during pickup tomorrow (since kinder kids have to be picked up by a parent or authorized "guardian").

my daughter goes to a public elementary school and no there is no school directory. there are only 22 kids in her class, and there is no class directory either. My son who is in preschool does have a directory with address, phone numbers, e mail address, parents names, and kids names

Yes, our school does a directory, but everyone included must opt in. So, those with privacy concerns just do not opt in, and they will not be included. People can also choose to have some information included (say e-mail address) and some not.

Yes, our school has a directory (printed and online). How else would we do birthday invitations?

Yes, our school has a directory. Parents can opt out of it, using a form that's sent home (or is on the school web site) at the start of the year before it's published. Most parents do let their information be in it. It's invaluable. As a room parent, I just wish all the e-mail addresses in it were correct for our e-mail list!

I've never seen this done. It seems to me that it might work for some private schools, but probably not in a public school.
In my opinion, it's just better for parents to try to make their own connections. Realizing that drop off and pick up times may not always accomodate this, how about handing your child's teacher an envelope addressed to the parents you want to get better acquainted with. Put your email, phone nimber or other information in the envelope with a note asking that parent to contact you. The teacher can put the envelope in that child's cubby for the parent to get along with their child's homework.

Yes, but you have to give permission. Anyone who wants to be in it can be included. The request forms are sent out in the back to school packets, the back to school night, and in the weekly online newsletters. Of course we still never seemed to be able to reach some people.. They always complained they never saw the info.. I called it "breast feeding parents".. They expected us to somehow contact every person that had not turned in their info.. But how would that be possible without their info?
We are not allowed to look through the school files of course..

The PTA volunteers do all of the work. It is a real pain and we used to hear soooo many complaints.. The complainers, were always elected to be on the committee the next year.. guess how many of them actually did any work or actually show up?

Anyway families had choices of
child's name with nick name
Parents names
If there were 2 house holds we had 2 listings, we also had a cross reference for the families with different names from their children
Addresses for paper mail
Email addresses
Phone numbers

The book included all of the front school office information with phone numbers and their school issued emails,

All of the classroom phone numbers and the school issued teacher emails.
In elementary school we had the children listed by homeroom teacher as well as just every student in the school.

School policies, entire school calendar, entire PTA calendar are all included.

Gathering imputing, cross referencing verifying and giving everybody the opportunity to turn in the info takes lots, and lots of work and time..

It is my understanding for those that do not want a paper copy, they can now go online with a password.

The cost depends on sponsorships from parents or local businesses. (This is not considered a fund raiser)
If you are a paid PTA member you receive a free copy, if not there is a fee. to cover any of the extra fees for producing the directory. I usually purchased an extra one so I could have it in my car, the other I left at home next to the computer.

I could not have lived without those directories ans even though our daughter is now in college, I still use those directories to contact the teachers, the parents etc..

At the Private School my older son goes to yes but at the public school my younger one is at no.

At the beginning of the year we had the option to be put on the class directory or not. But also one thing the school offers is for us to put stamps and return addresses on envelopes and the school will put labels of all the kids in the class and mail them out for you.

I don't think I would do this at the public school if it were an option.

At the Christian school there was a directory. IN all of the public schools my kids have attended, 14 schools-7 moves-4 states, but one there has not been any sort of directory.
We were given kids names for Valentines Day in all schools except middle/high schools.

You can opt to be in the school directory, or opt not to be. You only get a copy of the directory if you have put your information in the directory......that is how my kids' school does it.