The PRES Press
Principal's Monthly Newsletter, March 2018
C.A.R.E. Assembly & School Spirit Day
We will hold our next monthly CARE assembly on, Thursday, March 22nd. Students and staff are invited to wear PRES clothes or the school color, green, for our school-wide assembly. At this assembly, we will focus on what “CARE” looks like on the playground.
On Friday, March 23rd, we will celebrate our school spirit with Superhero Day! Unleash the superhero in each of you! What is your special power? Dress as your favorite superhero! Be creative. Have the power to be the one and only YOU!
Report Cards Go Live on March 14th
How and when can I view my child’s report card?
Your child’s second semester report card will become available online via the eSchool Data Parent Portal on Wednesday, March 14th, after 3:00 pm. To access the Portal, click on the following link: https://www.bcsdny.org/domain/90 or go to the District homepage and click on the “Parent Portal” link in the lower right-hand corner. Click below for directions on accessing your child’s report card via the Portal (these directions are also available on our District website):
Strategies for a Successful Parent-Teacher Conference
Thursday, March 15 and Friday, March 23.
Conferences originally scheduled for Friday, March 16th will be rescheduled. Your child's teacher will be in touch with a new date/time.
Thursday, March 15 = 11:30 AM Early Dismissal (No Lunch Served)
Friday, March 16 = Half-Day for Students; 11:30 AM Early Dismissal
(NO P/T Conferences and No Lunch Served)
Friday, March 23 = 11:30 AM Early Dismissal (No Lunch Served)
This article from www.care.com, posted by Rachel Bozek, articulates some key strategies for helping parents to have a successful parent-teacher conference. Remember, you and the teacher are a team - working together. Dr. Scott Mandel, author of The Parent-Teacher Partnership: How to Work Together for Student Achievement, explains several ways parents can contribute to making the conference a productive and informative meeting. Here are a number of helpful strategies for you to keep in mind at your upcoming parent-teacher conference, and throughout the school year.
1. Plan ahead.
Mark your calendar. For families where the parents are separated or divorced, and if there are step-parents, try to ensure that everyone is included whenever possible (and if there's not too much tension). The goal is for all parties involved to be aware of what's happening in the classroom, even if they're participating via Skype or speaker phone.
It's likely that the conference will flow smoothly and the teacher will jump right in and kick off a constructive discussion. Still, it can't hurt to have a few questions in your back pocket, in case he or she doesn't hit all of the points you're hoping will be addressed. Here are a few examples.
* What do you see as my child's strengths and weaknesses?
* What can we do at home to help maintain progress and success?
* At what point will we hear from you if you sense a problem?
3. Start with a team-player approach.
Approach challenges or issues the teacher raises with the attitude of "We have to address this problem as partners." This makes coming up with solutions considerably easier for everyone involved -- objectivity will be crucial for a successful school year.
4. Keep the teacher informed.
Teachers love-and appreciate-knowing what's going on with your child, both at the time of the conference and beyond. It's important to keep him or her up on any changes in your child's life, such as medications, family problems, if it's a dual-home family, or if a family member went into the hospital. Mandel points out, "Sometimes a child starts acting up in class, and the teacher thinks it's just a behavior problem, but doesn't realize that Grandpa had a heart attack this weekend."
5. Express interest in being an involved parent.
Whether you work fulltime or part-time, involvement is about making decisions and staying aware of what's happening within your child's education, not just about who's able to chaperone every field trip. Danielle Janson, mom of second-grade twins in Herndon, VA, says, "At my first conference, I wished I had asked more about the reading system and the level of books my children should be reading. There can be a big difference between the books they pick up in the library and the books they should really be reading."
6. Don't get hung up on academics.
According to Mandel, the most important lessons children learn in kindergarten and first grade are with regard to socialization, not academics. He points to Robert Fulghum's All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten to emphasize this point and says, "Every parent should get a copy of that when their children enter kindergarten -- because it's true."
7. Respect the teacher's time.
Don't plan on taking up too much time during the conference. You might have questions after the meeting ends, and even in the days that follow. Before you leave, ask the teacher, "How do you prefer that we contact you-after school, via email, with a phone call?" Keeping a list of your questions and concerns can help you organize your thoughts so you can approach the teacher effectively whenever necessary. If you have a specific concern after the conference, definitely let the teacher know. Say something like, "I have some questions about this issue. When would be a good time for you to contact me?"
8. Maintain perspective.
Teachers really do understand how you feel about your child. Megan Unger, a kindergarten teacher in Minneapolis, MN, says, "For seven hours a day, I am responsible for the most precious thing in these two people's life. I try to remember that, during conferences and always!"
Still, Mandel mentions, "While the child may be the center of your universe, he or she is not the center of the classroom universe." Maintaining awareness about both ends of this spectrum can contribute greatly to establishing-and preserving-a healthy parent-teacher relationship. This partnership is the basis of the entire conference, and, ultimately, a long-term alliance. Success comes out of recognition that the teacher is an educational professional, and that your child is a complex entity who is different in different locations, from home to school.
9. Report new strategies
Now it's time to involve your nanny, babysitters, and any other after-school caregivers in what you've learned. Need a new homework plan? Create an after-school snack-and-study strategy and then an after-dinner review. Get all parents and caregivers on board so your child can have the most successful school year possible.
BCSD Elementary Bike Run 2018
Registration is now OPEN for the 8th Annual BCSD Elementary BikeRun on Sunday, May 20, 2018! If you have kids in elementary school in BCSD, please sign them up soon - capacity is 400 and it fills quickly! Let's make sure we represent PRES at this District-wide event! It's a great event for school-spirit, fitness, family and fun!
Register Online Here
Registration will close on Friday, March 30.
See you at the BikeRun!
Upcoming Events at PRES
March 15 = 11:30 Early Dismissal; P/T conferences
March 16 = 11:30 Early Dismissal
March 22 = CARE Assembly (wear PRES clothes)
March 23 = School Spirit Day - Superhero Day!
March 23 = 11:30 Early Dismissal; P/T conferences
March 28 = PRES Annual Spelling Bee
March 30 - April 4 = Spring VacationApril 5, 6 = Full Student Days
April 11, 12, 13 = Grades 3-5 NYS ELA Testing
(2 consecutive days during this 3-day window)
May 1, 2, 3 = Grades 3-5 NYS Math Testing
(2 consecutive days during this 3-day window)
May 23, 24, 25 - Grade 4 NYS Science Testing (Performance Test)
June 4 = Grade 4 NYS Science Testing (Written Test)
Thank You!
Thank you to Chief Ryan, Chief Brent, and all the police officers, fire fighters, EMTs, first responders, and staff members at the Town House, Library, Scott's Corners Market, and Pound Ridge businesses for keeping us safe and restoring power safely to the families of PRES.
Thank you to the PTA for their ongoing support, partnership, and countless hours of time spent coordinating enrichment programs and opportunities for our students at PRES. We are so appreciative of your efforts.