Lower School - UPDATES

Dear Lower School Families,

This is our first Lower School Community blog update. Here you will find information about upcoming Lower School events, answers to some of your questions, and suggestions of articles for you to review. Be sure to click the "Lower School - UPDATES" box above for information. Feel free to give us feedback on our updates. 

Sincerely,

Vance Boisjoli and Shannon Beckley
Lower School Principal and Lower School Assistant Principal

Student-Led Conferences
On Friday, March 24th and Monday, March 27th we will conduct our second round of Student-Led Conferences. Sign up for the conferences will be available on Veracross starting tomorrow March 14th at 10:00am and will close on March 23rd at noon. We recommend you sign up as soon as possible, in order to schedule your desired time. Please expect to spend about one hour on campus for each child (during the conferences you will spend time in both your child’s homeroom and specialist classes). 

All children from K4 to Grade 5 are required to attend the conferences, as they will be guiding their parents through the activities (K3 parents will meet with the teachers). We will have supervision available on the playground for families if needed, particularly for those of you who have more than one child. If it is raining, children will be supervised in the ballet room next to the Lower School Gym. Please remember that during both days, there will be no classes for students.  

Second trimester report cards will be available on Veracross on March 22nd. A reminder email will be sent then with information on how to login and view the report card. Please be sure to view it before you attend the conferences.  

We look forward to seeing you on campus to share the great learning that has taken place since our last conferences!

Student-Led Conferences FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

What Is a Student-Led Conference?

Students lead a conference to demonstrate their learning by showcasing their work.  They take ownership of their learning experience through stations, student portfolios, and work samples.

What Happens at a Student-Led Conference?

Parents come into the classroom with their children. Together, families visit learning stations set up around the classroom. Families move from station to station as they complete each task. In first to fifth grade, conferences will be scheduled every 20 minutes, and as a result there may be multiple families in the room at the same time.     

Each station is designed to take about five to ten minutes. Stations could include reading, writing, mathematics, social studies, science and/or a student portfolio.  In addition, parents, child, and teacher will meet to discuss student growth and goals.  Please expect to spend at least 1 hour on campus for each child (you will spend time in both your child’s homeroom and their specialist classes).

What are the Benefits of a Student-Led Conference?

Student-Led Conferences ensure that children are responsible for their learning and are actively involved in the learning process. Students have the opportunity to discuss what has taken place within the classroom setting. The conferences also help the students build their organization and communication skills. This direct student involvement helps the children become more reflective about their own work and set realistic goals for the future.

What Is Everyone’s Role?

Students, parents, and teachers have very distinct roles during the conference. Below is a simple breakdown of what each person's responsibilities.

Student’s Role	Parent’s Role	Teacher’s Role
to lead to learn to share to do to feel successful	to listen to question to learn to help to feel proud	to help prepare to welcome to assist to be available to all families to facilitate the conversation

Is it Important for Everyone to Attend?

Yes!  Attending Student-Led Conferences is extremely important.  The students put a great deal of thought and effort into preparing for these conferences.  We request that all parents attend, not only to be informed what is going on in the classroom, but to support their children.  

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Conference Follow Up
Thank you to our Parent Teacher Association (PTA) for organizing such a meaningful conference both for parents and educators. We have already had many conversations about how we support students at school. In addition to reviewing the information on Dr. Catherine Steiner-Aidar's website, this parent written article she referenced may be of interest to you: 9 Tips That Helped Me Beat My iPhone Addiction.

Upcoming Important Dates

March 21	Field Grand Opening (8:45am)
March 22	Report Cards Online for Parents (4:00pm)
March 24 & 27	Lower School Student-Led Conferences (No classes for LS students)
March 25-26	Destination Imagination Tournament in Rio
March 29-31	5th Grade Caminhos do Tietê Trip
March 29	3rd Grade Trip to Museu Catavento (Barkdoll/Ro)
March 31	3rd Grade Trip to Museu Catavento (Kulikowsky/Davis)