 PARENT/SCHOOL
COMMUNICATION
Communication between parents and school faculty and staff
is a vital way in which you can assist your child's transition into
Zervas School. It is also the primary means by which teachers and
staff become familiar with your child, and you with life at Zervas.
This is particularly true in terms of special needs or concerns, which
teachers and school staff might need to know about so that your child's
journey is as smooth and rewarding as possible. The following are
structured and less formal ways by which this communication occurs.
Welcome-to-Zervas Coffee Hour
On the first two days of school, Zervas parents are invited
to a coffee get-together in our "Nature Classroom" (in front
of the school) after taking their children to the classrooms. This
is a nice time for parents to meet other families in the community
and offer each other support.
Zervas Notes - PTO Newsletter
Our biweekly Zervas Notes newsletter contains information about
school and community activities. New issues are announced on
alternate Wednesdays through an email to all parents and staff. The
current issue is available online
here (password
required). Parents who prefer to receive a printed copy should leave
a note in the PTO mailbox in the school office or email the PTO.
Please read Zervas Notes thoroughly, as it will announce upcoming
meetings and events and other items of interest. Submissions to
Zervas Notes are due the Friday before publication and should be
emailed to the Notes addressed or placed in the Notes folder in the
school office.
ZMail
The PTO sends out weekly emails with reminders of upcoming events,
as well as reminders and information about last minute changes.
Please email the PTO to sign up.
Curriculum Night
Parents are invited each fall to their child's classroom
to hear their teacher explain the curriculum and answer general
questions about the year. Teachers also use this opportunity to
inform parents of expectations, policies and procedures that are
unique to their individual classroom. Parents may look at materials
in the room as well as their child's work. Curriculum Nights are
not intended for discussion of individual children or their progress;
this occurs by arrangement, if necessary, or at the regularly scheduled
conference in the fall (see section on Student Evaluation).
In addition to meeting your child's classroom teacher, all specialists
present a short introduction to their work. The dates of these evenings
will be announced in Zervas Notes. These evenings are designed for
parents to attend without their children.
Coffee & Conversation Hour with the Principal
Coffee & Conversation Hour is a monthly morning coffee
with the principal. The co-presidents of the P.T.O. will also be
present. The goal is to provide an informal opportunity to exchange
thoughts or information. Coffee & Conversation Hour is scheduled
for the first Friday of each month, beginning in October, from 8:30
to 9:15 a.m. The dates are announced in Zervas Notes.
Bulletin Board
The bulletin board outside of the principal's office posts minutes
from P.T.O. meetings and School Council meetings. Community information
is also posted there.
Student Evaluation: Is My Child Doing Okay in School?
Fall Conference
Every parent is invited to an individual conference in the fall.
The purpose of the conference is to discuss your child's progress
and for the parent and teacher to get to know one another.
End-of-January Report Card
A checklist detailing skills presented by the teacher and mastered
by your child, as well as comments, are sent home. Conferences do
not normally take place at this time.
June Report Card and Spring Conference
Before the end of school, report cards illuminating your child's
progress in classroom skills, as well as art, music and physical
education, are given to the parent in an individual parent/teacher
conference. The report card follows a checklist format and has a
short narrative paragraph.
Informal Conferences
Even in the best of schools, your child can feel shy, angry,
under-challenged, or overwhelmed. Even when children have had experiences
in other school settings before coming to Zervas, the transition
to kindergarten and school in general can be demanding. Should such
feelings emerge, it is important to remember that you and your child's
teachers share a common goal: to find the right ingredients and
environment for your child to have a successful school experience.
The best advice is to let the teacher know immediately if a concern
arises so that both school and home can work together to help support
and encourage your child. If the teacher notices a problem, you
can be sure that he/she will be in touch. Teachers are happy to
talk with you about your child when all is well, too.
If you wish to speak to your child's teacher, it is best to call
during the school day and leave a specific message, or send a note
explaining the reasons why a conference might be necessary. This
gives the teacher a chance to confer with other faculty, if appropriate,
and respond to you in a timely fashion. If you need more than a
telephone conversation, you should arrange an appointment to meet
your child's teacher at a mutually convenient time.
Sometimes parents feel somewhat uncomfortable communicating with
teachers. ("Do they notice my child's special needs?",
"Is my child's unusual behavior at home a reflection of things
that are happening in school?", "My child seems to be
out of sorts, but I don't know if it has anything to do with school.")
But it is essential for both you and your child that you and the
teacher join forces as soon as possible. Identifying difficulties
or problems and addressing them in a timely fashion, before patterns
of misunderstanding develop, can help you and the teacher become
a team working cooperatively for the good of your child.
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