Buckeye Elementary School District Superintendent’s Letter October 2014 Dear Colleagues, Parents and Community Members, I have to say that fall is my favorite time of year. Coming from the Pacific Northwest we did have leaves changing but with that came lots of rain and freezing cold! I am happy to be here with our cooler weather, Fall Break, fall festivals, holidays and the first quarter of school under our belts. It is hard to believe that Parent/Teacher Conferences are around the corner. In my letter this month, I wanted to share some information and tips to help your conferences go smoothly as well as congratulate our esteemed October Employees of the Month. They will be honored with a breakfast sponsored by Cracker Barrel of Buckeye, a ribbon and a plaque. They will also be featured on our website! We are so proud of them and their contributions to our mission of being “A Community Passionate about Student Success.”           Maria Amador – Special Education Paraprofessional – Buckeye Elementary School Carol Andrade – Paraprofessional – Preschool Jason Bourne – Central Office – Academic Assessment Specialist Tmber DeLong – Superintendent’s Office – Executive Assistant to Dr. Kristi Sandvik and Dr. Randy Watkins Christy Fisher – 1st grade Teacher – Jasinski Elementary School Blake Gorle – 5th grade Teacher – Jasinski Elementary School Denise Henry – Counselor – Jasinski Elementary School Pilar Munoz – Cross Walk Aide – Inca Elementary School Amy Tixier – 2nd grade Teacher – Inca Elementary School LesLee White – 2nd grade Teacher – Buckeye Elementary School From October 22-23, 2014 we will be having our first Parent/Teacher conferences of the year in BESD. This is a time when important people in your child’s life can talk about how your child is doing in school. It's a chance for you to ask questions about the class or your child's progress. It is also a time for you and the teacher to work together as a team to discuss ways you both can help your son or daughter. We in BESD believe that our schools work in partnership with parents to ensure that our students will achieve in all areas. As a parent, you are your child’s first and most important teacher. You and your child’s school have something in common: You both want your child to learn and do well. When parents and teachers talk to each other, each person can share important information about your child’s talents and needs. Each person can also learn something new about how to help your child. Parent–teacher conferences are a great way to start talking to your child’s teachers. This tip sheet suggests ways that you can make the most of parent-teacher conferences so that everyone wins, especially your child. According to the National Parent/Teacher Association in an article entitled, Making Parent/Teacher Conferences Work for your Child, they list ten questions parents can ask the teacher or teachers during the conference: 1. What subject does my student like most? Least? 2. What can I do to help my student with subjects he finds difficult? How can I help my student study? Prepare for class? Improve his work? A good time to ask these questions is when the teacher gives you samples of your son's or daughter's work. 3. Is my student trying as hard as he can? 4. Does my student participate in class discussions and activities? 5. Is my student in different classes or groups for different subjects? Which ones? How are the groups determined? 6. How well does my student get along with others? 7. Has my student missed classes? 8. Have you noticed changes in the way my student acts? For example, have you noticed squinting, tiredness, or moodiness that might be a sign of physical or other problems? 9. How are you measuring my student's progress? Through tests? Portfolios? Class participation? Projects? 10. What kinds of tests do you give? What do the tests show about my student's progress? How does my student handle taking tests? I sincerely hope your parent/teacher conferences go very well and that you take the time to let our schools and teachers know how much they are valued and appreciated for all they do for our students each and every day. Most sincerely, Dr. Kristi Sandvik, Superintendent ksandvik@besd33.org