The Question:
Do you give parents your home/cell phone number so they are able to contact you after school hours?
The Answers:
Julie Farkas Brusio
No. Not ever. I do give them my work email and the school phone number. I tell them that if they want a really quick response email is the best way to reach me.
Sarah Rose
nope…they can email or leave me a message at work
Katy English Peveto
I give my professional email to my parents so they can contact me anytime.
Angela Jean Adzima
No just my email and I check it from home.
Rachel Geary
I give my parents my cell# so they can call/text me whenever they need to…I have really never had a problem with this
June Wegner-Morris
Yes I do. If there is an issue, I want them to be able to call me to discuss it instead of obsessing over it all night long and then wanting a conference in the morning. It is also nice for them to have my number for when we go on field trips in case they get lost on the way…
Rebecca Green
No. Never. My personal life is separate. I am a professional, and any other professional (doctor, accountant, etc.) keeps office hours and doesn’t allow you to call at am or in the middle of dinner. Neither do I.
Teresa Brown
I am VERY selective with which parents get my cell #…but I’m usually available with email more than I am with my phone–I usually forget to turn it back on or turn the ringer on 😛 Email is usually on…
Erin Brandon
I just give them my work email and work phone. I am able to check my email from home so if it is really important I will see the email. I don’t believe in giving my cell number or home number out there are just some things that are off limits to parents.
Ann Spencer
Never my phone — but they can use my personal e mail. NEVER friend them on Facebook, either.
MaryJo Rizzitello
There is an app called remind101 that is free and parents can sign up and you can send out reminders to your class. Parents don’t see your numbers and you don’t see the parents’ numbers. Trying it this year!!!
Yvette Jones Johnston
My daughter’s Kindergarten teacher DID give us her home #, in case parents were concerned about something their child said (& didn’t have to worry all night long about it). I only called her once.
Bethany Charlebois Arsenault
I use a skype number if parents absolutely have to talk to me. I also tell my parents to email me first. It is a much better way to document conversations.
Jamie Hobling
I did my first two years teaching and had a couple parents that called constantly. I only give out my work email now.
Debbie Lehrer
I always give out my home number. I don’t want parents worried about things overnight.
Jennifer Tucker Morales
NO! That is beyond ludicrous.
Jen Thomson
I did this year and won’t do it again. Parents didn’t call AFTER hours… they called BEFORE hours. Sometimes before 6 am!
Julie Speck
I am selective with giving out my number. I do not want to be cussed out after school hours. 🙂 But I was going to say that I will also be using the website Remind101 this year! 🙂 It seems awesome!
Angelan Ringland
I do, I’ve never had a problem with it. I ask at the beginning of the year how they prefer to be contacted and that’s how I contact them. Some parents prefer email some prefer text. I don’t mind. If its after 4 and they need to know something for the next day, I prefer they call me instead of not showing up with snacks or field trip permission slip etc. Plus, it’s so much easier making parent phone calls in my classroom than being In a busy teacher workroom 100 yards from my class. Also, with google voice you can give them a number thats not yours but gets re-routed to your cell, so they don’t know your true cell number.
Melissa Vitali
No. I give them my school phone number and my school email. Our email is web based so I check it at night once I am home. This way I can answer important questions as soon as possible.
Ginger Dominy
No, no and never! ( Except the one year I accidentally put my cell # instead of school # in my news letter!)
Rebecca Stiffler Sanders
Last year was the first year I gave out my cell and I will definitely give it out again this year. I let my parents know texting was the most convenient, but they could also call. SO convenient! They know to leave a message if I don’t answer. If they call at an inconvenient time, you simply don’t answer.
Gloria Sanchez Craine
I do not give it to all parents. I do have some parents who have lots of questions and I tell them they can either email or text. I’ve never had a problem and it makes my life so much easier. I don’t like having to read lots of messages from the secretary. I’d rather get a text.
Magi Paleo Hemphill
NO! And only my school email!
Sheryl Stogsdill Spurrier
NO! I definitely encourage them to call me on the school phone #. I am at school until nearly 6:00 and most are aware of that.
Angie Brower Bonthuis
I have given them my home number (and now my cell) for 13 years. Never had a problem with it. If I’m busy with my family, they can leave a message, and they know that. Mostly they text. On a related note….Just took my puppy to a new vet last week. At the end he handed me a card and added his cell to it….said call or text if you have questions…anytime….I was super impressed.
Idu Udom-Emeziem
Nope, work email and work phone number, period!
Gina Morris Annis
No! Had a parent call right after a crisis at home. Parent said I was snappy with her. Called my principal. Principal said its never a good idea.
Megan Carney
Absolutely not! There is no reason you should have to deal with parents after school. Some will abuse it!! Use email if you really want to be accessible but I don’t always check it after school.
Diana Rosales-Tello
Nope! That’s what email is for….
Mary Hewitt
Yes if we expect to reach them they should be able to reach us. :o0
Heather Wells
No way! One year I had a parent call me at 10 pm, after calling every person in the phone book with my last name because she didn’t have my home number. She wanted to know why the office had called her earlier in the evening. I had no idea why. Then she wanted to discuss her son’s academics/behavior (he was a behavior problem) issues with me…at 10pm! I found out later that the phone call from the office was just an automated reminder about school pictures the next day. I was not pleased. Email & school voicemail are completely appropriate & anything else cuts into my personal life that is reserved for non school hrs.
Karen Barry
Where can you find the app Remind101, I can’t seem to find it
Anna Johnson Smith
I always do. I work in a poverty stricken school and parental involvement is extremely low. I have given my number out for 5 years and never had an issue yet. So far all of my parents have been very respectful. I want to increase parental involvement and if giving my number promotes that, it is worth it.
Mary Gross-Urbaniak
Well, my kids go to school where I teach. I am listed in the directory so they kinda have it. But it is a really small school so most people have it anyway because we do social things, too.
Trish DeWett Catalano
No, your private time is your own.
Lissie Aliotti Antos
Oh my goodness, no!
Mary Hewitt
Ok I find it sad that we think as professional we should have access to their numbers but they can’t to ours. I give out home number but am not good at checking it – most parents, if we talk, it is via cell. Then they know mine and calling me hasn’t been a problem – and I have not had anybody abuse it. . . . Doctors and such are on call so I don’t buy that for a minute if you go into labor do you text your doctor ? I don’t think so. I am proud that I am an important person in their child’s life. I guess I might be considered an odd duck, but you can’t expect them to not give us all ways to reach them .
Becky Contenza
Oh my no! Your home time is your family time!
Michele Roberts
If the school pays for my cell phone, I will give out my number. Until then, no!
Dequency Ragler
I was having a problem getting in touch with a parent so I gave her my number. She called when she got off work and we resolved the issue. That is the only time I have given out my number, along with the time I had a hard of hearing parent. We communicated by text.
Fran Sandon
I do and have never had any problems.. I usually find it makes things easier.. I don’t think it makes me any more or less professional.. Lots of professionals use their phones for work and home.
Misha Bartolomei
I gave my home number out once, and I will never do it again. A boy in my class who, while we were having a parade through other classrooms, said our low-incidence classroom was for the “retards”. It was the last day of school before spring break, and when I was unsuccessful in contacting his parents, I left a message saying I was leaving the building but needed to speak with them urgently, and gave them my home number. The boy’s father returned my call before I left school, and we discussed the matter. The parents used my number months later to call me regarding a matter that could have waited until the next day. I always give parents the school number and the best times to reach me, as well as my email address, which I can access from home. I have been known to answer parent emails at unusual hours of the night.
Cheri Dodson Smith
I do give it…and encourage parents to call with legitimate concerns…but also caution them not to call with silly questions about the weather at school and such…as I live 40 minutes away! I have had some really good conversations at home…and have alleviated festering problems before they become disastrous!
Janice Barge Yackovich
No way. Learned the hard way. Had parents calling past 10:00 p.m. to ask a question. Some parents do not have boundaries.
Rca Young
I give my home number to my helper parents so they can call me if they cannot come in, but not to the whole class.
Dawn Spurr
I live in a small town. Not only do they have my number, they know where I live AND they are my friends on FB. They only text me when they really need something and/or they will message me on FB. I guess I just want to be available if they really need me. Of course, most of the parents I have are former students. Anyway, I have never had a problem. It has actually come in handy when a parent forgot something or needs to let me know that someone different is picking, “Johnny” up!
Judy Queale Dickman
Email is sufficient! Some people are just plain crazy and will harrass you forever!
Traci Stoehrmann Baumgartner
I have given my cell to a couple of parents and it has been fine….but.never just to the.whole class.
Betsy Walton Munn
No! I ask them to email me. I check before, and after school and then again in the evening. The only time I give out my cell number is when we can go on a field trip like the zoo.
Cathy Howell
It’s one thing to be professional, but quite another to make yourself available to your work 24/7….even doctors have answering services and only respond outside of office hours if it is an emergency. Sadly we DO have to protect ourselves from the few parents who would abuse it. I use my personal judgement in giving the number to specific parents for specific reasons, or to those who I trust to respect my personal time. But overall, my answer would be “no.”
Shannon Hargrove
No way! That’s what email is for!
Traci Carter
Only during a field trip as a point of contact. Otherwise, I can be reached via email if it’s after school hours. I get emails straight to my phone so, in essence, they do have 24 hr access to me!
Heather Walker
Never! Parents have my school and personal email address (personal in case the school site goes down) and school phone number with extension. This is plenty since I check my email multiple times daily.
Dana Parsons
Yes. Definitely!
Odette Whinery Gutierrez
Don’t! email should be good enough, if not leave a message at the office.
Angie Allen
I work at a school where there are lots of families without access to email. I always my #, & it’s only been abused once, but has been helpful for both parents and me. I say go for it!
Layne Burner
I have had a parent call me at 4AM to ask what lunch was that day!!! Never again!
Sandy Corrow Van Dyck
No, do not do it. If you check your email often, I don’t think you should be on call 24-7 for your parents.. Think of yourself as any other professional, doctor, nurse, banker, psychotherapist, etc.
Kimberly Crew-Smith
I have in the past, but it’s a big No-No. Some parents get too comfortable. I have had parents call to ask me for money, to borrow my car and other ludicrous things with no relevance to their child. I would not advise.
Joyce LaMonda
I once had a parent look up my home number and calling me at random middle of the night times to ask if school would be closed the next day because it was snowing. After that I took my number out of the phone book and used my own judgement about who to give it to.
Christy Gilbert McCabe
Never ever! Generic yahoo email!
J.r. Walker
I gave out my # this past year and it was a BIG mistake. I would get calls after 9 pm and just calls for non important things. I NEVER will again!
Amy Riede
My parents have my school email and phone #. I am friends with some parents on FB, but I’m very careful about what I post (my rule of thumb is that I shouldn’t be embarrassed to have anything I’ve put out in print be published in the newspaper, because once you put it out there, it’s public). I’d like to try the program/app that sends out group texts without revealing anyone’s phone #. Many of the parents also want their privacy protected.
Lederele Harris
If you want your family time, evening and weekends interrupted by all means go right ahead. Not everyone will have common sense or use good judgement. Email is enough I think!
Michele Sum
NO!
Tammy Nason Tierney
No way! Although I have in very extenuating circumstances ( a close family member who is very ill) -use your common sense and listen to your heart and your gut!
Denise Simmons
No, not my personal #. They have my school e-mail and phone# and can leave a message in the classroom. that’s it. Home time is my time.
Jamie Karabatsos
No! Email
Tanya Bui
NO WAY!!!! You will never get any peace. There is no reason for you to be accessible 24 hrs/day.
Ellen Findlay Herdegen
Parent volunteers and field trip chaperones: yes. Never had a problem. Rather have them reach me early if they couldn’t come last minute etc.
Maggie Beattie
No…usually we’re mostly all at school well after and before hours. Give them e-mail-respond in timely manner(Same day). Return phone calls, have “office hours”- time in day to meet/talk w/o kids. Keep open lines of communication; but keep personal life PERSONAL-unless you’re doing social things outside of school times (picnics, birthdays, fundraising, etc.)
Jennifer Smallwood
I give mine out but I explain that I have a family and to be respectful! I tell them email is best because then I can respond when I have a spare moment. I’ve only had one parent abuse it but I just got in the habit of calling them after school to update them on their child. I did sign up for the Remind 101 app. This allows you to send a text to your parents without giving your number away. Parents cannot text you back though. That’s the only bad thing, but good at the same time for last min reminders. Oh and the remind 101 app is just for iPhone, I think.
Susan Schaum Pace
I give it at the beginning of the year, “in case of an emergency,” but I let them know that more often than not, I’m better about checking my email than my phone. I tend to forget to turn the volume back up after school.
Karen Burnat
I am shocked that in this day and age, people give out their home numbers. Don’t do it. There is absolutely no reason to give them this. Check your email often and this will be fine. Unless it is involving a tragedy or absolute emergency, I would never give this out. That is silly to think that since we have their home numbers, they should have ours. Of course we need their number….we have their children with us all day. I am also shocked that people have parents on their Facebook. Some districts actually forbid this. Our union strongly discourages it.
Nickki Del Pizzo-schreiner
NO! As a teacher and hopefully soon to be principal… Absolutely not. You have a life outside that classroom. Parents can call you between the hours of 8 to 4 at school on the school phone. You can set up a special account on FB that they can contact you or your school email.
Melissa Williamson Spriggs
I have in the past but I’m not this year b/c my parents stopped reading the calendars/ newsletters/ notes/emails etc I was sending home and would just text me. So this year I letting them know if they need info they can: read paper copies I send home, read email, check my web page, and I might even do a FB &/or twitter page. They can’t tell they “didn’t know”!!!
Cathy Padgett Graham
Yes. So far it hasn’t been a problem. Enjoy talking to them.
Elizabeth Fishman Martino
Absolutely not!!! We are not doctors where we can be reached anytime/anywhere.
Mary Emily Noble
I do because I would rather deal with a five minute conversation than have a parent anxious about something happening with their child. It has not been a problem so far. I do explain to families to please be respectful, but we also come from a smaller Catholic community so this helps with understanding of personal time.
Marybeth Simpson-Steeber
Oh, HELL no!!!! I give them the phone # where I can be reached at school, as well as the email address, and tell them good times to find me AT school before and after class. My home is my HOME. I find it inappropriate to give them a home or cell #, nor have any of my own children’s teachers done so.
Kathleen Monahan Squier
NO!!!!!!! Never!
Mel Miller Creveling
No!
Barbara Shkilevich
No!!!
Denise Widen
Yes. It helps with communication, especially busy parents who just need tiny tidbits of info via text..although I only send replies when the children are at lunch or specials. It hasn’t ever been abused. I prefer timely rather than delayed communication about important issues.
Ellen Kelley Scalzi
NEVER!
Amanda Hatcher-Trent
No! For my students’ parents, they have my school email which I check and reply to very regularly throughout the day, the school number, and their child’s communication folder. They can contact me in one of those ways. I have given my cell number in the past and would have to have lengthy impromptu phone conferences. Also, parent’s concepts of late night calling and mine are completely different.
Gillian Ramsey
Ugh. I have had parents find my number and call at 10 pm sat night and 8 am Sunday morning to discuss how their child is going home w a friend the following Thursday. Bad bad bad
Andrea Porth
I give out a google voice number. They are free and I can decide when to fwd to my cellphone and when to automatically go to voicemail so I can check it later.
Whitney Feldsted
I always give my cell number and have never had issues
Ann Miller
Yes I do – always! I am available whenever my parents need me. It’s especially helpful for before and after school care – if someone is sick in the morning and they can call or text me, I don’t have to come in as early!
Cheryl Dycio
Rarely. I have had kids with leukemia and severe health issues that I wanted to have open contact with but for the most part I do not give out my home number.
Leslie Blackshear
Yes. I teach in a private school where my kids go so they have it anyway. I would rather have a phone conversation than an upset email!
Amy Bennett
No, we don’t. They can contact us after school hours via email.
Jackie Ford
As a general rule, no. I have made a few exceptions over the years for particular circumstances.
Michaela Cernetic Bolton
Yes, I do. I give them my cell number. I figure I don’t have to answer and they can leave a message if needed. I used to get some very angry parents (taught SBH) and it was nice to be able to have any angry messages recorded for documentation.
Angela Ballard Woody
Absolutely not.
Hope Grubbs Clark
It depends on the circumstances and the parent. There are some you know that won’t abuse it. I have done it before and would get calls at 10:00 @ night!
Diane Tetzner
My home phone # is in the book. I do not give out my cell #. I live in a very small rural area where everyone knows how to reach you anyway. My parents have not abused my private time. I have been lucky.
Jamie Butterfield Berube
No!! I answer emails very frequently, and I can call/take calls before school, during lunch, and after school.
Megahn Ray
I don’t! I am a stickler on this one! Doctors don’t give out their personal numbers and I doubt parents would need anything more important than a medical emergency! Email!!
Ellen Cramer Wilson
No no no no NEVER !!!
Kate Paradee Roberts
NO WAY!! There is a crazy in every class! Not worth it!
Jennifer Setter Antieau
No, never have. My voicemail at school and email is enough and I let them know what time I leave school at night and when I will get to school in the morning to stop in and see me if needed. Absolutely no FB or other social media.
Rachel Geiger Ginsburg
No!!!!
Cheryl Shores
I would give them my email address and check it frequently. I would not give out my phone numbers.
Sue MacAvoy Sweet
I do not give my cell number, but I do give out my home number. It’s in the phone book so those parents who wanted it would find it anyway. In 15 years teaching I have only had one family call, and it was when their child ended up in the hospital with an allergic reaction, and the Dr wanted some info. My families have been very respectful. I agree with what someone else said… I would rather sooth an upset parent in the evening with a five minute call, than meet an angry parent at my classroom door the next morning when they’ve been “stewing” about it all night. Just my opinion!
Melinda Bachman
I only give it on special occasions when I need a parent to contact me and I am not around school or a land line. Like other comments, my number is listed, they have my school email and school number. This has been respected for all the years I have taught and opens the communication between patents and school.
Roxanne Buff
I only give it out to my room parent. I have never had a problem doing this. I did have a parent look up my number and call me at home one night. I called them back when I got home….11:30 PM on a school night… and told them I figured if they called me at home it was an emergency. I know I woke them up. Their child lost his Beanie Baby at day care, we do not have a day care at our school, and wanted me to track it down. NEVER, EVER give out your number. You need a private life. If they can not call between 7AM and 4:30 PM or e-mail, they need to home school.
Nola Boyd
All it will take to change those saying yes to a no will be one bad parent experience. In these days and times, no matter where you live, you do not truly know the people you will be dealing with during the year. For your safety and protection I would not give out a phone number. It can be traced to where you live. You can tell your parents to email you if there is an emergency and then you can call back if needed.
Gay Starzecky Price
No.
Cecilia Doyle
I give school email address and check it often. I’m sure they could get my number if they really needed it.
Jennifer Reidel
I am actually very surprised that so many teachers give out their personal cell number to parents. My principal tells us under no circumstances are we to do that. It is absolutely not necessary. We all have a school email that is supposed to be checked from home nightly. It would be just my luck that some needy, wacko parent would call me at 10 pm about a trivial classroom issue. I usually check my school email nightly. If a parent happens to email me after school hours, I will respond first thing in the morning when I am back at school. In 14 years, I have never had an “emergency” that required my immediate response. I agree with many of you. I am a professional who feels that my after school hours are my own.
Lori Reurink
No, my home phone is published in the phone book and I have had parents call me, but my cell phone # is not available to them.
Miss Bindergarten's Classroom 
Teach kindergarten and I give mine out. Parents of little ones sometimes just need to have questions answered. I find not many abuse it.