- Thank you to all of our teachers for your work in setting up team conferences and assisting any families who are asking questions about Conference Scheduler, etc. Thank you to Annie Phillips for your behind the scenes work with setting this all up and ensuring it works, etc!
- Annie is working on a way to enable the waiting room on Google Meets...see this presentation for a how to!
- Thank you to Chrystal McVey and Drea Bueling for your help with coverage this week! Chrystal has her teaching sub license and was able to help cover art for 5th grade at Karcher a few times when we needed it! Drea then came in early to cover Chrystal - thank you both!!!
- Continued Kudos to Jenny Geyso for all of her work with JEDI... it is all new learning for everyone and Jenny has truly been killing it with JEDI! If you see her please say thank you!!!!!!
Article This Week: With conferences this week this article is fitting! Conferences are going to look different this year (and may provide us with some ideas for future years) so we thought these tips/reminders would be great for this week!
Parent-Teacher Conferences During COVID:
10 Things to Know
Remote. In-person. Hybrid. No matter how kids are learning this year, parent-teacher conferences are going to be different. There will be new topics to talk about — from participation in live video lessons to challenges with wearing masks. On top of that, some conferences will be virtual.
Here are 10 things to know about parent-teacher conferences this year:
For Teachers
1. Videoconferences might make families anxious.
Videoconferencing can bring new challenges for families. Some may not be familiar with the technology. Or they might not be comfortable speaking on camera. (That may be especially true if English isn’t their first language.)
It can help to send them information about the videoconference tool before the meeting. Also, be prepared to share your screen during the conference so you can show them the tools you’re using for online learning.
Get more tips on holding virtual meetings with families.
2. Families have information that can help you support your students.
Families know how school went for their kids last spring. They also have information about how their child is adjusting so far this year. Ask what’s working — and what’s not working — with the new ways of learning.
3. Consider asking the student to attend the conference.
Students may be at home with their families during virtual conferences. It might feel uncomfortable for students to know they’re being talked about in the other room. If students attend the conference (or part of it), you can all talk about how things are going.
4. Empathy is important.
Families may be feeling more stressed than usual. Take a moment to ask how families are doing. Listen and respond with empathy. Assure families that you’re on a team together to support their child.
5. Small moments are worth celebrating.
When times are stressful, it can be hard to see the positives. But it’s important to acknowledge any progress or success. Share small moments you’ve noticed, like an insight from an assignment or a thoughtful question raised in a conversation. Thank families for partnering with you.
For Families
1. Finding time to meet may be more difficult than usual.
You may have more to juggle these days, between your job, your child’s learning, and other family demands. Your child’s teacher is probably juggling many of the same things. If none of the proposed conference times work for you, let the teacher know. Share some times that are better for you.
2. You have essential information to share with your child’s teacher.
If your child is or had been learning at home, you may be seeing strengths and struggles the teacher doesn’t see. The more you share with your child’s teacher, the more you can work together to help your child thrive.
Your child’s teacher may also ask you for specific feedback on their distance learning instruction. Be honest about what’s working and what isn’t.
3. All questions are good questions.
You probably have questions about your child’s academic skills and progress. You may want to know what your child is expected to do at this grade level.
But you may also have questions about the new ways of learning this year — from technology to schedules. You might want the teacher to show you how to get into Google Classroom or another tool. It’s OK to ask about those things, too.
4. Building a relationship with your child’s teacher is important — even at a distance.
Social distancing can make it feel harder to connect with your child’s teacher. This conference might be your first chance to talk one-on-one. Use this meeting as an opportunity to build a strong parent-teacher relationship.
5. This is all new for your child’s teacher, too.
Teachers are still figuring out how to teach during a pandemic. They’ll appreciate hearing about any bright spots so far. Thank them for all they’re doing during this uncertain time.
Information/Reminders
- We will be meeting in the Karcher library from 3:45-5:30
- Just an FYI... this committee will be working to solidify the science, social studies, and language Essential Skills for K-5 so that all Essential Skills are ready to roll come the Fall of 2021. I know this does not pertain to you all but it is sometimes nice to know what's happening across the district!
- SLOs & PPGs were due... if you haven't submitted yours yet please do so!
- Student IDs - This is a reminder to remind students to always bring their student IDs to lunch IF they are taking the free lunch or will be wanting to purchase anything from food service!
- Reminders are already in the announcements for students!
- Extended Advisory/iTime Plans:
- Just a reminder this week is Character Education Lessons from our advisory committee!
- Here are the plans (also on the Karcher Calendar)
- Monday/Tuesday: Email Protocol and Unity Day Lead-up Lesson
- Thursday/Friday: Unity Day Lesson
- All students will receive a unity wristband upon entrance into the building!
- Tuesday, October 20 - Grades should be posted by 3:30!!!
- Wednesday, October 21 - P/T Conferences Day!
- 7:00 - 8:00 teacher work day
- Full staffs break at 11:00 - 11:30 & 3:00 - 4:00
- This is a reminder to look at the conferences set up within Skyward on Monday.
- Are there adjustments that need to be made with teams? With individual parents? If yes, reach out ASAP to talk with those families.
- No students should be scheduled to come in this Wednesday due to conferences taking place throughout the day. Of course if you have one or two that is totally fine! More so a reminder that there is no expectation for you to be scheduling students to come in this Wednesday.
- Wednesday, October 21 - Emmons Furniture Staff Meetings
- This Wednesday and next Wednesday Emmons will be coming to BASD to meet with our staff about furniture for the 6-8 building.
- Below is a screenshot of the times and staff for this week. Everyone involved has already been notified of their times, etc. We will be using Room 245 (off the library) for these meetings. Please be on time to your noted time!
- Wednesday, October 28 will be meetings with office staff, LMC staff, and PE staff. The schedule will be shared later this week!
- Academic staff (includes sped & Spanish) - I am sure you are wondering... well... when do we meet with Emmons??? Furniture has been ordered for a pilot classroom along with other alternative items that could make up the academic spaces. We will have them all onsite and in the actual real settings in one of the academic wings of the 6-8 building. We will then have staff come into the building (in small groups) to view the options and give your feedback. We felt this makes the most sense and will be the most efficient way for these spaces! This will take place most likely in mid-November.
- 6th grade staff is in the loop as well!
