PC Principal's Post
Every Student. Every Day. No Matter What.
Prairie Center Elementary
Home of the Pioneers
10/1/2021
Congratulations!
Sign Off for Trainings that you completed!
Code of Ethics Annual Review 2021-2022 (olatheschools.org)
Please click on the following link to sign off on the suicide prevention training that Christiann presented. If you weren't in attendance, please review the link that she shared in a previous email and sign off:
Parent/Teacher Conferences
As we get closer to parent/teacher conferences, please make sure that you have made contact with any parents of students that you have concerns about (academic or behavior). Please do not let the conference be the first time that this is discussed.
Addressing Various Parent Concerns
• My child is never at fault – “Stick to the facts,” advises Novick. “Document your conversations… Documentation can help clarify facts, reduce emotional exaggeration, and avoid legal disputes.” To prevent teachers, administrators, and other adults being played off against each other, he suggests including the student in meetings.
• The teacher or administrator must be wrong about what my child did – Let the parent have his or her say first, says Novick. “Encouraging parents to share their worries first enables you to remind them in a firm-yet-understanding tone that the rules of the school apply even if they don’t necessarily agree with all of them.” It’s helpful to have another educator present at the meeting.
• He’s your problem now – “Some parents are drowning in a world of financial despair and/or emotional, physical, or family issues,” says Novick. “First, see if these survival concerns are being met.” If the parent isn’t in a position to help with a child’s issues, work with the school counselor to find rewards, motivations, and consequences within the school.
• Second-guessing teachers and administrators – Don’t always assume the worst and avoid getting defensive, says Novick. The parent may be using questions about the curriculum and other matters to understand what’s going on and feel part of a child’s education. “The more information that these parents have on the front-end, the less apt they are to question how things were handled on the back-end,” he says.
• Harassing, intimidating, or bullying behaviors – When parents are in this mode, Novick advises against using e-mail (it can come across as confrontational) or picking up the phone while angry. Timeliness is also important – getting to the parent with the school’s side of the story before the child has a chance to stoke anger at home.
• My child will attend school when he or she chooses to – Look for patterns in children’s absence, advises Novick, as well as signs of abuse or neglect, and provide missed work for chronically absent children.
• Passive-aggressive behavior – Becoming too friendly with parents – accepting a daily cup of coffee or a bagel, chatting on social media or the soccer field, accepting a compliment that includes an invidious comparison with another educator – can come back to haunt you, says Novick. Maintain appropriate boundaries at all times.
• My child is being victimized by teachers (or other students) – Steer the conversation away from blaming or victimizing, says Novick. “Remind them that it is the behavior that you are addressing. You are not condemning their child’s character or, consequently, their parenting skills.” In addition, it’s important for the school to work toward consistent discipline policies from classroom to classroom.
• Helicoptering – Be proactive in contacting these parents and affirming their deep and passionate concern for their children’s well-being. “These parents are concerned that their child will not be able to handle the proverbial ‘real world’ without their intervention,” says Novick. “When you report successes to the parents, it helps them to realize that they do not have to do everything for their child.”
• Distrustful of public schools, administrators, and teachers – “Don’t focus on being right or wrong,” says Novick. “Focus on what is right for the student.” And look for face-saving “win-win” solutions.
“The 10 Most Challenging Types of Parents – and How to Work With Them” by Brett Novick in Principal Leadership, September 2015 (Vol. 15, #1, p. 44-48), no e-link available
Conferences
I have encouraged parents to sign up for one conference per child. With that said, you will have to use your professional judgement in determining if it is best to hold two separate conferences.
Since you are able to get conferences done throughout the week, I am putting a feeler out there to determine if it is worth having dinner provided on Thursday late afternoon. Are you going to be here in the afternoon on Thursday and want dinner if it is provided? Sign up here:
ZOOM READY FOR CONFERENCES?
With Parent-Teacher Conferences right around the corner, we want to remind staff to restart their devices and practice launching a Zoom meeting with peers to ensure that audio, video, microphone, and screen sharing are functioning properly. Doing so ahead of time will help ensure a successful event and allows the Help Desk time to troubleshoot any issues that might arise. New staff should review the recommended resources:
If you require assistance, please contact the Help Desk by email at helpdesk@olatheschools.org or by phone at (913) 780-8058.
Report Cards
Fall Parties
I just wanted to let you know that we received some recommendations about the class parties since we are coming up on October. We will begin the fun at 2:15 on Friday, October 29th.
Here is an overview of the recommendations that I have shared with PTO:
- Limit the amount of parent volunteers in the classroom during the party. Suggestion was to have the room parent and at most couple of parents per room for the party.
- Instead of having food and trying to have students unmasked at different times to eat, the suggestion was to have a goodie bag instead to go home. If snacks are provided, we will have to adhere to the same procedures as we have during snack time.
- For the parade, the suggestion is to do it outside and parents are invited to watch. If weather was an issue, we would come inside and do the parade… but only be able to have the staff and students participate (and room parent/helpers).
- Siblings that don’t attend the school would not be allowed to limit the amount of people in the school.
SEPTEMBER 24TH LITERACY MTSS PRESENTATION DECK
MAP REPORTING OF RESULTS TO FAMILIES
It is recommended that we not print MAP reports for families at this time (simply due to paper concerns). If you have printed already, that is okay. In order to support a paperless reporting for families, please see the attached documents that you may use to communicate with your families through your weekly newsletter.
If you decide to print, attached are the directions and the letters for parents.
Panorama
Panorama results should be available by October 6. You may choose to give individual results to families during Parent Teacher Conferences or use individual results as a reference during conferences. Raw scores will also be uploaded to ParentVue later in October.
October 8th AM
October 8th will be a building PD day. We will have a hodgepog of topics to discuss including:
- Mandatory Reporting
- ESI Training
- LIM Grade Level/Department follow up from coaching day
- LIM Action Team Time
- PLC Time
October 8th PM
The PM is considered teacher prep and a flex day.
Calendar for Next Week
Monday, October 4th - D Day
Tuesday, October 5th - E Day
*Sean at District Meeting in AM
*SIT Day
**9:00 Daniels
**10:00 Diltz
**11:30 Young
**12:30 Hammeke/Templeton
**1:30 Tyrer
**2:30 Pomerenke
Wednesday, October 6th - A Day
*Sean at District Meeting 1:00-2:30
*Lighthouse Team Meeting 4:00
Thursday, October 7th - B Day
Friday, October 8th - No School
*AM - Building PD
*PM - Grade/Conference Prep