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Conferences

What is the purpose of a parent-teacher conference?

Elementary parent-teacher conferences provide an opportunity for teachers and educational support staff and parent and caregivers to discuss students’ academic progress, social-emotional and behavioral growth, and mental and physical well-being. Our schools invite all parents and caregivers to sign up for conferences.

What should parents expect during a conference?

During a scheduled conference, teachers will provide information about students’ academic and behavioral progress in class using the Standards-Based Progress Report for the appropriate grade level. The teacher will also share information about students’ achievement on assessments. The teacher will likely give parents examples of their students’ work that demonstrate achievement in certain areas.

In some schools, grade levels, and classrooms, teachers may use “student-led conferences,” enabling the student to actively participate in the conversation. This kind of conference provides an opportunity for students to articulate their strengths in the classroom, while verbalizing the areas where they may have challenges. 

How can a parent prepare for a conference?

Arriving with specific questions to discuss with the teacher can help guide the conversation and ensure that parents and caregivers leave the conference with the information they need.  Here are a few potential questions that may be helpful:

  • What are my child’s academic strengths and challenges?
  • What does my child’s grade reflect? (Homework completion? Skills learned? Test and quiz scores?)
  • What materials could I use to help at home?
  • How much time should my child spend on homework?
  • What kind of homework help should we provide at home?
  • Does my child use their time effectively in class?
  • In what ways do you reward positive behavior in class, and what are consequences for misbehavior? 
     

What about after the conference?

Our teachers are committed to nurturing strong partnerships with school families. We want to host meaningful parent-teacher conferences and follow-up meetings when necessary. It is important to keep lines of communication open between home and school.