Principal Walder's Monday Memo
For the Week of November 5
Tips for Successful Parent-Teacher Conferences
- Let Parents Share! You most likely have a lot to share, but make sure that parents have the opportunity to ask questions. This is a safe time and place for parents to communicate with you. As a professional educator, you may be intimidating to many parents for so many outside reasons. Make sure you give them time, too.
- Take Notes! You will be very busy and taking down some notes will help you to remember what you can do to follow up to continue to make parent-teacher communication successful. If you have had trouble reaching this parent, ask if there is a better mode of communication that they would prefer.
- Be on time! Keep a copy of your schedule posted at the door and at the table where you are having conferences. If you need, set a timer on your phone and when it gets to 13 minutes, stand up politely and ask the parent to schedule a follow-up phone conference to review the additional questions. Kindly let the parent know that you want to be respectful to all of the parents signed up when or if you have to cut anybody's conversation off.
- It's okay to not know all the answers. If a parent asks you something that you cannot answer--it's okay. Let them know that you will look into it, take notes, consult us, and then get back to the parent within a couple of days.
- Follow up! Any new issues that you find out about, make sure to schedule a time to follow up within the next week. A quick phone call or email will help to keep the conversation going. Research overwhelmingly shows that increased parent communication leads to parent feelings of involvement, and increased student achievement. Parent-teacher conferences are the continuation of the conversation, not the end.
Thank you for all you do for our Titans! Take some time to celebrate as you get to visit with parents again. Thank you!
Schedule Reminders for the Week:
At all Monday conferences and through your regular communication this week, remind parents that there is no school on Thursday for grades Preschool- 8. There is school at the High School and parents may see busses. Thank you!
Parent-Teacher Conference Notes:
- Complete the parent-teacher conference schedule in Google Drive linked here. You can access it through the Google Drive Legacy Resources Folder, too. We use this to help direct parents. Please have this complete before Noon tomorrow.
- Red sheets should all be handed out. Please see Karen if you are missing a sheet. keep track of attendance and include very short notes about attendance (if necessary). If they are longer notes, you will want to add them to a separate document and keep them for your records.
Parent-Teacher Conferences Schedule:
- Monday, November 5th from 4:00- 7:30 pm (Lunch on your own)
- Thursday, November 8th from 8:00- 4:00 pm (TAPTO is providing lunch.)
- As conferences were moved, please note that there is a half hour less conference time total. Monday night ends at 7:30 pm instead of 8:00 pm as previously scheduled.
Mrs. Walder's Schedule
Monday:
- 7:40 Individual Teacher Meeting
- 10:30 Individual Teacher Meeting
- 1:20- 2:05 1st Grade PLC in Mrs. Westhoff's Room Bring Computers.
- 2:10- 2:55 Kindergarten PLC in Mrs. Snell's Room Bring Computers.
- 4:00- 7:30 Parent- Teacher Conferences
- 7:30- 8:00 Help tear down Book Fair, if available
Tuesday:
- 7:40 TAT Meeting in Mrs. Henderson's Room
- 8:30- 9:15 Teacher Observation
- 9:30- 10:15 4th Grade PLC in Mrs. Rhead's Room Bring Computers.
- 10:20- 11:05 3rd Grade PLC in Mr. Westhoff's Room Bring Computers.
Wednesday:
- 9:00- 9:30 JK PLC in Mrs. Nelson's Room
- 12:30- 1:15 2nd Grade PLC in Mrs. Walder's Room
- TAPTO Cookie Dough Fundraiser pickup after school in commons
Thursday:
- No Teacher Meeting
- No School
- Parent-Teacher Conferences
- Lunch Served by TAPTO
Friday:
- No School
Contact Mrs. Walder
Email: Samantha.Walder@k12.sd.us
Website: https://www.teaschools.k12.sd.us/
Location: Tea, SD, USA
Phone: 6058817381
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeaAreaLegacy/