Students at Victor Scott Primary played energetically yesterday while a group of parents took a break from their workday to help supervise the school lunch hour.

Principal Dr. Gina Tucker was with parents during the 45-minute lunch break, usually supervised by teachers.

Last week teachers began a work-to-rule action which means they are no longer carrying out custodial duties like supervising lunch and recess duties and helping administer exams. Teachers are asking to be put on the same pay scale as other civil servants.

Since the work to rule, parents at Victor Scott Primary have pitched in with supervision. Five of them work full-time in Hamilton and use their lunch hours to oversee the children. There is also a full-time mother helping out.

The parents told they are willing to help with the duties to make sure the students were safe and properly supervised. They also said they hoped the Ministry of Education can work with teachers to resolve the pay issue as soon as possible.

Jewell Wears, the school?s PTA secretary and one of the volunteer parents, said the children need their support. ?Children come first,? she said.

When asked about the teachers demands for higher pay, Mrs. Wears said whatever pay levels teachers are entitled to they should receive.

Victor Scott PTA president Anthony Lightbourne, who participated in the parents march on Cabinet yesterday morning, said he wanted to make sure the students were safe while playing.

?We?re here because we are concerned about the children and we want, as parents, to see the issue resolved,? he said.

A stay-at-home mother, who did not want to be named, said: ?Most parents at the school have been responsive, some parents are not able to come out and help but there are many who are willing to sacrifice their time. It?s not the most convenient time to come out as I have a young child, but we are concerned about the kids safety.?

She said there are other parents who could not always find the time off work to help with the afternoon supervision duties. ?We?re hoping this will be resolved in about two weeks at the longest,? she said.

When asked if she had made alternative arrangements for her child in the event of a sick out, she said most parents were not aware of the news and did not expect teachers at Victor Scott to take such action.

?We?ve had no knowledge of the sick outs. The teachers here would not do something like that,? she said.

Another parent, who also did not wish to be named, said she will help at the lunch hour as long as necessary, but said her work day had been affected. ?This places stress on me and on my job, but I?m willing to be out to support my child. My child?s future is important, and if this is where I need to be, this is where I will be.?

Dr. Tucker said none of the teachers at the school called in sick.

Yesterday, Harrington Sound Primary School principal Beverley Daniels said conducting the school?s custodial duties was having a serious impact on new teacher evaluations which must be completed by the end of May.

In addition to her regular duties, she has taken on an extra two hours of custodial work a day. And she said she has a number of new teachers who she personally must oversee as part of their training.

?My focus has changed from being an institutional leader to managing the students and making sure they are safe,? she said.