Hamilton Families,
It is hard
to believe the first marking period is over. Students have settled into
the routine of school and working hard each day. Teachers have finished
with review materials from last year’s grade level and have now started new
academic learning at their perspective grade levels. It is very important
parents attend parent conferences. This is really the first opportunity
teachers and parents have to sit and discuss academic and social
progress. It allows both the teacher and the parent to build a
relationship with each other in the best interest of the child.
Conferences are being held November 20th-21st.
Conference sign up forms were sent home last week and are due back this week.
If you no longer have a form just contact your child’s teacher requesting a
conference time.
Remember conferences aren’t just a
time for teachers to share with parents it is also a time for parents to share
or ask questions of teachers. From a Principal’s prospective, below are a
few questions parents can ask to help facilitate meaningful conversation about
students.
1.
Is
my child performing at grade level in reading? Is my child performing at
grade level in math?
2.
What
are my child’s strengths? What are my child’s challenges?
3.
Is
my child working hard and putting forth their best effort?
4.
How
does my child interact with other children? Do they seem happy and
socially engaged at school?
5.
What
do all these benchmark assessments tell you about my child? What
specifically do they need help with in reading and/or math?
6.
Tell
the teacher how you prefer them to communicate with you and ask them how they
would like you to communicate with them.
7.
Ask
the teacher how they address academic and social challenges as they
occur. Has the teacher ever used these techniques with your child?
8.
Find
out about the teacher’s feelings toward homework. Do they have a homework
policy? What are their expectations concerning homework?
9.
Ask
what you can do at home to support what is happening in the classroom.
10.
Don’t
forget you know your child better than anyone. Tell the teacher about
your child and how they respond, learn and cope with different situations and
experiences.
Monique Pannebaker
Principal