Parent/teacher conferences are quickly approaching and will take place on November 21st and 22nd. Very soon, you'll be receiving information about how to schedule a conference with your child's teacher (for students in grades K-5) or meet with your student's teachers in an arena-style conference (for students in grades 6-12). We strongly encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to meet with teachers to discuss your child's progress. If you need additional information regarding conferences, please be sure to contact the main office at the school your child attends.
Your feedback is important. You may be asked to participate in a short survey as we gather parent/guardian input regarding the structure and value of conferences. We appreciate your thoughts and look forward to using the information collected to ensure that conferences meet your needs and provide you with helpful information about your child's progress and experience at school.
The schedule for conference week is as follows:
- Monday, November 21st is a half-day for all students. Conferences will begin on Monday afternoon and will continue into the evening hours.
- Tuesday, November 22nd and Wednesday, November 23rd are non-student days in all buildings. Teachers will be engaged in parent/teacher conferences or in student-led conferences throughout the day and into the evening on each of these days.
- Fall conferences lead directly into Thanksgiving Break, which officially begins on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 24th).
Here are a few strategies to maximize the value of your conference:
Conferences are valuable for students, parents, and teachers:
For students, the parent-teacher conference provides an opportunity to reinforce positive attitudes about school and behaviors that foster growth. The facts are overwhelming, students whose parents are interested and involved in the student's school experience generally achieve at higher levels. For teachers, conferences create a unique and personal opportunity to establish a positive partnership in your student's learning. Teachers often come away from conferences saying they learned a great deal through these face-to-face interactions with their student's parents/guardians.
For parents, conferences offer the opportunity to sit with the teacher and talk about their's child's growth and academic progress. Conferences can also help parents build a better understanding of the daily routines and expectations in the classroom. This is an important opportunity for parents to get a snapshot of their child as a learner and ask questions about how to help at home. If you have a serious concern about an area of academic growth, be sure to let the teacher know. Your child's teacher(s) will be happy to share strategies and ideas to increase success and self-assurance.
Teachers put a great deal of work and time into preparation for these conferences. They are eager to help your child be the best he/she can be. Your support is vital in creating the best possible educational experience for your child.
In order to make your conference experience the best it can be, we've provided some questions you might want to ask. Additionally, we've also suggested some things you might want to tell the teacher about your child.
Things you may want to ask the teacher:
- How is my child doing academically?
- Does my child participate in classroom activities?
- Does he/she show self-control in school?
- Can my child work independently, or does he/she need supervision?
- How does my child get along with classmates?
- How is my child handling grade-level learning materials?
- Has my child shown any special interests or abilities?
- How can I help my child at home?
- Does my child express thoughts and ideas clearly?
- Does my child seem to be happy in school?
Things you may want to tell the teacher:
- Which school activities your child talks about most while at home.
- What responsibilities your child handles at home.
- If anything has happened lately at home that might affect your child's performance at school.
- Whether or not your child willingly communicates and completes homework assignments.
- What you believe to be your child's strengths and weaknesses.