Dear Lake Louise Families,
Welcome to November! It has been an exciting several months of learning and teaching, growing as a school community, and celebrating how far we have already come, while also looking forward to all the opportunities yet to come this year. In addition, this time of year marks the beginning of a season with several holidays widely celebrated by families, complete with time honored traditions, many of which focus on celebrating family, gratitude, and the spirit of togetherness with those we hold most dear. With this, there are recognized holidays away from school.
- Friday, November 10th: NO SCHOOL in observance of Veterans’ Day
- Wednesday, November 22nd, Early Release @ 11:40 a.m.
- Thursday, November 23rd & Friday, November 24th: NO SCHOOL, Thanksgiving Day Holiday
In addition, November also is the time we hold our first set of Parent-Teacher Conferences. The following dates are set aside as conference days, with school getting out at 11:40 a.m. each day:
- Wednesday, November 15th
- Wednesday, November 16th
- Wednesday, November 17th.
Students will be dismissed at 11:40 AM each day to allow teachers the time to meet with families. We are looking forward to meeting with you and learning more about your child. As we hold these meetings, we will be interested to hear how we can best serve their specific needs, while also hearing about your hopes and dreams for your child. In addition, this is a time for your child’s teacher to share the progress your child is making with academic standards and the growth they are making socially. Parent-Teacher Conferences are one more way we can partner together to support your child’s growth and development while at Lake Louise.
Conference Preparation
Before the Conference:
Talk with your child about school...Likes, dislikes, feelings, etc.
- Write down your concerns...Academic progress, problems at home, behavior, peer relations, attitude, and questions about the teacher’s discipline plan or homework policy.
- If needed, arrange or have the school plan for an interpreter to be present.
During the Conference:
- Discuss the concerns you have written down.
- Be sure to ask clarifying questions if something does not make sense.
- Ask for suggestions about how you can support your child with academics at home.
After the Conference:
- Talk with your child about the conference. Share any positive comments the teacher made.
- Follow up with any suggestions you and the teacher agreed upon.
- Be sure to call the teacher any time you have a question or concern.
Understanding the Report Card
During your student’s conference you will be looking at your child’s report card. Here is some useful information to both help you prepare for the conference and understand the report card.
What are standards? These are the specific skills or knowledge we want a child to have by the end of a school year.
Why are standards necessary? Having standards helps us to ensure that students are making progress all year long toward the same learning goals regardless of which teacher they have or which school they attend.
What is a Rubric? Rubric scores tell you only if your child is on target for this point in the school year.
What do the O, S, and N really mean?
O means your child can do more than the standard.
S means your child can do what the standard expects at this point in the year.
N means your child cannot do most of what we would expect for this point in the school year.
From the entire staff at Lake Louise, I want to thank you once again for your engagement, trust, and willingness to partner with us.
Happy November!