Dear Students and Family Members,
Enclosed is your child's mid-year report card. Please view this report card as one snapshot of your child's current academic performance and behavior.
The report card lists target grade-level academic standards and behaviors. Each behavior and standard is marked with a checkmark that demonstrates your child's current level of mastery from beginning levels to exceeding expectations.
As you review the report card, please let the questions and language below guide your review. We want to continue to foster a positive learning and growth mindset in all students and we thank you in advance for having an important conversation similar to the one outlined below with your child as you review this report.
Sincerely,
Your Child's Teachers
Report Card Review
Parent--Child Conversation Guide
Introduction
Let's take a look at your report card. The report card is a snapshot of some of the behaviors and academic standards you display or have learned at this time in your school life. Let's take a look at each area beginning with academic behavior and effort.
Academic Effort and Behavior
Your academic behavior and efforts are key ingredients to academic success today and in the future. These learning characteristics are as important or more important than specific academic standards with regard to your happiness and overall success. With that in mind, let's take the time to look over and discuss each area listed. First, let's notice the areas where you met or exceeded expectations, and then let's notice the areas where you are still progressing. After that let's create or revise routines and think of ways to both maintain current success and develop greater proficiency in areas where you have not yet met grade-level performance.
We'll use the questions below to guide our work in this regard:
- Are you getting enough sleep each night?
- Do you have a nutritious diet?
- Do we have a good home study routine in place?
- Do you have the supplies and space you need to complete homework on time and with care?
- Do you know what to say or how to act when you need more help or are confused or upset at school?
- How can your parents and teachers help you to reach these goals with greater success?
Academic Standards
The academic standards for term one are the grade-level building blocks for future academic success. Notice the standards where you reached grade-level mastery or exceeded expectations, and then notice the areas where there's still room for growth. Also notice the areas marked with a T2 as those academic areas, unmarked at this time, will make up a large part of the learning focus for the second half of the year. When reviewing the academic standards, we'll use the following questions to guide our discussion.
- What led to your success with regard to the areas you mastered?
- What do you need to do in order to reach mastery with areas marked as progressing?
- Do you think you have learned that skill well? Do you think you need to practice more?
- How can teachers and family members help you to reach mastery in the areas marked as progressing?
- What roadblocks do we have to remove in order for you to meet the grade-level targets?
Conclusion
It would be impossible to list all the areas of strength and challenge students display on one report card. What academic, interest, behavior, or talent areas would you add to this report card if you could? For example, I know that you're terrific at (name a talent) and that's not on the report card. If I was giving a full picture of you, I would that to a report card. So tell me, what else are you really good at?
Also, our challenges are not just school related. What other challenges or target areas would you add to a "snapshot" of you at this time. How can I help you to grow and progress in those areas too?
Overall as your parent, I'm here to be your guide and mentor, I'm very proud of all the learning you've done throughout your life, and I'm also excited about the goals and changes we've made for the next term. Let's work together and with your teachers to help you grow in ways that matter during the second term!
