P/T Conferences at Belle Plaine

Next week on Wednesday and Thursday, March 19th and 20th, Belle Plaine Schools will be holding their spring Parent/Teacher Conferences.  In the fall, attendance at the conferences was outstanding with over 94% attendance.  Our goal this spring is to surpass this mark and possibly shoot for 100% attendance.  A key ingredient for educational achievement is the parent-teacher conference, and to make sure they're successful for both parents and teachers, some advice for effective parent/teacher conferences is listed below.

The first on the list: Show up, please!

We know parents are busy, but it is important to carve out time to invest in your child’s education and ensure success at school.  To get the most out of parent-teacher conferences, parents need to take an active role in their child’s education year-round and come prepared to discuss how their child can reach their full potential.

Get Ready.  Do your homework prior to parent-teacher conferences. Prepare by writing notes to yourself concerning:

◦   Any questions about the school’s programs or policies.

◦   Things you can share with the teacher about your child and his life at home.

◦   Questions about your child’s progress.

Ask Important Questions

Don’t be afraid to engage in a honest conversation with your child’s teacher. Your goal is to develop a plan for your child’s success at school. Good questions to ask the teacher include:

◦   What are my child’s strengths and weaknesses?

◦   How does my child get along with classmates?

◦   Is my child working up to his/her ability? Where could he/she use improvement?

◦   What can we do at home to support what you are doing in the classroom?

Initiate the Plan

Start immediately on the plan you and the teacher put together. Discuss the plan with your child and track their progress. Stay in touch with your child’s teacher throughout the year and keep the communication lines open.

Parental support is one of the most important factors in student achievement.  The support and encouragement from home is extremely important to the overall growth and development of every student.  

"It is not what you do for your children, but what you have taught them to do for themselves, that will make them successful human beings." -Ann Landers

See you all next week!!