should I tell?

[worriedclassrep]

I am the class rep for my son's class. We had a collection for the teacher and teaching assistant present and the parents were generous. I spent the money on a large card each that all the children signed, a box of chocs each and a John Lewis voucher for a decent amount each. On the last day these 6 items were given to 6 children to hand in at the door.

The teacher thanked us at the door on the first day back for the chocs and a few people asked me about the vouchers. So I asked her today if she had got the voucher and she said no - whilst the teaching assistant had. She asked if perhaps a child had taken it home. Now, I'm pretty sure I saw a child hand the envelope with the voucher to her and then she put it on her desk.

So, should I tell the mums that the voucher seems to have been binned by mistake? I feel awful about it. I guess I'll have to do a collection at the end of the year but I can't face that if I have had to tell them that their money was wasted this time around.

you know which child it was? Ask the parents to check they don't still have it.

I can't remember which child it was. I just rememeber the teacher holding it and wondering whether she'd open it and then being disappointed when she put it on the side.

can you remember who all six children were? could you ask them all?

Why do you feel awful? If the teacher was given the card with the vouchers and has put it on the desk and forgotten about it then it's unfortunate but it's hardly your fault.
I wouldn't bother telling the mums because it all that will acheive is to make the teacher look a bit careless.
If it bothers you then you can always double check that the recipients have remembered to take their presents home next time.

I can just remember my own son and one other girl. My son had the big card and the other girl had something for the teaching assistant. I do remember ther teacher holding the small card and me wondering if she'd open it. I even remember, unbelievably, thinking putting it on her desk with lots of other paper was a bit silly because it might get lost. I don't think we are going to get to the bottom of it because I expect it was binned by mistake.

If you have this memory of the teacher holding it I think to start with you should tell her that. Describe the colour of the envelope, ask her to check her desk thoroughly.

The teacher is mortified by the way...

She says she has searched everywhere and it was just a plain white envelope with 'Gift Enclosed' on it.

yy cards easily lost in a pile of paper so might turn up with a thorough search?

oh well its just one of those things then , no one really at fault. Chalk it up to experience and do different next time.

Could the vouchers be cancelled and re-issued by John Lewis?

Seems like it was unwittingly the teacher's fault then. Not a lot you can do about it now. It's annoying but she knows she was given a gift, it's not like someone ran off with it (or could accuse you of running off with it). I'd either keep schtum or let the teacher make her apologies if she feels the need.

If you happen to know the voucher numbers (and if not recorded you could have a pretty good guess if the TA still has hers as they will be sequential if purchased at the same time) JL will replace.

They did this when my dsis managed to bin £200 worth one Christmas.

Sounds like a good idea. I think the TA has spent hers already. I don't think I even have the receipt but I could have a rummage.