<p>Got a voice message on our home phone answering machine today. Apparently another GC at DD’s HS made a mistake on the phone number, instead calling someone about our DD, she called our # (must have D’s file on hand). </p>
<p>Half way into the message, she did realize she was talking to the wrong answering machine. She apolozied and hang up. </p>
<p>Now we knew what they were trying to do and how they really think about DD. </p>
<p>What should we do about the message?</p>
<p>WOW.WhAT a breach of confidentiality. I think it depends on content of message. I would probably ask for a conference.</p>
<p>What did the message say? Who was she trying to call?</p>
<p>As long as what they said about your D was neutral or positive, I’d simply ignore the situation. </p>
<p>If you didn’t like the content of what you heard, or it criss-crosses any of your D’s plans, that’s different and worth a conversation in person, or if necesssary just by phone.</p>
<p>Mistakes happen. They caught it in the middle, and hung up…so that means they were aware and went on to the correct audience next. IF you’re not sure they went to the correct audience next, that would be a reason to phone it in, too. </p>
<p>(If they’d started yakking about someone ELSE’s D on your machine, positive or negative, I’d call it in and tell them to be more careful…)</p>
<p>Mistakes happen. One year we got another kid’s report card in the mail at the end of the year…instead of DS’s. Luckily we knew the other family. We don’t know where DS’s report card ended up. They sent us a duplicate.</p>
<p>Well, may be I did not write it right the first time. I thought everyone should know that HS has only the good thing to say about DD by now. </p>
<p>This GC was refering my DD to “something or someone”. Everything she said about DD was ++++++tive, I mean ++++++++++++++tive, did I use enough positive. </p>
<p>The only problem is that if DD were rejected, she might held a different view about this “something or someone”. </p>
<p>I guess there is nothing we could or should do now.</p>
<p>I’d say ask for a conference too. I guess depending on what you learned. I wonder about leaving confidential material on voice mail because anyone can mis-dial.</p>
<p>Dad II, I did not understand your post very well. Was GC said something very positive about your D, so what is the problem?</p>
<p>$1-0.01, Let me use an example. Let’s say I recommended you for a job at a place you knew the “owner”. Now you know you are recommended with very good words. If you did not get that job. What would you say when you meet that owner next time?</p>
<p>If you did not know the refering nor the rejection. Nothing happened, as far as you are concern. Knowing it, the situation is some what different. Also, this call let us know some private “things” about the “owner”.</p>
<p>This is just my take, but it sounds like the GC was returning a call placed to him by an admissions officer at a college where she has sent an application. The AO was probably asking for more information about your D, in order to help the admissions committee make a decision[? and the GC was returning the call. Thank goodness he was only singing praise about your D. I don’t think this is worth a conference with the GC,</p>
<p>I wouldn’t say anything. I would assume someone more qualified or better suited for the position also applied. I would let this one go. You know now that she got a good rec, if she doesn’t end up with the position/school, there are other factors which you and DD are not privy too.</p>
<p>DAD II, the guidance counselor has NO FINAL SAY in whether or not your D is accepted - it is totally up the college to accept her or not. Don’t blame the counselor who has had nothing but praise for your D. That would be petty. At many top colleges there are simply too many great students who all deserve an acceptance letter- but there simply isn’t room for everyone. That’s life. If you want to blame the college, that’s your choice, but it won’t change the outcome if she is rejected.</p>
<p>I agree with ebeeeee. All you heard were good things – which is wonderful! If your D isn’t accepted, well, we all know that one thing doesn’t get anyone in anywhere. They were looking for a tuba player and your daughter – though wonderful – plays the trombone.</p>
<p>I think it was wonderful that you were able to hear wonderful things about your D when the GC thought they were talking to someone else.</p>
<p>Why is this a problem??</p>
<p>Dad II</p>
<p>I cross-posted with you so I didn’t see how positive it was. I’d leave this alone, not mention it to your daughter. She’s going to have good results anyway, especially if you’ve taken our advice to have some financial safety. She sounds like a gem!</p>
<p>Odd that a guidance counselor would leave a message on a college answering machine. Or think that s/he was. The whole thing rings odd.</p>
<p>^^^ not necessarily. Perhaps the GC was just answering the questions that were asked, and did not want to play telephone tag with an AO who might be up to his eyeballs reading applications right now. It sounds like it was just an error in dialing.</p>
<p>o.k. I think I over reacted when I first heard the message. </p>
<p>I don’t want to going into more details but not school is involved. It is all between private individuals.</p>
<p>It sounds like it’s all good, Dad II–you don’t have to go into details.</p>
<p>The only part that worries me is this: are you SURE from the message that the dialer KNEW she made a mistake when she hung up? DId she say, "um, oops, excuse me, wrong number…or in some way express herself that she knows she goofed?</p>
<p>I just wouldn’t want her to think that she had actually reached the place she needed to reach, so didn’t call the correct place. </p>
<p>That would be the only reason to dial it in. You could even call the GC and leave HER a message, “A confusing message began on our telephone answering machine yesterday but it got interrupted immediately. Our system showed the dialing number was your office. We couldn’t understand the content of the message at all, but just wanted to alert you in case there’s any possible confusion. Thank you.”</p>
<p>That would tell the GC, if she THOUGHT she accomplished her task when she called you, that she needs to actually call the school she meant to call.</p>
<p>After that, I think next time you see the GC, eat some magic forgetting food and pretend it never happened. Blank slate. Since she knows she goofed, she’s doggone embarrassed. The gracious way is to not rub it in her face that she goofed.</p>
<p>You’re a lucky guy.</p>
<p>EDIT: Or if it involved two private individuals, not a school, my same advice applies. Just eat lots of magic forgetting food for both parties, once you are sure the dialer knows she goofed.</p>
<p>It’s like opening the wrong door; oops, embarrassing…back out!</p>
<p>let it go.</p>