Remember to start at the bottom...
Pete
Sorry, high school trip fees are not included in the tuition and haven't been for over 15 years. Please refer to the attached. Christopher's 9th grade trip fee remains outstanding.
Jim
-----Original Message-----
From: Pete Karaiskos [mailto:pkcompany@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 4:08 PM
To: Jim Pedroja
Subject: Zero Balance...
Jim,
It appears my memory was correct - that Christopher's trip is paid up and that I don't owe anything. So, for the moment, it seems I'm completely paid up. It would appear Angela's request was completely unfounded - as was your bill to me.
Have a great day!
Pete Karaiskos
Email from Class Treasurer...
Pete:
As I recall, the money for the field trip was in the tuition? I do remember asking for money for the class fund but we have covered it with the money we made at the May faire - we cleared over 500 dollars
Sarah
Email to Class Treasurer...
Hi Sarah,
Do I owe the class money for Christopher's field trip this year? I don't remember whether I paid my share for it or not. If not, how much was the per-student cost? Thanks!!!
Pete
Do I owe the class money for Christopher's field trip this year? I don't remember whether I paid my share for it or not. If not, how much was the per-student cost? Thanks!!!
Pete
Dear Pete,
Sorry that our bill caused you so much concern. For your information, we regularly split charges between divorced or separated parents, either by amount or by type of charge for probably 25 or 30 students a year. You indicate you are accepting responsibility for at least one of the items billed for which we thank you and conclude that the request by Angela was correct and useful in addressing this matter. As always, if the items we billed to you are not your responsibility or are incorrect for any reason, then kindly tell us and we will promptly correct the matter.
We did not intend to bill you for two years trip fees. However, I see in my file an early draft of the bill in which the captions mistakenly identified the periods involved as next year and the year following. If that older version was what I sent to you then I apologize, though the line by line wording on the charges identifies the grades involved which appear correct to me. I am attaching the bill I intended to send you. As per our tuition contract we send bills to all parents in May and June for the upcoming school year with payment expected in July unless a monthly payment plan has been arranged.
Arrangements for the 8th grade trip are made by the teacher and parents of the class including setting and collecting the fee. Please direct your concerns to the class teacher or room reps .
Regards,
Jim Pedroja
-----Original Message-----
From: Pete Karaiskos [mailto:pkcompany@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2007 9:17 PM
To: jpedroja@highlandhall.org
Subject: Your letter to me
From: Pete Karaiskos [mailto:pkcompany@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2007 9:17 PM
To: jpedroja@highlandhall.org
Subject: Your letter to me
Hi Jim,
I am in receipt of your recent letter to me dated May 23rd. I see that it was sent at Angela's request. While I understand you must be in a difficult position here considering your close relationship with Angela, I would encourage you to avoid the temptation to support Angela in her ongoing psychotic efforts to intimidate me with this sort of nonsense.
The reasoning behind your letter isn't clear, and in fact looks pretty shady. So let's get to the bottom of this and see if we're talking about official school policy or conspiratorial (you and Angela) intimidation, shall we?
We both know it is not school policy for all parents to pay for two years of field trips in advance, so if the school is officially insisting that I alone pay in advance for two years of trips for the kids, please explain the school's reasons for making this request of me.
Also, please list for me all the other parents in Christopher's and {Daughter}'s classes who have also been contacted recently (or in the past for that matter) with a demand to pay for two years of field trips in advance.
I see from your letter that I'm apparently behind for 1/2 of Christopher's trip (for which I received no notice from the school). Had the school notified me and told me how much the trip costs were, I certainly would have paid my portion. This is the first I've heard of the cost of the trip. I know both room reps well and would have expected a call if I missed a payment. I'm happy to pay my share of $215.
If Highland Hall is using this late payment as the reason for the school insisting on two years of field trip money up-front, then please show me how this rule has been evenly applied to other parents who have not paid or paid late. I think we both know this isn't coming from Highland Hall.
{Daughter} has informed me that she doesn't want to go on her field trip this year - and that she doesn't feel safe around the people there. Considering some of the things that have happened on other Highland Hall field trips, I certainly can't blame her. I'm not about to force {Daughter} to go somewhere she doesn't feel safe. While I'm quite sure Angela will push this issue and try to force {Daughter} to go against her will, I'm not going to pay in advance for a trip she may not attend. Highland Hall is notorious for not refunding money to parents who pay things in advance (that would be you Jim). If {Daughter} ends up going, I will, of course, pay my half of the trip.
I've been on well over half a dozen school camping trips. I'm self employed - with no vacation time - so it costs me a week of income every time I go on one of these trips, Jim. I've also attended and even organized several school field trips - all at my own expense. I'm not complaining or looking for a reward or gratitude, but do ya think, taking into consideration how much I've already contributed of my time and money beyond what is expected of me to these types of trips over the years, you could, for a minute, stop supporting Angela's nonsense and treat me with the respect I have earned... maybe? Geez...
Since you and Angela are so close, you might ask her when she's going to give up a week of her time to go on one of these trips. Other teachers make the time to go - as do many other very busy parents. When is Angela going to pitch in and do her fair share?
I understand that Angela has serious psychological problems, but they are not my problems Jim - and they shouldn't be your problems either. I understand that she is behind your letter, but her sense of me is very twisted. I am an excellent father to my kids and I have always done more than my fair share for Highland Hall - far more than most parents. Considering how rudely Highland Hall has treated me in return, that in and of itself shows considerable character on my part.
Conversely, your acquiescence to Angela's ridiculous demand for two years of field trip expenses in advance shows a lack of character on your part. It also demonstrates your personal proclivity to conspire with her against me. Be very sure before you put yourself in that position, Jim.
I'll drop off a check for $215 for Christopher's trip before the end of the school year, and unless Angela forces {Daughter} to go on her trip, I don't expect to hear about future field trip costs until next year when those costs are due for everyone else.
If the school wants to contact me about anything in the future, it would probably be best if they didn't mention that Angela is behind the request. The school acting on Angela's behalf on divorce issues is highly inappropriate and will be a red flag for anyone looking at this. I'll save a copy of this letter and your letter - just in case Angela wishes to develop this issue further.
I anticipate, once you have realized you were completely out-of-line issuing Angela's demands in a letter with your name and the school's name on it - an apology from you will be forthcoming.
Warm regards,
Pete
I am in receipt of your recent letter to me dated May 23rd. I see that it was sent at Angela's request. While I understand you must be in a difficult position here considering your close relationship with Angela, I would encourage you to avoid the temptation to support Angela in her ongoing psychotic efforts to intimidate me with this sort of nonsense.
The reasoning behind your letter isn't clear, and in fact looks pretty shady. So let's get to the bottom of this and see if we're talking about official school policy or conspiratorial (you and Angela) intimidation, shall we?
We both know it is not school policy for all parents to pay for two years of field trips in advance, so if the school is officially insisting that I alone pay in advance for two years of trips for the kids, please explain the school's reasons for making this request of me.
Also, please list for me all the other parents in Christopher's and {Daughter}'s classes who have also been contacted recently (or in the past for that matter) with a demand to pay for two years of field trips in advance.
I see from your letter that I'm apparently behind for 1/2 of Christopher's trip (for which I received no notice from the school). Had the school notified me and told me how much the trip costs were, I certainly would have paid my portion. This is the first I've heard of the cost of the trip. I know both room reps well and would have expected a call if I missed a payment. I'm happy to pay my share of $215.
If Highland Hall is using this late payment as the reason for the school insisting on two years of field trip money up-front, then please show me how this rule has been evenly applied to other parents who have not paid or paid late. I think we both know this isn't coming from Highland Hall.
{Daughter} has informed me that she doesn't want to go on her field trip this year - and that she doesn't feel safe around the people there. Considering some of the things that have happened on other Highland Hall field trips, I certainly can't blame her. I'm not about to force {Daughter} to go somewhere she doesn't feel safe. While I'm quite sure Angela will push this issue and try to force {Daughter} to go against her will, I'm not going to pay in advance for a trip she may not attend. Highland Hall is notorious for not refunding money to parents who pay things in advance (that would be you Jim). If {Daughter} ends up going, I will, of course, pay my half of the trip.
I've been on well over half a dozen school camping trips. I'm self employed - with no vacation time - so it costs me a week of income every time I go on one of these trips, Jim. I've also attended and even organized several school field trips - all at my own expense. I'm not complaining or looking for a reward or gratitude, but do ya think, taking into consideration how much I've already contributed of my time and money beyond what is expected of me to these types of trips over the years, you could, for a minute, stop supporting Angela's nonsense and treat me with the respect I have earned... maybe? Geez...
Since you and Angela are so close, you might ask her when she's going to give up a week of her time to go on one of these trips. Other teachers make the time to go - as do many other very busy parents. When is Angela going to pitch in and do her fair share?
I understand that Angela has serious psychological problems, but they are not my problems Jim - and they shouldn't be your problems either. I understand that she is behind your letter, but her sense of me is very twisted. I am an excellent father to my kids and I have always done more than my fair share for Highland Hall - far more than most parents. Considering how rudely Highland Hall has treated me in return, that in and of itself shows considerable character on my part.
Conversely, your acquiescence to Angela's ridiculous demand for two years of field trip expenses in advance shows a lack of character on your part. It also demonstrates your personal proclivity to conspire with her against me. Be very sure before you put yourself in that position, Jim.
I'll drop off a check for $215 for Christopher's trip before the end of the school year, and unless Angela forces {Daughter} to go on her trip, I don't expect to hear about future field trip costs until next year when those costs are due for everyone else.
If the school wants to contact me about anything in the future, it would probably be best if they didn't mention that Angela is behind the request. The school acting on Angela's behalf on divorce issues is highly inappropriate and will be a red flag for anyone looking at this. I'll save a copy of this letter and your letter - just in case Angela wishes to develop this issue further.
I anticipate, once you have realized you were completely out-of-line issuing Angela's demands in a letter with your name and the school's name on it - an apology from you will be forthcoming.
Warm regards,
Pete
Bill from Highland Hall
