Conferences

Spring conferences take on a different format from the fall conferences.  In the fall, you met with each academic teacher in order to establish a relationship and to get a sense of what to expect in each subject area. 

This spring, however, the conferences are meant to focus more holistically on student development.  The conferences will be student-led, with the advisor serving as coach and support.  Over the next two weeks, students will work with their teachers to select work to put in their portfolio and with their advisors to synthesize an overview of their growth to date.

Not surprisingly, some students are resisting this conference model where they will carry so much responsibility.  The teacher-led conferences of the fall, in fact, were the ones that represented a change from tradition.  The reflecting students will do in preparation for their spring conferences and the practice they will get in articulating their own sense of growth will add greater dimension to their learning.  It is our intention to continue to alternate these formats: teacher-led in the fall and student-led in the spring.

The conference will provide a safe environment in which students can showcase their successes at a time when they are sometimes developmentally most insecure.  We want them to recognize and assume an active role in their education and to be proud of their accomplishments.  This experience will also serve as practice for some real-life rites such as school, scholarship, or employment interviews.

Cindy Schaub will send you an email with the link for conference sign-ups, which will go live at 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 3.  Conference dates are Friday, March 15, and Monday morning*, March 18, with a couple of additional times on Tuesday afternoon for 6^th grade.  Seventh and eighth grade families, please be sure you are signing up for a conference time with your student’s advisor.  Following the conference, if you have more questions or concerns that could not be answered through the advisor conference, you are, of course, welcome to contact the subject area teacher directly.  Sixth grade, please use the Wildcat form to sign up for a conference with both Norman and Stephanie.

*Monday, March 18, there is a Drama, Band, and Glee rehearsal from 1:00 – 3:30.   Full rehearsal schedules have been emailed home and are available through links in the "up-coming events" column of this blog.