Welcome to The Warrior Way, the Woodhaven-Brownstown School District podcast where we talk about all things WBSD. My name is Mark Greathead, the Superintendent of the Woodhaven-Brownstown Schools, and I’ll be your host as we celebrate where we’ve been, what we’re doing, and where we’re going.

Today, we're spotlighting how to have a successful Parent Teacher Conference at the elementary level. Parent-teacher conferences are an essential opportunity for parents to connect with their child's teachers, understand their academic progress, and collaborate to support their educational growth. Here today is Michelle Briegel, Wegienka Elementary School Principal to talk more about having a successful conference.

Welcome, thank you for being here. Let's start by talking about elementary school parent-teacher conferences on Wednesday, March 12, and Woodhaven Upper Elementary parent-teacher conferences on Thursday, March 13.

Parent/Teacher Conferences are on Tuesday, March 12, for all five elementary schools and on Wednesday, March 13, for the upper elementary school. Conference times are 1 to 4 p.m. and again from 5 to 8 p.m. Conferences are a combination of virtual and in person depending on the family’s needs. Parents should make a conference appointment with their student’s teacher. At the elementary level, report cards are standard-based and scoring is on a 3-point scale.

1 – Beginning - Exhibits little understanding of the concept or skill (Cannot be completed independently)

2 - Developing - Demonstrates some understanding with assistance (Errors or misunderstandings still occur)

3 - Secure - Consistently applies the skill or concept accurately and independently

It’s important for parents to prepare accordingly as time slots for conferences are 10 minutes long. Parents should prepare a few questions for their student’s teacher before the conference. Some questions to ask would be:

• How is my student progressing with mastering the grade level standards for English/ELA and math?
• What is my student’s reading level?
• How can I help support my student’s learning at home?
• Parents can also ask about information regarding how your child is engaging with other students and socially in the classroom.
• Parents shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions if they don’t understand something - such as what the test scores mean and what they mean for their child.
• As always, if there are any special needs or accommodations you may need, please feel free to reach out to your school’s principal or social worker as we are here to help.

Some other things to consider are to talk to your child about how they feel about school, ask about their favorite subjects or what they enjoy most about school. Parents should approach the conversation as a collaboration with their child’s teacher to help support their success in the classroom and at home as well.

The week of parent teacher conferences is generally when many of our elementary schools hold a Scholastic Book Fair. Parents are encouraged to browse the selections either before or after the conference with their student’s teacher. It is a great time to talk about reading and language with teachers and then maybe check out some new materials while the student is excited about their progress.