well-being - Doubled Up

All parents received a letter today from our chair of governors reminding them why the school closed last week. It seems that the head got more complaints in one day about the closure than she did congratulations for an outstanding Ofsted report! Admittedly, it was a last minute decisions made when she got news that the junior school down the road (which is attended by siblings of children at our school, obviously) was closing. The weather conditions had been extreme. At 6.30am there was no snow on the ground. By 8.30 there were five inches. The head chose, at first, to stand by her decision to keep the school open because the staff were there and because she wants to educate our children. Unfortunately, the snow didn't stop and, by 9am, most children didn't make it.

Whilst I understand that it may have been a little inconvenient to have to walk the half mile to school only to be turned back (Mind you, I did it and thoroughly enjoyed it!), the decision was made in the best interests of the children. It is so sad that so many people in our society feel the need to complain about every little thing.

What I am thoroughly pleased about is that the Chair of Govs has been so supportive to the Head. I hope that some parents are now feeling a little guilty about being so miserable!

I think I may have tricky times ahead. There is something I feel I owe it to the pupils of the school to address, but don't know how to do it.

Consequently, I'm after some advice here from governors or members of SLTs. It has taken me some time to realise that my contributions to the GB are appreciated. Having a new Chair has improved things vastly, and I have taken on a lot of extra tasks to help out. I now know that the Head appreciates the work I do and doesn't see me as a busy-body, which I did fear at the beginning of my term as governor.

However, one of the things that I have always felt could improve the school experience immensely is for teaching to ALWAYS be positive and for shouting at children to be unacceptable. Let me put this in perspective - the kids are aged 4-7, there are very few serious behavioural problems, and most of the kids know the difference between right and wrong. Yet I know that the children are shouted at (I don't know how often, although I do know mostly who by). I know this from experiences my children have had and from comments from other parents.

Now, I think that the whole culture of the school needs adjusting (not changing, as there are lots of positives) to make shouting and put-downs unacceptable. However, I don't know how to broach the subject.

Is this something I can address? Is there a tactful way of bringing the subject up? Or is it impossible?