This week the staff of Genoa-Kingston # 424 will have the opportunity to meet with the parents of our students during parent/teacher conferences on Thursday, November 3th and Friday, November 4th. I encourage all parents to make an appointment with their child or children’s teacher and discuss the academic progress that is taking place so far this year. I have included some various tips and reminders to make the conference productive and as informative as possible for all involved
With so much to talk about in so little time, here's how you can make the most of your meeting:
Before the Teacher Conference
• Start preparing early. Don't wait until the night before to get organized. Create a folder at the beginning of the year in which you store test scores, big homework assignments, your notes, and topics you want to address.
• Talk to your child. Ask how they are doing in class, what's going on during lunchtime, recess, and when she goes to special classes like music or gym. Make sure to understand any situation thoroughly.
During the Teacher Conference
• Arrive early. With only a few precious minutes to spend, you don't want to be late. It will shorten your time with your child's teacher and affect her day's entire schedule.
• Enter with the right attitude. The goal of both the teacher and the parent should be the success of the student, but sometimes parents have a hard time discussing tough issues. Rather than put the teacher on the defensive, arrive with a compliment to start the conference off on the right foot. ("My son is really enjoying the unit on space" or "We had a great time on the field trip.") Then address any concerns in a respectful way.
• Find out the communication protocol. Don't let this be the only time you talk to your child's teacher. Ask how they like to communicate, whether it's by e-mail, notes passed through a folder, or phone calls. Let the teacher know you want to be a partner in the education process
After the Teacher Conference
• Follow up. If the teacher brings something to your attention that needs to be addressed with your child, take steps to put the plan in motion, whether it's helping with organizational skills, getting extra help, or addressing a social issue.
• Update your child. Start with the positive things their teacher had to say, then fill them in on any concerns you and the teacher discussed. Explain how you can all work together to ensure your child has a successful year.
Five questions to ask:
• What skills and knowledge will my child be expected to master this year?
• How will my child be evaluated?
• What can I do to stay more involved in my child's academic progress?
• How do you accommodate differences in learning?
• How are older students prepared for further learning after high school?
Have a great conference and please contact your student’s school with any questions.
October Brings Awareness
October 6, 2011
October is a month of awareness throughout our great nation. Breast Cancer, Health Awareness, Bullying Prevention, Cyber Security, Domestic Violence and Energy Awareness are all recognized in October.
All of these efforts have great merit and should be acknowledged by those of us who work day to day with individuals who we know from work, school, or are a social acquaintance who is impacted by at least one of these issues. None of these are issues we would ever wish to face on our own and that it is important to recognize those who step forward and help others when they are in need.
I am very proud of our students and staff who are participating in assisting in fundraising in one or many of these causes. It truly shows what a caring and thoughtful community our school district is when an individual or family is in need. A huge thank you goes out to them and to the countless volunteers in the Genoa-Kingston communities that make someone’s day a bit brighter by caring and being part of the many awareness opportunities in October.
October is a month of awareness throughout our great nation. Breast Cancer, Health Awareness, Bullying Prevention, Cyber Security, Domestic Violence and Energy Awareness are all recognized in October.
All of these efforts have great merit and should be acknowledged by those of us who work day to day with individuals who we know from work, school, or are a social acquaintance who is impacted by at least one of these issues. None of these are issues we would ever wish to face on our own and that it is important to recognize those who step forward and help others when they are in need.
I am very proud of our students and staff who are participating in assisting in fundraising in one or many of these causes. It truly shows what a caring and thoughtful community our school district is when an individual or family is in need. A huge thank you goes out to them and to the countless volunteers in the Genoa-Kingston communities that make someone’s day a bit brighter by caring and being part of the many awareness opportunities in October.
Vision 2020
Vision 2020
October 7, 2011
Vision, 2020 vision, wouldn’t we all like to have perfect vision? What defines a leader’s vision of his or her group? A learning community has been formed to answer these and other exciting questions about the academic future of Genoa-Kingston CUSD # 424. October 17, 2011 will be the date for the first meeting of community members, parents and staff who will come together to research the best learning practices for our school district. This group will share ideas, hear from nationally known consultants, and be encouraged to look to the future educational needs of our students.
This year’s fourth graders will graduate from Genoa-Kingston High School in the year 2020. We want to focus our efforts to have in place the learning environment that we envision for the year 2020.
The task that our group Vision 2020 has is simply this; to create a template that defines the direction our school district should follow toward the year 2020 in the area of curriculum, technology and school learning climate. Understanding that the world we live in currently is changing faster than at any time in modern history, it is vital for the group’s success to create a plan that is flexible and has the ability to reflect ever changing opportunities in the field of education. The template will be shared with our board of education, community groups, and our families that make up our district. John Scully once stated that “The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious.” The possibilities are endless for our students. The Vision 2020 group will have a great task determining what the future holds for us.
Rich Voltz, from the Illinois Association of School Administrators, will be in attendance on our first meeting on October 17th. Rich is a former superintendent of schools who now does professional development classes for administration throughout Illinois in the area of technology. He has traveled extensively throughout the United States studying the uses of technology in today’s schools and will share his knowledge and findings with the Vision 2020 group.
Educational leader Warren Bennis defines leadership in this statement, "Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” I am excited to begin the work ahead of us because rarely we have the opportunity to spend time with our community members to focus on educational opportunities and discuss the image we possess for what a learning environment should be in the future for all our students. We hope to turn our vision into the reality of being pacesetters in the area of curriculum and learning.
Please look for Vision 2020 information on our district website and on my blog attached to the superintendent’s link at www.gkschools.org .
October 7, 2011
Vision, 2020 vision, wouldn’t we all like to have perfect vision? What defines a leader’s vision of his or her group? A learning community has been formed to answer these and other exciting questions about the academic future of Genoa-Kingston CUSD # 424. October 17, 2011 will be the date for the first meeting of community members, parents and staff who will come together to research the best learning practices for our school district. This group will share ideas, hear from nationally known consultants, and be encouraged to look to the future educational needs of our students.
This year’s fourth graders will graduate from Genoa-Kingston High School in the year 2020. We want to focus our efforts to have in place the learning environment that we envision for the year 2020.
The task that our group Vision 2020 has is simply this; to create a template that defines the direction our school district should follow toward the year 2020 in the area of curriculum, technology and school learning climate. Understanding that the world we live in currently is changing faster than at any time in modern history, it is vital for the group’s success to create a plan that is flexible and has the ability to reflect ever changing opportunities in the field of education. The template will be shared with our board of education, community groups, and our families that make up our district. John Scully once stated that “The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious.” The possibilities are endless for our students. The Vision 2020 group will have a great task determining what the future holds for us.
Rich Voltz, from the Illinois Association of School Administrators, will be in attendance on our first meeting on October 17th. Rich is a former superintendent of schools who now does professional development classes for administration throughout Illinois in the area of technology. He has traveled extensively throughout the United States studying the uses of technology in today’s schools and will share his knowledge and findings with the Vision 2020 group.
Educational leader Warren Bennis defines leadership in this statement, "Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” I am excited to begin the work ahead of us because rarely we have the opportunity to spend time with our community members to focus on educational opportunities and discuss the image we possess for what a learning environment should be in the future for all our students. We hope to turn our vision into the reality of being pacesetters in the area of curriculum and learning.
Please look for Vision 2020 information on our district website and on my blog attached to the superintendent’s link at www.gkschools.org .
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